Listen, O Raghava, to the secret of supreme happiness as taught by the sages. One need not wander to holy places, nor engage in strenuous movements of hands and feet, nor undertake severe austerities or pilgrimages to distant lands. The highest state is not found through such outward actions, but is attained solely by mastering the mind, by directing all one’s effort toward the one true purpose of human life. This state is realized only through discernment—a firm resolve born of deep inquiry. When a person casts aside the tangled nets of sorrow, he reaches the goal. Seated comfortably, reflecting quietly within himself, he attains that supreme state. Once reached, there is no cause for grief, nor is there any more birth. The noble ones recognize this as the ultimate boundary of happiness, the very essence of bliss. They call this supreme, incomparable flow the true elixir of life. All the pleasures of heaven and earth are fleeting; there is no lasting happiness in either, just as there is no water in a mirage. Therefore, contemplate mastery over the mind, which is gained through tranquility and contentment. From the enjoyment of endless peace, true bliss arises. Whether one is living, moving, wandering, or even falling—be it a demon, a celestial, a god, or a human—upon attaining that happiness born of a pacified mind, one gains the fruit of the highest discernment, like a flower of tranquility in full blossom. Even one engaged in worldly affairs, without seeking a multitude of actions, is neither shunned nor specially desired, just as the sun remains steady in the sky. The mind, when utterly peaceful, clear as crystal, rested, free from confusion, and without longing, neither craves nor rejects anything. At the very gateway to liberation stand the gatekeepers—listen to them in order. By holding to any one of them, one gains entry to the door of liberation. The long desert of worldly existence, full of suffering and flaws, becomes cool and refreshing through the water of tranquility. It is through tranquility that the highest good is attained. Tranquility is the supreme state; it is auspiciousness, peace, and the destroyer of delusion. For one satisfied by tranquility, whose nature is pure and cool, whose mind delights in stillness—even an enemy becomes a friend. In those whose intentions are adorned by the moon of tranquility, supreme purity arises, just as it emerges from the ocean of milk. Those whose hearts are lotus-like, with tranquility blossoming within, are like the two lotus hearts of Hari, fully opened among the virtuous. Those whose faces shine with unblemished beauty, graced by tranquility, are the lords of their lineage, worthy of veneration, surpassing even the moon in beauty. The glory of tranquility, dwelling in the heart of the three worlds, is not for mere enjoyment like riches; it is the wealth of true sovereignty. All sufferings, cravings, and unbearable hardships are destroyed in those of peaceful mind, just as darkness is dispelled by the sun. The mind of all beings is naturally drawn to the serene; not even the moon evokes such wonder as does a peaceful person among people. In one established in tranquility and goodwill toward all creatures, the highest truth reveals itself spontaneously. Just as with a mother, all beings—harsh or gentle—place their trust in the tranquil. Not by drinking elixirs or embracing fortune does one attain such happiness as is found through inner tranquility. O Raghava, comfort your mind, afflicted by countless ailments and bound by the cords of craving, with the nectar-stream of tranquility. Whatever you do, whatever you eat, when done with a mind cooled by tranquility, that alone tastes supremely sweet—not otherwise. O Raghava, when the mind, bathed in the nectar of tranquility, attains contentment, even limbs once severed seem restored by it. Neither spirits, nor demons, nor daityas, nor enemies, nor tigers or serpents bear enmity toward one who abides in tranquility. When one is fully protected by the armor of the nectar of tranquility, sorrows cannot pierce him, just as arrows cannot penetrate a diamond. A king, even when surrounded by ministers and the women of his palace, does not shine as much as one adorned by the beauty of tranquility and steady conduct. People do not experience the same joy from seeing something dearer than life itself as they do upon seeing a peaceful and composed person. He who lives rightly, with a tranquil and disciplined way of life, is truly alive in this world, honored by all—none else is so. Whatever good deed is performed by one whose mind is humble and peaceful, all beings rejoice in it. He who, upon hearing, touching, seeing, eating, or smelling what is pleasant or unpleasant, neither rejoices nor is dejected—he is called peaceful. He who is equal in all situations, neither desiring nor rejecting, and who has conquered his senses through effort—he is called peaceful. He whose mind is as clear and undisturbed as the disk of the autumn moon, even amid death, celebration, or battle—he is called peaceful. He who, though remaining in place, appears as if not settled, who neither rejoices nor becomes angry, whose mind is as in deep sleep and is at ease—he is said to be tranquil. He whose gaze, delightful like the flow of nectar, extends with affection toward all people—he is said to be tranquil. He whose actions, both inwardly and outwardly, are seen with a mind that is clear and pure—he is said to be tranquil. He whose mind remains insignificant and unaffected, even amid dire calamities or at the end of an age, even when all is burning—he is said to be tranquil. Thus, O Raghava, know that tranquility is the very heart of true happiness and the gateway to liberation.