As King Yayāti prepared to depart from the mortal world, he spoke with great generosity and clarity to the assembled kings. “O king,” he said, “as I descend from my place, I grant you those worlds which I have attained. Let my worlds become yours. Whether they are established in the sky or in heaven, ascend to them swiftly, your confusion dispelled.” He continued, “I too desire righteous merit equal to yours, for the strength of a king often rests upon another. When misfortune arises by divine will, a wise ruler must never act with cruelty. Reflecting on the path of righteousness, one should perform penance for the sake of fame, always observing dharma. A king with my understanding of virtue would never act miserably toward another, as you suggest.” Yayāti pondered further, “If I were to do what has never been done before, merely out of curiosity, what virtue would there be in that? Thus did Vasumanas, the noblest of kings, speak to King Yayāti.” Turning to Vasumanas, Yayāti asked, “O tamer of horses, if there is a world in heaven for me, or if it is renowned in the sky, I consider you the true knower of the law concerning it.” Vasumanas replied, “As the sun shines upon the sky, earth, and all directions, so do many worlds, established in heaven, await you. I give you those worlds as you fall, O king—let my worlds become yours. Even if you purchase them with only a blade of grass, let your acceptance be pure.” He added with honesty, “I do not recall ever making a false sale, not even in my childhood. Nor would I do what has never been done by others, just to know something new, for that is not righteous. You should accept those worlds I have given, O king. If you do not wish to purchase them, I will not reclaim them. Let all those worlds truly become yours.” Yayāti then turned to Śibi, son of Uśīnara, and asked, “If I too have worlds, whether established in the sky or in heaven, I consider you the knower of the law concerning them.” Śibi replied, “You did not seek those worlds with words or even with your heart, nor did you despise me. Because of this, there are infinite worlds established in heaven—vast, resounding, and brilliant like lightning. You should accept those worlds I have given. If you do not wish to purchase them, I will not reclaim them after giving. Go, dear one, to those worlds to which you are destined.” Yayāti responded, “Just as you, powerful as Indra, have infinite worlds, so today I do not delight in what is given by another. Therefore, O Śibi, I cannot accept your offer. If you, O king, do not accept each of our worlds, then, having given all those worlds, we shall go to hell.” He concluded, “Do as you see fit, O virtuous one who perceives truth and righteousness. But I do not accept what was not done by me in the past. For me, untouched by these things, what has been said does not apply. Whatever is proper for this giving alone will yield endless fruit.” As they spoke, Yayāti noticed five golden chariots, tall and shining, blazing like tongues of fire. “Whose are these chariots?” he asked. He was told, “These golden chariots shine for you and for me. You must ascend them and travel together with me. Take your place, O king, and stride forth through the sky; we too will follow when the time comes. Now all must depart together, for heaven has been won. This path, pure and bright, leads to the abode of the gods.” All the kings, shining with righteousness, mounted the chariots and set forth, ascending to the heavens, illuminating earth and sky with their virtue. Yayāti thought, “I will be the first to go ahead, and Indra, my friend of great soul, will surely accompany me. But why did Śibi, king of the Ushinaras, urge his steeds forward with such speed?” It was revealed: “Śibi gave all his wealth to Devayāna, blamelessly. This son of Ushinara is indeed the best among you. Charity, purity, truth, nonviolence, modesty, fortune, patience, equanimity, and compassion—all these virtues are established in Śibi, unmatched in wisdom. One who practices modesty and upright conduct possesses these, and so Śibi will ascend the chariot.” Then Ashtaka, curious, questioned his maternal grandfather, who was radiant like Indra: “Tell me the truth, O king—who are you, where do you come from, how did you arrive? What you have done, no other Brahmin or Kshatriya in the world could accomplish.” Yayāti revealed himself, saying, “I am Yayāti, son of Nahusha, father of Puru, sovereign of the earth. I reveal to you, my grandsons, this secret teaching, which is well known among you. I conquered all this earth, rich and abundant, and gave it to the Brahmins, along with pure horses, many beautiful ones; then the gods became recipients of merit. I gave the earth to the Brahmins, filled with all kinds of excellent food, praised cattle, gold, chief treasures, and horses with elephants by the hundreds and tens of thousands.” He affirmed, “By truth, both heaven and earth, and likewise fire, burn among men. Not a single word of mine is spoken in vain, for the virtuous honor only truth. Whoever reports to the twice-born and to the sacred fires all our deeds, as they truly happened and without envy, shall share our world.” Thus, the great-souled Yayāti was carried across by his grandsons, the best of friends. Abandoning the earth and performing noble deeds, he went to heaven, his actions celebrated throughout the world. All this, the deeds of Nahusha’s line and the glory of the Paurava dynasty, in which you were born, O king, has thus been narrated in detail. When King Shatanika heard this from Shaunaka, he was filled with wonder and great joy, shining like the full moon. The king then honored Shaunaka with jewels, cows, gold, and many garments. Shaunaka accepted all that was offered, and after giving it to the Brahmins, he disappeared. The listeners then requested, “Tell us in detail about the lineage of Yayāti—how it became established in the world through his sons, beginning with Yadu.” The response came: “I will recount the lineage of Yadu, the eldest and most powerful. Listen as I narrate it in order and detail. Yadu had five sons, equal to the sons of the gods, great chariot-warriors and mighty archers—hear their names: Sahasrajit was the eldest, then came Kroshtu, Nila, Antika, and Laghu. Sahasrajit’s heir was a king named Shatajit, and Shatajit too had three illustrious heirs: Haihaya, Haya, and Venuhaya.” Thus, the story of Yayāti’s ascent and the establishment of his lineage was told, shining with the light of truth and righteousness.