Having heard these words of Nara and Narayana, the Rishi Narada became filled with devotion towards the Supreme Being. Indeed, with his whole soul he gave himself up to Narayana.

Having lived for a full thousand years in the hermitage of Nara and Narayana, having seen the immutable Hari, and heard the excellent discourse having Narayana for its theme, the celestial Rishi went to his own hermitage on the breast of Himavat.

Those foremost of ascetics, viz., Nara and Narayana, however, continued to live in their charming hermitage of Vadari, practising the severest austerities.

You are born in the race of the Pandavas. You are of immeasurable energy. O perpetuator of the race of the Pandavas, having listened to this discourse on Narayana from the beginning, you have, in sooth been purged off of all your sins and your soul has been sanctified.

Neither this world nor the next world is for him, O best of kings, who hates instead of loving and respecting the immutable Hari.

The ancestors of that person who hates Narayana, who is the foremost of gods, and is otherwise called Hari, sink into hell for good.

O foremost of men, Vishnu is the soul of all beings. How, then can Vishnu be heated, for in hating him one would hate his own self.

He who is our preceptor, viz., the Rishi Vyasa, the son of Gandhavati, has himself recited this narrative to us about the glory of Narayana, that glory which is the highest and which is immutable. I heard it from him and have recited it to you exactly as I heard it, O sinless one.

This religion, with its mysteries and its abstract of details, was won by Narada, O king, from that Lord of the universe, viz., Narayana himself.

Even such are the particulars of this great religion. I have, before this, O foremost of kings, explained it to you in the Hari-Gita, with a brief reference to its ordinances.

Know that the Island-born Krishna, otherwise called Vyasa, is Narayana on Earth. Who else than he, O foremost of kings, could compile such a work as the Mahabharata? Who else than that powerful Rishi could describe the diverse kinds of duties and religion for the। observance and adoption of men.

You are bent upon celebrating a great sacrifice. Let that sacrifice of yours be celebrated! Having listened to the various kinds of duties and religions, let your Horsesacrifice go on.

Sauti said Having heard this great discourse, that best of kings began all those rites that are laid down in the ordinance, for the completion of his great sacrifice.

Accosted by you, O Shaunaka, I have duly recounted to you and all these Rishis who inhabit the Naimisha forest, that great discourse having Narayana for theme.

Formerly Narada had recounted it to my preceptor before many Rishis and the son of Pandu and in the presence of Krishna and Bhishma also.

The Supreme god Narayana is the Lord of all the foremost of Rishis, and of the three worlds. He is the upholder of Earth herself of huge proportions. He is the receptacle of the Shruti's and of the quality of humility. He is the great receptacle of all those ordinances that should be practised for acquiring tranquillity of heart, as also of all those who go by the name of Yama. He is always accompanied by the foremost of twice-born ones. Let that great god be your refuge.

Hari ever does what is agreeable and beneficial to the dwellers of heaven. He is always the killer of such Asuras. He is the receptacle of penances. He is endued with great fame. He is the killer of the Daityas known by the name of Madhu and Kaitabha. He is the ordainer of the ends that are gained by persons acquainted with and observant of scriptural and other duties. He removes the fears of all persons. He takes the foremost of those offerings which are offered in sacrifices. He is your refuge and protection.

He is endued with attributes. He is endued with four-fold form. He shares the merits originating from the dedication of tanks and the observance of similar religious rites. Undefeated and gifted with great power, it is He who always ordains the end, approachable by the Soul alone, of Rishis of pious deeds.

He is the witness of the worlds. He is unborn. He is the one ancient Purusha. Endued with solar complexion, He is the Supreme Lord, and He is the refuge of all. Do all of you bow your heads to Him since He who originated from the water (viz., Narayana himself) bends his head to Him.

He is the origin of the universe. He is that Being who is called Eternal. He is Minute. He is the refuge upon whom all things depend. He is the one Being who is immutable. The Sankhyas and Yogins, of controlled souls, hold him who is eternal in their understanding.