Yudhisthira said In this world, O Bharata, good and bad acts attach themselves to man for the purpose of producing fruits for enjoyment or endurance.

Is man, however, to be regarded as their doer or is he not to be considered so? My mind is full of doubts regarding this question. I wish to hear this fully from you, O grandfather.

Bhishma said Regarding it, О Yudhisthira, is cited the old discourse between Prahlada and Indra.

The king of the Daityas, viz., Prahlada, was unattached to all worldly objects. His sins had been dissipated. Of respectable parentage, he was endued with great learning. Free from stupefaction and pride, ever pervaded by the quality of goodness, and devoted to various vows, he considered praise and censure in the same light. Endued with self-control he was then passing his time in an empty room. Conversant with the origin and the destruction of all created objects mobile and immobile, he was never angry with things that displeased him and never rejoiced at the acquisition of agreeable objects. He considered equally gold and a clod of earth.

Earnestly studying the Soul and acquiring Emancipation, and firm in knowledge, he had acquired firm conclusions about truth.

Acquainted with what is supreme and what is not so among all things, omniscient and of universal sight, as he was seated on day in a solitary room with his senses under complete control, Shakra approached him, and desirous

O king, I see all those qualities permanently living in you by which a person acquires the esteem of all.

Your understanding seems to be like that of a child, free from attachment and aversion. You know the soul. What, do you think, is the best means by which a knowledge of the Soul may be acquired.

You are now bound in fetters, fallen off from your former position, brought under the sway of your foes, and divested of prosperity. Your present circumstances are such as may well give room to grief. Yet how is it, O Prahlada, that you do not grieve.

Is this owing, O son of Diti, to the acquisition of wisdom or is it on account of your fortitude? Behold your calamities, O Prahlada, and yet you appear like one that is happy and tranquil.

Thus urged by Indra, the king of the Daityas, endued with firinness and with fixed conclusions about truth, replied in these sweet words showing great wisdom.

Prahlada said “He who does not know the origin and the destruction of all created objects, is, on account of such ignorance, stupefied. He, however, who knows these two things, is never stupefied.

All kinds of entities and non-entities come into being or cease on account of their own nature. No kind of personal exertion is necessary (for their production). In the absence of personal exertion it is clear that no personal agent exists for the production of all this that we perceive. But though the person never does anything, yet through the influence of Ignorance a consciousness regarding agency over spreads itself on it.

He who regards himself as the doer of good or bad acts possesses a vile wisdom. Such a person is, in my opinion, does not know the truth.

If, O Shakra, the being known as person were really the actor, then all acts undertaken for his own benefit would certainly be successful. None of those acts would be futile. Persons struggling their utmost to avoid what is not desired and to bring about what is desired are not to be seen. What becomes then of personal exertion?

In the case of some, we see that without any exertion on their part, what is not desired is not brought about and what is desired, is done. This then must be the result of Nature.

Some extraordinary persons again are seen, for though possessed of superior intelligence they have to seek wealth from others that are vulgar in features and gifted with little intelligence.

Indeed, when all qualities, good or bad, enter a person impelled by Nature, what is there for one to boast (of his superior possessions)?

All these come from Nature. This is my seitled belief. Even Liberation and knowledge of self, in my view, originate from the same Source.

In this world all fruits, good or bad, that attach themselves to persons, are considered as the outcome of acts. I shall now describe fully the subject of acts. Hear me.

As a crow, while eating some food, announces the presences of that food by its repeated cawing, similarly all our acts only proclaim the indications of Nature.

He who is acquainted with only the metamorphoses of Nature but not with Nature which is supreme and exist by herself, feels stupefication on account of his ignorance. He, however, who understands the difference between Nature and her metamorphoses is never stupefied.

All things originate from Nature. On account of one's certain conviction about it, he would never be affected by pride or arrogance.

When I know the origin of all the ordinances of mortality and when I ain acquainted with the instability of all objects, I can not, O Shakra, indulge in grief. All this is endued with an end.

Without attachments, without pride, without desire and hope, freed from all fetters, and dissociated from everything, I am passing my time happily, seeing that appearance and disappearance of all created objects.

For one who is wise, who is self-controlled, who is contented, who is without desire and hope, and who sees all things with the light of self-knowledge, on trouble or anxiety exists, O Shakra.

I have no liking or aversion for either Nature or her changes. I do not see any one now who is my enemy nor any one who is mine own.

I do not, O Shakra, at any time seek either heaven, or this world, or the nether regions. It is not the fact that there is no happiness in understanding the Soul. But the Soul, being dissociated from everything, cannot enjoy happiness. Hence I desire nothing.

Shakra said Tell me the means, O Prahlada, by which this kind of wisdom may be acquired and by which this kind of tranquillity may be made one's own. I pray you.'

Prahlada said 'By simplicity, by carefulness, by purifying the soul, by controlling the passions, and by waiting upon elders, O Shakra, a person acquires liberation.

Know this, however, that one gains wisdom from Nature, and that the acquisition of tranquillity also is owing to the same cause. Indeed, everything else that you see is due to Nature.

Thus addressed by the king of the Daityas, Shakra became filled with wonder and lauded those words, O king, with a cheerful heart.

The king of the three worlds then, having adored the lord of the Daityas, took his leave and proceeded to his own quarter.'