Listen, dear one, to the wisdom that shines from the heart of the sage. It is said: as a person thinks, so they become—if one believes oneself to be free, then truly, one is liberated; if one thinks oneself bound, then bound one remains. This is the certain truth. Know the Self to be the ever-present witness, all-pervading, complete, one without a second—free, pure consciousness itself, unmoving, unattached, without desire, and at peace. The Self only seems to be involved in the world because of delusion. Reflect upon your true nature as the changeless, nondual awareness. Let go of the illusion that you are merely the appearance, and abandon all identification with both what is outside and what is inside. For ages, my child, you have been caught in the snare of body-identification. Cut through this bondage with the sword of knowledge, affirming “I am awareness,” and be happy. You are unattached, inactive, self-luminous, and pure. If you practice concentration thinking it will bring you freedom, know that this too is a form of bondage. The entire universe is pervaded by you; it is strung upon you as its true essence. Your nature is pure, awakened consciousness—do not fall into narrowness of mind. Be indifferent, unchanging, full, with a mind cool and unfathomable, undisturbed, intent only on consciousness. Understand that all things with form are unreal, and the formless alone is unchanging. By this teaching of truth, there is no return to rebirth. Just as the image in a mirror appears within and all around, so too does the Supreme Lord dwell within and throughout this body. As the one all-pervading space exists inside and outside a pot, so also does the eternal, uninterrupted Brahman pervade all living beings. Then Janaka exclaimed: “Ah! I am stainless, peaceful, awareness itself, beyond nature. For so long I have been deluded by ignorance. Just as I alone illuminate this body, so too do I illuminate the world. Therefore, all this world is mine—or else, nothing at all is mine. “Now, having abandoned identification with body and universe by some subtle insight, I behold the Supreme Self. Just as waves, foam, and bubbles are not separate from water, so too the universe arising from the Self is not distinct from the Self. Just as, upon examination, a cloth is found to be nothing but threads, so too, upon inquiry, this universe is found to be nothing but the essence of the Self. Just as sugar is made from cane juice and pervaded by it, so too the universe is made from me and pervaded by me without interruption. “The world shines forth through self-knowledge; without it, it does not shine. Just as a rope appears as a snake through ignorance, but is seen as a rope through knowledge, so it is with the universe and the Self. My very nature is illumination; I am not different from that. Whenever the universe shines, it is I alone who shine. “Ah! The imagined universe appears in me due to ignorance, just as silver appears in a shell, a snake in a rope, or water in a sunbeam. The universe, having arisen from me, will dissolve back into me, just as a pot returns to clay, a wave to water, or a bracelet to gold. “Ah! I salute myself, for I am without destruction; even as the universe, from Brahma down to a blade of grass, perishes, I remain. I salute myself, for though I possess a body, I am one alone, never coming or going, pervading the universe and abiding everywhere. I salute myself, for there is no one as skillful as I; without touching the body, I have sustained the universe for so long. I salute myself, for nothing belongs to me—or else, everything that is within the range of speech and mind belongs to me. “Knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower—this triad does not truly exist; whatever appears here due to ignorance, I am that, stainless. Ah! Duality is the root of suffering; there is no other remedy for it. All that is seen is false; I alone am the pure essence of consciousness. “I am pure awareness; out of ignorance, I have imagined a limitation. Reflecting thus constantly, my state is ever free from distinctions. There is neither bondage nor liberation for me, nor confusion; peace is without support. Ah, the universe appears to abide in me, yet in truth, it does not abide in me. “It is certain that this universe, along with the body, is nothing. The Self is pure consciousness alone; so upon what can imagination now arise? Body, heaven and hell, bondage and liberation, and fear—these are all mere imagination. What concern have I, who am consciousness itself? “Ah, even amidst crowds of people, I perceive no duality. It has become like a wilderness to me; where then shall I find delight? I am not the body, nor does the body belong to me; I am not the individual soul—I am consciousness. My only bondage was the desire for life. “Ah, the waves of the world, diverse and swiftly arising, have emerged in me, the infinite ocean, stirred by the wind of mind. In me, the infinite ocean, when the wind of mind subsides, the world-boat, the unfortunate merchant of life, perishes. In me, the infinite ocean, the waves of living beings are wondrous; they rise, fall, play, and merge, all by their own nature.” Then Ashtavakra said: “Knowing the Self to be one and imperishable in truth, how can a wise person, established in self-knowledge, be attached to the pursuit of worldly gain? Ah, delight in the realm of sense objects arises from ignorance of the Self, just as greed arises from mistaking mother-of-pearl for silver. The universe shines forth in that in which these waves arise, as in the ocean. Knowing ‘I am That,’ why do you run about as if distressed? “Even after hearing that the Self is pure, beautiful consciousness, one who is deeply attached to sensual pleasure acquires impurity. For the sage who knows the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self, it is astonishing that the sense of ‘mine’ persists.” Thus, the wisdom of the Self shines forth, dispelling all ignorance, and the heart is established in peace.