ys ranged by celestial cars. Atheists, and untruthful
persons, those that have not practised ascetic austerities and those
that have not performed great sacrifices, cannot repair thither. Only
men of virtuous souls, and those of subdued spirits, and those that have
their faculties in subjection, and those that have controlled their
senses, and those that are free from malice, and persons intent on the
practice of charity; and heroes, and men bearing marks of battle, after
having, with subdued senses and faculties, performed the most
meritorious rites, attain those regions, O Brahmana, capable of being
obtained only by virtuous acts, and inhabited by pious men. There, O
Mudgala, are established separately myriads of beautiful, shining, and
resplendent worlds bestowing every object of desire, owned by those
celestial beings, the gods, the _Sadhyas_, and the _Vaiswas_, the great
sages, _Yamas_, and the _Dharmas_, and the _Gandharvas_ and the
_Apsaras_. And there is that monarch of mountains the golden Meru
extending over a space of thirty-three thousand _Yojanas_. And there, O
Mudgala, are the sacred gardens of the celestials, with Nandana at their
head, where sport the persons of meritorious acts. And neither hunger,
nor thirst, nor lassitude, nor fear, nor anything that is disgusting or
inauspicious is there. And all the odours of that place are delightful,
and all the breezes delicious to the touch. And all the sounds there are
captivating, O sage, to the ear and the heart. And neither grief, nor
decrepitude, nor labour, nor repentance also is there. That world, O
_Muni_, obtained as the fruit of one's own acts, is of this nature.
Persons repair thither by virtue of their meritorious deeds. And the
persons of those that dwell there look resplendent, and this, O Mudgala,
solely by virtue of their own acts, and not owing to the merits of
father or mothers. And there is neither sweat, nor stench, nor urine
there. And there, O _Muni_, dust doth not soils one's garments. And
their excellent garlands, redolent of divine fragrance, never fade. And,
O Brahmana, they yoke such cars as this (that I have brought). And, O
mighty sage, devoid of envy and grief and fatigue and ignorance and
malice, men who have attained heaven, dwell in those regions happily.
And, O bull among _Munis_, higher and higher over such regions there are
others endued with higher celestial virtues. Of these, the beautiful and
resplendent regions of Brahma are