O my Lord, Sri Krishna, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon Lord Sri Krishna because He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance and destruction of the manifested universes.

Dharma, devoid of deceit, is here understood by the virtuous, who are free from envy. The true essence here is auspicious, uprooting the threefold misery. In the Śrīmad Bhāgavata, composed by the great sage, the Supreme Lord is immediately perceived in the heart by those who serve Him with devotion.

The fruit of the wish-fulfilling tree of the Vedas, mixed with the nectar from the mouth of the parrot, is to be tasted. Drink the essence of the Bhāgavata, a treasure of rasa, again and again, O connoisseurs of emotion in this world.

In the Naimiṣa forest, the sages, led by Śaunaka, gathered for a sacrifice for the benefit of the heavens and the world, assembling in thousands.

Once, the sages, with their sacrificial fires burning at dawn, respectfully questioned the seated Sūta.

The sages said: Indeed, O sinless one, you have narrated the Puranas and histories, and also explained the scriptures of dharma that you have studied.

Among the knowers of the Vedas, the Lord Badarayana is the best. Other sages, like Soot, are also knowledgeable about the essence.

You know, O gentle one, that all this is true, and due to the grace of that truth, the secret is revealed by the affectionate teachers.

In various places, O noble one, you have determined what is best for men, and thus you are worthy to speak about it.

Generally, in this age, people have short lives, are uncivilized, and have poor understanding; they are unfortunate and troubled.

Many great deeds are to be heard, categorized; therefore, O wise one, please tell us the essence that brings peace to the soul.

O Soot, you know the auspiciousness of the Lord of the Satvatas, who was born to Devaki and Vasudeva, and whose purpose is to protect.

Let us describe the glories of the one who is worthy of service, whose incarnation is for the welfare of all beings and for their well-being.

One who is caught in the terrible cycle of existence, and who calls out in fear, is immediately freed from fear by that which he fears.

Those sages who take refuge at your feet, O Soot, are immediately purified by the water they serve.

Who can hear the glorious deeds of the Lord, who is pure and free from sin, and who removes the impurities of the age of Kali?

His noble deeds are sung by the heroic, O those who have faith; tell us of the pastimes of the Lord who holds the arts.

Now, O wise one, narrate the auspicious tales of the Lord's incarnations; the pastimes are performed by the Lord through His own divine energy.

We shall not be satiated by the glories of the Supreme Lord, as we hear the sweet essence in every step from those who know the rasa.

Indeed, the Lord Keshava, along with Rama, performed great feats, hidden as the Supreme Lord, appearing as a human.

Knowing that the time has come, we are seated in this sacred place, ready for the long discourse on the Lord's stories.

You are shown to us by the Creator, O Lord, as the one who helps us cross the difficult ocean of material existence, like a boat for the beings, O Lord of the senses.

Speak, O Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, the essence of Brahman and the protector of Dharma. To whom shall Dharma, now approaching, take refuge?