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Yudhiṣṭhira said.
O Bhārata, whatever action in this world, whether auspicious or inauspicious, a person is certainly bound to it by the connection with its result.
O grandsire, I am in doubt whether the person is the doer of the self or not. I wish to hear the truth of this from you.
Bhīṣma said.
Here too, O Yudhiṣṭhira, an ancient story is told—the conversation between Prahlāda and Indra.
One who is unattached, whose sins have been cleansed, born in a noble family, learned, free from pride and ego, established in purity, and engaged in appropriate times.
He is equal in blame and praise, self-controlled, residing in an empty house, and knows the origin and dissolution of all moving and non-moving beings.
One who neither becomes angry nor rejoices among the unpleasant or the pleasant, who sees gold and a clod of earth with equal vision, is truly impartial.
One who is steadfast in the knowledge of the supreme good in the self, with determined resolve, who knows the higher and lower, who knows all beings, who is all-knowing and sees with equal vision.
Indra approached Prahlāda, who was sitting alone with his senses controlled, wishing to learn his wisdom, and spoke these words:
We observe all those qualities by which a person is approved among men in the world as never lost.
Now, your intellect is regarded as equal to that of childish people here. Thinking yourself superior, what do you consider here?
O Prahlāda, though I am bound by fetters, fallen from my position, under the control of enemies, deprived of prosperity, and worthy of lamentation, you do not grieve.
But, O Daiteya, is it due to attainment of wisdom or by firmness? Prahlada, you remain composed even while perceiving your own misfortune.
Thus, being urged by him, the steadfast one, firmly resolved, spoke gently, expressing his own wisdom.
He who does not understand the activity and cessation of beings, for him, due to childishness, there is an obstacle; there is no obstacle for one who perceives.
All things arise and cease according to their inherent nature; all states and their absences occur thus; there is no personal purpose or agency.
When there is no personal effort, there is no agent of one's own; but for one who acts by himself, respect may arise here.
But my opinion is that whoever thinks the self to be the doer of good and bad actions, his understanding is faulty and ignorant of his own true nature.
If a person were truly an agent for the welfare of Indra's soul, all his undertakings would surely succeed and he would never be defeated.
Indeed, the cessation of the undesirable and the non-cessation of the desirable are observed among those who strive; so, from that, what is the purpose of human effort?
We see that in some people, the manifestation of misfortune and the occurrence of fortune happen naturally, without any effort.
Some of the most intelligent people, assuming false appearances, are seen seeking to acquire wealth from the deformed and those of little intelligence.
When all qualities, driven by their own nature, manifest in a person—whether auspicious or inauspicious—what reason is there for his pride?
My conviction is firmly ascertained that all this is by inherent nature. Therefore, I do not have any wisdom established in self otherwise.
But here, I consider the connection with the results—both auspicious and inauspicious—as born of action. I shall declare to you the entire subject of actions; listen to that.
Just as one infers the presence of rice when a crow caws, so too all actions are simply the manifestation of one's inherent nature.
He who knows only the modifications and not the supreme primal nature, his steadfastness is born of childishness; for one who truly perceives, there is no such steadfastness.
What can pride or arrogance do to one who, in certainty, knows all states as arising from their own nature?
I know the complete ordinance of dharma and the impermanence of all beings; therefore, O Śakra, I do not grieve, for all this is indeed perishable.
Free from possessiveness, ego, and desire, released from bondage, established in oneself and undisturbed, I perceive the arising and passing away of beings.
O Śakra, a person whose wisdom is accomplished, who is self-restrained, free from desire, and without expectation, does not experience fatigue when perceiving the world through knowledge.
I have neither affection for the original nor the transformed state, nor do I bear enmity towards the enemy; I do not see any hater who today acts as mine.
O Śakra, I do not desire anything upward, downward, or across, nor anywhere. Happiness does not exist in knowledge, in the knowable, or in ignorance.
Indra said.
Prahlāda asks: "Please tell me properly the means by which this wisdom is obtained and by which peace is attained."
Prahāda said.
O Śakra, a person attains greatness through straightforwardness, vigilance, clarity, self-possession, and service to elders.
One attains wisdom and peace by their own nature. Truly, everything you perceive arises from your own nature.
Bhīṣma said.
O king, when Śakra was thus addressed by the lord of the Daityas, he became astonished and, filled with delight, honored those words.
He then worshipped the lord of the Daityas, the ruler of the three worlds, and after taking leave of the lord of the Asuras, went to his own residence.
