Listen, Sumitra, to this wondrous teaching. The One who effortlessly moves the principle behind all that is both moving and unmoving—how could such an all-pervading, nondual reality ever be divided for me? I alone am the supreme, the essence of all essences, Shiva—free from coming and going, untouched by distinctions, undisturbed. I am whole and without parts, worshipped by the gods themselves. Being complete, I do not accept division, not even among the gods. Through negligence, there is no doubt—what could I accomplish by being active? Just as bubbles arise and dissolve in water, so too do all things merge and dissolve. The elements, beginning with the great, always merge in this way—whether in soft, fluid, sharp, sweet, or bitter substances. Bitterness, coldness, softness—just as these qualities exist in water, so too do nature and spirit appear to me as undivided. That which is free from all names, subtler than the subtlest, supreme, beyond mind, intellect, and senses, stainless—the Lord of the world—this is That. Where such naturalness exists, how can I be there? How can you be there? How can the moving and unmoving be there? That which is likened to the sky is indeed sky-like: consciousness, free from faults, all-knowing, and truly complete. It is not walked upon the earth, nor carried by the wind, nor covered by water, nor established in the midst of fire. Space is pervaded by That, yet That is not pervaded by anything; it remains outside and inside, unbounded and uninterrupted. Because it is subtle, invisible, and without qualities, yogis describe it as a support; gradually, that support itself becomes the support. But when, through constant practice, one becomes without support, then by merging into That, one dissolves—free from all inner qualities and faults. For the fierce poison of the world, which causes the stupor of delusion, there is only one unfailing, innate nectar for its destruction. That which is known through experience—formless yet appearing with form, beyond both existence and non-existence—this is called the intermediate state. The external world is called the manifest; the inner is said to be nature; what lies between the inner and the innermost is to be known, like the water inside a coconut. Mistaken knowledge is external, true knowledge is in the middle; what is subtler than the middle is to be known, like the water inside a coconut. Just as on the full moon night there is only one perfectly pure moon, so too should one see That as one; seeing it as two is a mistaken view. In this way, difference of understanding does not belong to all; the giver attains steadfastness, as is sung in countless names. By the grace of the guru’s wisdom, whether foolish or learned, whoever awakens to the truth becomes detached from the ocean of becoming. Freed from attachment and aversion, devoted to the welfare of all beings, firm in knowledge and steadfast, such a one attains the supreme state. Just as when a pot is broken, the space within it merges into space, so when the body is gone, the yogi merges into his own true Self, the supreme Self. This teaching is for those engaged in action; even if their understanding ends, that is their path. But it is not said for those established in yoga; even if their understanding ends, that is their path. The path of those engaged in action is spoken of by speech and the senses; but the path of yogis, wherever it may be, is inexpressible and attained by them. Knowing thus this path, which is not imagined by yogis, and abandoning all conceptualization, their realization arises of itself. Whether at a sacred place, in an outcaste’s house, or dying anywhere, the yogi does not see the womb again, but merges into the supreme Brahman. Whoever perceives his own innate, unborn, inconceivable nature acts as he wishes, yet is not tainted by faults; even if he does nothing, due to the absence of ego, he is neither bound nor a renunciant nor an ascetic. Free from disease, without equal, formless, without support, bodiless, without desire, beyond duality and delusion, with unceasing power—he attains that eternal Lord, the Self. Where there is neither the Veda, nor initiation, nor the rite of shaving the head, neither teacher nor disciple, nor the accomplishment of mystical devices, nor even gestures and the like—there, one attains the eternal Self, the Lord. There is neither the Shaiva, Shakta, nor Manava path, nor the physical body, nor form, nor steps such as padā, nor beginnings, completions, or vessels—there, one attains the eternal Self, the Lord. From whose own nature the entire moving and unmoving world arises, abides, and dissolves—just as foam and bubbles arise from the transformation of water—there, one attains the eternal Self, the Lord. Where there is neither breath control, nor gaze, nor posture, neither knowledge nor ignorance, nor even the movement of channels—there, one attains the eternal Self, the Lord. Where there is neither multiplicity nor unity, neither both nor otherness, neither minuteness, length, greatness, nor emptiness, neither measure, object, equality—there, one attains the eternal Self, the Lord. Whether one is well-disciplined or undisciplined, whether one is well-collected or uncollected, whether one is without action or with action—there, one attains the eternal Self, the Lord. Where there is neither mind nor intellect, nor body nor senses, nor subtle elements, nor the five gross elements, nor even ego or the nature of space—there, one attains the eternal Self, the Lord. When, in creation and dissolution, one has reached the Supreme Self, and the mind of the yogi is free from division, then purity and impurity, and the sense of signs, all may be prescribed or prohibited. Where mind and speech are unable to express, how can there be the instruction of a teacher? Yet, when the teacher has spoken this teaching, its truth shines forth equally. Thus ends the second chapter. There is no division of qualities and non-qualities; nothing at all; free from attraction and aversion, pure, without elaboration; devoid of qualities and non-qualities, all-pervading, of universal form—how can I worship here the Shiva who is of the nature of space? Devoid of white and other colors, always Shiva; this effect and cause is indeed the supreme Shiva. Thus, free from distinctions, I am pure Shiva; how can I worship my own Self within myself, O Sumitra?