Who can go to the heavens? List of some acts from Mahabharatha!
Mahabharata Anuśāsana Parva (23:83 – 101) lists the persons who can go to the heavens:
Those who follow the duties ordained in the scriptures and practice the virtues of charity and self-restraint and truthfulness, ascend to heaven.
Those who having acquired knowledge by rendering service to their gurus and observing strict discipline, become reluctant to accept gifts, succeed in ascending to heaven.
(Is it right for a Devotee Couple Avoiding Children for economic reasons? READ HERE!)
Those who rescue others from fear, crime and impediments that lie in the way of their success as also poverty and disease, succeed in ascending to heaven.
Those who are imbued with a forgiving disposition, who are patient, who are dedicated to Dharma activities, and who are of auspicious conduct, succeed in ascending to heaven.
Those who abstain from alcohol and meat, who abstain from adultery, and who abstain from wines and spirituous liquors, succeed in ascending to heaven.
Those that help in the establishment of ashrams, who become founders of families, who open up new land for purposes of habitation, and lay out towns and cities succeed in ascending to heaven.
Those who give away clothes and ornaments, as also food and drink, and who help in marrying off poor girls, succeed in ascending to heaven.
(Should a devotee couple stop sense gratification after getting child? READ HERE!)
Those that have abstained from all kinds of injury or harm to all beings, who are capable of enduring patiently, and who give refuge of all beings, succeed in ascending to heaven.
Those who are disciplined in the service of their parents, who are affectionate towards their siblings, succeed in ascending to heaven.
Those that subjugate their senses notwithstanding the fact of their being wealthy, physically strong and in the prime of youth, succeed in ascending to heaven.
Those that are kind towards even those that offend them, that are gentle, that have an affection for all, and that joyfully serve others, succeed in ascending to heaven.
Those that protect thousands of people, that make gifts to thousands of people, and that rescue thousands of people from distress, succeed in ascending to heaven.
Those who make gifts of gold and of cattle, as also those who give away conveyances succeed in ascending to heaven.
Those who make gifts of such articles as are needed in marriages, as also those of servers and maids, and cloths and robes, succeed in ascending to heaven.
(Is marriage and getting more children advised or not? READ HERE!)
Those who make public pleasure-houses, gardens and wells, resting houses and buildings for public meetings and tanks for enabling animals and people to quench their thirst, and fields for cultivation, succeed in ascending to heaven.
Those who make gifts of houses and fields and villages to persons that solicit them, succeed in ascending to heaven.
Those who having themselves squeezed juices and produced seeds and grain (rice or wheat), make gifts of them to others succeed in ascending to heaven.
Those who being born in families high or low beget many children and live long lives practicing compassion and controlling anger succeed in ascending to heaven.
These are the persons who can go to the heavens as said by Mahabharatha.
Note: Getting more children gives heavenly life. How? I have explained in the following post:
(Why the Scriptures permit getting more children? Is it good or bad? READ HERE!)