“Vyasa continued, ’Having heard this speech, Mudgala began to reflect in his mind.  And having deliberated well, that best of Munis spake thus unto the celestial messenger, ’O messenger of the gods, I bow unto thee.  Do thou, O sire, depart in peace.  I have nothing to do with either happiness, or heaven having such prominent defects.  Persons who enjoy heaven suffer, after all, huge misery and extreme regret in this world.  Therefore, I do not desire heaven.  I shall seek for that unfailing region repairing whither people have not to lament, or to be pained, or agitated.  Thou hast described unto me these great defects belonging to the celestial regions.  Do thou now describe unto me a region free from faults.’  Thereupon the celestial messenger said, ’Above the abode of Brahma, there is the supreme seat of Vishnu, pure, and eternal, and luminous known by the name of Para Brahma.  Thither, O Brahmana, cannot repair persons who are attached to the objects of the senses:  nor can those subject to arrogance, covetousness, ignorance, anger, and envy, go to that place.  It is only those that are free from affection, and those free from pride, and those free from conflicting emotions, and those that have restrained their senses, and those given to contemplation and Yoga, that can repair thither.’  Having heard these words, the Muni bade farewell to the celestial messenger, and that virtuous one leading the Unchha mode of life, assumed perfect contentment.  And then praise and dispraise became equal unto him; and a brickbat, stone, and gold assumed the same aspect in his eyes.  And availing himself of the means of attaining Brahma, he became always engaged in meditation.  And having obtained power by means of knowledge, and acquired excellent understanding, he attained that supreme state of emancipation which is regarded as Eternal.  Therefore, thou also, O Kunti’s son, ought not to grieve.  Deprived thou hast truly been of a flourishing kingdom, but thou wilt regain it by thy ascetic austerities.  Misery after happiness, and happiness after misery, revolve by turns round a man even like the point of a wheel’s circumference round the axle.  After the thirteenth year hath passed away, thou wilt, O thou of immeasurable might, get back the kingdom possessed before thee by thy father and grand-father.  Therefore, let the fever of thy heart depart!’”

Vaisampayana continued “Having said this to Pandu’s son, the worshipful Vyasa went back to his hermitage for the purpose of performing austerities.”

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Janamejaya said, “While the high-souled Pandavas were living in those woods, delighted with the pleasant conversation they held with the Munis, and engaged in distributing the food they obtained from the sun, with various kinds of venison to Brahmanas and others that came to them for edibles till the hour of Krishna’s meal, how, O great Muni, did Duryodhana and the other wicked and sinful sons of Dhritarashtra, guided by the counsels of Dussasana, Karna and Sakuni, deal with them?  I ask thee this.  Do thou, worshipful Sir, enlighten me.”