1. The listener asks, "The structure of the universe is like that of man. This is not just imagination, however when seeing many opinions people don't have this experience and become confused.
2. That which is in man is the same as that which is in the universe. Philosophers make this statement again and again.
3. It is common for people to say that whatever is in man is in the universe, but the actual experience that this is true does not last.
4. The gross body, the subtle body, casual body, and the great casual body (Sthoola, Sukhma, Karana, and Maha-Karana) are the four bodies of the human being. Accordingly, there are the gross form of universe, the subtle life energy, the unexpressed causal, and the Primal Illusion (Virata, Hiranya, Avyakruta, and MoolaPrakriti) that are the four bodies of the universe.
5. It is understood that this is the classical description from ancient scriptures, but how does one go about getting the actual experience of this? When trying to see this, one becomes confused."
6. The speaker responds, "Understand that in the human being there is the inner-mind (antahkarana) which is the same as Lord Vishnu on the universal level. And what is called the mind (manas) in man is equivalent in significance as the moon on the universal level.
7. Understand that what is called the intellect (buddhi) in the human is what is Brahma, or the creator, on the universal level. And what is called activity of thoughts (chitta) in the human is recognized as Narayana at the universal level.
8. What is called ego (ahankara) in man, is Lord Shiva in the universe. The ancient scriptures have declared all of this to definitely be the case."
9. The listener said, "Then please explain how Vishnu is the inner-mind, how the moon is the mind, and how Brahma is the intellect.
10. How is the activity of thought Lord Narayana, and what is the nature of Lord Shiva? These thoughts must be investigated thoroughly using the power of discrimination.
11. True conviction gained from experience cannot be compared to guesswork and mere conjecture. Like putting a dog in front of a lion, how can what is untrue stand up to the truth?
12. To understand this, examination and verification is required. It is only with accurate examination and investigation that one will gain firm conviction. Without proper examination one is left only with guesswork, and remains full of doubts."
13. The listener continued, "Oh Swami, please explain to us the fivefold aspects of the inner-mind of man and how they correlate to Lord Vishnu, the Moon, Lord Brahma, Lord Narayana, and Lord Shiva in the universe."
14. The speaker replied, "Here, experience is the proof. Even the references to the scriptures are not required when one sees directly and gains the actual experience.
15. Any speech that doesn’t have the support of actual experience is simply boring. It's like a dog howling loudly with its mouth wide open.
16. Listen to what has been said and then look for yourself and see if what has been said is true. When what has been said is just empty words, one cannot gain any experience.
17. Where is there a place for a man with vision where everyone else is blind? When the eyes of experience are not present, there is only darkness.
18. Where there is no milk nor water present, and only fecal matter is spread around everywhere, only ravens will be found picking through it.
19. Everybody speaks according to their own liking, imagining that the physical body is like the universe. But what is important is how this can be experienced.
20. Therefore all of this kind of talk is but conjecture and guesswork. It is all just a jungle of imagination. The wise people do not enter into that jungle, only the thieves go there.
21. It can be said that mantras were created in imagination and that the various gods are influenced by these mantras. Thus it follows that the gods are also only products of imagination.
22. What is being said here should be understood without discussion but through the power of discrimination. Just as a blind person is able to recognize someone by his footsteps, similarly, the wise should recognize what is being said here.
23. One who composes poetry does so according to how he perceives things. However, one should verify what has been said in one's own experience.
24. Lord Brahma has created all, but who has created Brahma? Lord Vishnu is the sustainer of the world, but who sustains Lord Vishnu?
25. Lord Shiva is the destroyer of the world, but who is the destroyer of Lord Shiva? One should know who it is who is the controller of time.
26. If this thought is not understood through deep thought and inquiry (vichara), then there is only the darkness of ignorance. Therefore, one should investigate using the power of discrimination (viveka).
27. The universe has come to be quite naturally, and although we have imagined it to be like an individual human body, this has not actually ever come to be our actual experience.
28. When looking at the experience of the universe many doubts arise. The listeners should understand that all of these doubts are definitely born from imagination.
29. Who can bring forth such speculation that the construction of the universe is like that of a physical body? In the universe there are so many various objects, how can they all be in a single body?
30. There are millions of beings, millions of holy places, and millions of mantras that can be found in the universe. Where are they found in the human body?
31. It is said in Hindu mythology that there are three hundred and thirty-million gods, eighty-eight thousand sages, and ninety-million wrathful deities. How can one think of all these in one body?
32. It is said that there are five hundred and sixty-million goddesses, billions of individual beings, and eight million four hundred thousand (8.4 million) various species populating the universe. Where are they to be found in one body?
33. All of the objects that have been created in the universe are separate according to their various distinctions. How can all of these be accounted for and explained to be one body?
34. There are many medicinal herbs, many different fruits and varieties of juices, and many types of seeds and grains. How can all of these be explained to be in one body?
35. There is no end to telling about these types of descriptions, therefore one should not speak unnecessarily. If whatever is said cannot be experienced it is basically shameful to talk about it.
36. If whatever is spoken about cannot be experienced, it is just meaningless talk. Therefore, there is no reason for indulging in such imaginary speculation.
37. The five elements which are present in the universe are the same five elements that are present in the body. One should see this for oneself and get the actual experience of it in the moment.
38. The universe is made up of five elements and the body is made up of five elements. Whatever is said other than this is mere conjecture.
39. Whatever is spoken about out of imagination must be given up like vomit. Only that which comes from one's own experience is speech born of conviction.
40. The fact that whatever is in the body is also that which is in the universe can be actually experienced. The flurry of activity of the five elements can easily be seen in both places.
41. Therefore, to say that whatever is in the universe is in the body is all conjecture. Now, I shall explain the truly satisfying answer to all of this.