Once the highest truth has been truly heard, understood, and realized, then all practices such as austerity, meditation, recitation, and the like are no longer necessary for attaining liberation in this very life. When one studies and reflects repeatedly upon this profound scripture, knowledge dawns within, preceded by the purification of the mind. As this understanding deepens, the strong notion—“I am the world,” the haunting sense of being both perceiver and perceived—naturally subsides, just as a ghost vanishes at sunrise. Even if the delusion “I am the world” lingers, it becomes pacified, just as a dream, once recognized as a dream, loses all its power to delight or disturb. In this way, just as joy and sorrow from an imagined city do not trouble a person, so too, when the illusion of the world is understood within, it ceases to disturb. Like a snake painted on a wall, which, once recognized as mere paint, causes no fear, so too, when the nature of the visible world is understood, it brings neither pleasure nor pain. Through understanding, the very snake-ness of the painted snake disappears; in the same way, though the world continues to appear, it is pacified by knowledge. There may be some slight disturbance, just as one might feel when touching the tender leaves of a flower, but upon attaining the state of ultimate reality, there is no disturbance at all. When a petal is pressed, its parts may move, but here, awareness is only of pure intelligence, not of bodily limbs or parts. Thus, one sits comfortably, eats as appropriate, and does not indulge in enjoyments that are contrary to good conduct. By examining happiness according to time and place, and by associating with others as is fitting, one discerns this scripture and other teachings. In this way, the knowledge that brings great wisdom and peace to the world is attained, and by that knowledge, one does not again fall into the suffering of birth and death. Those beings who, having attained enjoyments, remain absorbed in pleasure, and are formed from their own mother’s essence, are not to be regarded as base. Now, listen as I explain to you, Raghava, how knowledge expands and the subtler distinctions of intellect arise. Hear in detail the scripture that is being recited; consider how its meaning is examined and by which explanation it is clarified. That which enables understanding of an unseen matter by means of 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, O Kakutstha, you are made to understand by me, 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 objections of the ignorant, who question 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. By investigating the present, as well as the past and future, one sees that, just as in waking, so in dream, the underlying reality remains unbroken from beginning to end. The objects that appear 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 various 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, the 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 lack a real causal connection, complete identity between them is not possible due to the 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. When perceiving an object by the light of a lamp, only the illumination is useful; the oil, the wick, and the vessel are not directly involved in the act of seeing. Because of this partial similarity, the analogy serves to reveal the thing to be understood, just as a lamp reveals an object by its light. When understanding arises from a single aspect of an example, that aspect alone should be accepted for grasping the intended meaning of the main statement. Awakened understanding should not be destroyed by adopting false reasoning, which is impure and fabricated by those who deny direct experience. Even if a statement comes from a woman or from the Vedas, if it arises merely from verbal disputation without experiential inquiry, it is mere talk and not authoritative knowledge for us. Therefore, my friend, our conviction is established by integrating the essential meaning of all scriptures; for us, only that knowledge which is nourished by direct experience and the true intent of scripture is valid, and nothing else is authoritative. Similarity in particular qualities is taken as the basis for comparison; what distinction remains when there is complete resemblance between the compared and the subject? From the understanding of examples and knowledge of the essence of the teachings on the unity of the Self, tranquility and liberation are said to arise through awareness of the meaning of the great sayings. Therefore, it is sufficient to use any reasoning, whether by analogy or counter-analogy, by which one quickly attains the meaning of the great sayings. Know that tranquility is the highest good; one should strive to attain it. Once the food is obtained, what is the point of speculating about its preparation?