People everywhere—whether gods, demons, or humans—act according to their own inherent nature, each governed by the qualities within themselves. All beings remain established in their own ways, following the dispositions with which they are born. Every living creature, upon receiving a body—whether high or low—acts according to its nature, and it is through action that one learns, achieves, and discards. Action alone is the true teacher and sovereign, regardless of whether one is friend, foe, or neutral. Therefore, one should worship through action, remaining steadfast in one’s own nature and performing one’s own duty. That by which a person lives directly, that alone is truly their deity and worthy of reverence. If someone has the means to support themselves by one path, yet depends on another, they do not find true well-being—just as an unfaithful woman finds no lasting happiness with her lover. Thus, 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, farming, trade, cow protection, lending at interest, and music are described. Of 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 diversity of the world, and each quality gives rise to the next. Driven by rajas, the clouds pour rain everywhere; by that alone do all beings thrive—so what, then, can Indra do? We have no cities, towns, or houses; we dwell always in the forest, living among woods and mountains. Therefore, let us begin a sacrifice for the cows, the brāhmaṇas, and the mountain. Let all the materials gathered for Indra’s worship be used instead for this sacrifice. Let various kinds of foods be prepared—soups, rice puddings, cakes, fried flour cakes, and other milk-based dishes. Let the brāhmaṇas, learned in the Veda, properly offer oblations into the fires; let them be given abundant, excellent food and cows as gifts. To others—such as horse-keepers, outcastes, and the fallen—let appropriate gifts be given. After giving barley to the cows, let an offering be made to the mountain. Then, adorned and anointed, dressed in fine garments and having eaten, let us circumambulate the cows, the brāhmaṇas, the sacred fires, and the mountain. This is my opinion, dear ones; let it be done if it pleases you. This sacrifice is dear to the cows, the brāhmaṇas, the mountain, and to me. Śuka continued: Hearing these words spoken by the Lord—who, as the very force of Time, wished to humble Indra’s pride—Nanda and the other elders accepted them as proper. They did everything just as Madhusūdana had instructed, engaging the brāhmaṇas to recite blessings and using the gathered materials for the mountain and the brāhmaṇas. After properly offering all gifts and giving barley to the cows, they placed the herds at the forefront and circumambulated the mountain. The women, mounting their beautifully decorated carts yoked with oxen, sang of Krishna’s exploits and received blessings from 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 offered obeisance to the mountain, honoring it as the Self to the Self, saying, “Behold, this mountain has manifested before us and bestowed its favor.” He, who can take on forms at will, dwells in the forest and destroys those mortals who disrespect him. Thus, for the protection of ourselves and our cows, we bow to him. 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. 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 shall impart to you spiritual knowledge, which brings peace to all actions; by this knowledge, you will cross over fear. Maitreya said: Thus addressed by Kapila, the lord of creatures, she was pleased, circumambulated him, 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. She absorbed 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 and possessiveness, beyond dualities, seeing equally and perceiving her own Self, she became 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. She beheld 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. Upon his auspicious neck shone the Kaustubha gem, his shoulders like those of a lion, his form illuminated like a flawless touchstone. His abdomen was marked by three lines, moving with the rhythm of breath, as if the universe itself was being 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 and beautiful to behold. His feet shone like autumn lotuses, their nails radiating light and dispelling inner darkness. O Teacher, reveal your own feet—the path for those who seek to cross the darkness of ignorance. This form is to be meditated upon by those who desire purification of the self; devotion to it grants fearlessness to those who perform their own duty. You are attainable by the devoted, though difficult to reach for all embodied beings; even mastery of the self is considered inferior to the state of self-realization gained through exclusive devotion. Having worshipped Him, who is difficult to approach—even for the virtuous and hard to attain—through exclusive devotion, who would desire anything outside His feet?