gods themselves.  Their regions are supremely blessed, and are adored even by the deities.  These shine by their own light, and bestow every object of desire.  They suffer no pangs that women might cause, do not possess worldly wealth, and are free from guile.  The Ribhus do not subsist on oblations, nor yet on ambrosia.  And they are endued with such celestial forms that they cannot be perceived by the senses.  And these eternal gods of the celestials do not desire happiness for happiness’ sake, nor do they change at the revolution of a Kalpa.  Where, indeed, is their decrepitude or dissolution?  For them there is neither ecstasy, nor joy, nor happiness.  They have neither happiness nor misery.  Wherefore should they have anger or aversion then, O Muni?  O Mudgala, their supreme state is coveted even by the gods.  And that crowning emancipation, hard to attain, can never be acquired by people subject to desire.  The number of those deities is thirty-three.  To their regions repair wise men, after having observed excellent vows, or bestowed gifts according to the ordinance.  Thou also hast easily acquired that success by thy charities.  Do thou, by effulgence displayed by virtue of thy ascetic austerities, enjoy that condition obtained by thy meritorious acts.  Such, O Brahmana, is the bliss of heaven containing various worlds.

“Thus have I described unto thee the blessing of the celestial regions.  Do thou now hear from me some of the disadvantages thereof.  That in the celestial regions a person, while reaping the fruit of the acts he hath already performed, cannot be engaged in any others, and that he must enjoy the consequences of the former until they are completely exhausted, and, further, that he is subject to fall after he hath entirely exhausted his merit, form, in my opinion, the disadvantages of heaven.  The fall of a person whose mind hath been steeped in happiness, must, O Mudgala, be pronounced as a fault.  And the discontent and regret that must follow one’s stay at an inferior seat after one hath enjoyed more auspicious and brighter regions, must be hard to bear.  And the consciousness of those about to fall is stupefied, and also agitated by emotions.  And as the garlands of those about to fall fade away, fear invadeth their hearts.  These mighty drawbacks, O Mudgala, extend even to the regions of Brahma.  In the celestial regions, the virtues of men who have performed righteous acts, are countless.  And, O Muni, this is another of the attributes of the fallen that, by reason of their merits, they take birth among men.  And then they attain to high fortune and happiness.  If one, however, cannot acquire knowledge here, one cometh by an inferior birth.  The fruits of acts done in this world are reaped in the next.  This world, O Brahmana, hath been declared to be one of acts; the others, as one of fruit.  Thus have I, O Mudgala, asked by thee, described all unto thee.  Now, O pious one, with thy favour, we shall easily set out with speed.’