A man who abandons the traditional dharma handed down through generations—whether out of desire, greed, fear, or hatred—finds no good fortune. This truth echoed in the hearts of the residents of Vraja, who gathered and spoke among themselves. Hearing their words, Keśava, Krishna himself, stirred with a subtle anger toward Indra, turned to his father Nanda and began to speak. Krishna explained, “A living being is born through action and dissolves through action; happiness, sorrow, fear, and safety—all arise from action alone. If there is some lord who grants the fruits of another’s actions, he too depends on the doer, for he has no power over one who does not act. What need, then, is there for Indra among those 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, governed by it; gods, demons, and humans—all remain established in their own nature. A living being, whether attaining a high or low body, acts and relinquishes by action; friend, foe, or neutral—action alone is the teacher and lord. Therefore, one should worship through action, remaining within 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 does not from a paramour. A brāhmaṇa should live by Brahman, a kṣatriya by protecting the earth, a vaiśya through commerce, and a śūdra by serving the twice-born. Farming, trade, cow protection, lending at interest, and music are also said to be livelihoods; thus, among these, 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, dear father, living among woods and mountains. Therefore, let a sacrifice be begun for the cows, brāhmaṇas, and the mountain; let the materials set aside 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 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 father; let it be done if it pleases you. This sacrifice is dear to the cows, brāhmaṇas, the mountain, and to me.” Śuka continued, “Hearing these words spoken by Krishna, who, as Time itself, wished to humble Indra’s pride, Nanda and the others accepted them as proper. They did everything as Madhusūdana had said, having the brāhmaṇas recite blessings and using those materials for the mountain and the brāhmaṇas. Having properly offered all the gifts, and respectfully giving barley to the cows, placing the herds at the forefront, they circumambulated the mountain. Mounting their well-decorated carts yoked with oxen, the women, singing of Krishna’s exploits, received the blessings of the virtuous brāhmaṇas. Krishna, taking on another form to inspire confidence among the cowherds, declared, ‘I am the mountain,’ and, in a great form, accepted abundant offerings. To him, together with the people of Vraja, Krishna offered obeisance as the Self to the Self, saying, ‘Behold, this mountain has appeared in form and has granted us his favor.’ He, taking on forms at will, dwells in the forest and destroys those mortals who disrespect him; therefore, we bow to him for the protection of ourselves and our cows. Thus, prompted by Vāsudeva, the cowherds, along with Krishna, performed the prescribed rites for the mountain, the cows, the brāhmaṇas, and the sacrifice, and then returned to Vraja. Thus ends the twenty-fourth chapter of the first half of the tenth book in the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, the collection for the paramahaṃsas. By perceiving me—the Self, the self-luminous one, who dwells in the hearts of all beings—within yourself by your own self, you will attain freedom from sorrow and fear. Mother, I will impart to you spiritual knowledge, which brings peace to all actions; by this, you will cross over fear. Maitreya said: Thus addressed by Kapila, the lord of creatures, she was pleased, circumambulated him to the right, and went to the forest. She undertook a vow of silence, relying solely on the Self, wandering unattached over the earth, without fire and without a fixed dwelling. Absorbing her mind in Brahman, which is beyond both the manifest and unmanifest, appearing as the qualities yet itself without qualities, realized through single-minded devotion. Free from ego, free from possessiveness, beyond dualities, seeing equally and seeing her own Self, inwardly peaceful and steady in mind, like a calm ocean without waves. In Vāsudeva, the all-knowing Lord, the inner Self, through supreme devotion, she realized her own Self and became free from bondage. She saw the Lord present in all beings as her own Self, and also saw all beings in the Lord within herself. Freed from desire and aversion, with an even mind toward all, endowed with devotion to the Lord, she attained the state of a devotee of the Lord. Radiant with a crown, bracelets, necklace, anklets, and girdle; adorned with conch, discus, mace, lotus, garland, and the finest jewels, full of supreme splendor. Bearing the Kaustubha gem on his auspicious neck, with shoulders like a lion’s, shining with unfailing glory, his form illuminated like a flawless touchstone. His abdomen marked by three lines, moving with the rhythm of inhalation and exhalation, as if the universe itself is being drawn in and released by the deep whirl of his navel.