Those actions that are free from defects, they should be followed, not others. Those good actions that are of our own, they should be practiced by you, not others.

This concluding anuvāka of the Śikṣāvallī establishes principles of ethical discernment for the student. Not all actions are equal; one must discriminate between those that are anavadya (free from defects) and those that are sucarita (good actions of the tradition).

The first instruction is general: avoid actions that contain doṣa (defects) — actions that cause harm, that proceed from impure motivations, or that contradict the sacred texts.

The second is more specific: follow the sucarita of the teachers — the good conduct that has been tested by tradition. This implies humility before accumulated wisdom and recognition that not all knowledge is available to individual reason.

The text concludes with the famous phrase that summarizes the entire teaching: “Eṣa ādeśaḥ, eṣa upadeśaḥ” — “This is the instruction, this is the counsel.” The duties taught are not merely social; they are the foundation upon which spiritual life is built. Ethical dharma prepares the mind for brahma-vidyā, the supreme knowledge of Brahman.

For the yogi, this means that ethical practice is not optional — it is the very base upon which all spiritual progress is built.