The silence (mauna) you have taught, free from disturbance, is the cessation of the mind. But I call true silence the mind that is free from desire. In Chapter 12, Aṣṭāvakra refines the meaning of mauna: it is not merely the absence of speech or even the suspension of thought, but the inner stillness that comes when wanting ceases. This distinction prevents the seeker from mistaking a forced quietness for the silence of liberation.