36. The repetition of the same act, is the employment of mad men; and the wise man is laughed at, who reiterates the same chime, as the conjugation of a verb by boys, in all its moods, tenses and inflexions. 37. What action is that which being once completed, does not recur to us any more, but crowns its actor with his full success all at once? (It is cessation from repetition of the same action, _i.e._ inaction). 38. Or if this bustle of the world, were for a short duration only, yet what is the good that we can derive from our engaging in this commotion? 39. The course of actions is as interminable, as the ceaseless repetends of boyish sports; it is hollow harping on the same string, which the more it is played upon, the more it reverberates to its hollow sound. (The acts of men make a renown and vain blustering sound only, and no real good to the actor). 40. I see no such gain from any of our actions, which being once gained, may prevent our further exertions. (Action leads to action, but non-action is a leader to quiescence or _naiskarma_). 41. What can our actions bring forth, beside the objects of sensible gratification? They cannot bring about anything that is imperishable. Saying so, Bali fell in a trance of his profound meditation. 42. Coming then to himself; he said:—“Ah! I now come to remember, what I had heard from my father”: so saying he stretched his eye-brows, and gave vent to what he thought in his mind. 43. “I had formerly asked my father Virochana, who was versed in spiritual knowledge, and acquainted with the manners of the people of former and later ages”. 44. Saying: what is that ultimate state of being, where all our pains and pleasures cease to exist; and after the attainment of which, we have no more to wander about the world, or pass through repeated transmigrations. 45. What is that final state towards which all our endeavours are directed, and where our minds are freed from their error; and where we obtain our full rest, after all our wanderings and transmigrations? 46. What is that best of gains, which gives full satisfaction to the cravings of the soul; and what is that glorious object, whose sight transcends all other objects of vision? 47. All those various luxuries and superfluities of the world, are no way conducive to our real happiness; in as much as they mislead the mind to error, and corrupt the souls of even the wisest of men. 48. “Therefore, O father, show me that state of imperishable felicity, whereby I may attain to my everlasting repose and tranquility”. 49. My father having heard these words of mine, as he was then sitting under the shade of the kalpa tree of paradise, whose flowers were fairer far than the bright beams of the nocturnal luminary, and overspread the ground all around; spoke to me in his sweet mellifluous accents the following speech, for the purpose of removing my error. CHAPTER XXIII.