Yajnavalkya, the wise sage, spoke to King Janaka of Videha about the journey of the soul and the nature of the Self. He explained that when a person reaches the end of his deeds, he, along with the results of his actions, is drawn toward whatever his mind is most attached to. After enjoying the fruits of his deeds in other realms, he returns again to this world to continue his actions. But for one who is free from all desires, who is content, whose very Self is his desire, the vital breaths do not depart at death. Such a person, being Brahman, merges into Brahman itself. Yajnavalkya recited: “When all desires that dwell in the heart are released, then the mortal becomes immortal and attains Brahman here and now.” He illustrated this with a vivid image: just as a snake sheds its worn-out skin and lies discarded on an anthill, so too does the body fall away. But the intelligent, disembodied Self, having realized the Supreme, becomes immortal. King Janaka, deeply moved, offered Yajnavalkya a thousand gifts in gratitude. Yajnavalkya continued, describing the path to the highest state. “The path is narrow and ancient,” he said, “untouched and untraveled by the ordinary. By that path, the wise who know Brahman depart this world and attain the heavenly realm, free from all limitations.” Along this path, it is said, there are hues of white, blue, yellow, green, and red—the path of Brahman. The knower of Brahman, shining and virtuous, proceeds along this radiant way. He warned, however, that those who worship only the unmanifest or cling to the manifest alone enter into darkness, even deeper darkness. The worlds called asurya, shrouded in blinding gloom, are entered after death by those who are ignorant and unwise. Yajnavalkya declared, “Becoming that, we are that. If one does not know this, great is the loss. Those who realize this become immortal; those who do not, enter into suffering.” He posed a question: If a person knows the Self as “I am this,” then for what and for whose sake would he cling to the body? He explained that the awakened Self, accompanied by understanding and residing in this dense body, is the creator and doer of all. For such a one, his world is truly that world—there is no other. When the Self is seen as God, as the lord, straightforward and ruling over past and future, all doubt vanishes. “In whom,” Yajnavalkya said, “the five groups of five and space are established—knowing that Self, one becomes immortal Brahman.” From whom the year revolves, with days moving onward, the gods worship him as the light of lights, as life itself, as the immortal. He is the breath of breath, the eye of the eye, the ear of the ear, the food of food, the mind of the mind. Those who know this realize the ancient, primeval Brahman. It is to be attained by the mind alone; here, there is no diversity at all. Those who see diversity go from death to death. This is to be realized by the mind alone; it is immeasurable and unchanging. Yajnavalkya described the Self as pure, supreme, greater than space, unborn, great, and unchanging. Knowing him alone, the wise Brahmin should cultivate understanding, not dwelling on many words, for that only wearies the voice. “This indeed is the Self,” Yajnavalkya said, “the one who dwells in the space within the heart, the ruler of all, the lord and master of all beings. By good deeds, he becomes greater; by evil deeds, lesser. He is the lord and protector of the worlds, the bridge that holds all things apart.” This is what seekers strive to know through recitation of the Veda, through celibacy, austerity, faith, and undying offerings. Not knowing this, one becomes merely a sage; but those who desire this alone, renounce and seek it. The ancient knowers of Brahman, having understood this truth, no longer desired offspring. “What shall we do with offspring, we whose Self has become this world?” they said. Thus, having renounced the desire for sons, for wealth, and for worlds, they lived as mendicants, realizing that all desires are but forms of the same longing. Yajnavalkya continued: “This is that Self—‘not this, not this’—ungraspable, undecaying, unattached, untouched by suffering. Whether one thinks, ‘I have done evil,’ or ‘I have done good,’ he transcends both and is immortal, beyond good and evil. Neither good nor evil deeds affect him.” He recited: “This is the eternal greatness of the knower of Brahman; it does not increase by action nor decrease.” One who knows the Self is not tainted by evil deeds. Therefore, one who knows thus should be calm, self-controlled, withdrawn, enduring, and full of faith, seeing the Self within himself. He sees all as the Self, and all becomes his Self. He crosses over all evil; evil does not burn him—he burns all evil. He becomes pure, free from hunger and thirst—a true knower of Brahman. Yajnavalkya told Janaka, “O King, you have attained this.” He then described the Self as the great, unborn one, the eater of food, the giver of wealth. Whoever knows this obtains wealth. This Self is undecaying, immortal, fearless, and deathless. “You have attained the fearless Brahman, Janaka,” Yajnavalkya said. In gratitude, Janaka offered his kingdom and himself as Yajnavalkya’s servant. Now, Yajnavalkya had two wives: Maitreyi, a seeker of Brahman, and Katyayani, of ordinary understanding. Preparing to renounce worldly life, Yajnavalkya called Maitreyi and said, “I am about to renounce this house and go forth. Let me make a final settlement between you and Katyayani.” Maitreyi asked, “If, sir, this whole earth filled with wealth were mine, would I become immortal through it?” Yajnavalkya replied, “No. Your life would be like that of those who have abundance, but there is no hope of immortality through wealth.” Maitreyi then said, “If by this I do not become immortal, what use is it to me? Whatever you know, please tell me that alone.” Yajnavalkya replied, “Truly, you are dear to us, and you speak what is dear. So I will explain it to you; meditate upon my words.” He explained, “Not for the sake of the husband is the husband dear, but for the sake of the Self. Not for the sake of the wife, the children, wealth, Brahman, Kshatra, worlds, gods, beings, or all things are they dear, but for the sake of the Self. Therefore, the Self must be seen, heard, reflected upon, and meditated upon, Maitreyi; for by knowing the Self, everything is known.” He warned, “Brahman, the Vedas, sacrifices, Kshatra, worlds, gods, beings, all—depart from him who knows them as other than the Self. This is Brahman, this is Kshatra, these are the worlds, the gods, the Vedas, the beings, all—whatever is this Self.” He gave examples: Just as, when a drum is struck, one cannot grasp the sounds that come from outside, but by grasping the drum or the act of striking, the sound is caught; just as, when a lute is played or a conch is blown, the sound is caught only by grasping the source or the act itself. In the same way, all knowledge and all experience arise from the Self. He continued: Just as from a moist fire, when kindled, separate streams of smoke emerge, so too from this great being come breath, the Vedas, knowledge, offerings, food, drink, worlds, and all beings—all are its breaths. Just as all waters flow to the ocean, all touches to the skin, all smells to the nose, all tastes to the tongue, all forms to the eye, all sounds to the ear, all thoughts to the mind, all Vedas to the heart, all actions to the hands, all paths to the feet, all pleasures to the genitals, all excretions to the anus, all knowledge to speech—so too, all arises from and returns to the Self. He compared the Self to a lump of salt, without interior or exterior, entirely a mass of salt—so is this great being, infinite, without limit, a mass of consciousness. Rising from beings, it dissolves them back into itself. After departing, there is no more individual consciousness. Maitreyi, perplexed, said, “Venerable one, you have led me to confusion. I do not understand: ‘After departing, there is no more individual consciousness.’” Yajnavalkya reassured her, “I do not speak confusion. The Self is indestructible, its nature is not to be cut off; only the union of the elements ceases. When one does not see, even while seeing, one should see this; for the seer, there is no cessation of seeing, because of its indestructibility. There is not a second thing—what else could one see apart from it?” He continued, “When one does not smell, even while smelling, one should smell this; for the smeller, there is no cessation of smelling, because of its indestructibility. There is not a second thing—what else could one smell apart from it?” Thus, Yajnavalkya revealed the profound truth of the Self—beyond all diversity, the source and goal of all, to be realized here and now, the key to immortality and the highest fulfillment.