25. Vasishtha replied:—It is the wording of the sruti, that there some such persons among all classes of beings, whose presence sheds a lustre, as bright as that of the broad and shining day light. (These are gods, men). 26. Beside them there are others, who are quite ignorant of truth, and are tossed about and whirled up and down like straws, by the whirling waters of the dangerous eddies of ignorance, in the dark and dismal ocean of this world. 27. These are drowned in their enjoyments, and lost to the bliss of their souls; and are ever burning in the flames of worldly cares; such are some among the gods, who are burning on high, like as the mountain trees are inflamed by the wild fire. 28. The proud demigods were vanquished by their inimical gods, and were cast down into the abyss by Náráyana; as big elephants into the pit, with the ichor of their giddiness. 29. The Gandharva songsters (that are skilled in music only), show no sign of right reason in them; but being giddy with the wine of melody, they fall into the hands of death, as the silly stags are caught in the snare (by their fondness for the sweet sound of the hunter’s horn). 30. The Vidyádharas are mad with their knowledge (of arts, of sciences); and do not hold in esteem the esoteric and grand science of divinity for their salvation. 31. The yakshas who are impregnable themselves, are ever apt to injure all others on earth; and they exercise their noxious powers, chiefly upon the helpless infants, old men and weak and infirm persons. 32. There are again the gigantic and elephant like Rákshasas, who have been repeatedly destroyed by Hari, and will be utterly extirpated by you, as a herd of sheep by a powerful lion. 33. The Pisácha cannibals are always in quest of human prey, and devour their bodies as the burning fire consumes the oblations. They are therefore in utter darkness of spiritual knowledge. 34. The Nága race that dwell underneath the ground, resemble the stalks of lotuses drowned under the water, or as the roots of trees buried under the earth (and therefore they are quite insensible of truth). 35. The Asura race dwelling in subterranean cells, are as worms and insects, grovelling in dark under the ground, and are utterly ignorant of any knowledge or discrimination. 36. And what must we say of foolish mankind, who like the poor ants, are moving busily by night and day, in search of a morsel (lit.—particle) of bread (and have not a whit of understanding in them). 37. All living bodies are running up and down for ever, in their vain expectations; and the days and nights are insensibly gliding over them, as upon drunken men (unconscious of themselves). 38. The knowledge of pure truth, never enters into the mind of men; as the dust flying over the surface of water never sink in its depth. 39. The holy vows of men are blown away, by the blasts of their pride and vanity; as the husks of rice are blown off, by the wind of the threshing mill.