Listen, O Rama, and attend closely to this wisdom. Just as the mind, in its play, can imagine a vast forest suspended in the sky—cutting, gathering, and restoring it at will—so too does it weave the fabric of experience. Whatever illusion the mind swiftly creates, O dear one, it immediately perceives as real. Yet, when one truly understands, it becomes clear that the world is neither wholly unreal nor entirely real. Knowing this, relinquish the vision that divides and distinguishes, for all such distinctions are but the mind’s own projections. Understand that everything in these three worlds arises from Brahman, just as waves rise from the ocean. Some beings, after thousands of births, fall like leaves in a forest, tossed about by the winds of karma, rolling into the hollows and valleys of fate. Others, immeasurable in their nature, remain deluded by ignorance and, though born long ago, wander here for hundreds of aeons. Some pass through only a few delightful existences, living virtuously in this world. And there are those who, having realized true knowledge, attain the supreme state, like droplets merging into the ocean and carried away by the wind. The origin of all seeds—of all creation—is Brahman; the attachment to worldly existence appears and disappears, ever unstable in its manifestation. Dispositions, tainted by imbalance and the poison of ignorance, cause endless distress and confusion, mixing harmful actions together. These tendencies move through many directions, places, and times, delving even into the caves of mountains, fashioned with supreme diversity, spinning cycles of bewilderment. This creeper of worldly existence, wild and decayed, when thoroughly cut by the axe of clear insight—when mind and body are dissolved and disturbed—does not sprout again, O Ramabhadra. Now listen, Raghava, as I explain the distinctions among the origins of beings—superior, inferior, and intermediate—manifest here and there. The first arising in this very birth, pure and sattvic, is considered the origin from Brahman for that person. This ‘first arising’ is born from virtuous practice, established in auspicious realms, and connected to righteous actions. If, while engaging with various worldly tendencies, such a one attains liberation through a few noble dispositions, then that life is rich in virtues. When the results accord with such causes and are inferred from actions, it is called rajas-sattva by the wise. But if, while engaging with diverse worldly tendencies, the nature is extremely impure and knowledge is attained only after thousands of births, then the outcome, inferred from unrighteous actions, is called inferior sattva. If, after countless cycles of birth, liberation remains doubtful, this is called utterly tamasic. The origin of such dullness, not from the present birth but from previous ones, is considered a middling birth, occurring after two or three lifetimes. In the same way, O best of kings, the rājasic path—closely following actions and not far removed from noble birth—is described by the discerning. By that very birth, one is considered fit for liberation by those who seek it, and by inference from such actions, she is called rājasa-sāttvikī. If, with only a few more births, she attains liberation, then she is called by the wise rājasa-rājasī. If liberation comes after hundreds of births, to one who seeks for a long time, she is called by the virtuous rājasa-tāmasī. If, even after thousands of births, liberation is still doubtful, she is called rājasa-atyanta-tāmasī. But when, after thousands of enjoyed births, the origin of Brahman arises, such long-delayed liberation is called tāmasī by the sages. If, by that very birth, one becomes eligible for liberation, the wise call her tāmasa-sāttva. If, with only a few noble dispositions, she becomes eligible, she is called tamo-rājasa in form. One who, in previous lives numbering in the thousands or even hundreds, has been prepared for liberation is said by the wise to be fit for liberation, neither tamasic nor extremely tamasic. But if, in previous lives numbering in the hundreds of thousands or even millions, one has not been so prepared, and liberation remains doubtful, such a person is called extremely tamasic. All these beings arise from Brahman, some stirred only slightly from enjoyment, like waves from the ocean. All streams of living beings emerge from Brahman, vibrating with their own energy, departing from enjoyment like rays from a lamp. All lines of beings arise from Brahman, like sparks from a firebrand tossed by their own force. All kinds of living beings arise from Brahman, like rays from the moon, appearing as clusters of mandara blossoms. All perceptions and objects arise from Brahman, just as the varied beauties of a tree arise from the tree itself. The powers of all living beings arise from Brahman, just as armlets, bracelets, and ornaments are fashioned from gold. All living beings, O Rama, arise from Brahman, just as drops of water emerge from a pure, radiant spring. All the imagined continuities of beings, O Rama, belong to the unborn alone, just as the spaces within pots, jars, or holes are all but forms of one space. All imagined worlds arise from Brahman, just as droplets, eddies, waves, and bubbles arise from water. All perceptions and objects perceived, O Rama, arise from Brahman, just as the mirage-waves appear from the sun’s radiance. Thus, O Rama, know the world and all its beings as arising from Brahman alone, their distinctions and destinies shaped by their own tendencies and actions, yet all ultimately returning to their one source.