Sūta said: O great brahmins, lord Śiva becomes delighted with all these persons: those who desire to be liberated, who have conquered self, the twice-born, the virtuous, who have attained sādhanās, the noble-souled, kind and merciful, the ascetics, who have renounced the world, who are detached and endowed with perfect knowledge, who have self-control, the three kinds of donors, who have subdued senses, who speak truth, who are liberal, endowed with yogic practice, conversant with śrutis and smṛtis and who do not come into clash with the śāstric injunctions. The word ‘sat’ refers to the Brahman. Those who are likely to attain Brahma in the end are called liberated. They who are neither angry nor delighted in regard to the ten types of sensuous objects[1] and eight types of means[2] are called self-conquerors. The brahmins, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas are called twice-born because they have special consecratory rites. The virtuous is the one who has acquired the knowledge of dharma explained in śruti and smṛti which is proper for different castes and stages of life and which brings about happiness in heaven and other worlds. One who acquires learning by serving his preceptor is a sādhu (among the religious students). The householder is also a sādhu when he performs holy rites (ordained for him). The forest-dweller becomes a sādhu when he achieves penances.