All things in this world—place and time, distinct objects, mantras and rituals, priests and sacred fires, deities, the sacrificer, the sacrifice, and even dharma itself—are but manifestations of the Supreme Lord. It is He alone who pervades all, and everything is composed of His essence. This very Lord, the supreme master of all yogis, Vishnu Himself, has taken birth among the Yadus. Although we have heard this truth, still, deluded by ignorance, we have not truly recognized Him for who He is. Yet, how fortunate we are, for among us dwell women whose unwavering devotion to Hari has arisen unshakably in their hearts. We bow to You, O Lord Krishna, whose wisdom never fails. It is by Your own maya that our minds wander along the endless paths of karma, lost and bewildered. But He, the original person, is ever compassionate and forgives the offenses of those whose minds are clouded by His own maya and who, in their delusion, fail to recognize His true nature. Remembering their own neglect of Krishna, though they had failed to honor Him, they did not abandon their deep yearning to see the infallible Lord—even though the fear of Kamsa weighed heavily upon them. Turning to the nature of happiness and distress, they reflected: If the planets are said to be the cause of a person’s joy or sorrow, what concern is that for the true soul, who is unborn? The wise declare that the planets only affect one another; so, against whom should a person direct anger? In the same way, if karma is the source of happiness and distress, what concern is that for the self? Karma pertains to the insentient and the sentient, but the real person is the conscious self, the suparna. To whom, then, should one be angry? For karma is not the root. And if time itself is the cause of happiness and distress, what concern is that for the soul? Time and the soul are of the same nature. Just as heat is not the property of fire, nor cold of snow, to whom should one be angry? For duality does not belong to another. For the supreme soul, who is beyond all, duality does not arise by any means, anywhere. Just as I am, so is the cycle of birth and death; therefore, one who is awakened does not fear the elements. Relying on this supreme devotion to the transcendent self, as practiced by the ancient sages, I will cross the boundless, impassable darkness by serving the feet of Mukunda. Then the Blessed Lord spoke: Having become indifferent, bereft of possessions, free from fatigue, wandering the earth as a renunciant, and even when rejected by the wicked, unwavering in his own duty, the sage spoke this verse: “No one else but the soul itself is the cause of happiness and distress for a person; friends, neutrals, and enemies are all creations of worldly ignorance. Therefore, O dear one, with all your being, restrain the mind by intelligence fixed in Me—this alone is the essence of yoga. Whoever, with a focused mind, holds, recites, or listens to this song sung by the sage, established in Brahman, is not overcome by the dualities of life.” Śuka continued: The Lord, accompanied by Balarāma, was residing there and saw the cowherd folk preparing for a great sacrifice to Indra. Though fully aware of all that was happening, the Lord, the indwelling soul of all beings, approached the elders, led by Nanda, and humbly inquired, “Father, what is this commotion that has arisen? For what purpose is it intended, for whom is this sacrifice performed, and by whom?” “O Father, I greatly desire to hear of this; please tell me, for I am eager to listen. Indeed, the righteous, who are devoted in all ways, do not keep their actions secret. One who is indifferent to friends, neutrals, and enemies, who is impartial and avoids hostility, is called a true friend, seeing others as oneself. People perform actions both knowingly and unknowingly; for the wise, actions bring success, but not so for the unwise. So, what is the purpose of this ritual activity you have considered? Or is it merely customary? Please, as I ask, speak well and tell me.” Nanda replied, “The god Indra is lord of rain; the clouds are his very form. They pour down water, which delights and sustains all beings. O dear one, we and others worship that lord of the rain-bringers, the master, with offerings and sacrifices prepared with materials and clarified butter. By what remains from that, people live for the sake of the three aims of life; for human efforts, the rain-god is the cause of their fruits. A man who abandons this traditional dharma, passed down through generations, out of desire, greed, fear, or hatred, does not attain good fortune.” Śuka said: Hearing these words from Nanda and the other residents of Vraja, Keśava, stirring up anger toward Indra, spoke to his father: “A living being is born by action and is dissolved by action; happiness, sorrow, fear, and safety all arise from action alone. If there is some lord who gives the fruits of others’ actions, he too depends on the doer; for he has no power over one who does not act. What need is there for Indra among beings who follow their own actions? He is powerless to alter what is ordained by their own nature. Indeed, people act according to their own nature, being governed by it; all this—gods, demons, and humans—remains established in its own nature. A living being, attaining a body high or low, acts and gives up by action; friend, foe, or neutral—action alone is the teacher and lord. Therefore, one should worship through action, remaining in one’s own nature and performing one’s own duty; that by which one lives directly, that alone is truly one’s deity. He who, having the means to live by one path, depends on another for his livelihood, does not attain well-being from that, just as an unchaste woman does not from a paramour. A brāhmaṇa should live by Brahman, a kṣatriya by protecting the earth, a vaiśya should live by commerce, and a śūdra by serving the twice-born. Farming, trade, and cow protection—lending at interest and music are also said; thus, there are four kinds of livelihoods, among which we are always engaged in tending cows. Sattva, rajas, and tamas are the causes of maintenance, creation, and destruction; from rajas arises the universe, the diverse world, each from the other. Urged by rajas, the clouds pour water everywhere; by that alone do beings thrive—what then can Indra do?” “We have no cities, towns, or houses; we always dwell in the forest, O dear one, living among woods and mountains. Therefore, let a sacrifice be begun for the cows, brāhmaṇas, and the mountain; let the materials for Indra’s worship be used for this sacrifice. Let various kinds of cooked foods be prepared, including soups, rice puddings, and the like; let cakes, fried flour cakes, and other milk-based dishes be gathered.” Thus, by His words and actions, the Lord guided the cowherds to recognize the true source of their sustenance, and to direct their devotion toward the cows, the brāhmaṇas, and the mountain that sheltered them, revealing profound truths about the nature of duty, worship, and the Supreme.