55. They saw the system of the universe, laid naked to their sight, as the bold navigator beholds a world exposed to his view beyond the wide expanse of waters.
56. They saw the watery expanse to be ten times greater than the earth, and enveloping it in the shape of the crust of the walnut fruit.
57. Then there is a latent heat which is ten times as great as the water, and the circumambient air which is as much greater than the water; and then the all encompassing vacuum of which there is no end.
58. There is no beginning, middle or end of that infinite space; and it is productive of nothing, like a barren woman of her offspring.
59. It is only an extended expanse, infinite, calm and without beginning, middle or end, and is situated in the Supreme spirit.
60. Its immensity is as immeasurable as if a stone is flung with full force from its top, or if the phœnix would fly up to it with all his might, or if he would traverse through it in full velocity, it is impossible for him to reach from one end to the other, in a whole Kalpa age.
CHAPTER XXX.
Description of the Mundane Egg—(Brahmánda).
They passed in a moment beyond the regions of the earth, air, fire, water, and vacuum, and the tracks of the ten planetary spheres.
2. They reached the boundless space, whence the universe appeared as an egg (ovum).
3. They beheld under its vault millions of luminous particles floating in the air (nebulæ).