Listen, O Raghava, to this profound teaching. The wise do not fall into the abyss of attachment to sense objects, for who, knowing the true path, would ever choose to chase after such a chasm? Instead, those of discernment delight in actions that are harmonious with the conduct prescribed by true scriptures and the example of virtuous people, just as a noble lady finds joy in the comforts of her inner chambers as they come naturally to her. The mind, when freed from the compulsion of creation, perceives within every atom of the countless worlds the endless play of creation itself. One whose inner faculty is purified by understanding the means to liberation remains untouched by either distress or delight, even as the flood of enjoyments passes by. Such a person observes, within each and every atom, the multitudes of creations rising and falling without obstruction, like waves arising and subsiding in the ocean’s waters. He neither despises the actions that arise nor longs for those that cease. Though fully awakened, he remains as indifferent as a tree standing in the forest, unmoved by what must be done. Even the ordinary person in this world is seen to act in accordance with circumstances as they arise, remaining undefeated in heart, whether the outcomes are desired or undesired. Having understood this entire scripture—having read or examined it—one must directly experience its truth; it is not merely something to be spoken, like the granting of a boon or the utterance of a curse. This scripture is indeed easy to understand, adorned with various embellishments, poetic, rich in flavor, beautiful, and clarified through examples. One who truly knows the meaning of the words and their sense understands this by himself; but whoever does not, should hear it from a learned teacher. Once this teaching is heard, understood, and realized, then austerity, meditation, recitation, and similar practices are no longer needed to attain liberation here. Through repeated study and contemplation of this profound scripture, knowledge arises in a person, preceded by the purification of the mind. The strong notion, “I am the world”—the ghost of perceiver and perceived—subsides on its own, just as a ghost vanishes at sunrise. The delusion, “I am the world,” may remain but is pacified, just as a dream, once recognized as a dream, no longer delights the dreamer. Just as joy and sorrow in a city of imagination do not trouble a person, so too, when the illusion of the world is understood within, it does not disturb at all. As a painted snake, once recognized as merely paint, does not cause fear of snakes, so too, when the visible world is rightly understood, it brings neither pleasure nor pain. By understanding, the snake-nature of the painted snake disappears; in the same way, though the world remains, it is pacified through knowledge. There may be some slight disturbance when touching the tender leaves of a flower, but upon attaining the state of ultimate reality, there is no disturbance at all. When a flower petal is pressed, its parts move; but here, awareness is only of pure intelligence, not of bodily limbs or parts. Seated comfortably, eating as appropriate, one does not remain among enjoyments that are opposed to good conduct. By examining happiness according to time and place, and by associating as is fitting, one discerns this scripture and others. The knowledge that brings great wisdom and peace to the world is attained; by that, one does not again fall into the suffering of the cycle of birth. Those beings who, having attained enjoyments, remain absorbed in pleasure and are composed of their own mother’s essence are not to be regarded as base. Now listen, Raghava, as I explain the expansion of knowledge and the subtler distinctions of intellect. Hear in detail the scripture that is being recited; consider how its meaning is examined and by which explanation it is clarified. That by which understanding of an unseen matter is gained through a seen example, and which yields the fruit of aiding comprehension, is known as an illustration by the wise. Without an illustration, Rama, a previously unknown matter cannot be understood, just as household objects cannot be seen at night without a lamp. All the illustrations by which you are made to understand, O Kakutstha, are purposeful; what is to be attained is always with cause, never without. The relationship of analogy and what is analogized is established by cause and effect, except for the supreme Brahman, which is present in all. When an illustration regarding Brahman is given, only a partial similarity is accepted in that context. Whatever example is given here for understanding the truth of Brahman should be understood as pertaining to the world seen in a dream. Since Brahman is formless, how can it possess form? Therefore, the statements of the ignorant, which raise objections to the use of examples, are not to be considered. Other objections, such as those based on contradiction with established truths, do not arise regarding the analogy of the world to a dream, because the world is indeed like a dream. The investigation of the present, as well as the past and future, reveals that, just as in waking, so in dream, the reality remains unbroken from beginning to end. The objects that appear here through dream, imagination, meditation, boon, curse, medicine, and so on, are themselves the examples; for the existence of the world is of that same nature. Other treatises composed by authors as means to liberation also contain such examples; but in all these texts, this alone is the established method for imparting and receiving understanding. The scriptural teaching that the world is like a dream will soon be explained; speech, indeed, proceeds in sequence and cannot express everything at once. Because the world is comparable to dream, imagination, city of the mind, and so on, these alone are the examples here, and not others. When something is compared to another for the sake of understanding, though they have no real causal connection, complete identity between them is not possible due to the inherent limitations of analogy. For the sake of comprehension, the wise and discerning accept only a partial similarity between the thing compared and its analogue, not a total equivalence. Thus, O Rama, the wise walk the path of discernment, understanding the world as an illusion, guided by scripture, example, and direct experience, and thus find peace beyond all disturbance.