In the age now unfolding, the teachings of the Bhāgavata, once lovingly shared by the brāhmaṇas in every home and to every person, have lost their essence. The sacred stories, which should illuminate the heart, have faded—not because of ignorance, but because greed for fees has crept in, draining the life from their telling. Even the holy places, sanctuaries of divine presence, are not untouched. There, too, dwell those who perform dreadful deeds, the atheistic and hellish-minded. Yet, the true sanctity of these places has departed. Similarly, many are seen performing austerities, but their minds are agitated by desire, anger, greed, and insatiable thirst. Thus, the real spirit of austerity is lost. Meditation and yoga, which should bear the fruit of realization, are now rendered fruitless by the defeat of the mind—overcome by greed, hypocrisy, heresy, and even the dry study of scriptures. The learned, instead of seeking liberation, delight with their wives like buffaloes, skilled in producing sons but unskilled in attaining true freedom. True Vaiṣṇavism, the heart of devotion, is nowhere to be found, not even among the leaders of the traditions. The very essence of reality seems to have perished everywhere. Yet, who can be blamed? Such is the nature of this age. The Lotus-eyed Lord, ever compassionate, endures all, standing close by. At this, Sūta continued: Hearing these sorrowful words, those assembled were filled with wonder. Bhakti herself spoke again, saying, “Let this too be heard, O Śaunaka.” Bhakti said, “O sage among the gods, how truly blessed you are! By my good fortune, you have come here. The sight of the virtuous in this world bestows all perfections. Victory, victory to Him whose very body is the source of illusion, who, with a single utterance, creates all speech! By His grace, Dhruva attained the eternal state. I bow to the son of Brahmā, the vessel of all auspiciousness.” Thus begins the next chapter, the glory of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Nārada, seeing Bhakti’s distress, spoke gently: “Child, why do you grieve in vain, so troubled by anxiety? Remember the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa—your sorrow will depart. Was it not He who rescued Draupadī from her calamity among the Kauravas and protected the cowherd women? Where is that Kṛṣṇa now? But you, Bhakti, are dearer to Him than life itself. When you call, the Lord comes even to the houses of the lowly. In the first three ages, truth, knowledge, and detachment are the means to liberation, but in Kali, only Bhakti grants union with Brahman. Thus, the all-conscious Lord created you, who are of His own nature, as a beautiful form of supreme bliss, beloved of Kṛṣṇa. With folded hands, you once asked, ‘What shall I do?’ And Kṛṣṇa instructed you: ‘Nourish my devotees.’ You accepted that command, and Hari was pleased. He gave you Mukti as a maidservant, and these two, Jñāna and Vairāgya, as your sons. In Vaikuṇṭha, you nourish by your own form; on earth, you manifest a shadow-form to nourish devotees. With Mukti, Jñāna, and Vairāgya, you came to earth and remained in great joy until the end of Dvāpara, beginning from Kṛta. But in Kali, Mukti was destroyed, afflicted by heresy; by your command, she quickly returned to Vaikuṇṭha. Liberation comes and goes here as you remember, and these two sons, made by you, are protected at your side. Because of neglect, your two sons have become weak and old in this age of Kali. Yet, do not worry—I will think of a way. O beautiful one, there is no age like Kali; in this age, I will establish you in every home, among all people. Setting aside other duties and giving priority to great festivals, at that time, I will not serve Hari, nor will I spread you in the world. Those living beings accompanied by you in this Kali age—even if sinful—will go without fear to Krishna’s temple. For those whose hearts are always filled with devotion in the form of love, impure beings cannot harm them, not even in dreams. Neither ghosts, nor spirits, nor demons, nor even asuras, can overpower those whose minds are endowed with devotion, even by touch. Neither by austerities, nor by the Vedas, nor by knowledge or actions, is Hari attained—only by devotion; the gopīs are the proof of this. After thousands of human births, love for devotion arises; in Kali, devotion, devotion—by devotion, Krishna stands before you. Those who are hostile to devotion sink in all three worlds; even Durvāsā once suffered misery for insulting a devotee. Enough of vows, enough of pilgrimages, enough of yogas, enough of sacrifices, enough of discussions on knowledge—devotion alone grants liberation.” Sūta continued: Hearing thus the true nature of herself as revealed by Nārada, Bhakti, filled with all auspiciousness, spoke to Nārada: “O Nārada, how blessed you are! Your love for me is unwavering. I will never leave you; I will always remain in your heart. O compassionate sage, by you my affliction was destroyed in an instant. My two sons lack consciousness—therefore, awaken them, awaken them.” Hearing her plea, Nārada was filled with compassion and began to awaken the two, gently rubbing them with his fingertips. Placing his mouth near their ears, he loudly called, “O Jñāna, awaken quickly! O Vairāgya, awaken!” With repeated recitations of the Vedas, Vedānta, and the Gītā, he tried to rouse them, and with effort, they somehow rose. Yet, both, unable to open their eyes, yawned, weak as herons, their bodies gray and withered like dry wood. Seeing them, so emaciated by hunger and again falling into sleep, the sage became thoughtful, pondering what should be done. “Ah, how does sleep come, and how does such old age arise?” he wondered. Contemplating thus, Bhārgava began to recall Govinda in his heart.