He who, even once, places the image of the Lord within his heart attains the highest path of devotion. What, then, can be said of one who, free from all delusion, continually enjoys the bliss of the eternal self? Sūta continued: O revered brāhmaṇas, after hearing of the wondrous deeds of Krishna, King Yudhishthira, his mind deeply absorbed in that sacred narrative, again turned to Śuka with questions. The king asked, “O brāhmaṇa, how is it that the childhood deeds of Hari, performed in a different time, are sung by boys in their youth? How can they recount what took place before their own birth? O great yogi, O venerable teacher, please explain this supreme wonder to me. Surely, this is nothing but the work of Hari’s māyā—there is no other explanation. Truly, we are most fortunate in the world, though we are kṣatriyas only in name, for we constantly drink the nectar of Krishna’s sacred stories from your lips.” Sūta said: Thus questioned, the son of Badarāyaṇa, whose senses were absorbed in the infinite heart, was reminded of the world around him. Gathering his awareness with effort, he slowly replied to that foremost devotee of the Lord. “O best of the twice-born,” he said, “as you have asked, I have recounted in full the playful incarnations and deeds of the Lord. Whoever, whether fallen, stumbling, distressed, wounded, or helpless, loudly cries out ‘obeisance to Hari’ is freed from all sin. When the infinite Lord is glorified—when His power is realized through attentive hearing—He enters the heart and completely cleanses all suffering, just as the sun and a strong wind dispel darkness and clouds. “Empty words and false stories that do not speak of the transcendent Lord should not be told. Only that is truth, only that is auspicious, only that is holy which brings forth the Lord’s virtues. Only the glories of the Lord—delightful, charming, ever fresh and ever new—bring about the constant great festival of the mind and dry up the ocean of sorrow for all beings. “Whatever speech, however ornate, does not proclaim the fame of Hari, which sanctifies the world, is like a crow’s bathing place, shunned by swans. Where Acyuta is praised, there pure devotees gather. Even if imperfect in meter, any creation of speech that contains the names and glories of the infinite Lord washes away the sins of people; the virtuous listen, sing, and recite it. “Even actions done without desire, O Acyuta, and pure knowledge—if not offered with devotion to You—do not shine. How much less, then, do even the best works bring lasting good, if not dedicated to the Lord? All efforts for fame and prosperity—be it through duties, austerity, or study—are supreme only when they bring unfailing remembrance of Śrīdhara’s lotus feet, through hearing and praising His virtues with reverence. “Remembrance of Krishna’s lotus feet destroys all inauspiciousness and bestows well-being. It purifies the mind, brings supreme devotion to the indwelling Lord, and grants knowledge endowed with realization and detachment. Truly, you foremost twice-born are greatly blessed, for you constantly worship Nārāyaṇa, the Lord, the God of gods, the ruler and soul of all beings, having fixed Him steadily in your hearts. “And I, too, have been reminded of the truth of the Self, which I heard long ago from the lips of the supreme sage, when King Parīkṣit was observing his fast in the company of the great sages and seers. “O brāhmaṇas, I have thus told you the glorious deeds of the Lord of mighty acts, whose greatness destroys all misfortune. Whoever, with unwavering mind and faith, recites or attentively listens to this daily, even for a moment, becomes purified. Hearing this on the twelfth or eleventh day of the lunar fortnight grants long life; reciting it with self-control and fasting, one is freed from sin. One who, self-controlled, observes a fast and recites this collection in Puṣkara, Mathurā, or Dvārakā, is freed from fear. “By the praise and hearing of whose glories, the gods, sages, perfected beings, ancestors, Manus, and kings grant the desires of those who sing or listen. A twice-born who studies the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas attains the fruits of honey, clarified butter, and milk. A devoted twice-born who studies this Purāṇa collection attains the supreme abode spoken of by the Lord. By studying, a brāhmaṇa attains wisdom, a kṣatriya the sovereignty of the ocean, a vaiśya lordship over wealth, and a śūdra is purified from sin. “Elsewhere, Hari, the Lord of all, who burns away the impurity of Kali, is not sung of constantly. But here, the Lord, whose form is all-encompassing, is thoroughly recited, verse by verse, in the course of these narratives. “I bow to You, the unborn, infinite, true Self, whose power brings about the creation, maintenance, and dissolution of the universe, whose praise is difficult to grasp even for the lords of heaven—Brahmā, Indra, Śiva, and others—O infallible One. Homage to the eternal Supreme among the gods, whose own power forms the stable and moving worlds within Himself, and whose abode is realized only by the blessed. I bow to Vyāsa’s son, who, with a mind absorbed in his own bliss and free from all else, was drawn by the unconquered Lord’s charming play, and who, out of compassion, revealed this Purāṇa—the lamp of truth, destroyer of all sin.” Sūta then continued: After Vidura had learned the path of the self from the sage Maitreya during his pilgrimage, his desire for knowledge fulfilled, he returned to Hastināpura. As long as Vidura had asked questions before the sage Kauṣārava, he developed exclusive devotion to Govinda, and then he ceased from those inquiries. Seeing their kinsman return, Dharmaputra (Yudhishthira) with his brothers, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Yuyutsu, Sūta, Kṛpa, and Pṛthā, along with Gāndhārī, Draupadī, Subhadrā, Uttara, Kṛpī, and other wives of Pāṇḍu, together with their sons and female relatives, all rose up with delight. It was as if life itself had returned to their bodies. Approaching him properly, they greeted Vidura with embraces and salutations. Overcome by longing from their long separation, they shed streams of tears of love. The king honored Vidura, offering him a seat and welcoming him. Once Vidura had eaten, rested, and was comfortably seated, the king, bowing with humility, spoke as all listened. Yudhishthira asked, “Do you remember us, who thrived under your shelter and were saved, along with our mother, from many dangers such as poison and fire? By what means have you lived while wandering the earth? Have you visited the chief holy places and sacred fields? O Lord, devotees like you are themselves holy places; they sanctify even sacred sites by carrying within their hearts the bearer of the mace.