1. The listener says, "The explanation of the non-dual Brahman that exists without imagination has been given, and for a moment, oneness with it was experienced directly by means of your explanation.
2. Now, I feel that I should remain like that, that I must become Brahman, and that I should not come back into the mundane worldly life again.
3. The happiness that is without any imagination does not allow for any of the sorrow of worldly life, so accordingly one should try to remain one with Brahman.
4. When listening to spiritual discourses one naturally becomes Brahman, but because of various states of mind, there is a feeling of coming back out from that Oneness. Like this, there is always coming and going that feels like it cannot be avoided.
5. For a moment the mind dives inward and becomes merged in Brahman, and then it falls down from there and gets involved with various states of mind once again.
6. There is a constant coming and going in and out of these states of mind aimlessly again and again. How long must this coming and going continue? It is like an insect that is tied to a string and is constantly being pulled back.
7. When listening to spiritual discourse there is the experience of oneness with Brahman, and that the body has fallen away and there is no such things as 'me' and 'you.'
8. When such talk is going on, it feels that to speak of anything else would be shameful, and that upon becoming one with Brahman it would be contradictory to live the life of a householder.
9. For one who has become Brahman, how is it that one can come back out of that again? My knowledge is like this, it feels that not to stay as Brahman would not be satisfactory.
10. It seems that one should either become Brahman, or should be in the worldly life. How long can one keep swinging to both sides?
11. When spiritual discourse is going on, Self-Knowledge gets stronger, yet when leaving from here, it's strength fades, and once again desire and anger are aroused in Brahman (oneself).
12. How can it be said that one such as this has realized Brahman? Such a one is deprived of success on both sides. His spiritual welfare and his family life are both in shambles.
13. While enjoying the happiness of the bliss of Brahman, the attraction to family pleasures drag him back, and while trying to live a family life the attraction to Brahman once again arises in him.
14. It is as if the Bliss of Brahman has been snatched away by the worldly life, and that the worldly life suffers because of Self-Knowledge. Not just one, but both sides are unsatisfactory.
15. For this reason, my mind has become restless and full of doubts. I do not have any definite conviction as to what should be done."
16. Like this, the listener spoke about his dilemma, and then asked the speaker, "How should I live now, how should I remain? My intellect is not continuously merged in the form of Brahman."
17. Now, the speaker will give an answer to this in a beautiful way. The listeners should remain quiet for a moment.
18. The speaker said, "Do you mean to say that only those who have given up their bodies and become the attributeless Brahman have become liberated? Do you mean to imply that many great sages such as Vyasa and others like him have somehow fallen, or that they have failed?"
19. The listener responded by saying, "In the Vedas it is said that only the sages Shukadev and Vamdev were liberated.
20. According to the Vedas, all of the rest are said to be in bondage. If the Vedas say that only Shukadev and Vamdev are liberated, are we to consider the scriptures lacking?"
21. Making reference to the Vedas in this way, the listener asserted that the Vedas have emphasized with great dignity that only these two became liberated.
22. The speaker responded to this, saying, "If we say that only two are liberated in the entire creation, what about all of the others? Is there no possibility of liberation for anyone else?
23. Many countless sages, many ascetics, accomplished ones, yogis, and those with Self-Knowledge have become fully content.
24. In addition to those, there have been many great beings like Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Foremost among them is Dattatraya who is said to be clothed in space.
25. Those who believe the statement that only Shukadev and Vamdev became liberated, and all others have failed, are simply learned fools."
26. Hearing this, the listener responded, "Then why have the Vedas said this, and how can you claim that it is false?" Upon hearing this, the speaker began his reply.
27. The Vedas assert many elementary statements, and those who are foolish keep their attention only on what is said in these statements. Sages and those who are wise are alert to this, and do not limit themselves exclusively with these primary premises.
28. If all of these elementary statements of the Vedas are accepted as true, then the power of the Vedas will be discredited. How many have been liberated by the knowledge in the Vedas? The number cannot be told by anyone.
29. If there is no power in the texts of the Vedas, who would even care for the Vedas? They are very respected because of the power that is there to liberate people.
30. It is said that one who can expound on the knowledge that is contained in the words from the Vedas is a mountain of merit. What can be said to be lacking in the power of the Vedas?
31. It is said by the sages that one is very fortunate to hear the knowledge that is contained in the Vedas, Shashtras (books of spiritual science), and Puranas (mythological stories filled with spiritual meaning), and with this knowledge, one becomes pure.
32. It is further said, that by listening to a single verse, or half a verse, or even just part of a verse, or just one word, many faults are warded off.
33. There are many powerful statements in the Vedas and scriptures, as well as quotes by the great sage Vyasa that are of indescribable importance.
34. The greatness of these texts has been spoken of in many places, and one can be certain that by listening to the knowledge contained therein, one's intellect becomes pure.
35. If there are none other than those two (Shukadev and Vamdev) that have become liberated, then how can the claims of the greatness of these text be true? Simply just let it be like this. The significance of this is understood by the wise, while for others it is only a source of confusion.
36. How can the power of Vedas, Shastras, and Puranas be doubted? And if there is no power in the knowledge contained there, who else will able liberate anyone other than those two sages?
37. If you say that one who has fallen down lifeless like a log has become one with Brahman, how could it be then that Shukadev was able to give so many explanations?
38. Shukadev was liberated, this is a true statement according to the Vedas. However, he was not lifeless like a log, even though he was only Brahman.
39. If Shukadev was lifeless because of being Brahman, then it would not have been possible for him to speak about the penetrating discrimination between the Eternal and the ephemeral.
40. If we say that one who has realized Brahman falls lifeless like a log of wood, then Shukadev himself would have not been able to narrate the text of the Bhagavatam in the presence of the King Parikshit.
41. With the explanation about discrimination between the Eternal and the ephemeral, one should think deeply and investigate the entire animate and inanimate universe when looking for examples.
42. In one moment become attributeless Brahman alone, and in another moment investigate the visible world, and in this manner it is possible to come up with many good examples that can be used when giving a talk.
43. In this way, Shukadev himself was able to give the good explanations of the Bhagavatam. We must not say that he was in bondage.
44. It should be understood that one can attain liberation through the teachings of the Sadguru while walking and living a normal life, and not by just simply falling down lifeless.
45. There are many who are liberated, some who are said to be "ever-free," some who are liberated from life but still having a physical body, and some yogis who are liberated without a body, but it should be understood that to be liberated means to be satisfaction itself.
46. Those who are liberated with a body are called Jivan Mukta, and those who are liberated from from a physical body are called Videha Mukta. Aside from these two types of liberation, those who are ever-free are called "Yogeshwara," the Lords of Yoga, or Masters.
47. When one gains some knowledge of one’s Self Form there is a stability and stillness of mind. One should understand that stability and stillness of mind are still related to the body.
48. What is being indicated here is the importance of one's own experience. Anything else is really useless. One must gain contentment in one’s own Self-experience.
49. One who has eaten to his heart's content cannot correctly be called hungry. Saying that he is hungry would not make him feel disturbed, for he knows the truth.
50. In the realization of one's Self Nature the body is not an issue. About this, there can be no doubt. Bondage and liberation are only feelings that are dependent upon bodily identification.
51. Even Lord Brahma and the others gods cannot be liberated as long as they are holding on to the bodily identification, then what would be the state of liberation for Shukadev?
52. The feeling of liberation is itself bondage. Liberation and bondage are but terms that are not relevant to one's Self Nature, which is complete in itself. Neither bondage nor liberation apply.
53. One who is tied to the concept of liberation is like one who has a stone tied to his belly and is sure to sink down. Unless one is free from body-identification, one cannot realize one's Self Nature.
54. Only the one who is free from the notions of "me" and "mine" becomes liberated. He may speak or he may be a mute, without these notions, he is truly liberated.
55. How can one be bound by that which is essentially false? Likewise, how can there be any feeling of liberation when seeing that both of the notions of bondage and liberation are false, and that they have their basis only in the three attributes (gunas).
56. The one who is the "Knowledge of Reality" is extremely pure. To him there are no such things as liberation and bondage. Liberation and bondage are notions in the mind that are attributes of Illusion.
57. Where name and form do not exist, how can there remain any concept of liberation? When both liberation and bondage are forgotten, even that forgetfulness is forgotten.
58. Who can say that one has become bound or liberated when it cannot even be said that there is an individual that exists? Understand that what is called bondage is only when one holds on to the sense of "I" and feels bound by it.
59. All of this talk about bondage and liberation is delusion that is the trouble which comes from ego. It is a result of not having experienced that rest which is beyond Illusion.
60. Let it be like this. Bondage and liberation are ideas that have arisen out of imagination. In principle, imagination can never be said to be true.
61. Therefore the similes are used that Illusion is like a mirage, or like clouds seen in the sky, and like a dream that is known to be false immediately upon awakening.
62. In the dream, the one who was bound has become liberated, yet he is still dreaming and has not become awakened. How can one who is still in the dream understand what it means to be awake?
63. Really it is only those who have Self-Knowledge who can be considered to be liberated. With this pure Self-Knowledge, the idea of liberation is removed at the root.
64. The concepts of bondage and liberation only create doubts in the imagination. Sages are always without doubt, being the Reality that is beyond all body identification.
65. Now, enough with this explanation. Next, I will give the narration about how to live with the understanding that was gained from the explanation just given. I ask the listeners to please listen to what follows next with alertness.