The assembled kṣatriyas, feeling deeply blessed, turned to their revered teacher and spoke with gratitude: “O teacher, though we are kṣatriyas only in name, we are the most fortunate in the world, for we constantly drink the nectar of Krishna’s sacred stories from your lips.” Śrī Sūta, witnessing their devotion, narrated what followed. When the questions were put forth, the son of Badarāyaṇa—whose senses were absorbed in the infinite—was drawn back from his inward absorption. With effort, he regained outward awareness and, slowly, replied to that foremost devotee of the Bhāgavata. “O best among the twice-born,” he began, “as you have asked, I have recounted in full the playful incarnations and deeds of the Lord. Know this: whether fallen, stumbling, distressed, wounded, or helpless, whoever loudly utters ‘obeisance to Hari’ is freed from all sin. “When the infinite Lord is glorified—He whose power is realized through hearing—He enters the hearts of people and cleanses their suffering completely, just as the sun and a strong wind dispel darkness and clouds. Words and stories that do not speak of the transcendent Lord are empty and false; only that is truth, only that is auspicious and holy, which brings forth the Lord’s virtues. “Only the glories of the Lord of excellent fame are ever delightful, charming, fresh, and new; only they are the constant, great festival for the mind, drying up the ocean of sorrow for people. Any speech, however ornate, that does not proclaim Hari’s fame—which sanctifies the world—is like a place where only crows gather, not swans; where Acyuta is present, there pure devotees assemble. “But even that creation of speech, though imperfect in meter, which contains the names and glories of the infinite Lord, washes away people’s sins. The virtuous listen to, sing, and recite it. Even actions free from desire, O Acyuta, and pure knowledge, if not joined with devotion to You, do not shine; how much less, then, do even the best works, if not offered to the Lord, bring lasting good? “All effort for fame and prosperity—whether through duties of caste and stage of life, austerity, or study—is supreme only when it brings unfailing remembrance of Śrīdhara’s lotus feet, through hearing and praising the virtues of Hari 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 among the twice-born are greatly blessed, for you constantly worship Nārāyaṇa, the Lord of gods, the ruler, the 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 presence 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, is purified. Hearing this on the twelfth or eleventh day of the lunar fortnight grants long life; reciting it with self-control and fasting, one becomes free 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 desires to 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 streams. 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 mass of Kali’s impurity—is not sung of constantly; but here, the Lord, whose form is all-encompassing, is thoroughly recited, verse by verse, in 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 even for Brahmā, Indra, Śiva, and others to grasp, O infallible One. Homage to the eternal Supreme among the gods, whose own power forms the stable and moving worlds within Himself, whose abode is realized only by the blessed. I bow to Vyāsa’s son, who, absorbed in his own bliss, was drawn by the Lord’s charming play, and who, out of compassion, revealed this Purāṇa, the lamp of truth, destroyer of all sin.” With this, Sūta concluded the narration and began a new account: Vidura, having learned the path of the self from the sage Maitreya during his pilgrimage, returned to Hastināpura, his longing for knowledge fulfilled. As long as Vidura questioned the sage Kauṣārava, he developed exclusive devotion to Govinda, and, satisfied, ceased from further inquiries. When Vidura returned, Dharmaputra—Yudhiṣṭhira—and his brothers, along with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Yuyutsu, Sūta, Kṛpa, and Pṛthā, as well as Gāndhārī, Draupadī, Subhadrā, Uttara, Kṛpī, and other wives of Pāṇḍu, together with their sons and female relatives, were filled with joy. It was as if life itself had returned to their bodies. They all rose up, approached him with proper respect, and greeted him with embraces and salutations. Overcome by longing from their separation, they shed streams of loving tears. The king honored Vidura, offering him a seat and welcoming him warmly. When Vidura had eaten, rested, and was comfortably seated, the king, bowing with humility, spoke as all listened: “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. “O dear one, have our friends and relatives, the worshippers of Krishna, been seen or heard from? Are the Yadavas living happily in their city?” Thus addressed by Dharmaraja, Vidura described everything as he had experienced it, step by step, except for the destruction of the Yadu dynasty. Though something unpleasant and unbearable had occurred, he did not mention it, being compassionate and unable to bear the sorrow of others. For some time, Vidura remained there, honored and happy like a god, bringing well-being to his elder brother and happiness to all.