The Rishis said “Formerly, O Rama, Kuru was engaged in perseveringly cultivating this field. Coming down from heaven Shakra asked him the reason, saying-Why, O king, art art thou assiduously employed (in this task). What is your object, O royal sage, for the accomplishment of which you are tilling the soil? Thereupon Kuru replied, saying-'O performer of a hundred sacrifices, they that will die upon this plain shall proceed to regions of blessedness after being freed of their sins!'Ridiculing this, the lord Shakra, returned to heaven. Without being at all depressed, the royal sage Kuru, however, continued to till the soil.
ऋषय ऊचुः पुरा किल कुरुं राम कर्षन्त सततोत्थितम्। अभ्येत्य शक्रस्त्रिदिवात् पर्यपृच्छत कारणम्॥ इन्द्र उवाच किमिदं वर्तते राजन् प्रयत्नेन परेण च। राजर्षे किमभिप्रेत्य येनेयं कृष्यते क्षितिः॥ कुरुरुवाच इह ये पुरुषाः क्षेत्रे मरिष्यन्ति शतक्रतो। ते गमिष्यन्ति सुकृताँल्लोकान् पापविवर्जितान्॥ अवहस्य ततः शक्रो जगाम त्रिदिवं पुनः। राजर्षिरप्यनिर्विण्णः कर्षत्येव वसुधराम्॥