Let praise be offered with noble qualities that soar towards the heavens, for material enjoyments cannot save one when death arrives to claim us. Those whose fame shines as brightly as the moon are celebrated in song by celestial maidens; though they may have departed from this world, their memory lives on in the heavens through these immortal hymns. Who, having taken up the supreme human effort with diligent resolve, following the guidance of scripture and remaining free from agitation, does not attain success through righteous conduct? Yet, one who acts in accordance with the scriptures should not be impatient in seeking results; for when success ripens slowly, it becomes more abundant and enduring. Let every action performed according to scripture be free from sorrow, fear, fatigue, greed, or compulsion—do not allow such actions to be lost or neglected. The soul, having wandered and become lost in the decayed pits of countless births, seems to have vanished; now, let it be rescued from these endless ruins. From this very moment, resolve never to fall lower; let this scripture be firmly established as your weapon against calamity. In the midst of battle, when elephants are torn asunder and life itself is at stake, what use is mere wealth? In such moments, the noble turn to scripture for guidance. Examine everything with discernment: recognize what is a reflection and what is reality. Do not proceed blindly under the influence of others, like cattle led to pasture. Abandon indiscriminate thought, which brings misfortune and is devoid of auspiciousness; cast off the deep, heavy sleep of ignorance and awaken. Do not remain asleep; instead, like an old tortoise slowly emerging, rise up gradually and embrace awakening, for only then can old age and death be transcended. The accumulation of possessions for the sake of enjoyment brings the disease of worldly existence; true prosperity, even in adversity, is found by one who is utterly indifferent to acquisition everywhere. For those engaged in action, happiness is attained by living in accordance with worldly conventions, guided by discernment, and by actions that do not oppose scriptural or customary norms. When one’s conduct is pure, one’s life secluded, and one is free from greed—whether in suffering or happiness—then longevity, fame, virtue, and prosperity blossom together, just as a jasmine vine flourishes with both flowers and fruit. Because complete success surpasses all, anything is possible everywhere; therefore, never abandon your own auspicious effort. Even the gods themselves, though exalted, are sometimes overcome by powerful demons, just as mighty elephants can be subdued by lakes filled with lotuses. Recall, during the sacrifice of King Marutta, how the great sage Samvarta manifested another world, complete with gods and demons, as if he were Brahma himself. With extraordinary effort, the eminent sage Vishvamitra repeatedly undertook arduous austerities and thereby attained what is rarely achieved. In misfortune, Upamanyu—like one who tastes a rare elixir made from simple flour and water—obtained the milk-ocean, which is difficult to acquire. Kala, by the exceptional strength of his reasoning, subdued even the greatest champions of the three worlds—treating Vishnu, Brahma, and others as mere blades of grass—yet was himself overcome by Shveta. By her affection, Savitri conquered Yama, compelled him to keep his word, and brought her husband Satyavan back from the realm of death. There is no excellence in this world whose clear result does not exist; whatever is destined must be considered by one who possesses all excellences. Self-knowledge, the root cause of all happiness and sorrow, should therefore be cultivated by those who seek true excellence. Except for suffering, nothing free from trouble is obtained by one whose perception is corrupted by attachment to various objects and by faulty ways of seeing. Restlessness is the supreme Brahman, and tranquility is the highest state; yet, know that supreme tranquility is truly auspicious. Abandon pride and embrace eternal tranquility; with discernment, cultivate noble conduct through the service of the virtuous. Neither austerities, nor pilgrimages, nor scriptures can deliver you from the ocean of worldly existence as surely as the service of the virtuous can. The truly virtuous person is one whose greed, delusion, and anger diminish day by day, and who acts according to scripture in the fulfillment of their own duties. Through association with those who know the Self, one’s intellect is awakened, and by this awakening, the utter absence of the visible world is perceived. When the visible is completely absent, only the supreme remains; and in the absence of all else, the individual soul quickly merges with that supreme reality. The visible world neither arises nor ever truly existed, nor will it exist; even now, it does not truly exist—only the supreme, which is unknowable, exists. This truth has been shown by a thousand arguments and is demonstrated in experience by all; now, let it be revealed. Just as the entire, tranquil expanse of consciousness is the three worlds, so this is the reality—how could anything unreal or otherwise exist here? Consciousness, wondrous and self-sufficient, delights in both movement and stillness; by that very consciousness, this world is perceived as it is. The experience of the three worlds is like the radiance of the sun of consciousness; tell me, O wise one, where is the distinction between the sun and its rays? The opening and closing of perception are, by their very nature, the rising and setting of the experience of the world. When the sense of ‘I’ is not understood, it is an impurity in the sky of ultimate reality; but when the sense of ‘I’ is truly understood, it becomes the very sky of ultimate reality itself. When the sense of ‘I’ is understood, it no longer remains as the limited sense of ‘I’; like water merging with water, it attains oneness with the sky of consciousness. The world, beginning with the sense of ‘I’, is merely an appearance and does not truly exist; why, then, should it persist for one who inquires into the nature of ‘I’? Even the mind of a demon can torment those whose intellects are clouded by darkness; but for those whose inner faculties are pure—like innocent children—this does not occur, for their minds are free from such inquiry and confusion.