Janamejaya said, “After the celestial Rishi Narada had returned from White Island, reflecting, as he came, on the words spoken to him by the holy Narayana, what indeed, did the great ascetic next do?  Arrived at the retreat known by the name of Vadari on the breast of the Himvat mountains, and seeing the two Rishis Nara and Narayana who were engaged in severe austerities at that spot, how long did Narada dwell there and what were the topics of conversation between him and the two Rishis?  This discourse on Narayana, that is really an ocean of knowledge, has been raised by thy intelligent self by churning that vast history called Bharata which consists of a hundred thousand verses.  As butter is raised from curds, sandal-wood from the mountains of Malaya, the Aranyakas from the Vedas, and nectar from all the medicinal herbs, after the same manner, O ocean of austerities, hath this discourse that is like nectar and that has Narayana for its object, been raised by thee, O Brahmana, from diverse histories and Puranas existing in the world, Narayana is the Supreme Lord.  Illustrious and endued with great puissance, He is the soul of all creatures.  Indeed, O foremost of regenerate ones, the energy of Narayana is irresistible.  Into Narayana, at the end of the Kalpa, enter all the deities having Brahman for their foremost, all the Rishis with the Gandharvas, and all things mobile and immobile.  I think, therefore, that there is nothing holier on earth or in heaven, and nothing higher, than Narayana.  A sojourn unto all the sacred retreats on Earth, and ablutions performed in all the sacred waters, are not productive of as much merit as a discourse that has Narayana for its topic.  Having listened from the beginning to this discourse on Hari, the lord of the universe, that destroys all sins, we feel that we have been cleansed of all our sins and sanctified entirely.  Nothing wonderful was accomplished by my ancestor Dhananjaya who was the victor in the great battle on Kurukshetra, for it should be remembered that he had Vasudeva for his ally.  I think that, person could have nothing unattainable in the three worlds, who had for his ally Vishnu himself, that great Lord of the universe.  Exceedingly fortunate and commendable were those ancestors of mine, since they had Janarddana himself for looking after their temporal and spiritual prosperity.  Adored of all the worlds, the holy Narayana is capable of being beheld with the aid of austerities alone.  They, however, succeeded in beholding Narayana, adorned with the beautiful whirl on his chest.  More fortunate than my ancestors was the celestial Rishi Narada, the son of Pramesthi.  Indeed, I thank that Narada, who transcends all destruction, was endued with an energy that was not little, for repairing to White-Island he had succeeded in beholding the person of Hari.  Indeed, it is evident that the sight he had obtained of the Supreme Lord was due to only the grace of that Being.  Fortunate was Narada inasmuch as he had