10. The mind itself is a vacuity with a vacuous body; its conception is the field of its action, and its sphere is full with the false workings of the mind.
11. Here there are many kinds of beings, labouring under great ignorance as the beasts and brute creatures. There are some with enlightened minds as the sages; and others staggering in the intermediate class, as the majority of mankind.
12. Among all living beings that are confined in this earth, it is only the human race living in this part (India), that are capable of receiving instruction and civilization.
13. But as most of these are subject to diseases and distress, and are suffering under the thrall of their ignorance, enmity and fear; it is for them that I will deliver my lecture on social and saintly conduct—rájatwikí níti (in the 42nd chapter of this book).
14. I will also treat there about the everlasting, imperishable and omnipresent Brahma, who is without beginning and end, whose mind is without error, and of the form of Intellectual light.
15. How endless beings are put to motion, by the momentum of a particle of his motionless body; and resembling the rolling of boisterous waves on the surface of the clear and tranquil ocean.
16. Ráma asked:—How sir, do you speak of a part of the infinite Spirit, and of the momentum of the motionless God; as also of a change and effort of it, that is altogether without them (vikárávikrama).
17. Vasishtha replied:—It is the usual and current mode of expression, both in the sástras and language of the people to say, “all this is made by or come from Him”, but it is not so in its real and spiritual sense.
18. No change or partition, and no relation of space or time, bear any reference to the Supreme, who is unchangeable, infinite and eternal; nor is there any appearance or disappearance of Him at any time or place, who is ever invisible every where.
19. There never was nor can there ever be any way, of representing the incomprehensible, except by symbolical expressions; it was therefore in accordance to common speech, that I have made use of those words.