Shri Shuka said: Thus, when previously questioned, the great sage Maitreya, having entered the forest, abandoned his prosperous home.

The Lord, the supreme master of all, having abandoned the house of the king of the Pauravas, entered the abode of the self-realized.

The king said: Where did the great sage Maitreya meet with the Lord? When did they converse? Please describe this to us, O Lord.

Indeed, the question posed by Vidura, who is of pure soul, is not trivial. In that, the inquiry is most excellent, adorned with the words of the virtuous.

Suta said: Thus, this great sage was questioned by the king. He replied, 'Let it be heard that he is pleased and well-versed.'

Shri Shuka said: When the king, with a distorted vision, was feeding his own sons, who were virtuous, he entered the house of his brother and burned the sons of the virtuous.

When in the assembly, the king did not stop the son of Kurudeva from touching the hair of the goddess, which is considered a sinful act. The daughter-in-law's breasts, adorned with saffron, were being carried away.

In gambling, the righteous one who is truthful and has come from the forest, does not ask for his due from the one who has won through unrighteousness. He does not give it at the right time, being attached to darkness, like one who has no enemies.

When Partha was sent to the assembly, the world teacher Krishna spoke those words. The king did not consider them as the path to immortality, as they were of little merit.

When invited, he entered the house and was questioned about the mantra by the ancestor. Then he spoke, 'The one who sees the mantra is superior, as the ministers say it is of the color of lapis lazuli.'

To the one who has no enemies, give the due, enduring the unbearable pain of your anger. Where the brother of Bhima, with rage, breathes, you, the pure one, are afraid.

The Lord Mukunda, the deity of deities, has taken hold of the Parthas. He resides in His own city, having vanquished all the other deities.

This is the fault of those who have entered the homes of men, O Yama. You nourish those who have turned away from Krishna, abandoning their family skills.

Thus spoke SuYodhana, with his anger flaring up, and with a countenance that was not righteous. He was unworthy of respect, and was accompanied by his brothers.

Who has offered this wretched son of the servant, who is not even strong? In him, the enemy stands, let him be exiled quickly, like the ancient wind.

Thus struck by the arrows of his brother, even though he was in front of the bow, he himself placed the illusion at the door, free from fear.

He who, having emerged from the Kaurava's pious deeds, has attained the holy place called Gajahrada, walks on the path of virtue, and is endowed with a thousand forms.

In the sacred groves and hills, where the waters are pure and the rivers flow, he wandered adorned with infinite forms, visiting the holy places without attachment.

Wandering in the land, with a pure and solitary disposition, always submerged, lying low and detached, he remained unnoticed, dressed in the garb of a free wanderer, observing the sacred vows.

Thus, while wandering, he reached the land of Bharat, and eventually arrived at Prabhasa. There, he ruled the earth with a single wheel, unmatched by anyone.

There, he heard about the loss of his dear friend, just as a forest is consumed by the fire of a flute's sound. He lamented for Saraswati, who had become silent.

In that place, the threefold desires of the mind, the earth, the fire, and the black wind, the sacred place of Sudasa, the cows, and the cave, are served by the offerings to the deity.

Other places created by the Brahmin deities, various offerings to Vishnu, the temples marked with the main features, by seeing which, one remembers Krishna.

Then, having left the Surashtra, rich in prosperity, the Matsyas and Kurujangala, he went to the Yamuna, and there he saw the Bhagavata.

He, the follower of Vasudeva, calm and steady, believed in the ancient teachings of Brihaspati. Embracing him tightly with love, he inquired about the well-being of the devotees of the Lord.

Are the two men from the Puranas, who have descended here following the lotus from their navel, safe? Having established their well-being, are they safe in the abode of the brave?

Is the supreme friend of the Kurus, the glorious one, residing happily? He who grants boons to his sisters like a father, is he not performing the sacred rites?

Is the valiant lord of the Yadavas, Pradyumna, happily residing? He whom Rukmini, worshipped by the Brahmins, embraced in the creation of love.

Is the lord of the Satvatas and Vrishnis, the one who dispels the fears of the Dasharhikas, residing happily? He who anointed the one with hundred eyes from afar.

Is the gentle son of Hari, the noble Sambha, residing happily as the leader of the charioteers? He who was embraced by Jambavati, the devoted one, and held in high esteem.

Is the one who has obtained the secret bow from Phalguna, Yuyudhana, residing happily? He who has attained that path, which is difficult to achieve, by serving the divine Lord of the Ajnas.

Is the wise one, the son of Shvaphalka, who has surrendered to the Lord, in good health? He who is marked by the feet of Krishna, with a heart filled with love and unwavering patience.

Is the auspicious one, the daughter of Devakabhoja, like the divine mother of Vishnu? She who bore the deity in her womb, just as the Vedas do for the purpose of sacrifice.

Indeed, O Lord, you who are the wish-fulfilling cow of the devotees, are you happy? You who are praised as the source of sound, the mind-born essence of the Sattva principle.

Indeed, others who are devoted to their own divine self, following a singular path, reside in the heart, embodying truth and beauty, and live in peace.

Indeed, through righteousness, righteousness protects the bridge from your two arms, O Achyuta. Duryodhana suffered in the assembly where the fortune of the empire followed victory.

What indeed can the mighty Bhima, who is like a serpent, do when he releases his long-held anger? The battlefield cannot bear the touch of his feet, where the wondrous Gada moves.

Is it true that the renowned Arjuna, the wielder of the Gandiva bow, is resting? The unseen arrow, hidden like a mystical being, has pleased Lord Shiva.

O Yama, may your sons, the sons of Pritha, be protected by the arrows of the Parthas. May they rise up in joy, like the two birds, from the mighty beak of the thunderbolt.

Alas, even Pritha is supported by the great sage without any effort. The one who single-handedly conquered the chariot and the three directions is indeed a hero.

The gentle one laments for the fallen brother, who has departed for the other world. By whom the friends of the city have been sent away, I, following my own sons, have been devoted.

I am the one who, through the illusion of mortality, moves the eyes of men, while I am not perceived otherwise. I wander the paths of grace, seeing the astonishment of those who have departed.

Certainly, the kings, intoxicated by the path of pride, repeatedly shake the earth with their armies. Even the Lord, who is the refuge of those seeking shelter from death, disregards the sin of the Kurus.

The actions of men are not to be performed by the unborn, who destroys the path of birth. Otherwise, who else is deserving of the body, if not the one who is beyond the qualities and the mechanism of action?

For those who have surrendered to Him, who is the master of all beings, and who are established in their own discipline, I shall speak of the news of the birth of Yadu's offspring, O friend, in the glory of the sacred places.