69. The great hollow under the polar mountain, forms its wide open mouth; and the breathing of animated nature, makes the breath of its life. 70. It is surrounded all about, and filled in its inside, by beings of various kinds; it is peopled by the devas, demons and men on the outside, and inhabited by worms and insects in its inner parts. 71. It is infested in the organic poles and cells of its body, by snakes, Asuras and reptiles; and peopled in all its oceans and seas, with aquatic animals of various kinds. 72. It is filled in all its various parts with animal, vegetable and mineral substances of infinite varieties; and it is plenteous with provisions for the sustenance of all sorts of beings. CHAPTER LXXXVIII. FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF THE EARTH. Argument:—Relation of other wonders, which Vasishtha in his earthly body. Vasishtha related:—Hear ye men, what I conceived afterwards in my consciousness, as I had been looking in my form of the earth, and considered the rivers running in my body. 2. I beheld in one place a number of women, lamenting loudly on the death of some body; and saw also the great rejoicing of certain females, on the occasion of their festive mirth. 3. I saw a direful dearth and famine in one place, with the rapine and plunder of the people; and I beheld the profusion of plenty in another, and the joy and friendliness of its people. 4. In one place I saw a great fire, burning down every thing before me; and in another a great flood deluging over the land, and drowning its cities and towns, in one common ruin. 5. I beheld a busy body of soldiers somewhere, plundering a city and carrying away their booty; and I observed the fierce raxas and goblins, bent on afflicting and oppressing the people. 6. I saw the beds of waters brimful with water, and running out to water and fertilize the land all around; I saw also masses of clouds issuing from mountain caverns, and tossed and borne by the winds afar and aloft in the sky (to pour their rains in other quarters). 7. I saw the out pourings of rain-water, the uprising of verdure, and the land smiling with plenty; and I felt within myself a delight, which made the hairs on my body stand upright; (as if they were the rising shoots of plants growing out of my body). 8. I saw also many places, having hills, forests and habitations of men; and also deep and dreadful dens, with wild beasts, bees in them. Here there were no foot prints of human beings, who avoid those places, for fear of falling in those diresome caves. 9. Some places I saw, where warfares were waged between hostile hosts, and some others also, where the armies were sitting at ease, and gladsome conversation with one another. 10. I saw some places full of forests, and others of barren deserts with tornadoes howling in them; and I saw marshy grounds, with repeated cultivations and crops in them.