I shall repair
to a higher region. Verily, Dhritarashtra shall not go there!'
"Gautama said, 'Above the Heavens are the regions of the Prajapatis of
superior felicity abounding in every happiness, and divested of sorrow.
Belonging to those puissant ones from whom the creation has sprung, they
are coveted by all persons. If thou repairest thither, even thither shall
I go and force thee to yield up this elephant to me!'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'Those kings that have bathed upon the completion of
the Rajasuya sacrifice, that are endued with righteous souls, that have
protected their subjects properly, and that have washed their limbs with
sanctified water upon the completion of the horse-sacrifice, repair to
such regions. Verily, Dhritarashtra shall not go there!'
"Gautama said, 'Next to those, blaze in beauty those eternal regions,
redolent with delicious perfumes, free from passion, and transcending all
sorrow. Those are the regions of kine difficult of attainment where
oppression can never be. If thou repairest thither, I shall proceed even
thither and force thee to yield up this elephant to me!'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'He who, owning thousand kine, gives away a hundred
kine every year, or owning a hundred kine gives away ten every year to
the best of his might, or owning only ten or even five kine gives away
therefrom one cow, and they who attain to a mature old age practising the
vows of Brahmacharya all their days, who obey the declarations of the
Vedas, and who, endued with energy of mind, betake themselves to
pilgrimages to sacred waters and shrines, dwell in felicity in the region
of kine.
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