SECTION XXXIII "Vaisampayana said. 'Then those foremost of men divested of wrath and jealo sy!

and "leansed of every sin! met with one another! a#reea$ly to those hi#h and a spi"io s ordinan"es that have $een laid down $y re#enerate %ishis. &ll of them were happy of hearts and loo'ed li'e #ods movin# in (eaven. Son met with sire or mother! wives with h s$ands! $rother with $rother! and friend with friend! O 'in#. The )andavas! f ll of joy! met with the mi#hty $owman *arna as also with the son of S $hadra! and the "hildren of +ra padi. ,ith happy hearts the sons of )and approa"hed *arna! O monar"h! and $e"ame re"on"iled with him. &ll those warriors! O "hief of -harata's ra"e! meetin# with one another thro #h the #ra"e of the #reat as"eti"! $e"ame re"on"iled with one another. Castin# off all nfriendliness! they $e"ame esta$lished on amity and pea"e. It was even th s that all those foremost of men! vi..! the *a ravas and other 'in#s $e"ame nited with the * r s rid other 'insmen of theirs as also with their "hildren. The whole of that ni#ht they passed in #reat happiness. Indeed! the *shatriya warriors! in p. /0 "onse1 en"e of the happiness they felt! re#arded that pla"e as (eaven itself. There was no #rief! no fear! no s spi"ion! no dis"ontent! no reproa"h in that re#ion! as those warriors! O monar"h! met with one another on that ni#ht. 2eetin# with their sires and $rothers and h s$ands and sons! the ladies "ast off all #rief and felt #reat rapt res of deli#ht. (avin# sported with one another th s for one ni#ht! those heroes and those ladies! em$ra"in# one another and ta'in# one another's leave ret rned to the pla"es they had "ome from. Indeed! that foremost of as"eti"s dismissed that "on"o rse of warriors. ,ithin the twin'lin# of an eye that lar#e "rowd disappeared in the very si#ht of all those 3livin#4 persons. Those hi#h5so led persons! pl n#in# into the sa"red river -ha#irathi pro"eeded! with their "ars and standards! to their respe"tive a$odes. Some went to the re#ions of the #ods! some to the re#ion of -rahman! some to the re#ion of Var na! and some to the re#ion of * vera. Some amon# those 'in#s pro"eeded to the re#ion of S rya. &mon#st the %a'shasas and )isa"has some pro"eeded to the "o ntry of 6ttara5* r s. Others! movin# in deli#htf l attit des! went in the "ompany of the deities. Even th s did all those hi#h5so led persons disappear with their vehi"les and animals and with all their followers. &fter all of them had #one away! the #reat sa#e! who was standin# in the waters of the sa"red stream vi..! Vyasa of #reat ri#hteo sness and ener#y! that $enefa"tor of the * r s! then addressed those *shatriya ladies who had $e"ome widows! and said these words! '7et those amon#st these foremost of women that are desiro s of attainin# to the re#ions a"1 ired $y their h s$ands "ast away all sloth and 1 i"'ly pl n#e into the sa"red -ha#irathi.55(earin# these words of his! those foremost ladies! pla"in# faith in them! too' the permission of their father5in5law! and then pl n#ed into the waters of the -ha#irathi. 8reed from h man $odies! those "haste ladies then pro"eeded! O 'in#! with their h s$ands to the re#ions a"1 ired $y the latter. Even th s! those ladies of virt o s "ond "t! devoted to their h s$ands enterin#! the waters of the -ha#irathi! $e"ame freed from their mortal tenements and attained to the "ompanionship of their h s$ands in the re#ions a"1 ired $y them. End ed with "elestial forms! and adorned with "elestial ornaments! and wearin# "elestial vestments and #arlands! they pro"eeded to those re#ions

where their h s$ands had fo nd their a$odes. )ossessed of e9"ellent $ehavio r and many virt es! their an9ieties all dispelled! they were seen to ride on e9"ellent "ars! and end ed with every a""omplishment they fo nd those re#ions of happiness whi"h were theirs $y ri#ht. +evoted to the d ties of piety! Vyasa! at that time! $e"omin# a #iver of $oons! #ranted nto all the men there assem$led the fr ition of the wishes they respe"tively "herished. )eople of diverse realms! hearin# of this meetin# $etween the hallowed dead and livin# h man $ein#s! $e"ame hi#hly deli#hted. That man who d ly listens to this narrative meets with everythin# that is dear to him. Indeed! he o$tains all a#reea$le o$je"ts $oth here and hereafter. That man of learnin# and s"ien"e! that foremost of ri#hteo s persons! who re"ites this narrative for the hearin# of others a"1 ires #reat fame here and an a spi"io s end hereafter! as also a nion with 'insmen and all desira$le o$je"ts. S "h a man has not to nder#o painf l la$o r for his s stenan"e! p. /: and meets with all sorts of a spi"io s o$je"ts in life. Even these are the rewards reaped $y a person who! end ed with devotion to Vedi" st dies and with penan"es! re"ites this narrative in the hearin# of others. Those persons who possessed of #ood "ond "t! devoted to self5restraint! "leansed of all sins $y the #ifts they ma'e! end ed with sin"erity! havin# tran1 il so ls! freed from falsehood and the desire of inj rin# others! adorned with faith! $elief in the s"ript res! and intelli#en"e! listen to this wonderf l parvan! s rely attain to the hi#hest #oal hereafter."