O Rama, the suffering of worldly existence is like a terrible cholera, a poison born of delusion. Yet, just as the mighty Garuda’s antidote neutralizes venom, so too does the purifying mantra of yoga calm and heal this affliction, bringing peace to the troubled soul. The truly wise—those whose inner light has dawned—move through the world as Hari, Hara, Brahma, and the other exalted ones do: free from curiosity and disturbance, abiding with awakened understanding. When delusion is spent, when the thick cloud of ignorance has dispersed, and the truth is clearly seen—whether through reasoning with the wise or by witnessing the reality of birth and death in those whose bodies have faded—then worldly wandering is no longer a burden, but becomes a delightful play. When the heart’s essence is radiant and clear, and all perceptions and creations are seen as a single, unified experience, and the mind’s restless workings have come to rest in tranquility—then, with truth revealed by wisdom, this very wandering in the world becomes a joyous play. Consider the body as a chariot, its stability its strength; the senses are like restless horses, and the subtle breath is the wind that stirs them. But I, the Self, am not these—I am boundless, infinite, and without distinction. Whether I seem to roam the world as the embodied one, or dwell as the supreme, perceiving truth with pure understanding, this journey through the world is but a divine sport. Relying on this vision, those with strong souls and clear intellects move about untroubled, like great beings newly arisen. They do not grieve or beg; they neither desire good nor shun bad. Though they act in the world, they remain untouched by their actions, doing everything, yet doing nothing at all. Established in their own true nature, they inspire others to find the Self within. Free from ideas of acceptance or rejection, they abide in the Self, moving through life without attachment. They come and yet do not come; they may retire to the forest and yet never leave their inner home. Even in inaction, they act; even in silence, they speak. All undertakings and perceptions, all that is to be accepted or rejected, dissolve upon attaining the supreme state. When every desire is abandoned, the mind moves gently and sweetly, finding happiness everywhere, steady like the full moon in the sky. Even when nothing new is begun, even when curiosity has ceased, such a one does not become intoxicated by their own bliss, just as nectar does not intoxicate the moon. They do not weave illusions or chase after desires; having left behind childish restlessness, they shine in fullness. Where, through constant practice, the unity of personal experience, true scripture, and the teacher’s words is realized, there the Self is continually beheld. One who disregards the true meaning of scripture and is scorned by the wise—even if they fall into misfortune—should not consider themselves the equal of the ignorant. No disease, no poison, nor any calamity on earth brings as much suffering as the folly that dwells within one’s own body. For those whose minds are somewhat refined, this scripture is to be heard, for there is no other teaching that so thoroughly removes ignorance. This teaching is pleasant to hear, adorned with stories and examples, and harmonizes with the meaning of all scriptures. All difficulties—those hard to cross and even trivial wrongs—arise from ignorance, just as thorns grow from the khadira tree. It is better, O Rama, to wander with a begging bowl in the streets of outcastes than to live a life ruined by ignorance. Upon encountering this illumination, filled with the means to liberation, one does not fall again into blindness or the darkness of delusion. The lotus of human life, darkened by craving, remains closed until the pure radiance of discernment, like the sun, arises. For the sake of release from the suffering of worldly existence, together with companions like myself, one should know the true nature of the Self, relying on the authority of the teacher and scripture. The liberated while living move about here just as Hari, Hara, and the other great sages do. So, O Raghava, you too should live in this way. Here, sufferings are endless, while happiness is but a fleeting moment; therefore, do not fix your gaze on pleasures, which are always bound to suffering. That state which is endless and effortless is to be attained for the sake of perfection, and it must be pursued with effort by one who understands. The supreme among men are the vessels of human purpose, their minds free from affliction and anchored in the unsurpassed state. Those who are satisfied only with pleasures—eating, enjoyment, sovereignty—whose minds are corrupt, are like hollow drums: empty and blind. Those devoted to pleasure, cunning, malicious, intent on wicked deeds, appearing as friends while harboring enmity—these deluded ones, sluggish with ignorance, go from one hardship to another, from sorrow to sorrow, from fear to fear, and from one hell to the next. O Rama, for those eager for each other’s destruction, there is never any true good; their happiness and sorrow flicker as briefly as lightning. But those great souls who are detached, who dwell in solitude, and who are like you, O Rama, are worthy of reverence; they alone partake in both enjoyment and liberation. By relying on supreme discernment and the practice of dispassion, one should cross over this dreadful river of worldly existence and its dangers. One who knows should not be heedless in this world of samsara’s illusion, which stupefies like poison, but should remain ever discerning. He who, having encountered this samsara, remains indifferent is like one who sleeps in a house ablaze or lies down in the path of a rushing flood. There is, without doubt, a state which, once attained, there is no return from, and no cause for sorrow; it is attainable by the wise. If, upon examination, it is not found, then there is no fault for you; but if it is present, you will cross the ocean of existence. When a person swiftly turns to inquire into the means of liberation, then he is said to attain liberation. Unfailing, unshaken composure, free from confusion, is not found in the three worlds except through the state of aloneness. In attaining that supreme state, hardship is of no use; neither friends, nor wealth, nor relatives can help. Thus, O Rama, is the way of those who seek truth and freedom. Let this wisdom settle in your heart, and may you walk the world in peace, delight, and the light of the Self.