And he said: 'Verily, a husband is not dear, that you may love the husband; but that you may love the Self, therefore a husband is dear. 'Verily, a wife is not dear, that you may love the wife; but that you may love the Self, therefore a wife is dear. 'Verily, sons are not dear, that you may love the sons; but that you may love the Self, therefore sons are dear. 'Verily, wealth is not dear, that you may love wealth; but that you may love the Self, therefore wealth is dear. 'Verily, cattle are not dear, that you may love cattle; but that you may love the Self, therefore cattle are dear. 'Verily, the Brahman-class is not dear, that you may love the Brahman-class; but that you may love the Self, therefore the Brahman-class is dear. 'Verily, the Kshatra-class is not dear, that you may love the Kshatra-class; but that you may love the Self, therefore the Kshatra-class is dear. 'Verily, the worlds are not dear, that you may love the worlds; but that you may love the Self, therefore the worlds are dear. 'Verily, the Devas are not dear, that you may love the Devas; but that you may love the Self, therefore the Devas are dear. 'Verily, the Vedas are not dear, that you may love the Vedas; but that you may love the Self, therefore the Vedas are dear. 'Verily, creatures are not dear, that you may love the creatures; but that you may love the Self, therefore are creatures dear. 'Verily, everything is not dear, that you may love everything; but that you may love the Self, therefore everything is dear. 'Verily, the Self is to be seen, to be heard, to be perceived, to be marked, O Maitreyi! When the Self has been seen, heard, perceived, and known, then all this is known.'

In plain words: Yagnavalkya teaches that we do not love a husband, wife, children, money, gods or anything else just for their own sake. We love them because of the Self, the deep inner reality in all things. So the Self is what we should look at, hear about, think about and come to know, because knowing it means knowing everything.