Vedic Mythology c9.s3.4

c9.s3.4

Heaven is a glorified world of material joys as pictured by the imagination not of warriors but of priests⁴. It is the world of the righteous (10, 16⁴), where righteous and godly men, familiar with rites (*ṛta*) dwell in bliss⁵. There they are united with what they have sacrificed and given (*iṣṭāpūrta*)⁶, especially reaping the reward of their pious gifts to priests (10, 154³ &c.)⁷. In the Brāhmaṇas it is said that those who sacrifice properly above all attain union and identity of abode with the sun (*āditya*) and with Agni, but also with Vāyu, Indra, Varuṇa, Bṛhaspati, Prajāpati and Brahmā (ŚB. 2, 6, 4⁸; 11, 4, 4²¹. 6, 2²·³; TB. 3, 10, 11⁶). A certain sage is described as having through his knowledge become a golden swan, gone to heaven, and obtained union with the sun TB. (3, 10, 9¹¹). In the TS. (6, 6, 9²) the notion occurs that a man by the performance of certain rites can reach heaven without dying (*jīvan*)⁸.