in
the summer season, one becomes in one's next life a king. That man who,
having observed vows with respect to food, practises penances for two and
twelve years, carefully abstaining from all interdicted food, taken at
forbidden hours, during the periods becomes in his next life a ruler of
earth.[567] That man who sits and lies on the bare ground with the cope
of the firmament alone for his shelter, observes the course of duties
that attach to Diksha, and then casts off his body by abstaining from all
food, attains to great felicity in Heaven. The rewards of one who sits
and lies down upon the bare ground (with the welkin alone for his
shelter) are said to be excellent vehicles and beds, and costly mansions
possessed of the resplendence of the moon, O lady! That man who, having
subsisted upon abstemious diet and observed diverse excellent vows, lives
depending upon his own self and then casts off his body by abstaining
from all food, succeeds in ascending to heaven and enjoying all its
felicity. That man who, having lived in entire dependence upon his own
self, observes for two and ten years the duties that appertain to Diksha,
and at last casts off his body on the great ocean, succeeds in attaining
to the regions of Varuna after death. That man who, living in entire
dependence upon his own self observes the duties that attach to Diksha
for two and ten years, and pierces his own feet with a sharp stone,
attains to the felicity of the region that belongs to the Guhyakas. He
who cultivates self with the aid of self, who frees himself from the
influence of all pairs of opposites (such as heat and cold, joy and
sorrow, etc), who is freed from every kind of attachment, and who
mentally observes for two and ten years such a course of conduct after
Diksha, attains to Heaven and enjoys every happiness with the deities as
his companions. He who lives in entire dependence upon his own self and
observes for two and ten years the duties that attach to Diksha and
finally casts off his body on the fire as an oblation to the deities,
attains to the regions of Brahman and is held in high respect there. That
regenerate man, O goddess, who having properly gone through the Diksha
keeps his senses under subjugation, and placing his Self on Self frees
himself from the sense of meum, desirous of achieving righteousness, and
sets out, without a covering for his body, after the due observance of
the duties of Diksha for two and ten years and af