Insects and worms, all oviparous creatures, vegetable
existences, all crawling animals, vermin, the fish in the water, stones,
grass, wood--in fact, all created things, when they are freed from the
effects of their acts, are united with the Supreme Soul. Happiness and
misery are both transient. Therefore, O Ashtaka, why should I grieve? We
can never know how we are to act in order to avoid misery. Therefore,
none should grieve for misery.'
"Possessed of every virtue, king Yayati who was the maternal grandfather
of Ashtaka, while staying in the welkin, at the conclusion of his speech,
was again questioned by Ashtaka. The latter said, 'O king of kings, tell
me, in detail, of all those regions that thou hast visited and enjoyed, as
well as the period for which thou hast enjoyed each. Thou speakest of the
precepts of religion even like the clever masters acquainted with the acts
and sayings of great beings!' Yayati replied, 'I was a great king on Earth,
owning the whole world for my dominion. Leaving it, I acquired by dint of
religious merit many high regions. There I dwelt for a full thousand years,
and then I attained to a very high region the abode of Indra, of
extraordinary beauty having a thousand gates, and extending over a hundred
yojanas all round. There too, I dwelt a full thousand years and then
attained to a higher region still. That is the region of perfect beatitude,
where decay never exists, the region, viz., that of the Creator and the
Lord of Earth, so difficult of attainment.
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