O beautiful one, listen closely as I share with you this most excellent and delightful teaching on tranquility—a teaching both supremely beneficial and firmly rooted in the highest wisdom. O Rāma, know that the ancient illusion of worldly existence, which binds so many, is upheld by those whose minds are colored by rajas and tamas, just as a grand pavilion is supported by strong pillars. Yet, this illusion, though it seems mature and enduring, is cast off with ease by the heroic—by those established in sattva, who possess virtues like yours. Such souls shed the old skin of delusion as effortlessly as a snake discards its worn sheath. The wise, those of sattvic nature or a blend of rajas and sattva, examine the world with thoroughness, O noble one. They contemplate its past, its future, and seek out its highest truth. Through the company of sacred scriptures, the association with the virtuous, and the fellowship of noble souls—by living free from sin—a discerning intellect is kindled within them, shining forth like a radiant lamp. It is by self-inquiry alone that one must examine oneself, using the mind as the instrument. Until the knowable is directly realized, it remains but a concept, not true knowledge. Among the wise, the prudent, the steadfast, and those of noble lineage, you, O joy of your family, stand foremost among those born of rajas and sattva. See for yourself, O wise Rāma, in the very origins of this worldly existence: discern what is true and what is untrue, and be steadfast in your devotion to truth. That which does not exist in the beginning and at the end—how can that be considered real? Only that which is eternal at both the beginning and the end is true, O Rāma; all else is but illusion. If a person’s mind becomes attached to something that is unreal at its origin and its conclusion, how can discernment ever arise in that deluded, ignorant being? Here, it is the mind alone that is born, and the mind alone that grows; yet, through the vision of true understanding, the mind itself is dissolved. I have realized, O Brahman, that in all these three worlds, it is the mind alone that transmigrates, bearing the burdens of old age and death. Tell me with certainty, then, the means for crossing over this ocean of existence. The inner darkness of the Raghavas is dispelled by your sun-like wisdom. First, O Raghava, it is through scripture, through the supreme virtue of dispassion, and through association with the good, that the mind is led toward purity. When the mind, strengthened by nobility, attains dispassion, then one should seek out true teachers—those who are genuine guides to knowledge. By following the teachings of such masters, and by practicing meditation, worship, and similar disciplines, one gradually attains a state of supreme purity. Through pure inquiry, the self perceives itself with its own awareness, just as the cool moon sees its own reflection by the light it emits. As long as the mind does not rest in the forest of inquiry, people are tossed about in the vast ocean of existence, like blades of grass carried by the waves. But when, through inquiry, the nature of things is truly understood, the intellect brings all under its control, as gentle water subdues shifting sand. When the distinction between gold and ash is clearly known, there is no confusion for the self-knower, just as a skilled goldsmith is never deceived. Once it is firmly realized that the self is imperishable and free from longing, for whom, then, does delusion arise? Where could it find a foothold? One may be bewildered about the value of a gem whose true essence is unknown; but when its nature is understood and its worth is certain, confusion cannot remain. O people, the unknown self leads only to suffering, but when the self is known, it brings infinity, happiness, and tranquility. Separate your true self from this body, which mingles with and obscures it, and become established in your own essential nature without delay. There is not even the slightest connection between the pure Self and the body, just as mud or a lotus stalk never truly touches the gold hidden within, though people may think otherwise. The Self and the body are separate, like water and a lotus leaf; I raise my arms and cry out, yet few listen to my words. So long as the mind, governed by inertia, remains withdrawn like a tortoise in its shell, the dull body indulges in pleasures, forgetting the inquiry into the Self. Until that inquiry dawns, the darkness of worldly existence cannot be dispelled—not even by the moon, fire, or twelve blazing suns. But when the mind awakens and examines its own state, the inner darkness flees at once, just as night vanishes before the sunrise. Therefore, always awaken the mind, which lies slumbering in the bed of enjoyment, to supreme understanding—for such awakening alone destroys worldly existence and its intense suffering. Just as the sky is not stained by dust, nor the lotus by water, even when in contact, so too is the Self never tainted by the body, even though it appears united with it. Just as mud and other substances, though attached to gold, never alter its inner purity, so the inert body does not affect the Self. The experience of pleasure and pain is thought to be in the self, but in truth, it is as unreal as the waxing and waning of the moon in the sky. Pleasure and pain belong to the body, not to the Self, which transcends all; these exist only for the ignorant, and when ignorance is dispelled, they belong to no one. In reality, no one truly possesses happiness or sorrow; O Raghava, see that all is pervaded by the peaceful, infinite Self. The many visions of creation that are perceived are like waves arising in water, or like feathers drifting in the sky—mere appearances within the Self. Just as a jewel, without any external cause, casts its own reflection, so too does this Self, composed of pure light, project the appearance of creation. O wise one, the Self and the world are not one, nor two, nor are they unreal; all this appears simply as a manifestation, unfolding as it does. Indeed, all this is Brahman; all this is pervaded by the Self. Abandon the delusion, “I am this, and this is other.” In that mass of eternal Brahman, no imaginations arise, just as various forms of water do not exist separately in the ocean, O Rāma.