Aṣṭāvakra begins chapter 9 by addressing the one who longs for liberation. For such a seeker, renunciation is the best companion, since it loosens the grip of possessiveness. If one cannot renounce outwardly, then let him practice with devotion (bhakti) and steady discrimination. The goal is not austerity for its own sake but the peace that naturally arises when the mind is no longer scattered by attachment. Renunciation is therefore a means, not the end: it prepares the ground for the recognition that nothing was ever truly possessed.