Listen, dear one, as the ancient wisdom unfolds. It is said that those whose unwavering thought is, “All this, and I myself, are Vasudeva, the supreme purifier, the one supreme Lord”—when such understanding arises in the heart, one should seek out these people, leaving others far behind. O lotus-eyed Vasudeva, Vishnu, upholder of the earth, imperishable, bearer of the conch and discus! Those who call out, “Be my refuge!”—O warrior, abandon those sinners from afar. He in whose heart the imperishable Self dwells, that best of men—within his gaze, O discus-bearer, lies your path or mine; such a person cannot be overcome by the strength or power of others. Thus, for the enforcement of your command, O god, the sun’s son Dharmaraja spoke these words. What he told me, I have now properly related to you, O best of the Kurus. This was previously told to me by Nakula, who was born twice, coming from the land of Kalinga, by the greatly noble and pleased one. I have now properly related this to you, dear child, just as you asked. For apart from Vishnu, there is no other refuge in the ocean of worldly existence. Neither the messengers, nor the noose, nor the staff, nor the horse of Yama, nor Yama himself, nor his servants, have power over one whose soul always relies upon Keśava. Then Maitreya, eager for deeper knowledge, asked: “O revered one, please explain how the Lord of the universe, Vishnu, is worshipped by those who wish to transcend worldly existence. And, O great sage, I wish to hear what result is obtained by men devoted to the worship of Govinda.” Sri Parashara replied, “What you ask was once questioned by the great Sagara; listen as I recount what Aurva replied when he was thus asked. Sagara, having bowed, asked Aurva of the Bhargava lineage, O best of sages, about the means and connection of worshipping Vishnu. And he also asked what result arises for men when Vishnu is worshipped; Aurva, being earnestly questioned, replied to him—listen to all that he said. Aurva said: By worshipping Vishnu, one attains earthly desires, heaven, the delightful realm in heaven, and even the highest liberation. Whatever result one desires, and to whatever extent, by worshipping Acyuta, O king, that is attained—whether great or small. What you ask, O ruler of the earth, about how Hari is worshipped—I will tell you everything; listen attentively to me. The supreme person is worshipped by one who observes the conduct of varṇa and āśrama; there is no other way that brings satisfaction to Him. He is worshipped by offering sacrifices, by reciting prayers, by performing japa, by destroying enemies, and by harming others—for Hari is the soul of all beings. Therefore, Janardana should be worshipped by a person of good conduct, who performs the duties prescribed for his own varṇa. A Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, or Shudra, O lord of the earth, worships Vishnu by being devoted to his own prescribed duty, and not otherwise. He does not speak slander, calumny, or falsehood, nor anything that causes distress to others; Keśava is pleased by such a person. He who does not delight in another's wife, another's wealth, or in harming others, O king, Keśava is pleased by him. He does not strike, nor kill, nor harm living beings; O king of men, Keśava is pleased by such a person. One who is always eager to serve the gods, twice-born, and teachers, O king, Govinda is pleased by such a person. As one desires good for oneself and one's child, so for all beings; Hari is always pleased and happy with such a person. O King, one whose mind is not corrupted by faults such as passion and others, whose heart is pure, is always pleasing to Vishnu. O best of sages, the duties prescribed in scripture for the castes and stages of life—when a person abides by them with an untainted mind, he is pleasing to Vishnu. Sagara then asked: “Therefore, I wish to hear in full detail the duties of the castes, and likewise the duties of the stages of life; O excellent twice-born, please declare them.” Aurva replied: For Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, according to their respective roles, focus your mind and listen to the duties as I explain them. A Brahmin should give gifts, worship the gods through sacrifices, be devoted to study, always provide water, and perform the acceptance of sacred fire. For livelihood, a Brahmin may officiate sacrifices for others, teach others, and accept gifts for pure purposes, in accordance with righteousness. A Brahmin should act for the welfare of all beings and never harm anyone; friendship with all creatures is the highest wealth of a Brahmin. He should maintain equal regard for stones, gems, and others' possessions; approaching his wife only during the proper season is praised for him, O King. A Kshatriya, too, may give gifts to Brahmins according to his wish, perform various sacrifices, and study, O King. Living by the sword and protecting the earth are the foremost means of livelihood for him; among these, the highest is the guardianship of the land. By the very act of protecting the earth, kings fulfill their duty; they partake in the merit of sacrifices and other rites. By punishing the wicked and protecting the virtuous, the king attains the desired worlds; he establishes the order of the castes. O lord of men, animal husbandry, trade, and agriculture are the means of livelihood for the Vaishya, granted by Brahma, the grandfather of the world. For him also, study, sacrifice, giving, and righteousness are praised, as well as the performance of daily and occasional duties. His work is associated with the twice-born; through it, he supports them, whether by wealth from buying and selling or by earnings from crafts. For the Shudra: humility, cleanliness, service, loyalty to the master, sacrifice without mantras, non-stealing, association with the virtuous, and protection of Brahmins. Thus, the wise have spoken: those who live by their prescribed duties, with pure hearts, pleasing Vishnu through their conduct, find refuge in Him and transcend the ocean of worldly existence.