"Vasumanaa said, 'I am Vasumanaa, the son of Aushadashwa. I would ask you, O king (Yayaati), whether there are any worlds for me to enjoy as fruits of my merits of Dharma, in heaven or the sky. You are, O high-souled one, familiar with all holy regions.'
"Yayaati answered, 'There are as many regions for you to enjoy in heaven as the number of places in the sky, the Earth and the ten (directional) points of the universe illumined by the Sun.'
"Vasumanaa then said, 'I give them to you. Let those regions that are for me be yours. Therefore, though falling, you shall not fall. O monarch (Yayaati), if to accept them as gift be improper for you, then buy them for a straw.'
"Yayaati answered, 'I do not remember having ever bought and sold anything unfairly. This has never been done by other kings. How shall I therefore do it?'
"Vasumanaa said, 'O king (Yayaati), if buying them be regarded by you as improper, then take them as debt from me. For myself, I answer that I will never go to those regions that are for me. Let them, therefore, be yours.'
"Shibi then addressed the king (Yayaati) thus, 'O king (Yayaati), I am Shibi by name, the son of Ushinara. O father, are there in the sky or in heaven any worlds for me to enjoy? You know every region that one may enjoy as the fruit of his merit of Dharma.'
"Yayaati said, 'You have never, by speech or in mind, disregarded the honest and the Dharmic people that applied to you. There are infinite worlds for you to enjoy in heaven, all blazing like lightning.'
"Shibi then said, 'If you regard their purchase as improper, I give them to you. Take them all, O king (Yayaati)! I shall never take them, viz., those regions where the wise never feel the least disquiet.'
"Yayaati answered, 'O Shibi, you have indeed, obtained for yourself, possessed of the capability of (Lord) Indra, infinite worlds. But I do not desire to enjoy regions given to me by others. Therefore, I accept not your gift.'
"Ashtaka then said, 'O king (Yayaati), each of us has expressed his desire to give you worlds that each of us has acquired by their merits of Dharma. You are not accepting them. But leaving them for you, we shall descend into the Earth-hell (Bhauma in Sanskrit).'
"Yayaati answered, 'You all are truth-loving and wise. Give me that which I deserve. I shall not be able to do what I have never done before.'
"Ashtaka then said, 'Whose are those five golden chariots that we see? Do men that travel to these regions of everlasting joy ride in them?'
"Yayaati answered, 'Those five golden chariots displayed in glory, and blazing as fire, would indeed, carry you to regions of joy.'
"Ashtaka said, 'O king (Yayaati), ride on those chariots yourself and travel to heaven. We can wait. We follow you in time.'
"Yayaati said, 'We can now all go together. Indeed, all of us have conquered heaven. Look, the glorious path to heaven becomes visible."
"Vaishampaayana continued, 'Then all those excellent monarchs riding in those chariots set out for heaven for gaining admittance into it, illuminating the whole sky by the glory of their Dharma.'
"Then Ashtaka, breaking the silence asked, 'I had always thought that (Lord) Indra was my special friend, and that I, of all others, should first obtain admittance into heaven. But how is it that Ushinara's son, Shibi has already left us behind?'
"Yayaati answered, 'This Ushinara's son (Shibi) had given all he possessed for attaining to Brahmaloka. Therefore, he is the foremost among us. Besides, Shibi's charity, Tapas, truth, Dharma, modesty, forgiveness, friendliness, desire of performing good acts, have been so great that none can measure them!'
"Vaishampaayana continued, 'After this, Ashtaka, driven by curiosity, again asked his maternal grandfather (Yayaati) resembling (Lord) Indra Himself, saying, 'O king (Yayaati), I ask you, tell me truly, from what place are you, who are you, and whose son? Is there any other Brahmana or Kshatriya who has done what you did on earth?'
"Yayaati answered, 'I tell you truly, I am Yayaati, the son of Nahusha and the father of Pooru. I was lord of all the Earth. You are my relatives; I tell you truly, I am the maternal grandfather of you all. Having conquered the whole earth, I gave clothes to Brahmanas and also a hundred handsome horses fit for offering in yagna. For such acts of Dharma, Devas became favourable to those that perform them. I also gave to Brahmanas this whole earth with her horses, elephants, cows, gold, all kinds of wealth, along with a hundred Arbudas of excellent milk yielding cows. Both the earth and the sky exist owing to my truth and Dharma; fire yet burns in the world of men owing to my truth and Dharma. Never has a word spoken by me been untrue. It is for this that the wise adore Truth. O Ashtaka, all I have told you, Pratardana, and Vasumanaa, is Truth itself. I know it for certain that Devas, Rishis and all the mansions of the blessed are adorable only because of Truth that characterises them all. He that will without hatred duly read to good Brahmanas his account of our ascension to heaven shall himself attain to the same worlds with us.'
"Vaishampaayana continued, 'It was thus that the illustrious king Yayaati of high achievements, rescued by his collateral descendants, ascended to heaven, leaving the earth and covering the three worlds with the fame of his actions.'"
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