O Acyuta, even actions performed without desire and the purest knowledge, if devoid of devotion to You, do not truly shine; how much less, then, do even the noblest deeds yield lasting benefit if they are not offered to the Lord? All efforts for fame and prosperity—whether through duties of caste and stage of life, austerities, or study—find their highest purpose only when they lead to unfailing remembrance of Śrīdhara’s lotus feet, through reverent hearing and praise of Hari’s virtues. The 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 and ruler of all, having fixed Him steadily in your hearts. I too have been reminded of the truth of the Self, which I once heard 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 recounted to 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—purifies himself. Hearing these glories on the twelfth or eleventh day of the lunar fortnight grants long life; reciting them 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; but a devoted twice-born who studies this Purāṇa 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 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 Brahmā, Indra, Śiva, and other lords of heaven, O infallible One. Homage to the eternal Supreme among the gods, whose own power, newly accumulated, 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 spoke: Vidura, having learned about the path of the self from Maitreya during his pilgrimage, returned to Hastināpura, his desire for knowledge fulfilled by her. As long as Vidura questioned the sage Kauṣārava, he developed exclusive devotion to Govinda, and then ceased from those inquiries. When their kinsman returned, Dharmaputra with his brothers, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Yuyutsu, Sūta, Kṛpa, and Pṛthā, as well as Gāndhārī, Draupadī, Subhadrā, Uttara, Kṛpī, and other wives of Pāṇḍu, along with their sons and female relatives—all rose up with delight, as if life itself had returned to their bodies. They approached Vidura properly, greeting him with embraces and salutations. Overcome by longing from separation, they shed streams of tears of love; the king honored him, offering a seat and welcoming him. When Vidura had eaten, rested, and was comfortably seated, King Yudhiṣṭhira, 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 on this earth? 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 report it, being compassionate and unable to witness the sorrow of others. For some time, Vidura stayed there, honored and happy like a god, bringing well-being to his elder brother and happiness to all. Aryama carried out punishment upon wrongdoers as required, while Yama, due to a curse, maintained the status of a Shudra for a hundred years. Yudhishthira, having regained his kingdom and seeing his grandson as the heir of the dynasty, rejoiced with his brothers, guardians of the world, in supreme prosperity. Thus, for those attached to their homes and heedless, absorbed in such pursuits, time—exceedingly difficult to overcome—passed unnoticed. Vidura, perceiving this, spoke to Dhritarashtra: “O King, depart quickly; see how danger has arrived. There is no remedy here, from anywhere or at any time, O Lord; this is the Supreme Time, the Lord, who has come for all of us. By whom even those most dear, with their very lives, are overtaken, and people are suddenly separated; what to say of others, like wealth and so forth? Fathers, brothers, friends, sons—all have been slain; youth has departed; your self is consumed by old age, and you reside in another’s house. Ah, how great is the hope for life in a living being, by which you, like a caretaker, accept food left aside by Bhima. Fire has been set, gifts given, poison administered, wives dishonored, land and wealth stolen—how much remains for those who gave their lives for such things?” Thus, the story unfolds, revealing both the glory of the Lord and the wisdom of those who recognize the impermanence of worldly attachments, urging the soul toward remembrance and devotion.