The world of saṃsāra is compared to a dream (svapna) and a mirage (māyā) — two images that convey appearance without substance. Crucially, Aṣṭāvakra does not say the world does not exist; he says it is your creation (tava nirmitaḥ). The implication is profound: the Self, identified with the mind, projects the appearance of the world, just as a dreamer projects a dreamscape. The instruction is neither to embrace nor to reject this appearance but to remain equanimous (sāmya), seeing all as one essence. This middle path — neither grasping nor fleeing — distinguishes Advaita from both worldly engagement and ascetic escapism.