As the final moments of life approach, a person finds himself helpless, unable to move his hands or feet. He is surrounded by grieving relatives and friends, their weeping filling the room. His voice fails him, and his mind is troubled, anxiously wondering who will inherit the wealth and property he has accumulated. Tears fill his eyes, his throat rattles with each breath, and as his life departs from his body, the messengers of Yama seize him. Bound in their fetters, he is led away to experience the realms of hell and other worlds, just as he has in past existences. In this way, all living beings, bound by the consequences of their actions, endure intense suffering until their karma is exhausted. But there is a way out: one should pursue the highest knowledge, for it is through knowledge that liberation is attained. Therefore, to be freed from the endless cycle of worldly existence, one must diligently cultivate supreme knowledge. Who could be more foolish than one who does not serve Hari? Those whose hearts are fixed on desires rather than on Vishnu are destined for suffering. Even while alive, those who lack true knowledge are tormented as if in hell—such is the depth of their misery. The ignorant, enveloped in great delusion, imagine this transient world to be eternal. One who does not worship Vishnu, the destroyer of worldly bondage, is indeed a great sinner. Yet, even a person of low birth, if devoted to meditation on Hari, attains great happiness. Why, then, would sinful and foolish men, consumed by anxiety, not go to ruin? Having been blessed with this human life, the wise should strive for the good of the next world. Through such striving, they reach the supreme state, from which there is no return. He in whom all dissolution occurs is the liberator from worldly bondage. By worshipping that Lord of the gods, one is freed from the cycle of worldly existence. For those ensnared by the fetters of worldly life, there are indeed countless sufferings. So arises the question: by what means can liberation be attained? How can these sufferings be destroyed? When a man is overcome by desire, he becomes greedy; from greed, anger arises. When a man’s intellect is lost in this way, he again commits sinful acts. Just as one attains liberation after leaving the body, so too should one seek a path to freedom while still alive. You ask for the means of liberation from the sufferings of worldly existence. Know this: Hari is the protector, Rudra is the destroyer; it is he who bestows liberation. Vishnu, Narayana, free from all affliction, is the giver of freedom from bondage. By meditating on that mighty, ageless God, one is released from suffering. The wise declare that knowledge—ever-blissful in its very form—is the means to liberation. Those who worship Hari, the giver of the eternal abode, are truly wise. Those who perceive the true one in their hearts know him as the bringer of happiness. It is said that the one who is whole and pervades all space is the bestower of liberation upon men. He is incomparable, the support of all; one should take refuge in that supreme God. The seers who know the truth proclaim that Vishnu is the giver of liberation. He alone grants the fruits of actions and bestows freedom upon those whose actions are free from desire. The Lord, unmanifest and the enjoyer of all, is the master who grants liberation. One should worship that compassionate one who bestows the eternal abode. Hari, imperishable, untouched by old age and death, is the giver of liberation. Those who know that supreme person quickly attain immortality. That which is higher than the highest is the supreme abode of Vishnu. The wise recognize that which is complete and made of knowledge as the bestower of liberation. The yogi who worships constantly attains the supreme state, and the yogi who is free from desire and hatred also reaches that highest state.