Remembering their earlier offense—how they had neglected Krishna—the people of Vraja did not let their longing to behold the infallible Lords, Krishna and Balarāma, falter, even though fear of Kamsa still lingered in their hearts. Amidst this, a profound reflection arose: If happiness and distress are caused by the planets, what concern is that for the soul, which is unborn and eternal? The wise declare that planets affect only other planets, so against whom should a person direct anger? If karma is the cause of happiness and sorrow, what concern is that for the true self? Karma belongs to the interplay of the insentient and the sentient, but the person is the conscious self, the suparna, distinct from this body of mere skin. To whom, then, should one be angry? Karma is not the ultimate source. 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 essence of fire nor coldness the essence of snow, duality is not inherent to the self, and so anger has no true object. For the supreme soul, who is beyond all, duality does not arise from anyone, anywhere, in any way. Just as I am, so is the entire cycle of birth and death; thus, one who is awakened does not fear the play of the elements. Relying on supreme devotion to the transcendent self, as practiced by the ancient sages, I, too, shall cross the vast, impassable darkness of this world by serving the feet of Mukunda. 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 uttered this verse: No one but the self is the cause of happiness and distress; 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 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 in Vraja and saw the cowherds preparing for a sacrifice to Indra. Though fully aware of all things, the Lord, the soul of all and seer of everything, humbly approached the elders, led by Nanda, and inquired, “Father, what is this commotion? What is its purpose, for whom is it intended, and by whom is this sacrifice performed? I greatly desire to hear this; please tell me, for I am eager to listen. Indeed, the righteous, 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 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, “Indra is the lord of rain; the clouds are his very form. They pour down water, which delights and sustains all beings. 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 of Nanda and the other residents of Vraja, Keśava, wishing 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 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. Let the fires be properly offered into by brāhmaṇas learned in the Veda; let abundant, excellent food be given to them, and cows as gifts. To others, such as 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.” Śuka concluded: Hearing these words spoken by the Lord, who, as Time itself, wished to humble Indra’s pride, Nanda and the cowherds accepted Krishna’s proposal as proper and prepared to act accordingly.