Ráma said:--Tell me sir, why the wise and liberated man is not freed from his subjection to the prescribed rules of conduct, when his soul is beatified with the spiritual light, and his mind is emancipated from all earthly cares. 2. Vasishtha replied:--The observance and avoidance of all ritual and pious acts, are equal and of no avail to the truly enlightened man; who is indifferent to aught of good or evil to his life (_i.e._ who is neither solicitous to have anything desirable or leave what is unfavourable to him into the world). 3. There is nothing whatever in this frail world, which may be desirable to the man of right understanding, not aught of positive evil, which deserves the avoidance and abhorrence of the wise man. 4. The wise man derives no positive nor permanent good, by his doing of any act prescribed by custom or usage; nor does he lose anything by his neglect of them; wherefore it is best for him to stand in the middle course, and according to the common rules of society and his country. 5. As long as there is life in the body, it is called a living body and has its motion also; therefore measure your movements according to the breathings of your life, nor accelerate nor slacken them beyond their just measure (_i.e._ neither outrun thy breath, nor halt in thy course). 6. If it is equal to any one, to walk either by this way or that to his journey’s end, yet it is much better for him, to walk by the beaten path, than in a strange and unknown one. (So if it be the same thing to sleep at home or abroad; yet it must be safer and more comfortable to every one to sleep at his own lodge than elsewhere). 7. Whatever actions are done at any time, with meekness and mildness of disposition, and with a placid frankness of the mind, is ever held as perfectly pure and contrite in its nature, and never blameable in anywise. 8. We have seen many wise, learned and farsighted men, to have conducted themselves very honorably and blamelessly in this world, which is full of faults and pitfalls, and beset by traps and snares on every way. 9. Every one is employed with perfect compliance of his mind, in discharging the duties of the particular sphere in which he is placed; some commencing their career in life, in the state of householdership and others ascending gradually to state of living liberation (when they are not exempted from observances of particular duties also). 10. There are many wise and well discerning kings and princes, like yourself and those sitting in this assembly who are vigilantly employed in the ruling of their respective states, without their attachment or tenacity to them, and without their desire of reaping any fruition from them, and by way of the disinterested discharge of duty.