Happiness and sorrow, fear, grief, and distress—these are the fruits of actions that all people must experience. The gods themselves are the bestowers of these results, the dispensers of the rewards and consequences of every deed. There is no friend greater than the gods, nor is there anyone stronger; their power and benevolence are unmatched. In her longing and pain, Mālatī, filled with virtue yet overcome by sorrow, stood before the assembly of gods and pleaded, “O gods, I beseech you: grant me the gift of my husband, for this is my heart’s desire. If you grant me my beloved as I wish, I shall be blessed. But if you do not, I will utter a dreadful and irresistible curse upon you all.” Moved by her words, a wise brāhmaṇa addressed her and those present: “Grain does not ripen for the farmer immediately; it takes time, just as the results of actions take time to come to fruition for people. The householder, through the farmer, sows grain in the field of the kṣatriya, and in due season, the grain ripens fully and the householder receives his harvest. In the same way, in this world, the householder sows eight kinds of seeds by the power of Viṣṇu’s māyā. The virtuous perform long austerities in the land of merit—sometimes offering in the mouths of brāhmaṇas, sometimes in the best fields, and even in the uncultivated land. But remember, neither strength, nor beauty, nor lordship, nor wealth alone can be called a son. He who serves Prakṛti with devotion, birth after birth, gains unwavering prosperity: sons, grandsons, land, wealth, and progeny come to him. The auspicious, the very form of Śiva, the giver and cause of all that is auspicious—he who serves that Lord with devotion, lifetime after lifetime, attains knowledge, wisdom, poetic skill, sons, grandsons, and supreme prosperity. Likewise, he who worships Brahmā attains progeny and prosperity. If one worships with devotion the Lord of the afflicted, the ruler of the poor, or Gaṇeśvara, the eternal Lord of the gods, then obstacles are removed from his path—whether in dreams, in waking, at all times. By such boons, he attains knowledge, learning, and poetic skill. If he desires a boon, he receives all he wishes; if not, he surely attains liberation. All austerity, all righteousness, fame, and unsurpassed glory flow from such devotion. Yet, he who mocks these truths is laughed at by the Creator himself, deluded by Viṣṇu’s own māyā. But to those whom she favors, she grants the mantra of Viṣṇu, showing them compassion. Such a soul enjoys happiness in this world and ultimately attains the supreme abode of Viṣṇu. In time, his beloved too joins him in that highest realm. The seed, the most supreme, is worshipped by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and all the gods. It is both with form and without form—a sovereign light, pervading all, existing by its own will. It remains detached, the witness to all, yet takes form for the sake of its devotees. For such a being, even the four states of liberation, including Sālokya, are regarded as insignificant. He sees lordship as no more valuable than a clod of earth, recognizing its perishable nature. Even thoughts of what is truly insignificant—like a bubble of water—are dismissed as nothing. Without servitude, one should not seek the supreme abode of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. By serving the most complete Brahman, a person remains ever steady. By the playful grace of Kṛṣṇa, a devotee can rescue a hundred generations of his father-in-law’s family, and ultimately, such a devotee is assured of reaching Goloka, the highest realm, along with those he saves.