The wise are taught to practice non-injury toward all beings at all times. Yet, O tiger among kings, how can a householder maintain such a lofty ideal amidst worldly duties? The desire for wealth remains unquenched, the longing for royal pleasures persists, and the urge to triumph in battle continues—how, then, can one find liberation while living in the world? Among thieves, the mind is that of a thief; among ascetics, the mind of a saint. The sense of ‘mine’ and ‘other’ pervades even your own heart, O king—how can you be free from embodiment? You experience harsh, sharp, bitter, and sour tastes, and perceive both auspicious and inauspicious things. Your mind delights in the auspicious, but not in the inauspicious, O king. You pass through the states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep, each according to its time. How, then, O king, can the fourth state—beyond these—be attained? You command foot soldiers, horses, chariots, and elephants—all under your control. You believe yourself to be the master of all—do you truly think so, or do you not? You are pleased when eating delicious food, O king, and likewise distressed. Whether adorned with a garland or beset by a snake, where is your equanimity, O best of kings? The liberated one regards earth, stone, and gold alike; with single-minded awareness everywhere, he acts for the welfare of all beings. Today, my mind finds no delight in home, wife, or other things; my resolve is to wander alone, utterly free from desire. Detached, free from possessiveness, peaceful, subsisting on leaves, roots, and fruits, I shall roam like a deer—without duality and without possessions. What use are a house, wealth, or a beautiful wife to me, O king, whose mind is detached and who has transcended the qualities? You are concerned with various forms, filled with many attachments—this is mere pretension, for you claim to be liberated. Sometimes you worry about enemies, sometimes about wealth, sometimes about armies; O king, when are you truly free from care? Even the Vaikhānasa sages, who eat moderately and have mastered vows, become deluded in worldly life, though they know its falsity. O king, those born in your lineage are called ‘Videha’; know that this name is crooked, and it is never otherwise. Just as a Vidyādhara is ignorant, a person born blind is the sun, or a wealthy man is poor, their names are meaningless. All the kings of your lineage whom I have heard of before are renowned as ‘Videha’ by name, but not by their deeds. Nimi, named as king, was once in your family, O king; for the sake of a sacrifice, that royal sage invited his own guru, the sage Vasiṣṭha. At that time, he invited him, and the sage said to the king, “I have now been invited by Indra for a sacrifice. After completing his sacrifice, I will perform yours as well; meanwhile, O king, gradually prepare the materials.” Having said this, the sage departed for Indra’s sacrifice; Nimi appointed another guru and performed a great sacrifice. Hearing of this, Vasiṣṭha became extremely angry and cursed the king: “Your body will fall today for neglecting your guru.” The king also cursed him: “Yours too shall fall.” Both fell by each other’s curse; this is what I have heard. O king, how did the guru himself become cursed by Videha? This shines in my mind like a diversion, O best of kings. Janaka replied, “What you have spoken is true; there is nothing false in this opinion. Still, listen, O best of Brahmins, my guru was greatly honored. Abandoning your father’s company, you wish to go to the forest; you will have close association with the animals, without doubt. The great elements are everywhere; where will you be free from attachment? There will always be concern for food; how will you be carefree, O sage? Just as you have worries about your staff and deer-skin even in the forest, so I have worries about the kingdom, whether I think of them or not. You, afflicted by doubt, have come from a distant land; but I have no doubt or uncertainty, I am entirely free from all wavering. O Brahmin, I sleep happily, I eat happily in every way; I am never bound in my mind, and always content, O sage. But you are always unhappy, troubled by the thought ‘I am bound’; abandon this doubt and be happy, steadfast in mind. This body is bondage, and liberation is the conviction ‘it is not mine’; likewise, wealth, house, and kingdom—liberation is the certainty ‘these are not mine.’” Sūta said: Hearing Janaka’s words, Śuka became joyful. Taking leave of him, he quickly went to Vyāsa’s excellent hermitage. Seeing his son approaching, Vyāsa too felt happiness; embracing him and smelling his head, he again asked about his welfare. Śuka stayed in that delightful hermitage, attentive at his father’s side, accomplished in Vedic study and expert in all scriptures. Observing the state of Janaka, the great-souled king, Śuka attained supreme contentment while residing in his father’s hermitage. Among the fortunate daughters of the Pitṛs was the beautiful Pīvarī; Śuka took her as his wife, even while established in the path of yoga. He begot four sons by her: Kṛṣṇa, Gauraprabha, Bhūri, and Devaśruta. The illustrious son of Vyāsa produced a daughter named Kīrti, and gave her to Vibhrāja’s son, the great-souled Aṇuhā. Aṇu’s son was the glorious Brahmadatta, powerful, knower of Brahman, ruler of the earth, born of a Śaka maiden.