is endued with an opposite disposition and who is righteous in acts, is born as a handsome man.  The man who is endued with cruelty, goes to Hell, while he that is endued with compassion ascends to Heaven.  The man who goes to Hell has to endure excruciating misery.  One who, having sunk in Hell, rises therefrom, take birth as a man endued with short life.  That man who is addicted to slaughter and injury, O goddess, becomes, through his sinful deeds, liable to destruction.  Such a person becomes disagreeable to all creatures and endued with a short life.  That man who belongs to what is called the White class, who abstains from the slaughter of living creatures, who has thrown away all weapons, who never inflicts any chastisement on any body, who never injures any creatures, who never causes any body to slay creatures for him, who never slays or strikes even when struck or attempted to be slain, who never sanctions or approves an act of slaughter, who is endued with compassion towards all creatures, who behaves towards others as towards his own self,—­such a superior man, O goddess, succeeds in attaining to the status of a deity.  Filled with joy, such a man enjoys diverse kinds of luxurious articles.  If such a person ever takes birth in the world of men, he becomes endued with longevity and enjoys great happiness.  Even this is the way of those that are of righteous conduct and righteous deeds and that are blessed with longevity, the way that was indicated by the Self-born Brahman himself and that is characterised by abstention from the slaughter of living creatures.’”

SECTION CXLV

“Uma said, ’By what disposition, what conduct, what acts, and what gifts, does a man succeed in attaining to Heaven?’

“Maheswara said, ’He who is endued with a liberal disposition, who honours Brahmanas and treats them with hospitality, who makes gifts of food and drink and robes and other articles of enjoyment unto the destitute, the blind, and the distressed, who makes gifts of houses, erects halls (for use of the public), digs wells, constructs shelters whence pure and cool water is distributed (during the hot months unto thirsty travellers), excavates tanks, makes arrangements for the free distribution of gifts every day, gives to all seekers what each solicits, who makes gifts of seats and beds and conveyances, wealth, jewels and gems, houses, all kinds of corn, kine, fields, and women,—­verily, he who always makes these gifts with a cheerful heart, becomes a denizen, O goddess, of Heaven.  He resides there for a long period, enjoying diverse kinds of superior articles.  Passing his time happily in the company of the Apsaras, he sports in the woods of Nandana and other delightful regions.  After the exhaustion of his merits he falls down from Heaven and takes birth in the order of humanity, in a family, O goddess, that is possessed of wealth in abundance and that has a large command