Shaunaka said: Kapila, the Lord, is known through the philosophy of Sankhya. He is self-born, the eternal, directly manifest for the realization of the self in humans.

Indeed, there is no greater satisfaction for the yogis than the fame of the Lord, which is renowned.

Whatever the Lord does, being self-possessed and through His own will, I, who have faith, will narrate those deeds.

Soot said: Thus, Maitreyī, the friend of Dvaipāyana, spoke to Vidura, who was prompted by his inquiry.

Maitreyī said: When my father went to the forest, wishing to please my mother, then the Lord Kapila indeed resided in the Bindu Sarovara.

He spoke to his own son, who was seated, about the path of truth and the vision of reality, remembering the words of the deity.

Devahūti said: Being extremely disheartened on this earth due to the insatiable desire of the senses, O Lord, you are the darkness that envelops the blind.

You, O Lord, are the one who can lead the blind out of this impenetrable darkness; by your grace, I have gained true sight at the end of my birth.

The Supreme Lord, indeed, is you, the master of all beings. You have arisen like the sun for the blind world enveloped in darkness.

O Lord, you are indeed worthy to remove my delusion. You are the one who has brought me to this state of realization.

I take refuge in you, the refuge of all, the axe for the tree of worldly existence. I bow to you, the best among the knowers of true dharma.

Maitreya said: Hearing this from his mother, the one who enhances the liberation of men, with a joyful mind, spoke with a slightly smiling face.

The Supreme Lord said: The path of yoga is, in my opinion, the highest good for all beings. It is the ultimate cessation of both suffering and happiness.

I will speak to you about that, which the ancient sage has said, for those who wish to hear, the yoga of all the limbs.

Indeed, the mind is bound by attachment to qualities, and it is also the means for liberation.

When the mind is purified from the impurities of egoism, desire, and greed, it becomes free from pain and equal in happiness and sorrow.

Then the person realizes the self as the supreme, beyond nature, an eternal light, unbroken.

With knowledge and detachment, and with devotion, the self perceives the indifferent nature, which is devoid of energy.

There is no path like that of devotion to the Lord, who is the essence of all beings, for the attainment of Brahman by yogis.

The wise know that this bondage of the self is indeed the cause of suffering; it is through good deeds that the door to liberation is opened.

I am fully present to those who have fixed their mind on Me alone with undivided devotion and faith. This My-devotion purifies even dog-eaters from the contamination of their birth.

Those who perform unwavering devotion to Me with a single-minded focus, abandoning their duties and renouncing their relatives for My sake.

Those who take shelter in Me, who listen to and narrate My stories, endure various austerities; they are not affected by worldly attachments.

These virtuous ones, free from all attachments, are indeed worthy of your prayers, for they remove the faults of attachment.

From the conversations of the virtuous, stories that are the essence of my glory arise, which, when heard, become a nectar for the heart and ears. From that inspiration, faith, love, and devotion will follow in succession.

Through devotion, a person becomes detached from the senses, contemplating the teachings heard and seen. The mind, through yoga, will grasp that which is to be attained by the straightforward paths of yoga.

This service to the nature of the gunas, through knowledge and the blossoming of detachment, and through yoga dedicated to me with devotion, binds me, the inner self, here.

Deva Hooti said: What kind of devotion is suitable for you, which allows me to attain your state of liberation?

What kind of yoga, O Lord, is spoken of by you, leading to the realization of the ultimate truth? How many limbs does it have?

Therefore, know this from me, O Lord, that happiness is difficult to comprehend, and it is attained through Your grace.

Maitreya said: Knowing the essence, Kapila, born of the mother, is endowed with affection, and from him, the Sankhya philosophy is revealed, which speaks of devotion and the path of yoga.

The Supreme Lord said: Among the qualities of the gods and the actions derived from them, the mind's disposition is solely based on goodness, which is natural.

Unrestricted devotion to the Lord is superior to all achievements; it swiftly consumes the body like fire does to fuel.

Some do not desire oneness with me; my devotees, who are engaged in serving my feet, honor each other as they gather together.

Behold, those who are dear to me have beautiful faces and red eyes. They speak words that are desirable along with divine forms that grant boons.

With their beautiful limbs, noble laughter, and charming glances, they bestow upon me the supreme destination, as desired by my heart and soul.

Now, those who are deluded by my divine opulence desire my eightfold wealth and the auspiciousness of the goddess of fortune, which they consume in this world.

Those who are devoted to me, who are peaceful and unwavering, will never perish; they are my beloved, my sons, friends, and the divine beings I cherish.

This world, as well as the self that is both here and beyond, belongs to those who possess wealth, animals, and homes.

Those who, with unwavering devotion, worship me, the all-pervading one, after abandoning all other desires, are freed from the fear of death.

From no other source than my divine self, the supreme person, does the intense fear of all beings retreat.

From my fear, the wind blows; the sun shines due to my fear; Indra rains, and fire burns due to my fear; death roams because of my fear.

The yogis, endowed with knowledge and renunciation, enter my lotus feet through the path of devotion, free from all fear.

In this world, the only means for the ultimate welfare of beings is intense devotion to me, with a mind firmly dedicated to me.