Argument. Production and names of the Varieties of Animal Life and their spiritual Natures.
Ráma said:—Tell me, sir, about the production of animal beings from Brahma, and let me know their different names and natures in full length.
2. Vasishtha replied:—The manner in which the different species of beings are produced from Brahma, and how they are destroyed afterwards, as also how they obtain their liberation at last:—
3. Also the manner of their growth and sustentation, and fitness in the world, are all what you must hear me now tell you in brief.
4. The power of the intellect of Brahma exerts of its free will, and this omnipotence becomes whatever is thought of (chetya) in the Divine Intellect.
5. The intellection becomes condensed to a certain subtile form, which having the powers of conception (sankalpa), becomes the principle entitled the Mind.
6. The mind then by an effort of its conception (called the Will), expands itself to an unreal (ideal) scenery like that of the Fairyland, by falling off from the nature of Brahmic Incogitancy.
7. The intellect when remaining in its original state, appears as a vacuum or vacancy; but upon manifesting itself in the form of the mind, it is seen as the visible sky by men.
8. Taking the conception of the lotus-born, it finds itself in its conceived form of the lotus (Brahmá), and then it thinks of creation in the form of Prajápati or lord of creatures.
9. He then formed from his thought (chitta) this creation, containing the fourteen worlds with all the bustle of living beings in them.