19. The chamberlain uttered not a word any more, but stood silent in mute respect through fear of his master, from his knowledge of the dispositions of kings. 20. Janaka in his state of silent meditation, reflected again on the vanity of human life, with cool calmness of his mind, and said:— 21. Now must I be diligent to find out the best and most precious treasure in the world, and know what is that imperishable thing, to which I shall bind my soul as its surest anchor. 22. What is the good of my acts or my cessation from them, since nothing is produced of anything, which is not perishable in its nature. (Thence the product of acts is perishing, and its want is a lasting good). 23. It matters not whether the body is active or inactive, since all its actions end in utter inaction at last as all force is reduced to rest. It is the pure intellect within me that is always the same (_i.e._ ever active and undecaying), and which loses nothing from the loss of the body or by want of bodily actions. (The body is a dead mass without the active principle of the mind). 24. I do not wish to have what I have not, nor dare leave what I have already got; I am content with myself; so let me have what is mine and what I have. (The Yogis like Stoics, were fatalists and content with their lot). 25. I get no real good by my acts here, nor lose anything by refraining from them. What I get by my acts or want of action, is all _Nil and Null_ of Vanity or Vanities, and nothing to my purpose or liking. 26. Whether I am doing or not doing, and whether my acts are proper or improper; I have nothing to desire here, nor anything desirable that I have to expect from them. (Hence no exertion will bring on the desired object, unless it is given by our lot). 27. I have got what was due to my past actions, and this body is the result of my former acts. It may be in its motion and action, or it may be still and fade away, which is the same thing to me. 28. The mind being set at ease by want of its action or passion, the actions of the body and its members, are alike in their effects to those of not doing them. (Involuntary actions done without the will are of no account). 29. The acts of men are reckoned as no acts of theirs, which happen to take place as the results of their destiny or previous actions. (The action or passion relates to the mind only, but the doing of destiny being involuntary, such action of men is accounted as no action of theirs). 30. The impression which the inward soul bears of its past actions and passions, the same gives its colour to the nature and character of the actions of men afterwards. Now that my soul has obtained its imperishable state of spirituality, I am freed from the mutabilities of the transmigrations of my body and mind.