with thousands of banners and echoing with the sound of music,
celestial and of celestial attributes, embellished with gems and pearls
and corals, and possessed of the effulgence of lightning, such a man
lives in heaven for a thousand Yugas, having elephants and rhinoceroses
for dragging that vehicle of his. That man who having fasted for fifteen
days takes one meal on the sixteenth day and bears himself in this way
for one whole year, acquires the merits attaching to the Soma sacrifice.
Proceeding to Heaven he lives in the company of Soma's daughters. His
body fragrant with unguents whose perfumes are as sweet as those of Soma
himself, he acquires the power of transporting himself immediately to any
place he likes. Seated on his car he is waited upon by damsels of the
most beautiful features and agreeable manners, and commands all articles
of enjoyment. The period for which he enjoys such happiness consists of
countless years.[498] That man who having fasted for sixteen days eats a
little ghee on the seventeenth day and bears himself in this way for a
whole year, pouring libations every day on his sacred fire, proceeds to
the regions of Varuna and Indra, and Rudra and the Maruts and Usanas and
Brahman himself. There he is waited upon by celestial damsels and obtains
a sight of the celestial Rishi called Bhurbhuva and grasps the whole
universe in his ken. The daughters of the deity of the deities gladden
him there. Those damsels, of agreeable manners and adorned with every
ornament, are capable of assuming two and thirty forms. As long as the
Sun and the Moon move in firmament, so long does that man of wisdom
reside in those regions of felicity, subsisting upon the succulence of
ambrosia and nectar. That man who having fasted for seventeen days eats
only one meal on the eighteenth day, and bears himself in this way for a
whole year, succeeds in grasping the seven regions, of which the universe
consist, in his ken. While performing his journeys on his car he is
always followed by a large train of cars producing the most agreeable
rattle and ridden by celestial damsels blazing with ornament and beauty.
Enjoying the greatest happiness, the vehicle he rides in is celestial and
endued with the greatest beauty. It is drawn by lions and tigers, and
produces a rattle as deep as the sound of the clouds. He lives in such
felicity for a thousand Kalpas subsisting upon the succulence of ambrosia
that is as sweet as nectar itself. That