As a person approaches the final moments of life, weakened and lying upon their bed, those gathered around ask softly, “Do you know me? Do you know me?” As long as his self remains within the body, he recognizes those dear to him. But when the time comes for his departure, the self leaves the body and ascends upward, following the sun’s rays. He is carried on the sacred sound “Om.” As swiftly as thought, the self travels toward the sun, which stands as the gateway to all the worlds—a path open for the wise, but closed to those who lack understanding. It is said in ancient verse: “A hundred and one are the channels of the heart. Of these, one rises up to the crown of the head. By passing through this channel, one attains immortality; all the other channels lead only to departure from this world.” Now, this self—the true essence within—is pure, untouched by evil, ageless, deathless, free from sorrow, hunger, and thirst. Its desires are always fulfilled, its intentions always true. This is the self that must be sought and realized. Whoever knows and understands this self attains all worlds and all desires. So taught Prajāpati, the lord of creation. Hearing this profound teaching, both the gods and the demons grew eager to understand. They said among themselves, “Let us seek this self, by knowing which all worlds and all desires are gained.” So Indra, chief among the gods, and Virocana, leader of the demons, each carrying the traditional fuel for sacrifice, approached Prajāpati as humble students. For thirty-two years, Indra and Virocana lived as celibate students, serving Prajāpati with devotion. At last, Prajāpati asked, “What do you seek?” They replied, “We wish to know that self which is free from evil, ageless, deathless, sorrowless, without hunger or thirst, whose desires and intentions are always true. For you have said, O revered one, that knowing this self brings all worlds and all desires.” Prajāpati told them, “The person you see reflected in the eye—that is the self. This is immortal, fearless, this is Brahman.” They asked, “O revered one, is it the same self we see reflected in water or in a mirror?” Prajāpati replied, “It is the same in all these; it is discerned in every reflection.” Eager to understand, Indra and Virocana gazed at themselves in a vessel of water. “If we do not know the self, please teach us,” they said. Prajāpati asked, “What do you see?” They replied, “We see our entire selves, O revered one, from the hair to the nails, as a reflection in the water.” Prajāpati then instructed, “Adorn yourselves, dress in fine garments, decorate yourselves, and look again.” They did so, and, gazing into the water, Prajāpati asked, “What do you see?” They answered, “Just as we are, adorned and well-dressed, so are we in the reflection.” Prajāpati said, “This is the self. This is immortal, fearless, this is Brahman.” Content with this answer, Indra and Virocana departed. But as they left, Prajāpati observed, “They are departing without truly realizing the self. Whichever of the gods or demons holds only this teaching will be defeated.” Virocana returned to his people and taught them, “The self is to be honored and served; by honoring the body, one gains both this world and the next.” Thus, the demons came to believe that by decorating and providing for the body, they could secure their fortunes in both realms. Even today, those who give without faith or sacrifice are called demonic, for they follow this doctrine—adorning the body of the departed, hoping thereby to conquer the next world. Indra, however, on his way back to the gods, reflected deeply and saw a flaw in this teaching. He thought, “If, when the body is adorned, the self is adorned; if, when the body is blind or weary or injured, the self is likewise affected—then, with the destruction of this body, the self must also perish. I see no true fulfillment here.” So Indra returned to Prajāpati, carrying fuel once more. Prajāpati welcomed him and asked, “Maghavan, you have returned with a peaceful heart. What do you seek?” Indra replied, “O revered one, I see that when the body is adorned, the self appears adorned, and when the body is afflicted, the self seems afflicted. But if the body is destroyed, the self perishes. I find no lasting joy in this.” Prajāpati agreed, “So it is, Maghavan. But I will teach you further. Remain here for another thirty-two years.” Indra stayed and continued his service. After this time, Prajāpati taught, “He who moves about gloriously in dreams—this is the self; this is the immortal, the fearless, this is Brahman.” Indra left, but again, upon reflection, saw a problem: “Even if the body is blind or weary, in dreams the self is not so. The self is not slain by the body’s death, nor overcome by its weariness. Yet, in dreams, the self seems to experience suffering and sorrow, as if covered by the body’s faults. I see no true fulfillment here.” Again Indra returned, and Prajāpati asked, “Maghavan, why have you come back?” Indra replied, “O revered one, in dreams the self is not affected by the body’s faults, yet it seems to experience suffering as if covered by them. I find no lasting joy in this.” Prajāpati responded, “So it is, Maghavan. Remain here for another thirty-two years, and I will teach you further.” Indra remained, serving faithfully. After this period, Prajāpati taught, “When one is wholly tranquil, not knowing dream nor waking—this is the self; this is the immortal, the fearless, this is Brahman.” Indra departed, but again realized, “In this state, the self does not know itself as ‘I am this,’ nor do the beings of this world perish for him. There is no enjoyment or fulfillment here.” Once more, Indra returned. Prajāpati welcomed him and asked, “Why have you come back?” Indra replied, “O revered one, in this state, the self does not know itself, nor does it know other beings. There is no fulfillment here.” Prajāpati said, “So it is, Maghavan. I will teach you further, but only here. Remain another five years.” Indra stayed, completing in all a hundred years as a devoted student of Prajāpati. Finally, Prajāpati revealed the highest truth: “Maghavan, this mortal body is seized by death. It is only the dwelling place for the immortal, bodiless self. The embodied self is subject to pleasure and pain; as long as it is embodied, there is no escape from these. But the bodiless self is untouched by pleasure and pain. “Consider the wind, the cloud, the lightning, and thunder—they are formless, bodiless. Emerging from space, they reach the highest light and manifest in their own nature. So too, the serene self, arising from this body, reaches the highest light and appears in its true form. This is the supreme person. There, in that realm, he moves freely, enjoying all delights, not remembering the body in which he was born. Just as a horse is yoked to a chariot, so is the vital breath yoked to this body. “When the eye merges into space, it is the self that sees; when the nose merges, it is the self that smells; when the speech merges, it is the self that speaks; when the ear merges, it is the self that hears. When the mind merges, it is the self that thinks—by this divine eye, the mind, he sees and delights in all the joys of the world of Brahman. “The gods worship this self, and so all worlds and all desires are theirs. He who knows this self and follows it attains all worlds and all desires. Thus Prajāpati spoke.” The sage concluded: “From darkness I take refuge in the variegated; from the variegated I take refuge in darkness. Casting off sin as a horse shakes off its hair, as the moon escapes from the maw of Rahu, the self, having abandoned the body, stands established in its true nature and attains the world of Brahman.” And it is said: “Space is the expanse of name and form. That which lies between them is Brahman, the immortal, the self of Prajāpati. I take refuge in the assembly and house of Prajāpati. I become renowned among Brahmins, kings, and all people. May this renown never leave me, may the moon never depart from me.” This is the teaching Brahma imparted to Prajāpati, Prajāpati to Manu, and Manu to his descendants. Whoever studies the Veda with a teacher, fulfills their duties, settles in a pure place with family, continues self-study, acts righteously, gathers all the senses within, and does no harm to any being except in sacred places—such a one, living thus for a full life, attains the world of Brahman and does not return, does not return.