20. Vasishtha replied:--That immense and luminous stone, is neither a sentient nor inert body; no body knows its nature and state, and there is no other like it. 21. Ráma said:--Tell me sir, who ever saw those marks, which are imprinted in the bosom of that stone; and how could any one ever break that stone, in order to see its contents and its marks. 22. Vasishtha replied:--It is hard to break this hard stone, nor has anybody been ever able to break it; by cause of its extending over infinite space, and encompassing all bodies within its bosom. (So says the sruti:--There is nothing but is encompassed by it--the all pervading soul). 23. It is full of numberless spots in its spacious cavity; and these consist of the marks of mountains and trees, and of countries, towns and cities. 24. There are also small and large dots in it, with any form or figure of them; but serve to represent the forms of men, and gods and demigods in them, as an outline shows the images of things. 25. There is a long line drawn in it in the form of a circle, which represents the great circle of the visible sky or horizon; and this contains the two central points, signifying the sun and moon. 26. Ráma said:--Tell me sir, who ever saw those marks of such forms; and how it is possible for any body, to look into the cell of a solid or hollow ball. 27. Vasishtha replied:--It is I, O Ráma, that beheld those marks of different forms in that impenetrable block; and it is possible for you to look into it, if you will but like to do so. 28. Ráma said:--How could you sir, look into those marks inside that solid stone, which you say, is as stiff as adamant, and incapable of being broken or perforated by any means. 29. Vasishtha replied:--It was by means of my being seated, in the very heart of that stone; that I came to see those marks, as also to penetrate into their meanings. 30. Who else is able to penetrate into that rigid stone beside myself, who have been able by my penetration, to pry and pierce into the mysteries of those hidden marks. 31. Tell me sir, what is that stone and what are you yourself; explain to me where you are and what you are speaking, and what are those things that you have seen and known to mean. 32. Vasishtha replied:--It is the supreme soul, which is the sole entity and sober reality; and this is represented by figure of speech, as the great stone, of which I have been speaking to you. 33. We are all situated in the cavity of this supreme spirit, and the three worlds form the flesh of this Great being, who is devoid of all substantiality. 34. Know the spacious firmament to be a part of this solid rock, and the ever flying winds as fragment of its body; the fleeting time and evanescent sounds together with all our varying actions and desires, and the imaginations of our minds, to be but the fugacious particles of its substance.