16. The mind whether engaged in acts or disengaged from them, rests in the pure spirit of God, by forsaking its desires. (There is this difference only between them, that the one has an active body, while the other is without its activity). 17. The former kind of yogi is liberated in his embodied state, and freed from pain throughout his life time; but the latter that has obtained his liberation in his bodiless state after his demise, remains quite unconscious of his desires. (The liberated soul is freed from desire after death. Their desires being dead with themselves, they have nothing to desire). 18. He who feels no joy nor sorrow at the good or evil, which befalls to him in his life time, as it is the course of nature, is called the living liberated man. 19. He who neither desires nor dreads the casualties of good or evil, which are incidental to human life; but remains quiet regardless of them as in his dead sleep, is known as the truly liberated man. 20. He whose mind is freed from the thoughts, of what is desirable or undesirable to him, and from his differentiation of mine, thine and his (_i.e._ of himself from others), is called the truly liberated. 21. He whose mind is not subject to the access of joy and grief, of hope and fear, of anger, boast and niggardliness, is said to have his liberation. 22. He whose feelings are all obtundent within himself as in his sleep, and whose mind enjoys its felicity like the beams of the fullmoon, is said to be the liberated man in this world. 23. Válmíki says:—After the sage had said so far, the day departed to its evening service with the setting sun. The assembled audience retired to their evening ablutions, and repaired again to the assembly with the rising sun on the next day. CHAPTER XVII. ON THE EXTIRPATION OF AVARICE. Argument. Liberation of Embodied or Living Beings. Vasishtha said:—It is difficult O Ráma! to describe in words the inexplicable nature of the liberation of disembodied souls; hear me therefore relate to you further about the liberation of living beings. 2. The desire of doing one’s duties without expectation of their reward, is also called the living liberation, and the doers of their respective duties, are said to be the living liberated. 3. The dependance of beings on their desires, and their strong attachment to external objects, are called to be their bondage and fetters in this world, by the doctors in divinity. 4. But the desire of conducting one’s self according to the course of events, and without any expectation of fruition, constitutes also the liberation of the living; and is concomitant with the body only (without vitiating the inner soul). 5. The desire of enjoying the external objects, is verily the bondage of the soul; but its indifference to worldly enjoyments, is what constitutes one’s freedom in his living state.