The âgavataPurâRâjâ repeated his question to Suka -- "What is a dying man, specially one who desires to attain Moksha, to do? What are the duties of men and what are they not to do?"
Suka replied: -- "A man on the approach of death is to give up all fear of death and is to cut off all likes and dislikes by dispassion. He is to leave his house, bathe in pure water and duly make his âsana in some solitary place. He is then to meditate on the three lettered Pranava with mind concentrated by Dhârâna and Dhyâna till he attains _samâdhi_. If, however, his mind gets distracted by Rajas and Tamas, he is again and again to practise Dhârâna."
"What Dhârâna is it that speedily brings on concentration and purity of mind?" was the next question.
Suka replied: -- "Dhârâna of the Sthûla aspect of Bhagavâna, by a fully controlled mind." He then went on dilating on the Sthûla or Universe aspect, called Virât Purusha or Mahâpurusha. The present, the past, the future is manifest in that aspect. The Virâta Purusha is the soul of an Egg-like body with a seven-fold cover of earth, water, fire, air, âkasa, Ahankâra, and Mahat, respectively.
Pâtâla is His feet, Rasâtala His heels, Mahâtala His ankles, Talâtala His legs, Sutala His knees, Vitala the lower portion of His thighs, and Atala the upper portion.
Bhûr Loka is His loins, Bhuvar Loka His navel, Svar Loka His breast, Mahar Loka His throat, Jana Loka His mouth, Tapas Loka His forehead, and Satya Loka is the head of the thousand-headed Virât Purusha. Indra and other Usra Devas (the world Usra meaning, literally, a ray of light) are his hands.
The Dik or space gods are his ears. The twin gods Asvini Kumâra are his nose.
The firmament is His eyes and the Sun-god His sight.
The graceful movement of His eye-brows is the abode of the Supreme.
The Vedas are known as His Brahmâ-randhra.
His lower lip is shame, and the upper greed.
The Mitrâ-Varuna gods are His sense of taste.
The seas are His belly, the mountains His bony system and the rivers His veins and arteries.
The trees are the hairs of the Universe-bodied.
His manas is the moon, which is the source of all transformations.
Horses, mules, camels and elephants are His nails.
Gandharva, Vidyâdhara, Chârana and Apsaras are His musical notes.