The Supreme Lord said: Nonviolence, truthfulness, not stealing the property of others, detachment, humility, freedom from possessiveness, acceptance of scripture, celibacy, silence, steadiness, forgiveness and fearlessness are the twelve yamas. Internal cleanliness, external cleanliness, chanting the holy names of the Lord, austerity, sacrifice, faith, hospitality, worship of me, visiting holy places, acting and desiring only for the supreme interest, satisfaction, and service to guru are the twelve niyamas. These twenty-four elements bestow all desired benedictions upon those persons who devotedly cultivate them. In two verses Kṛṣṇa defines twelve yama and then twelve niyama. Śaucam refers to two items: external cleanliness and internal cleanliness. The yamas and niyamas mentioned in the two verses supply all desires sufficiently (yathā). The yamas and niyamas mentioned by the Lord are the same as commonly mentioned by other authorities in number and characteristics. The question and the answer resolve the doubt whether the Lord’s opinion is different concerning the number and characteristics of the items.