Vrihi Drounika Parva — The colloquy between Mudgada and the celestial messenger

The celestial messenger said: O great Rishi, you are very simple, for having obtained that celestial bliss which brings great honour, you are still delebrating like an unwise person.

O Rishi, that which is known in the world by the name of heaven exists above us. It is high, it is furnished with excellent paths and is always frequented by celestial cars.

O sage, atheists and untruthful persons, those that have not performed asceticism and those that have not performed great sacrifices, cannot go there.

Only virtuous souls and those of subdued minds and those that have their faculties under control 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 subdued senses and faculties and performed the most meritorious rites, attain to those regions, O Brahmana, capable of beings obtained only by virtuous acts and inhabitatedd by pious men.

O Mudgala, there are established separately myriads of beautiful, shinning and respendent worlds bestowing every object of desire owned by those celestial beings, the gods, the Sadhyas, the Vishvadevas, the great sages, the Yamas, the Dhamas and the Gandharvas and the Apsaras.

There is that foremost of mountains, the golden Meru extending thirty-three thousand Yojanas. O Mudgala, there are also the celestial gardens. With Nandan at their head here sport the persons of meritorious acts. Neither hunger nor thirst nor heat or cold nor fear.

Nor anything that is disgusting and inauspicious is there. Delightful fragrance is everywhere and breezes are delicious and sounds are captivating both to the ear and mind; there is no grief, no old age; nor labour nor repentance is there.

O Rishi, the world obtained as the fruit of one's (good) acts is like this. Men go there by virtue of their meritorious acts.

Men that live there look resplendant and O Mudgala, solely by virtue of their own acts and not through the me its of fathers or mothers.

O Rishi, there is neither sweat nor stench, nor exeretion nor urine. There dust does not soil one's clothes.

There excellent garments full of celestial fragrance never fade. O Brahmana, there are such cars as this (one I have brought).

O great Rishi, being free from envy and grief and fatigue and ignorance and malice, men, who have gone to heaven, live in that region in great happiness.

O foremost of Rishis, higher and higher over such regions, there are others possessing higher celestial virtues.

Of these, the charming and effulgent region of Brahma is the highest. O Brahmana, there go the Rishis that have been purified by their meritorious acts.

There live certain beings called Ribhus, they are the gods of the gods. Their region is highly blessed and they are adored even by the celestials.

They shine in their own effulgence and they bestow every object of desire. They suffer no pangs arising from women. They do not possess worldly wealth and they are free from ill.

They do not live on oblations or on ambrosia. They possess such celestial forms that they cannot be perceived by the senses.

Those everlasting gods of the gods do not desire happiness for happiness sake, nor do they undergo any change at the change of a Kalpa.

Old, age, death they have none; for them there is neither ecstacy, nor joy nor happiness. They have neither happiness nor misery, O Rishi, anger and aversion they have none.

O Mudgala, their supreme state is coveted even by the celestial. The great emancipation, which is very difficult to attain, can never be acquired by people subject to desire.

The number of these gods is thirty-three. To their region go wise men after having observed excellent vows or bestowed gifts according to the ordiance.

You have easily acquired that success by your charities, your effulgence is displayed by virtue of your asceticism. (Now) enjoy that condition which is obtained by your meritorious acts. Such, O Brahmana, is bliss of heaven containing many worlds. Thus have I described to you the blessing of the celestial, region. Now hear some of its disadvantages.

O Mudgala, in the celestial region a person, while enjoying the fruits of acts he had already performed, cannot perform any other new acts. He must enjoy the fruits of the former life till they are completely exhausted and besides he is liable to fall after he has entirely exhausted his merit, these are in my opinion the disadvantages of heaven. The fall of persons whose minds have been once steeped in happiness must be called a great draw back (of heaven).

The discontent and regret that must follow ones stay in an inferior place after he has enjoyed more auspicious and effulgent regions must be very difficult to bear.

The consciousness of those about to fall is stupified and it is also agitated by emotions. As the garlands of those about to fall fade away, fear possesses their hearts.

O Mudgala, these are the great draw backs that exist even in the region of Brahma. In the celestial region the virtues, of men who have performed righteous acts, are countless.

O Rishi, this is another of the attributes of the fallen that by reason of their merits, they take birth amongst men.

O Rishi, then they obtain high fortune and happiness. If one however cannot acquire knowledge, he takes an inferior birth. The fruits of acts performed in this world are reaped in the next. O Brahmana, this worid has been declared to be one of acts.

O Mudgala, thus have I, as asked by you, described all to you. Now, O virtuous Rishi, with your favour, we shall easily go with speed.

Vyasa said : Having heard those words, Mudgala reflected in his mind. Having reflected that foremost of Rishis thus spoke to the celestial Messenger.

O celestial messenger, I bow to you. O sir, go back in peace. I have nothing to do with either happiness or heaven with such drawbacks.

Men who enjoy heaven suffer great misery and extreme regret in this world. Therefore I do not desire (to go to) heaven.

I seek that unfailing region, going where people have not to lament or to be pained or to be agitated.

You have described to me the great draw backs of the celestial region. Now describe to me a region which is free from fault.

The Celestial Messenger said: Above the abode of Brahma there is the supreme seat of Vishnu which is pure, eternal and effulgent. It is known by the name of Parabrahma. senses are

O Brahmana, persons who are addicted to sensual objects or those who are subject to arrogance, coveteousness, ignorance, anger and envy, cannot go to that place.

Those men who are free from conflicting emotions and those that have restrained their and those that given to contemplation and Yoga can go there.

O Mudgala, thus have I told you all that you asked me. O pious one, now without any further delay kindly come with me. Hearing those words that virtuous Rishi, leading unccha mode of life, assumed perfect contentment.

Then praise and blame became equal to him. A brick,a stone and a piece of gold all became the same to him. By pure Jnana Yoga, he always became engaged in meditation.

Having acquired power by means of knowledge. He acquired excellent understanding and obtained that supreme state of emancipation which is eternal.

Therefore, O son of Kunti, you ought not to grieve. You have been deprived of a great kingdom, but you will region it by your asceticism.

Misery after happiness and happiness after misery revolve by turns round a man like a wheel round its axile.

O undeterioratingly powerful one, after the thirteenth year has passed away, you will get back the kingdom of your father and grandfather.

Vaishampayana said : Having said thus to the Pandava, the severed Vyasa went back to his hermitage for performing asceticism.