Vyasa said: Thus praised by the sages who were engaged in long sacrifices, the elder householder spoke to Soot.

Shounaka said: O Soot, great sage, please tell us the glorious story of the Bhagavata that the Lord Shuka spoke.

In which age did this occur, and by what means was Krishna inspired to compile this scripture?

His son is a great yogi, equal in vision, free from duality, with a single-minded focus, sleepless, hidden, and behaves like a fool.

Seeing the sage's son, who is pure and untainted, the goddesses adorned him with affection; it is strange that they ask the sage whether there is a distinction between male and female in the case of the son.

How did he, unnoticed by the citizens, arrive in Kurujangala, wandering like a mad, mute, and dull elephant?

How did the conversation happen between the Pandava prince and the sage, where this Satvata scripture was revealed?

He only observes the cowherd's activities at home, and the great devotee makes that hermitage sacred.

They say that Abhimanyu's son is the best among the devotees. His birth is a great wonder; please narrate his deeds to us.

He is the emperor; for what reason is he the enhancer of the Pandavas? He is seated in the Ganges, disregarding the supreme wealth.

Those who bow to the feet of the auspicious one, how can that hero, who is the source of wealth, abandon the difficult prosperity?

For the welfare of the world and the well-being of beings, those who are devoted to the supreme being live not for their own sake but release the body, being free from desires.

Please tell us all this, as you have been asked, about anything here. I think you are the one who speaks about the Vedas elsewhere.

Soot said: In the Dvapara Yuga, at the end of the third age, a yogi named Parashara was born in the city of Vasa, endowed with the essence of Hari.

Once, while seated in a secluded place, he touched the pure waters of the Sarasvati as the sun rose.

That sage, knowing the essence of the world, through the power of time, perceived the changing duties of the ages as they manifested on earth.

The decline of the material elements and their qualities, caused by disbelief, leads to the suffering of those devoid of substance and wisdom.

Seeing the unfortunate people, the sage with divine vision contemplated the welfare of all castes and orders.

The fourfold Vedic ritual, observing the purity of the people, was established for the continuation of sacrifices, with one Veda divided into four parts.

The four Vedas are known as Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva; the fifth Veda is said to be the Itihasa-Purana.

Among them, the holder of the Rig Veda is Paaila, the Sama Veda is Jaimini, and Vaishampayana is the sole expert in the Yajur Veda.

The sage Sumantu, a disciple of Atharva and Angirasa, is the father of the Itihasa-Purana, known as Romaharshana.

These sages each imparted their own Vedas in various ways to their disciples, leading to the emergence of different branches of the Vedas.

Thus, the Vedas are upheld by the dull-witted men, just as the Lord Vyasa, compassionate like a calf, did.

The three Vedas are not accessible to women, Shudras, and the relatives of Brahmins. For the foolish, this is the best path to prosperity.

When the twice-born are always engaged in the welfare of all beings, and their hearts are not satisfied, then...

Do not let your heart be overly pleased on the pure banks of the Sarasvati. Reflecting in solitude, the knower of dharma spoke this.

By my steadfast vow, the hymns of the teachers are indeed accepted, and the instructions are received without deviation.

By the instruction of the scriptures, it is shown that where Dharma and others are visible, even women and Shudras can be seen.

Yet, alas, my body and soul seem like an impoverished being, though the supreme Brahman is indeed abundant.

What then, are the scriptures not generally defined by the Bhagavatas? They are indeed dear to the great saints, who are beloved by the infallible.

Thus, thinking of himself in this way, he became distressed, and Narada came to the ashram of Krishna, as previously described.

Recognizing him, the sage suddenly rose and reverently worshipped Narada, who is honored by the gods.