"Brahma laughed at this question. He replied, 'Son! Your words seem childish. The clouds of delusion (Maya) cannot darken the inner consciousness of those who revel in the glory and majesty of God, those who know and make known that God is the master of Maya, the wielder of the operative forces that both delude and destroy delusion, those who are engaged in good deeds and execute them with faith and devotion, and those who endeavour ever to maintain truth and righteousness. Therefore, move fearlessly all over the three worlds with the Veena in your hands, singing in adoration of God. Listening to the recital and elaboration of the mystery of God and the godly, the inhabitants of the worlds will save themselves from the cycle of birth and death.'"

"Karma (activity and deeds resulting therefrom) are binding, because they have consequences that must be suffered or enjoyed. But, deeds of service are free from this handicap. Be ever fixed in the thought of God; there is no other means than this to turn the mind away from sensory pursuits and objective activities."

Suka told the King, "O Parikshith! Since this supreme wisdom cannot be communicated to all except those who have reached a high level of purity and understanding, Brahma taught it only to Narada. And Narada too continued as advised, to sing and adore God through his songs, to the Lord, who is immanent as well as transcendent. He did not ignore or discard the teaching that Brahma favoured him with. You too are qualified to receive this sacred lesson; that is the reason why, I , who am inaccessible, have spontaneously come direct to you, to describe to you the Bhagavatha. I am no ordinary minstrel. I never approach a person who has not earned the right to listen to me. Imagine the height that Narada must have reached, to acquire the qualification needed for instruction in the attributes of the attributeless God!"

When Suka was thus gravely assessing him, Parikshith intervened "Master! The ancient four-faced sovereign Brahma directed Narada to sing the Bhagavatha, you said. To whom did Narada narrate the same? Who are those highly favoured personages? Tell me about them in detail." Suka replied, "O king, why do you yield to hurry? Be courageous and controlled. I shall relate to you everything in its own time. Be calm and collected."

The king explained, "Master! Pardon me. I am not excited at all. I am only yearning to fix my mind at the last moment of my life on the charming smile that dances on the lips of Lord Krishna, to drink deep, at that moment, the nectar of the Lotus feet of the Lord. I have no other desire. If I am unable to establish in my mind the captivating picture of the Lord at the moment of death, I will have to be born again as one of the 84,000 species of living beings, isn't it? Since that calamity should not happen and since I must remember with my last breath, the dispenser of life-breath, make my life worth while by relating to me the divine characteristics and the divine activities of the Lord."