are that Brahman of great
energy. The mountains are his bones. The earth is his fat and flesh. The
oceans are his blood. Space is his stomach. The Wind is his breath. Fire
is his energy. The rivers are his arteries and veins. Agni and Soma,
otherwise called the Sun and the Moon, are called his eyes. The firmament
above is his head. The earth is his two feet. The cardinal and subsidiary
points of the horizon are his arms. Without doubt, He is incapable of
being known and His Soul is inconceivable by even persons crowned with
ascetic success. The Divine Being, who pervades the whole universe, is
also known by the name of Ananta (Infinite). He lives in Consciousness,
and is incapable of being known by persons of uncleansed souls. Asked by
thee I have now told thee of Him who created Consciousness for evoking
into existence all created objects, and from whom this universe has
sprung.'

"'"Bharadwaja said, 'What is the extent of the firmament, of the points of
the horizon, of the surface of this earth, and of the wind? By telling me
the truth, solve my doubts.'

"'"Bhrigu said, 'The sky thou seest above is infinite. It is the abode of
persons crowned with ascetic success and of divine beings. It is
delightful, and consists of various regions. Its limits cannot be
ascertained. The Sun and the Moon cannot see, above or below, beyond the
range of their own rays. There where the rays of the Sun and the Moon
cannot reach are luminaries[552] which are self-effulgent and which
possess splendour like that of the Sun or the fire. Know this, O giver of
honours, that possessed of far-famed splendour, even these last do not
behold the limits of the firmament in consequence of the inaccessibility
and infinity of those limits. This Space which the very gods cannot
measure is full of many blazing and self-luminous worlds each above the
other. Beyond the limits of land are oceans of water. Beyond water is
darkness. Beyond darkness is water again, and beyond the last is fire.
Downwards, beyond the nether regions, is water. Beyond water is the
region belonging to the great snakes. Beyond that is sky once more, and
beyond the sky is water again. Even thus there is water and sky
alternately without end. Even such are the limits of the Divinity
represented by water. The very gods are unable to ascertain limits of
fire and wind and water. The nature of fire, wind, water, and land, is
like that of space. They are distinguished through want of tr