In Book Two, Section 103 of the Masnavi, Rumi explores the concept of moderation (the 'middle path') through the Dervish's response to the Shaykh. The Dervish explains that moderation is not an absolute standard but is relative to an individual's capacity and nature. To illustrate this relativity, he uses metaphors: the water in a stream is meager for a camel but is like an ocean for a mouse. Similarly, what constitutes moderation in eating depends on one's baseline capacity. This narrative emphasizes the Sufi teaching that spiritual and practical virtues must be measured relative to the specific state and capacity of the individual seeker.