In the quiet depths of wisdom, I recall the sage Vyasa, the thirty-second in his lineage, as revealed to me through the eye of knowledge—perceived as clearly as direct sight allows. Among those of his line, twelve possessed minds as luminous as his own, sharing the noble qualities of their family; ten others bore all the same features, while the rest stood apart, distinct from the lineage. Even today, sages like Vyasa and Valmiki, and others such as Bhrigu, Angiras, and Pulastya, will arise again in this world. Groups of asuras, rishis, and gods are born and dissolved repeatedly—sometimes together, sometimes apart—across the cycles of creation. I know of the seventy-two cycles of Brahma—past, present, and future—and of this world, others, yourself, and myself; all these are known to me. In due course, the wondrous sage Vyasa is recognized as the tenth incarnation of the far-seeing one, descending to fulfill his purpose. We have been, many times, those who are called Vyasa and Valmiki; indeed, we ourselves have appeared in various forms and intentions, manifesting anew. Even now, by this very one, the story of Vārāṣṭaka will be composed again here, and the narrative called Bhārata will be created once more as a new history. After arranging the divisions of the Veda and establishing his lineage’s fame, Vyasa will attain the state of Brahman, and afterwards, liberation as Vaideha. Free from sorrow and fear, tranquil and liberated, devoid of conceptualization, liberated even while living, with mind subdued—such is Vyasa as he is described. In every creation, beings are similar in wealth, relatives, age, actions, knowledge, understanding, and activities. Sometimes, over hundreds of cycles, these beings exist or do not exist; at times, this illusion continues endlessly. The succession of countless beings undergoes transformation, like a heap of seeds repeatedly sown without ceasing. Again and again, with the same arrangement or with another, forms of creation arise, like waves in the ocean of time. The wise one, with mind calmed and free from agitation, all doubts dissolved, established in the essence of true nature, fully satisfied by the nectar of supreme peace, abides without any covering. Just as water remains the same whether gentle or in the form of a wave, so too, in the ocean, the state of being with or without a body is equally free. Whether with a body or without, liberation does not depend on that; for how can there be the experience of food for one who has never tasted it? O best of sages, we see the liberated one while living, just as an object before us, but we do not know his inner intention. What difference is there among those liberated with or without a body, who are of the nature of non-difference? Whatever is water in the form of a wave is the same in its gentle state. There is not the slightest difference between those liberated with or without a body; whether the wind moves or is still, it is indeed just air. Whether with a body or without, liberation is not determined by that; when this non-dual unity exists, it is indivisible. Therefore, listen now to this teaching, an ornament to the ear, which I am about to impart—a knowledge that destroys the darkness of ignorance. O delight of the Raghu lineage, in this world of transmigration, everything is always attained through complete and proper human effort. Just as the moon rises and brings cool delight to the heart, so too, the fruit of endeavor is obtained only by one’s own effort, and not otherwise. That which is seen directly as the result of effort is real; what is imagined by the deluded as fate is nothing and does not exist. Whatever activity of mind and body is guided by the teaching of the wise and scripture—that is true effort and fruitful; anything else is the action of the deluded. Whoever desires a certain goal and strives for it step by step surely attains it; if not, he does not even turn back halfway. By human effort and striving, some particular living being has attained the lordship of the three worlds, the splendor of Indra. By human effort and striving, some rare one, through the blossoming of consciousness, attains the state of Brahma, the seat of the lotus of creation. By purposeful effort and his own power, some rare man has attained the highest state of Purushottama, the supreme among men, the banner-bearer Garuda. It is only through personal effort that someone, possessing a body shaped by the play of feminine grace, attains the status of one adorned with the crescent moon. Know that effort is of two kinds: previous and present; the former is quickly overcome by the latter through purposeful action. Even mountains are swallowed by those who strive with steadfast practice, endowed with wisdom and enthusiasm; what then of the talk about previous effort? The highest human excellence is that which is guided by scripture-directed effort; for the fulfillment of desired results, it is beneficial, but otherwise, it leads to harm. For someone, due to the instability of their own self, in a certain state, a single drop of water pressed from the tip of a finger may seem abundant; for another, when the earth is adorned with oceans, mountains, cities, and islands, it may not suffice for the proper distribution of duties, and the earth ceases to be earth. Action according to scripture is the first step for those who live in the world; it is like the radiance among colors, the means for all deeds. Whatever is desired in the mind but not acted upon according to scripture is fulfilled as the play of the intoxicated—enchanting, but not productive of results. As one conceives, so one experiences; one’s own action alone is real, and nothing else—not even fate—is distinct. Human effort is said to be of two kinds: that which is unregulated and that which is guided by scripture. Of these, unregulated effort leads to harm, while effort guided by scripture leads to the highest good. Just as two wrestlers contend, so do the two forms of human effort—one belonging to oneself, the other to another. Among them, the stronger always prevails. Thus, the cycles of creation and dissolution, the arising of sages, the nature of liberation, and the supreme importance of conscious, scripture-guided effort are revealed—an unending stream, like waves upon the ocean of time.