At the conclusion of the great sacrifice, when all the prescribed gifts had been distributed, the noble king—accompanied by Vaitāla—completed the sacred rites. O king, supremely fortunate one, it was then foretold that when the dreadful age of Kali would descend upon the world, great changes would come to pass. At that moment, the Moon, having bestowed nectar-like water as a gift, vanished from sight once again. Indra, having received this ambrosial offering from the king, returned contentedly to his heavenly abode. During this auspicious time, there lived a renowned Brahmin named Jayanta. Jayanta, in his devotion, praised the illustrious Bhartṛhari and extolled his virtues, comparing him to a treasure worth a hundred thousand gold coins. Amidst these events, Vikramaditya alone maintained his kingdom, untroubled by affliction or misfortune. The sages, led by the wise Śaunaka and fully aware of the king’s attainment of heaven, gathered together. To these venerable sages, the bard once more recited the ancient Purāṇas. Having listened intently, all the sages, filled with joy and satisfaction, returned to their own peaceful hermitages. Thus concludes the twenty-third chapter, which recounts the history of the Kali age within the great cycle of the four ages, as told in the Pratisarga Parva of the glorious Bhaviṣya Mahāpurāṇa. Afterwards, the sages approached the bard, the revered reciter of the Purāṇas, with deep respect. “O revered one,” they implored, “please speak for the welfare of the worlds throughout the four ages. May human beings attain auspiciousness effortlessly, just as they desire.” In response, the bard proclaimed, “For the protection of the world, especially against the enemy Dhūmraketu, I always praise the god Satyanārāyaṇa. I offer my praises to Śrī Rāma, ever compassionate, accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa and by Sītā, pure and radiant as the lotus, the beloved of Vaidehī, and destroyer of the demon Paulastya. He is the destroyer of the impurities of Kali, the fulfiller of desires, shining among the foremost gods, and radiant through the Brahmin.” Once, the sage Nārada, the great yogi, desiring to bestow supreme grace upon the world, observed that all people were afflicted by various sufferings. He pondered deeply: “By what means can their suffering be surely destroyed?” At that very moment, the god Nārāyaṇa appeared before him, resplendent in white, with four arms, a serene and pleasant face, and peaceful in demeanor. He was praised by Sanaka and the other ancient sages, and was recognized as the god who is without beginning, middle, or end—attributeless and of great soul—the prime origin of all and the benefactor of the worlds. Sūta, the storyteller, continued: “Having heard Nārada’s heartfelt praise, the great Lord Viṣṇu replied to him, ‘Tell me, O highly fortunate one, your wish, and I shall recount everything to you.’ Hearing Nārada’s words, Viṣṇu honored him, saying, ‘Excellent, excellent.’ “In the Kṛta and Tretā ages, I manifest as Viṣṇu; in Dvāpara, I assume many forms. In those times, Dharma stands firmly on four legs, with truth as its very foundation. Therefore, the vow of Satyanārāyaṇa is remembered as the most excellent of all vows. “You ask, ‘What are the fruits and the procedures of worshipping Satyanārāyaṇa?’ Listen, O sage, as I explain. Even the poor become wealthy, the childless are blessed with children, the bound are released from bondage, and the fearful become fearless. In this very birth, O brāhmaṇa, one should worship Satyanārāyaṇa with devotion and in the proper manner. “After bathing in the morning and purifying oneself by brushing the teeth, one should worship Nārāyaṇa, radiant as a dense white cloud, four-armed, and adorned in yellow, precious garments. With a resolute mind, one should perform the vow and worship the Lord in the evening as well. “One should worship the Śālagrāma stone, adorned with gold, and offer hymns that praise the self. Recite: ‘Om, obeisance to the Blessed One—we contemplate the eternal Lord of Truth.’” In this way, the sages learned the supreme path of auspiciousness in the age of Kali, and the worship of Satyanārāyaṇa was established as the means to overcome suffering and attain fulfillment in this world.