55. Such, O Ráma! as it was with the first animated being, is still so with all living animals; and all these sensations are represented in the Soul of the world—_anima mundi_, in its spiritual form—_átiváhika_, known as the _súkshma_ or _lingadeha_—the subtle body. (The spiritual body has 17 organs of sense viz, 5 Internal, 5 External, the mind and Intellect and others (called _the saptadasha lingátmaka linga saríra_)). 56. The nature of this abstruse essence, is as undefinable as that of the spirit; it appears to be in motion, when it is really at rest, as in our idea of the soul. (Spiritual bodies are said to move and fly about, because the spirit is the motive, and life the animating principle as the soul is that of consciousness). 57. As measure and dimensions are foreign, to our notion of Brahma—the all conscious soul, so are they quite apart from that of the spirit also, which is no more than the motive power of the soul. (Magnitude, figure, motion, rest, number, place, distance, position, &c. are all objects of the senses). 58. As the notion of the spiritual, is distinct from that of all others which are material and corporeal; so the notion of Brahma is quite apart from every thing, except that of his self-consciousness. (God says in the Scripture, “I am that I am,” which proves his consciousness of himself to constitute his essence). 59. Ráma said:—If consciousness is self-same with Brahma, and our consciousness of ourselves as Brahma, make us identic with Brahma Himself; then what is the use of devising a duality of the soul (as the divine and human souls), or of talking of the liberation and final absorption of the one in the other? (If what the Sruti says, Brahmásmi—I am Brahma; as the scripture declares—“In Him we live and move,” then what means our redemption or return to Him?). 60. Vasishtha replied:—Ráma, your question is irrelevant at this time, when I was going to prove another thing. Nothing can be appropriate out of its proper time and place, as the untimely offering of flowers to gods is not acceptable to them. (A question beside the mark is _apropos de bottes_, and brought in by the head and shoulders). 61. A word full of meaning, becomes meaningless out of its proper place; like the offering of flowers to gods and guests, out of their proper season. (So all intempestivous acts, go _mal a propos_, unless they are done in proper time). 62. There is a time for the introducing of a subject, and another to hold silence over it; so every thing becomes fruitful in its proper season. (Tempus coronat opus). 63. But to resume our subject; the living soul afterwards appeared from Him, as the human soul appears in dreaming; and thought in himself that he was the great father of created beings in time to come. (_i.e._ He would become the Maker of the world).