AU IVIXOJ.IU JAAi-'±!-KliLJN<^i£a

and with it realises that the Fleeting, that which has an
end. however long drawn out, cannot be separated from its
Parting and 5ts Pain. That is the Sattvika Vairagya.

^King Arishta-nemi, when old age came to him, went
into the woods to make Tapasya(1), placing the people in the
charge of his strong son. Long he dwelt in Tapas in the
solitudes of the Gandha-madana. mountains, so called because
of the soul-filling sweetness of the fragrant flowers that cover
them and bloom and blossom all the year round. Indra, Lord
of Heaven, bade his messengers : 'Go unto king Arishta-nemi.
Honour him and seat him on my heavenly car and bring
him hither, so he may enjoy the glories and the greatness of
my realms.' They went with Indra's message to the king.
He questioned then-L *Tell me first, ye messengers of Indra !,
what the joys and sorrows of your realms may be, and then
shall I decide whether I ought to go with you or not.' And
they answered him: 'The harvesting of pleasures there is in
proportion to the seed sown here of acts of merit- Highest
virtues lead to highest heaven; middling ones lead to the
middle plane of it ; the common ones to the lowest levels
thereof only. And jealousy is there of the greater; and
ambition too to pass beyond the equals ; and satisfaction
also at the sight of others lower. And at the end, when the
store of Punya-merit, is exhausted, on the aroma of which
the soul fed and maintained itself in those high regions, then
comes the fall, and the gods die and redesceud into this
world. Such are the merits, such the drawbacks and defects
of Heaven." The king heard and cried out: *Go back to Indra.
Much do I respect and thank him. Yet tell him from me
that I crave not his joys. Take your car away. I am content
with this dire Tapas, with the help of which I shall get rid
of this impure fleshly abode of mine, and all the selfish lusts

(1) The same as Tapaa, austerity, asceticism-