O Rama, contemplate the nature of the Self, which, though united with the body, remains untouched and pure—just as the vast sky is never stained by dust, nor the lotus sullied by water, even when in contact with them. In the same way, mud and other impurities may cling to gold’s surface, but the gold itself remains unaltered within; so too, the inert body cannot affect the essence of the Self. People commonly believe that pleasure and pain are experienced by the Self, but in truth, such experiences are as illusory as the waxing and waning of the moon that appears to change in the sky. Pleasure and pain belong only to the body, not to the Self, which is ever beyond such dualities. These experiences arise only for those who are ignorant of the true nature of existence; when that ignorance is dispelled, pleasure and pain no longer pertain to anyone. In reality, no one possesses true happiness or sorrow. O Raghava, recognize that all is pervaded by the peaceful, infinite Self. The countless visions of creation that arise in perception are merely like waves in water or feathers floating in the sky—they exist within the Self alone. Just as a jewel casts its own reflection without any external cause, so too does the Self, which is of the nature of light, project this entire creation from itself. O wise one, the Self and the world are neither one nor two, nor are they utterly unreal; all this appears as a manifestation, simply unfolding from the Self. Indeed, all that exists is Brahman, all is pervaded by the Self. Abandon the delusion that says, “I am this, and this is other.” In that mass of eternal Brahman, no imaginations arise—just as distinct forms of water are not found within the vast ocean, O Rama. Within the all-pervading Supreme Self, there is no second—just as a particle of ice cannot exist in fire. When the Self is contemplated by the Self, as pure consciousness, then this web of the world is recognized as nothing but the Self, manifesting within itself. There is truly no sorrow, no delusion, no birth, nor anyone who is born; whatever exists, exists simply as it is. Therefore, O Raghava, be free from all mental fever. Cultivate equanimity, health, steadfastness of thought, peace, tranquility of mind, sage-like silence, and purity like that of a precious gem—be ever free from fever, O Raghava. Remain free from duality, established in eternal truth, unconcerned with gain or loss, self-possessed, non-dual, and of a nature beyond sorrow—free from fever. Live in seclusion with peaceful intentions, resolute and courageous, aspiring nobly, accepting whatever comes as it comes, and stay free from fever. Be free from passion, effortless, clear-minded, purified of faults, neither a receiver nor a renouncer—free from fever, O Raghava. Having attained the state beyond the universe, filled with both what is attained and what is yet to be attained, remain undisturbed like the full ocean—free from fever. Free from the net of conceptualization, untouched by the ointment of illusion, let your Self be satisfied in the Self, without fever. With a form that is endless, boundless, and limitless, O best among knowers of the Self, be unwavering like a mountain peak, without fever. In the Self, embrace magnanimity like the full ocean, and delight in the Self as the full orb of the moon delights in its completeness. This creation of the world is of an unreal form; the unreal does not pursue the unreal. Therefore, the one who knows this is called a knower of reality. You are that knower, calm in mind, free from disease, ever awakened—be beautiful, peaceful, and free from sorrow. Having received the proper instruction from your teacher, rule your kingdom under one umbrella for a long time, always with the perspective of the present moment. Let your kingdom be adorned with all virtues and noble people; here, neither renunciation nor attachment to actions is appropriate. He who acts in the world with the firm conviction, “I perform this movement thus,” is truly liberated—this is my view. Some, engaged in action and driven by effort, move from heaven to hell and back again, tossed by their deeds. Others, devoted to evil, through their own discernment withdraw, yet continue to pass from hell to hell, from suffering to suffering, from fear to fear. Some, bound by their own tendencies and the residue of past actions, are tossed from animal existence to the state of immobile beings, and then back to animal bodies. But there are those, blessed and self-knowing, whose minds have been examined and whose chains of craving have been broken—they attain a state free from all limitation. After only a few births, O Raghava, the one who is liberated in this very life is of a rajasic or sattvic nature. Such a one is born and grows like the waxing moon, and good fortune follows him, as the kutaja tree flourishes in the rainy season. O wise one, into such a person, pure knowledge swiftly enters, like a precious gem finding its place in flawless bamboo. Nobility, charm, friendship, gentleness, freedom, and wisdom always dwell within him, as women dwell in the inner chambers of a house. He who acts in all matters, whether gaining or losing, remains equal at all times, neither rejoicing nor grieving. Just as darkness vanishes in daylight, so opposites are dissolved in him; and like autumn clouds, his qualities attain purity. All people are drawn to one whose conduct is gentle and sweet, just as herds of deer are drawn to the melodious sound of the flute in the forest. In the same way, virtues and prosperity naturally follow a person born in the West, just as cranes flock to a cloud. Such a virtuous one then seeks a teacher, and the wise teacher, through discernment, directs him alone to what is pure. With a mind endowed with inquiry and detachment, and rich in virtues, he then perceives the divine—the Self—of one form, free from affliction. Therefore, O Rama, through delightful inquiry and a peaceful mind, the restless mind must first be awakened. Indeed, those born in the West, endowed with great virtues, first awaken the sleeping deer of the mind with songs of virtue.