The Blessed Lord spoke, illuminating the nature of existence: "Every living being is born through action and perishes through action. All experiences—happiness and sorrow, fear and safety—arise from action alone. If you imagine a lord who bestows the results of others’ deeds, know that even he depends on the doer, for he holds no sway over one who does not act. "Why, then, should Indra be considered the master among those who follow the path of their own deeds? He cannot alter what is ordained by one's own nature. All beings—gods, demons, and humans alike—are governed by their inherent nature and act accordingly, remaining established in their own ways. "According to the body a living being attains—be it high or low—it acts and relinquishes through action. Whether friend, enemy, or neutral, action alone is the true teacher and master. "Therefore, one should worship through action, remaining steadfast in one's own nature and performing one’s prescribed duty. That which sustains your very life—this alone is truly your deity. If someone has the means to live by one path yet depends on another, he will not find well-being, just as an unchaste woman finds no fulfillment with a paramour. "A brāhmaṇa should live by the pursuit of Brahman, a kṣatriya by protecting the earth, a vaiśya by commerce, and a śūdra by serving the twice-born. Among livelihoods are farming, trade, cow protection, lending at interest, and music. Of these, we are always engaged in tending cows. "Sattva, rajas, and tamas—these three qualities are the causes of maintenance, creation, and destruction. By the force of rajas, the universe and all its diversity arise. Urged by rajas, clouds pour rain everywhere, and by that alone do beings thrive—what, then, can Indra truly do? "We have no cities, towns, or houses; we dwell always in the forest, among woods and mountains. Therefore, let us begin a sacrifice for the cows, the brāhmaṇas, and the mountain. Let the materials set aside for Indra’s worship be used for this sacrifice instead. "Let us prepare many kinds of cooked foods—soups, rice puddings, cakes, fried flour sweets, and other milk-based dishes. Let learned brāhmaṇas offer the fires properly, and let us give them plentiful, excellent food and cows as gifts. To others—horse-keepers, outcastes, and the fallen—let us give as appropriate. After feeding the cows with barley, let us make an offering to the mountain. "Once we have adorned ourselves, eaten, anointed, and dressed in fine garments, let us circumambulate the cows, the brāhmaṇas, the fires, and the mountain. This is my counsel, dear ones; let it be done if it pleases you. Such a sacrifice is dear to the cows, the brāhmaṇas, the mountain, and to me." Śuka continued the tale: Hearing the Lord’s words—spoken as Time itself, intent on humbling Indra’s pride—Nanda and the other elders accepted them as right and good. They did everything as Madhusūdana had instructed, having the brāhmaṇas recite blessings and using the offerings for the mountain and the brāhmaṇas. After properly giving all gifts and respectfully feeding barley to the cows, they placed the herds at the forefront and circumambulated the mountain. The women, riding in beautifully adorned carts yoked with oxen, sang of Krishna’s exploits and received the blessings of the virtuous brāhmaṇas. Then Krishna, assuming another form to inspire confidence among the cowherds, declared, "I am the mountain," and, appearing in a great form, accepted the abundant offerings. Together with the people of Vraja, Krishna bowed to the mountain, saying, "Behold, this mountain has appeared before us and granted us his favor." He, who can assume any form at will, dwells in the forest and destroys those mortals who show him disrespect. Therefore, we bow to him for the protection of ourselves and our cows. Thus, prompted by Vāsudeva, the cowherds, along with Krishna, performed all the prescribed rites for the mountain, the cows, the brāhmaṇas, and the sacrifice, and then returned to Vraja. 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 narrated further: Thus addressed by Kapila, the lord of all creatures, and pleased at heart, the listener circumambulated him and went to the forest. There, he undertook a vow of silence, relying solely on the Self, wandering unattached over the earth, without fire and without a fixed dwelling. Absorbing his mind in Brahman, which is beyond both the manifest and unmanifest, appearing as the qualities yet itself without qualities, he realized it through single-minded devotion. Free from ego and possessiveness, beyond all dualities, seeing equally and recognizing his own Self, he was inwardly peaceful and steady in mind, like a calm ocean without waves. In Vāsudeva, the all-knowing Lord and inner Self, through supreme devotion, he realized his own Self and became free from bondage. He saw the Lord present in all beings as his own Self and saw all beings in the Lord within himself. Freed from desire and aversion, with an even mind toward all, and endowed with devotion to the Lord, he attained the state of a true devotee. He became radiant, adorned with a crown, bracelets, necklace, anklets, and girdle; bearing conch, discus, mace, lotus, garland, and the finest jewels, glowing with supreme splendor. He bore the Kaustubha gem on his auspicious neck, his shoulders broad like a lion’s, shining with unfailing glory, his form radiant like a flawless touchstone. His abdomen was marked by three lines, moving gently with each breath, as if the universe itself was drawn in and released by the deep whirl of his navel. He wore a brilliant yellow garment with a golden belt over his dark hips; his thighs, knees, and shins were perfectly formed, beautiful to behold. His feet shone like autumn lotuses, their nails radiating light and dispelling inner darkness. O Teacher, reveal your own feet—the very path for those who seek to cross the darkness of ignorance.