“O Grand father Bhishma! I heard about heavens. The happiness and pleasures in all heavens are one and the same or are different from one heaven to other.” asked Dharmaja.
“O Dharmaja! the Punya Karmas are different kinds. So also, for each Punya Karma, different kinds of heavens are prescribed. In this connection, I narrate a conversation between a brahmin called Goutama and Devendra.
Once upon a time, a Brahmin called Goutama was performing Tapas in a forest. One day he saw an elephant cub separated from its mother. Goutama brought that elephant to his Ashram and nourished it. In due course of time, it had grown up. The elephant was serving Goutama by helping in his daily needs.
Once, Devendra came down to Goutama in the form of the King of that kingdom and asked Goutama to give away that elephant to him.
“O King! I am treating this elephant as my own son. It is serving me in my day to day affairs. It protects my house in my absence. Hence I cannot part with this elephant.” said Goutama.
Devendra grew angry. “O Goutama! What is the need of an elephant to you for performing Tapas. In fact, you need cows. I give them in abundance. I also give you gold. Giveme that elephant.” asked Devendra.
“O King! I brought this elephant, abandoned by its mother, while it was a cub. I nourished it as mother. You cannot evaluate my love towards this elephant. Even if you give me ten thousand cows and one crore gold coins, I wont give away this elephant.” said Goutama.
“O Goutama! elephants are the carriers for Kings. I require this elephant as my carrier. I can lift it by force. But I take it with your consent. Hence, kindly give this elephant to me out of your own volition.” said Devendra.
“O king! Either virtuous people or sinners will meet at one place. That is Yama Sabha. If you come there, I will give the elephant.” said Goutama.
“How is it. It is Yama Loka. Only sinners, non-believers of God and Vedas, arrive there. How can I come there.” said Devendra.
“If you come to the banks of River Ganges, I will give the elephant” said Goutama. “O Goutama! On the banks of Ganges, only those who worshipped guests, non-receivers of other’s wealth come there. How can I come there.” said Devendra.
“Then you come to Meru mountain. I will give my elephant” said Goutama. “There you find people who are soft spoken; truth telling; compassionate; and who love their own fellow men. How can I come there? said Devendra.
“Then there is a place where Saint Narada lives. Come there.” asked Goutama. “There, you find experts in music and dance and Narada will always be enjoying with them in music concerts. I dont come there.” said Devendra.
“If so, come to Uttara Kuru fields where divine bodies move freely. There I give my elephant.” said Goutama. “That is also not acceptable to me. People who discarded passion, violence and anger come there. I cannot come there.” said Devendra.
“Then come to moon” asked Goutama. “There you find
persons who give away their wealth and who do not receive anything from others. How can I receive elephant from you?” said Devendra.
“Then will you come to Soorya Loka?” asked Goutama. “Those who perform Tapas and Svadhyayam come there. I dont come there” said Devendra.
“Come to Varuna Loka!” asked Goutama.
“Persons who perform Yajnas, Yagas, daily rituals, agnihotra come there. I dont come there.” said Devendra.
“Come to Indra!” asked Goutama. “Oh. All those who died in war field, who performed Yajnas, who completed 100 years on earth come there. I am not eligible” said Devendra.
“Come to Prajapati Loka” asked Goutama. “Those who peformed Asvamedha come there. I do not come” said Devendra.
“Come to Goloka where you do not find passions and distress” asked Goutaka. “Those who perform Godaana, who visited holy places in Pilgrimage and who observe Brahmacharya come there. How can I come there.” said Devendra.
“Then you come to Brahma Loka which is beyond duals like heat and cold, joys and sorrows, friends and foes etc.I will give my elephant” said Goutama. “That is also not possible. Those who are detached, who attained Atma Jnana and those who are interested in Adhyatma vidya go there. I cannot come.”said Devendra.
Then Goutama with folded hands said: “O Mahatma! You are none else than Devendra; otherwise how it is possible for others to know about several Lokas. O Devendra! you are going round all Lokas. Is there any loka which is not accessible to you?” asked Goutama.
“O Goutama! I am very much satisfied with your virtues. Ask what do you want?”
“I do not want anything, if you dont ask for my elephant.” replied Goutama.
“Goutama! How can I separate you from your elephant. Besides that, you have identified me as Devendra by virtue of your past deeds. I invite you and your elephant to heaven. You both stay there for ever.” invited Devendra.
Goutama accepted his invitation. Both Goutama and his elephant remained in Svargaloka for ever.” said Bhishma.
http://www.telugubhakti.com/telugupages/Monthly/Mahabharat/content1304.htm
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13b067.htm
An elephant, as large and mighty as the elephant of Sakra, addressed the gods, saying, 'Agni is now residing within this Aswattha tree!' Incensed with wrath, Agni cursed all the elephants, O descendant of Bhrigu saying, 'Your tongues will be bent back.' Having been pointed out by the elephants, the deity of fire cursed all elephants even thus and then went away and entered the heart of the Sami tree from the desire of residing within it for some time. Listen now, O puissant hero, what favour was shown unto the elephants, O foremost one of Bhrigu's race, by the deities of unbaffled prowess who were all gratified with the service a representative of their had done them.' "The Deities said, 'With the aid of even your tongues bent inwards ye shall be able to eat all things, and with even those tongues ye shall be able to utter cries that will only be indistinct.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13b050.htm
“O Dharmaja! the Punya Karmas are different kinds. So also, for each Punya Karma, different kinds of heavens are prescribed. In this connection, I narrate a conversation between a brahmin called Goutama and Devendra.
Once upon a time, a Brahmin called Goutama was performing Tapas in a forest. One day he saw an elephant cub separated from its mother. Goutama brought that elephant to his Ashram and nourished it. In due course of time, it had grown up. The elephant was serving Goutama by helping in his daily needs.
Once, Devendra came down to Goutama in the form of the King of that kingdom and asked Goutama to give away that elephant to him.
“O King! I am treating this elephant as my own son. It is serving me in my day to day affairs. It protects my house in my absence. Hence I cannot part with this elephant.” said Goutama.
Devendra grew angry. “O Goutama! What is the need of an elephant to you for performing Tapas. In fact, you need cows. I give them in abundance. I also give you gold. Giveme that elephant.” asked Devendra.
“O King! I brought this elephant, abandoned by its mother, while it was a cub. I nourished it as mother. You cannot evaluate my love towards this elephant. Even if you give me ten thousand cows and one crore gold coins, I wont give away this elephant.” said Goutama.
“O Goutama! elephants are the carriers for Kings. I require this elephant as my carrier. I can lift it by force. But I take it with your consent. Hence, kindly give this elephant to me out of your own volition.” said Devendra.
“O king! Either virtuous people or sinners will meet at one place. That is Yama Sabha. If you come there, I will give the elephant.” said Goutama.
“How is it. It is Yama Loka. Only sinners, non-believers of God and Vedas, arrive there. How can I come there.” said Devendra.
“If you come to the banks of River Ganges, I will give the elephant” said Goutama. “O Goutama! On the banks of Ganges, only those who worshipped guests, non-receivers of other’s wealth come there. How can I come there.” said Devendra.
“Then you come to Meru mountain. I will give my elephant” said Goutama. “There you find people who are soft spoken; truth telling; compassionate; and who love their own fellow men. How can I come there? said Devendra.
“Then there is a place where Saint Narada lives. Come there.” asked Goutama. “There, you find experts in music and dance and Narada will always be enjoying with them in music concerts. I dont come there.” said Devendra.
“If so, come to Uttara Kuru fields where divine bodies move freely. There I give my elephant.” said Goutama. “That is also not acceptable to me. People who discarded passion, violence and anger come there. I cannot come there.” said Devendra.
“Then come to moon” asked Goutama. “There you find
persons who give away their wealth and who do not receive anything from others. How can I receive elephant from you?” said Devendra.
“Then will you come to Soorya Loka?” asked Goutama. “Those who perform Tapas and Svadhyayam come there. I dont come there” said Devendra.
“Come to Varuna Loka!” asked Goutama.
“Persons who perform Yajnas, Yagas, daily rituals, agnihotra come there. I dont come there.” said Devendra.
“Come to Indra!” asked Goutama. “Oh. All those who died in war field, who performed Yajnas, who completed 100 years on earth come there. I am not eligible” said Devendra.
“Come to Prajapati Loka” asked Goutama. “Those who peformed Asvamedha come there. I do not come” said Devendra.
“Come to Goloka where you do not find passions and distress” asked Goutaka. “Those who perform Godaana, who visited holy places in Pilgrimage and who observe Brahmacharya come there. How can I come there.” said Devendra.
“Then you come to Brahma Loka which is beyond duals like heat and cold, joys and sorrows, friends and foes etc.I will give my elephant” said Goutama. “That is also not possible. Those who are detached, who attained Atma Jnana and those who are interested in Adhyatma vidya go there. I cannot come.”said Devendra.
Then Goutama with folded hands said: “O Mahatma! You are none else than Devendra; otherwise how it is possible for others to know about several Lokas. O Devendra! you are going round all Lokas. Is there any loka which is not accessible to you?” asked Goutama.
“O Goutama! I am very much satisfied with your virtues. Ask what do you want?”
“I do not want anything, if you dont ask for my elephant.” replied Goutama.
“Goutama! How can I separate you from your elephant. Besides that, you have identified me as Devendra by virtue of your past deeds. I invite you and your elephant to heaven. You both stay there for ever.” invited Devendra.
Goutama accepted his invitation. Both Goutama and his elephant remained in Svargaloka for ever.” said Bhishma.
http://www.telugubhakti.com/telugupages/Monthly/Mahabharat/content1304.htm
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13b067.htm
An elephant, as large and mighty as the elephant of Sakra, addressed the gods, saying, 'Agni is now residing within this Aswattha tree!' Incensed with wrath, Agni cursed all the elephants, O descendant of Bhrigu saying, 'Your tongues will be bent back.' Having been pointed out by the elephants, the deity of fire cursed all elephants even thus and then went away and entered the heart of the Sami tree from the desire of residing within it for some time. Listen now, O puissant hero, what favour was shown unto the elephants, O foremost one of Bhrigu's race, by the deities of unbaffled prowess who were all gratified with the service a representative of their had done them.' "The Deities said, 'With the aid of even your tongues bent inwards ye shall be able to eat all things, and with even those tongues ye shall be able to utter cries that will only be indistinct.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13b050.htm
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