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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 11: Chapter 10: Verses 22-33
You should also hear how one attains the region through the successful performance of religious duties unbalked by interruptions. One who performs sacrifices in this world and propitiates the gods through them goes to heaven and enjoys there heavenly pleasures, gained through his actions, and feels happy like the deities. He assumes a beautiful form and flying in a celestial car earned through his meritorious deeds and surrounded by heavenly damsels and sung by heavenly singers he goes about blissfully. But while merrily sporting with the celestial damsels in heavenly pleasances and flying in a celestial car, adorned with small bells and whose speed is controlled by the will of the rider, he does not notice his impending fall. He enjoys heaven so long as his meritorious deeds bear fruit; but when his merit is exhausted, driven by time, though reluctant, he has to take birth in the lower regions. If a person associates with the wicked and delights in impiety, or losing control over his senses indulges in low worldly pleasures and becomes mean, avaricious, lustful and oppressive to living creatures, and(misled by the wicked) kills animals ignoring religious sanction, and worships s ghosts and
goblins, he inevitably goes to hell and assumes bodies of low ignorant creatures. Clothed in a body man performs actions which result in misery. In consequence of those actions he assumes another body and thus living in the world the mortal man enjoys little happiness. The regions of the universe and their rulers who live till the end of a Kalpa are afraid of Me; even Brahma who lives for two Parardhas only is afraid of Me. The senses bring about actions and the Gunas prompt the senses to act, and the said Jiva, being invested with bodies and senses and identifying itself with them, reaps the fruit of actions So long as the diversity of the Gunas prevails the Atma will appear manifold. And so long as the manifoldness of Atma lasts dependent state will continue. So long as the state of dependence of the Jiva continues there is fear from the Lord. Therefore, those who take to these Gunas get deluded, and come to grief.
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