If a person, dwelling in meditation, desires the world of perfumes and garlands, then by his very intention, perfumes and garlands arise for him. Endowed with these, he becomes exalted. If his longing is for the world of food and drink, then, too, by mere intention, food and drink manifest before him, and he is uplifted by their abundance. Should he desire the world of song and music, these too spring forth at his will, and he is glorified by their presence. If his heart turns to the world of women, then, simply by wishing, the companionship he seeks appears, and he is exalted in that world. In truth, whatever end a person desires, whatever wish he holds in his heart, it arises for him by intention alone, and, blessed with fulfillment, he is elevated. These, indeed, are the true desires of the heart, but they are veiled by the untrue. Among all true desires, the untrue forms a covering. Whoever departs from this world without knowing these true desires does not attain them, for he does not see them here. Yet, whatever living beings belong to him in this life—those who are here now, those who have departed, and whatever else he longs for but does not gain—all of these he finds upon reaching that world. For here, his true desires are hidden beneath the untrue, just as people who do not know the place may pass again and again over a buried treasure of gold and never find it. In the same way, all beings, day by day, come close to the world of Brahman but do not find it, turned away by falsehood. Within the heart lies the self, the true being, and its precise name is 'heart,' for it dwells there. Whoever knows this, day by day, attains the heavenly world. This serene self, rising from the body, attains the highest light and manifests in its own form. This, indeed, is the self: immortal, fearless, Brahman itself. The name of this Brahman is 'Truth.' This name is composed of three syllables: 'sat-ti-yam.' 'Sat' is the immortal, 'ti' is the mortal, and 'yam' unites both. Through this union, one who knows thus attains the heavenly world each day. This self is the bridge, the support of all worlds, preventing them from merging into one another. Neither day nor night, old age nor death, sorrow nor good or evil deeds can cross this bridge. All evils turn back from it. This is the world of Brahman, free from evil. Having crossed this bridge, even if one was blind, he becomes not blind; if wounded, not wounded; if afflicted, not afflicted. Once across, one manifests only as day, never as night, for the world of Brahman is ever radiant. Those who seek this world of Brahman through brahmacharya—chastity and self-restraint—this world belongs to them. For such seekers, there is freedom of movement in all worlds according to their will. If people say, "It is sacrifice," know that it is brahmacharya alone; for by brahmacharya, one attains that world. If they say, "It is offering," it is brahmacharya alone; for by brahmacharya, one finds the self. What is called 'sattrāyaṇa' is truly celibacy, for by celibacy one gains protection for the self. What is called 'silence' is also celibacy, for by celibacy, having known the self, one contemplates. What is called 'anāśakāyana' is indeed celibacy, for the self, which is attained through celibacy, does not perish. 'Miti' too is celibacy. In the world of Brahman, there are two lakes: Ara and Nya. Beyond heaven is the third, the lake Airam, which is mine. There stands the Asvattha tree, the Soma pressing ground, the golden boundary. Those who, through celibacy, reach these lakes Ara and Nya in the world of Brahman, for them alone is the world of Brahman; for them, in all worlds, there is freedom of movement according to desire. The channels of the heart rest in the subtle body, which is colored reddish, white, blue, yellow, and red—like the sun, which is also reddish, white, blue, yellow, and red. Just as a great highway stretches between two villages, so do the rays of the sun traverse both this world and the next. From that sun, the rays return and pour into these channels, and from these channels, they return and pour into the sun. When one is completely tranquil and serene, he does not perceive dreams; at that time, he is poured into those channels, and no evil touches him, for he is filled with radiance. When one approaches the end of life and lies in weakness, those sitting nearby ask, "Do you know me? Do you know me?" He knows as long as he has not departed from the body. But when he departs, he ascends upward by these very rays, carried by the sacred sound 'Om.' As swiftly as the mind, so swiftly he goes to the sun. This is the gateway to the worlds: the path for the wise, the closure for the unwise. A verse declares: "A hundred and one are the channels of the heart; one rises up to the crown of the head. By ascending through it, one attains immortality. All the others serve only for departure." The self that is free from evil, ageless, deathless, sorrowless, without hunger or thirst, whose desires and intentions are true—that is to be sought, that is to be understood. Whoever knows and understands this self attains all worlds and all desires—so spoke Prajāpati. Both the gods and the demons heard this teaching. They said, "Come, let us seek that self, by knowing which one attains all worlds and all desires." Indra, chief of the gods, and Virocana, chief of the demons, approached Prajāpati, each carrying sacred fuel as students. For thirty-two years, they practiced celibacy and self-restraint. After this period, Prajāpati asked them, "What do you seek?" They replied, "We seek the self that is free from evil, ageless, deathless, sorrowless, without hunger or thirst, whose desires and intentions are true, by knowing which one attains all worlds and all desires, as you have spoken." Prajāpati said, "That person who is seen in the eye, that is the self. This is immortal, fearless, this is Brahman." They asked, "O venerable one, that which is seen in water and in a mirror—which is it?" He replied, "It is the same in all; it is discerned everywhere." They looked at themselves in a water vessel and said, "If we do not know the self, please tell us." Prajāpati asked, "What do you see?" They replied, "We see our entire self, from hair to nails, as a reflection." Prajāpati said, "Adorn yourselves, dress in fine garments, decorate yourselves, and look again." They did so, and saw their reflection as before. "This is the self," he declared. "This is immortal, fearless, this is Brahman." Satisfied, both departed. Seeing them leave, Prajāpati said, "Without realizing the self, they are departing. Whichever of the gods or demons holds this teaching, they will be defeated." Virocana returned to the demons and taught: "Here, the self should be honored and served. By honoring and serving the self, one attains both this world and the next." Therefore, even today, people say of one who gives without faith or sacrifice, "He is demonic." For this is the teaching of the demons: they adorn the body of the departed with food, clothing, and ornaments, believing by this they will conquer the next world. Indra, however, saw the flaw in this doctrine. He reflected, "When the body is adorned, one is adorned; when it is well dressed, one is well dressed; when purified, one is purified. But when this body is blind, one is blind; when weary, one is weary; when injured, one is injured. Upon the body's destruction, he perishes. I do not see any true enjoyment here." Indra returned to Prajāpati, carrying fuel as before. Prajāpati asked, "Maghavan, you have come back with a peaceful heart. What do you seek?" Indra replied, "Just as, revered Sir, when this body is adorned, one is adorned, and so forth, but when the body is destroyed, he perishes. I see no enjoyment here." Prajāpati agreed and said, "So it is, Maghavan. But I shall explain further. Remain another thirty-two years." Indra stayed, practicing discipline. After this period, Prajāpati taught, "He who moves about, being glorified in dream—this is the self: immortal, fearless, Brahman." Indra departed, but again saw a problem: "Even if the body is blind, he is not blind; if weary, he is not weary; he is not affected by the body's faults. He is not slain by the death of the body, nor overcome by its weariness; only as if covered, as if he knows sorrow, as if he weeps. I see no true enjoyment here." Indra returned once more. Prajāpati asked what he sought, and Indra replied as before, expressing his doubts. Prajāpati said, "So it is, Maghavan. But I shall explain further. Remain another thirty-two years." Indra stayed, ever seeking the truth. At last, Prajāpati taught, "When one is wholly tranquil, not knowing dream—this is the self: immortal, fearless, Brahman." Indra departed, but again discerned a problem: "In this state, one does not know himself as 'I am this'; nor do these beings perish for him. I do not see any enjoyment here." Thus, through patient inquiry and repeated seeking, the true nature of the self was gradually revealed, layer by layer, to the worthy, earnest seeker.