He, the Supreme Person, is ever compassionate. Even when people, bewildered by His own maya, fail to recognize His true nature and commit offenses, He forgives them. Reflecting on this, those who had once neglected Krishna remembered their transgression. Despite their fear of Kamsa, their longing to see the infallible Lords did not waver. They pondered: if happiness and distress are caused by the planets, what concern is that for the soul, who is unborn and eternal? The wise say that planets only influence other planets—so who should we blame or be angry with? If karma is the cause, again, what concern is that for the self? Karma belongs to the realm of the insentient and the sentient, but the true self is conscious and beyond such things—so why direct anger at anyone? If time itself is the cause of happiness and distress, still, the soul is of the same nature as time. Just as heat belongs to fire and cold to snow, duality is not the property of another—so whom should one resent? For the Supreme Soul, who is beyond all, duality never arises from anyone, anywhere, or in any way. Just as I am, so is the cycle of birth and death—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 too shall cross this boundless, impassable darkness by serving Mukunda’s feet. The Blessed Lord then 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 cowherds preparing for a sacrifice to Indra. Although He knew everything, the Lord—the soul of all—humbly approached the elders, led by Nanda, and inquired, “Father, what is this commotion? For whom is this sacrifice intended, and by whom is it performed?” “O Father,” Krishna said, “I greatly desire to hear about this. Please tell me, for I am eager to listen. The righteous, who are devoted in all ways, do not keep their actions secret. One who is impartial to friends, neutrals, and enemies, who avoids hostility, is a true friend, seeing others as oneself. People act both knowingly and unknowingly; for the wise, actions bring success, but not so for the unwise. So, what is the purpose of this ritual? Or is it simply a custom? Please, speak openly and tell me.” Nanda replied, “Indra is the lord of rain; the clouds are his very form. They pour down water that delights and sustains all beings. We and others worship that lord of rain-bringers 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 depend on the rain-god for their fruits. Abandoning this tradition—passed down through generations—out of desire, greed, fear, or hatred, does not bring good fortune.” Śuka said: Hearing Nanda’s words, Keśava, desiring to stir 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 those who follow their own actions? He cannot alter what is ordained by their own nature. Indeed, all beings act according to their nature—gods, demons, and humans—remaining established in it. “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, just as an unchaste woman gains nothing from her paramour. “A brāhmaṇa should live by Brahman, a kṣatriya by protecting the earth, a vaiśya 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, 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—soups, rice puddings, cakes, fried flour cakes, and other milk-based dishes. Let the fires be properly offered into by learned brāhmaṇas, and let abundant, excellent food be given to them, as well as cows as gifts. To others—horse-keepers, outcastes, and the fallen—let gifts be given as appropriate. After giving barley to the cows, let an offering be made to the mountain. “Adorned, having eaten, anointed, and dressed in fine garments, perform circumambulation of the cows, brāhmaṇas, fires, and the mountain. This is my opinion, dear one; let it be done if it pleases you. This sacrifice is dear to the cows, brāhmaṇas, the mountain, and to me.