I shall repair to a higher region. Verily, Dhritarashtra shall
not go thither!'
"Gautama said, 'Next to these blaze in beauty those eternal regions,
redolent with excellent perfumes, that are free from passions of every
kind and that are destitute of sorrow. These constitute the abode of the
high-souled king Soma. If thou repairest thither, even thither shall I
proceed and force thee to yield up this elephant to me!'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'Those men that always make gifts without receiving
any gift, who never accept any service from others, who own nothing which
they cannot give to a deserving person, who are hospitable to all
creatures, who are inclined to show grace to every one, who are endued
with forgiving dispositions, who never speak ill of others, who protect
all creatures by throwing over them the shroud of compassion, and who are
always righteous in their behaviour,--only those men, O great Rishi,
proceed to such regions. I shall proceed to a higher region. Verily,
Dhritarashtra shall not go there!'
"Gautama said, 'Next to these blaze in beauty other regions that are
eternal, free from passion and darkness and sorrow, and that lie at the
foot of the high-souled deity of the Sun. If thou repairest thither, even
thither shall I go and force thee to yield up this elephant to me!'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'Those men that are attentive to the study of the
Vedas, that are devoted to the service of their preceptors, that are
observant of penances and excellent vows, that are firm in truth, that
never utter anything that smacks of disobedience or enmity to their
preceptors, that are always alert, and ever ready in service of seniors
and preceptors,--they repair, O great Rishi, to such regions, they that
are pure (of mind and body), that are endued with cleansed souls, that
are of restrained speech, that are firm in truth, and that are
well-versed in the Vedas.
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