15. The world is certainly a monster in itself without the knowledge of its Author; but the difficulty of knowing the first cause, has rendered it an impassable wilderness. 16. Lílá said:—If reminiscence be the cause of one’s reproduction, then say, O goddess! what were the causes of the birth of the Bráhmanic pair, without the vestiges of their past remembrance. 17. The goddess replied:—Know that Brahmá the first progenitor of mankind, who was absolute in himself, did not retain any vestige of his past remembrance in him. 18. The first born, who had nothing to remember of a prior birth, was born in the lotus with his own intelligence—_chaitanya_; (and not because of his remembrance). 19. The lord of creatures being thus born by chance of his own genius or creative power, and without any assignable cause or design on his part, reflected within himself “now I am become another and the source of creation.” 20. Whatever is thus born of itself, is as it were nothing and never produced at all, but remained as the absolute intellect itself in _nubibus_ (chinnabhas). 21. It is the Supreme being that is the sole cause of both states of reminiscence (_i.e._ the one caused by vestiges of prior impressions, and the other produced by prior desires); and both the conditions of cause and effect combine in Him in the sphere of his intellect. 22. Thus it is the knowledge of the union of the cause and effect, and the auxiliary cause in Him, that gives us our tranquillity and naught otherwise. 23. Causality and consequence are mere empty words of no significance, since it is the recognition of the universal intellect, which constitutes true wisdom. 24. Hence nothing is produced that is seen in the phenomenal, or known in the noumenal or intellectual world (_Chid-jagat_); but every thing is situated within the space of the sphere of the intellect in one’s own soul. 25. Lílá said:—O! wonderful was the sight thou hast shown me, O goddess; it was a fair prospect of the world as in its morning light, and as brilliant as in the glare of a lightning. 26. Now goddess! deign to satisfy my curiosity, until I become conversant with it by my intense application and study. 27. Kindly take me to that dwelling where the Bráhman pair dwelt together, and show me that mountainous spot of their former residence. 28. The goddess replied:—If you want to see that sight, you shall have to be immaculate, by forsaking the sense of your personality (_mana_ or _meum_), and betaking yourself to the clairvoyance or clear sightedness of seeing the unintelligible Intellect (_achetya-chit_) within the soul. 29. You shall then find yourself in a vacuous atmosphere (_vyomátman_), and situated in the sky (_nabhas-nubibus_), resembling the prospects of earthly men, and the apartments of the firmament (_i.e._ all _nil_ and void).