Background Janaka asks Ashtavakra to tell him the way he can attain jnAna (wisdom/knowledge) and mukti (freedom from worldly bondings). Ashtavakra tells him it is by developing thought detached from the body, just observing and witnessing this body and all other bodies such that all Universe is considered 'ours'. He also says that Atman manifests as this detached witnessing thought in us. Janaka understands and responds that our 'self' is distorted by the attachments and with this detached observing thought, the paramatma becomes visible in us (as it is the Atman that manifest as this detached witnessing thought) and thus Atman pervades in all of us. The knowledge of Atman makes us understand that it is the same Atman that manifests in us (as the detached observing thought), that manifests in every matter and being, as sweetness pervades all things made of sugar, water makes foam or bubble. Like the knowledge that makes the rope and snake appear to us