inaka,
surrounded on all sides by many deities and Gandharvas and adored by all
the great Rishis came thither. Consoling the Island-born Rishi who was
burning with grief on account of his son, Mahadeva said these words unto
him.--'Thou hadst formerly solicited from me a son possessed of the energy
of Fire, of Water, of Wind, and of Space. Procreated by thy penances, the
son that was born unto thee was of that very kind. Proceeding from my
grace, he was pure and full of Brahma-energy. He has attained to the
highest end--an end which none can win that has not completely subjugated
his senses, nor can be won by even any of the deities. Why then, O
regenerate Rishi, dost thou grieve for that son? As long as the hills
will last, as long as the ocean will last, so long will the fame of thy
son endure undiminished! Through my grace, O great Rishi thou shalt
behold in this world a shadowy form resembling thy son, moving by the
side and never deserting thee for a single moment!'--Thus favoured by the
illustrious Rudra himself, O Bharata, the Rishi beheld a shadow of his
son by his side. He returned from that place, filled with joy at this. I
have now told thee, O chief of Bharata's race, everything regarding the
birth and life of Suka about which thou hadst asked me. The celestial
Rishi Narada and the great Yogin Vyasa had repeatedly told all this to me
in days of yore when the subject was suggested to him in course of
conversation. That person devoted to tranquillity hears this sacred
history directly connected with the topic of Emancipation is certain to
attain to the highest end."'"[1789]

SECTION CCCXXXV

"'Yudhishthira said, "If a man be a house-holder or a Brahmacharin, a
forest-recluse or a mendicant, and if he desires to achieve success, what
deity should he adore? How can he certainly acquire heaven and attain
that which is of the highest benefit (viz., Emancipation)? According to
what ordinances should he perform the homa in honour of the gods and the
Pitris? What is the region to which one goes when one becomes
emancipated? What is the essence of Emancipation? What should one do so
that one, having attained to heaven, would not have to fall down thence?
Who is the deity of the deities? And who is the Pitri of the Pitris? Who
is he that is superior to him, who is the deity of the deities and the
Pitri of the Pitris? Tell me all this, O Grandsire!"

"'Bhishma said, "O thou that art well acquainted with the art of