As Janaka gazed upon the world, he felt a profound transformation within himself. Even when surrounded by crowds, he perceived no division or separation; all had become like a vast wilderness, devoid of duality. He wondered, where could he find delight, when the sense of difference had vanished? He realized, "I am not this body, nor does the body belong to me. I am not the individual soul—I am pure consciousness. My only bondage was the desire for life." In this insight, he saw the waves of the world—diverse and swiftly arising—emerging within himself, the infinite ocean, stirred by the restless wind of the mind. But when the wind of the mind subsided in that infinite ocean, the world-boat, with its unfortunate merchant of life, perished. In him, the infinite ocean, the waves of living beings were wondrous; they rose, fell, played, and merged, all by their own nature. Ashtavakra then spoke: "Knowing the Self to be one and imperishable in truth, how can a wise person, established in self-knowledge, be attached to worldly gain?" He explained that delight in 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 run about as if distressed? Even after hearing that the Self is pure, beautiful consciousness, one who clings 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. Even established in supreme non-duality and intent on liberation, it is astonishing that one, swayed by desire and pleasure, remains incomplete. Though knowledge has arisen and ignorance is recognized as exceedingly weak, it is astonishing that one still desires pleasure, even as time draws to its end. For one who is detached here and elsewhere, who discriminates between the eternal and the transient, it is astonishing that, desiring liberation, he fears liberation itself. The wise person, whether being fed or afflicted, always perceives only the Self; he neither rejoices nor becomes angry. He who sees his own body as if it were another's—how would such a great soul be disturbed by praise or blame? Seeing this world as mere illusion, and with all curiosity gone, how would the wise mind be afraid, even with death at hand? For the great one whose mind is without desire, who is satisfied in self-knowledge—even in hopelessness—who can be compared to him? Knowing by nature that all this seen is nothing, what does the wise mind perceive as to be accepted or rejected? For one who has abandoned inner passions, who is free from duality and expectation, any experience that comes by chance brings neither sorrow nor delight. Ashtavakra declared: "Indeed, the wise one established in self-knowledge, playing with enjoyment of the world, is never equal to the deluded who are carried along by worldly existence. The state which even the highest gods like Indra long for—how amazing that the yogi established there feels no elation. For the knower of That, there is no inner contact with merit or sin, just as space, though appearing to touch smoke, is never truly affected. Who could restrain the great soul who knows all this world as the Self, and lives as things come? From Brahma down to a blade of grass, in all four kinds of beings, only the knower has the power to be free from both desire and aversion. Whoever knows the Self as nondual, the Lord of the universe—whatever he knows, he does; he has no fear anywhere." Ashtavakra continued: "You have no attachment to anything—why, O pure one, do you wish to renounce? Dissolve the aggregation, and thus enter dissolution. The universe arises in you like a bubble in the ocean; knowing the Self to be one, thus enter dissolution. Even though the world appears directly, it does not exist in you, the stainless one, just as a snake is seen in a rope; thus, enter dissolution. Being the same in pain and pleasure, full, equal in hope and hopelessness, and the same in life and death—thus, enter dissolution." He affirmed, "I am infinite like space; the world is natural like a pot. For one with this knowledge, there is neither renunciation nor acceptance—only dissolution. I am like the great ocean; the world is like a wave. For one with this knowledge, there is neither renunciation nor acceptance—only dissolution. I am like the mother-of-pearl; the world-appearance is like silver. For one with this knowledge, there is neither renunciation nor acceptance—only dissolution. Whether I am in all beings, or all beings are in me—such is the knowledge of this one; for him, there is neither renunciation, nor acceptance, nor dissolution." Janaka then spoke: "In the infinite ocean that is myself, the ship of the world drifts here and there, moved by the wind of its own mind; I have no impatience with this. In the infinite ocean that is myself, the wave of the world arises and subsides by its own nature; whether it rises or falls, there is for me neither gain nor loss. In the infinite ocean that is myself, the world is merely a notion; utterly peaceful, formless—this alone I abide in. The Self is not in states, nor are states in That infinite, stainless One; thus, unattached, desireless, and at peace—this alone I abide in. Ah! I am pure consciousness alone; the world is like a magic show. So for me, how, where, could there be any thought of rejection or acceptance?" Ashtavakra concluded: "Bondage is when the mind desires something, grieves, lets go of something, takes hold, sees distinctions, or becomes angry. Liberation is when the mind neither desires nor grieves, neither lets go nor takes hold, neither rejoices nor becomes angry.