Chapter 222

“Yudhishthira said, ‘In this world, O Bharata, acts good and bad attachthemselves to man for the purpose of producing fruits for enjoyment orendurance. Is man, however, to be regarded as their doer or is he not tobe regarded so? Doubt fills my mind with respect to this question. Idesire to hear this in detail from thee, O grandsire!’

“Bhishma said, ‘In this connection, O Yudhishthira, is cited the oldnarrative of a discourse between Prahlada and Indra. The chief of theDaityas, viz., Prahlada, was unattached to all worldly objects. His sinshad been washed away. Of respectable parentage, he was possessed of greatlearning. Free from stupefaction and pride, ever observant of the qualityof goodness, and devoted to various vows, he took praise and censureequally. Possessed of self-restraint, he was then passing his time in anempty chamber. Conversant with the origin and the destruction of allcreated objects, mobile and immobile, he was never angry with things thatdispleased him and never rejoiced at the accession of objects that wereagreeable. He cast an equal eye upon gold and a clump of earth. Steadilyengaged in study of the Soul and in acquiring Emancipation, and firm inknowledge, he had arrived at fixed conclusions in respect of truth.Acquainted with what is supreme and what is not so among all things,omniscient and of universal sight, as he was seated one day in a solitarychamber with his senses under complete control, Sakra approached him, anddesirous of awakening him, said these words, ‘O king, I behold all thosequalities permanently residing in thee by which a person wins the esteemof all. Thy understanding seems to be like that of a child, free fromattachment and aversion. Thou knowest of the Soul. What, thinkest thou,is the best means by which a knowledge of the Soul may be attained? Thouart now bound in cords, fallen off from thy former position, broughtunder the sway of thy foes, and divested of prosperity. Thy presentcircumstances are such as may well inspire grief. Yet how is it, OPrahlada, that thou dost not indulge in grief? Is this due, O son ofDiti, to the acquisition of wisdom or is it on account of thy fortitude?Behold thy calamities, O Prahlada, and yet thou seemest like one that ishappy and tranquil.’ Thus urged by Indra, the chief of the Daityas,endued with determinate conclusions in respect of truth, replied unto theformer in these sweet words indicative of great wisdom.’

“Prahlada said, ‘He who is unacquainted with the origin and thedestruction of all created objects, is, in consequence of such ignorance,stupefied. He, however, who is conversant with these two things, is neverstupefied. All kinds of entities and non-entities come into being orcease in consequence of their own nature. No kind of personal exertion isneeded (for the production of such phenomena).[833] In the absence,therefore, of personal exertion, it is evident that no personal agentexists for the production of all this that we perceive. But though (inreality) the person (or the chit) never does anything, yet (through theinfluence of Ignorance) a consciousness in respect of angry overspreadsitself on it. He who regards himself as the doer of acts good or bad,possesses a wisdom that is vitiated. Such a person is, according to myjudgment, unacquainted with the truth.[834] If, O Sakra, the being calledperson were really the actor, then all acts undertaken for his ownbenefit would certainly be crowned with success. None of those acts wouldbe defeated. Among even persons struggling their utmost the suspension ofwhat is not desired and the occurrence of what is desired are not to beseen. What becomes then of personal exertion? In the case of some, we seethat without any exertion on their part, what is not desired is suspendedand what is desired is accomplished. This then must be the result ofNature. Some persons again are seen to present extraordinary aspects, forthough possessed of superior intelligence they have to solicit wealthfrom others that are vulgar in features and endued with littleintelligence. Indeed, when all qualities, good or bad, enter a person,urged by Nature, what ground is there for one to boast (of one’s superiorpossessions)? All these flow from Nature. This is my settled conclusion.Even Emancipation and knowledge of self, according to me, flow from thesame source.

“In this world all fruits, good or bad, that attach themselves topersons, are regarded as the result of acts. I shall now discourse tothee in full on the subject of acts. Listen to me. As a crow, whileeating some food, proclaims the presence of that food (to the members ofits species) by its repeated cawing, after the same manner all our actsonly proclaim the indications of Nature. He who is acquainted with onlythe transformations of Nature but not with Nature that is supreme andexists by herself, feels stupefaction in consequence of his ignorance.He, however, who understands the difference between Nature and hertransformations is never stupefied. All existent things have their originin Nature. In consequence of one’s certainty of conviction in thisrespect, one would never be affected by pride or arrogance. When I knowwhat the origin is of all the ordinances of morality and when I amacquainted with the unstability of all objects, I am incapable, O Sakra,of indulging in grief. All this is endued with an end. Withoutattachments, without pride, without desire and hope, freed from allbonds, and dissociated from everything, I am passing my time in greathappiness, engaged in beholding the appearance and disappearance of allcreated objects. For one that is possessed of wisdom, that isself-restrained, that is contented, that is without desire and hope, andthat beholds all things with the light of self-knowledge, no trouble oranxiety exists, O Sakra! I have no affection or aversion for eitherNature or her transformations. I do not behold any one now who is my foenor any one who is mine own. I do not O, Sakra, at any time covet eitherheaven, or this world, or the nether regions. It is not the case thatthere is no happiness in understanding the Soul. But the Soul, beingdissociated from everything, cannot enjoy felicity. Hence I desirenothing.’

“Sakra said, ‘Tell me the means, O Prahlada, by which this kind of wisdommay be attained and by which this kind of tranquillity may be made one’sown. I solicit thee.’

“Prahlada said, ‘By simplicity, by heedfulness, by cleansing the Soul, bymastering the passions, and by waiting upon aged seniors, O Sakra, aperson succeeds in attaining to Emancipation. Know this, however, thatone acquires wisdom from Nature, and that the acquisition of tranquillityalso is due to the same cause. Indeed, everything else that thouperceivest is due to Nature.

“Thus addressed by the lord of the Daityas, Sakra became filled withwonder, and commended those words, O king, with a cheerful heart. Thelord of the three worlds then, having worshipped the lord of the Daityas,took his leave and proceeded to his own abode.'”