1.
To him who is without desire, who has seen the root (of sin),'--so said the venerable Pu/nn/aka,--'I have come supplicatingly with a question: on account of what did the Isis and men, Khattiyas and Brâhma/n/as, offer sacrifices to the gods abundantly in this world? (about this) I ask thee, O Bhagavat, tell me this.'

2.
'All these Isis and men, Khattiyas and Brâhma/n/as, O Pu/nn/aka,'--so said Bhagavat,--'who offered sacrifices to the gods abundantly in this world, offered sacrifices, O Pu/nn/aka, after reaching old age, wishing for their present condition.'

3.
'All these Isis and men, Khattiyas and Brâhma/n/as,'--so said the venerable Pu/nn/aka,--'who offered sacrifices to the gods abundantly in this world, did they, O Bhagavat, indefatigable in the way of offering, cross over both birth and old age, O venerable man? I ask thee, O Bhagavat, tell me this.'

4.
'They wished for, praised, desired, abandoned (sensual pleasures), O Pu/nn/aka,'--so said Bhagavat,--'they desired sensual pleasures on account of what they reached by them; they, devoted to offering, dyed with the passions of existence, did not cross over birth and old age, so I say.'

5.
'If they, devoted to offering,'--so said the venerable Pu/nn/aka,--'did not by offering cross over birth and old age, O venerable man, who then in the world of gods and men crossed over birth and old age, O venerable man, I ask thee, O Bhagavat, tell me this?'

6.
'Having considered everything in the world, O Pu/nn/aka,'--so said Bhagavat,--'he who is not defeated anywhere in the world, who is calm without the smoke of passions, free from woe, free from desire, he crossed over birth and old age, so I say.'