O Rāghava, listen as the wise unfold the mystery of existence. To the ignorant, the Divine Mother appears as the vast, many-colored world—fierce in her seeming reality, yet ultimately unreal. But to those who are wise, she shines forth as pure light, the one essence behind all forms, the very heart of everything. She is ever-present, revealing herself according to each being’s experience. It is she who illumines the sun and all other lights, who is the taste within every creature, and the imagination in those who dream up the world. Yet she herself neither rises nor sets, neither stands nor remains still; she does not come or go, nor is she confined to any place. She is simply consciousness—pure and unchanging. This consciousness, pure in form and established in itself, unfolds in countless ways and is called the “world.” Just as light shines within clusters of light, and water moves within bodies of water, so too does consciousness pulse through the endless activities of creation. By its own nature—self-arising, all-pervading—it manifests as both light and darkness, as indivisible and yet appearing to hold divisions. Through self-reflection, consciousness abandons its boundless state and gradually falls into ignorance, taking on the notion, “I am this.” As diversity grows and the journey of transmigration unfolds, it eventually arrives at a place where grasping and letting go of being and non-being come to rest. The subtle body, vibrating in countless ways, acts and yet does not act—much like the multitude of sprouts that, hidden in the earth, rise up when the time is ripe. Space, whose very nature is emptiness, accepts all forms without resistance; wind, defined only by movement, and water, whose essence is taste, are similar in their acceptance. The solid earth, the manifest fire, and the stable worlds all persist by the rhythm and restraint of time, which itself is measured and regulated. Just as a flower slowly reaches the end of its vine, gathering pollen, or as the delight of moisture in clay becomes grass upon the earth, so too do subtle traces at the root find their way to the fruit, even as faint drops of sap. These lines of energy take shape as rows of tender leaves. Atoms, supported by the structure of Indra’s bow and arrows, hold the formations of the world together. Union, or yoga, arises constantly, ever new in its arrangements. Hosts of flowers and buds herald the arrival of spring, while the powers of wildfire mark the order of summer. Blue clouds gather for the rainy season, and masses of fruit ripen for autumn. In winter, the ten directions are veiled in snow, and cold winds carry water to the stones. Time never abandons its own order, which is woven together with the great ages; creation proceeds in waves upon waves, each following the last. Destiny achieves its own stability, acting with firmness and skill, while the steadfast earth, whose nature is to support, remains until the final dissolution. In this world and in worlds beyond, there exist fourteen kinds of beings, each engaging in various actions, amusements, and displaying diverse forms. Again and again, they dissolve, only to be born again, like bubbles in a stream, falling one after another. They come and go, remain and roar, each pursuing their own interests, running through the mass of births. Like madmen, driven by imposed notions and restless efforts, helpless people are carried along by fate. Thus, the cycles of existence—stable and unstable—revolve everywhere. All arise and dissolve within the nature of Brahman. Everything is born from itself, each thing becoming the cause of another; all things perish by another, yet ultimately dissolve into their own true nature. Just as movement within deep water appears still, so too, the real and unreal are perceived as pure consciousness alone. Like rivers seen in the sky during the heat of summer—though the sky is formless—so too are visions of creation observed in the essence of mind. Under the influence of intoxication, one may see oneself as another; in the same way, the mind makes the essence of consciousness appear as something else. This is neither real nor unreal; it is consciousness alone, remaining just as it is, neither more nor less—just as gold remains gold, whether shaped into bangles or other ornaments. That by which you know sound, taste, form, and scent, O Rāghava, is the Self, the supreme Brahman, pervading and established in all. For the pure Self, which is all-pervading, there is neither multiplicity nor unity; any notion of a second is merely imagination and does not truly exist. Because there is no separate heap, no other existence or nonexistence, no auspicious or inauspicious thing, all creations are imagined; but not in the Self itself, nor in the wind. You are neither Rāma nor not Rāma; this is the state of Brahman. Free from all dualities, become the true doer, rid of all affliction. Even after performing many actions, what is there that you should swiftly attain? Tell me, O knower of beings, what is truly proper. Let your mind rest in non-doership; desire nothing. Be established in your own clear, tranquil state, with your mind as calm and deep as an ocean of patience. Even with great effort, what is sought cannot be attained here by anyone. Therefore, abandon all objects with your intellect. Recognize your own true nature as the supreme reality—the consciousness-self. Whether acting or not acting, whether in heaven or in hell, whatever disposition exists, the mind experiences accordingly. There is neither joy nor absence of joy, neither movement nor stillness, neither existence nor nonexistence; and the wise do not know any intermediate state among these. For those whose minds are unattached, there is neither liberation nor bondage here; but for those whose minds are attached, everything remains as it is. There is no bondage, no liberation, no one bound, nor any binding. This suffering arises from lack of awakening and dissolves upon awakening. The notion of bondage in the world is only imagined, as is the notion of liberation. Abandon everything, free from ego, established in the Self. Act wisely in the world, O Rāma, and remain. For all living beings, for every perception everywhere, and for all objects in their entirety, their origin is perpetually from Brahman.