An Eulogy of Ganga, Yamuna, Prayaga

1-5. О best sage, I shall narrate the importance of Ganga, as it has been told, by just listening to which sin perishes at that moment only. He who would utter (the name) ‘Ganga’ even from (a distance of) hundreds of yojanas, is freed from all sins and goes to Visflu’s heaven. О Narada, the river has risen from the lotus-like feet (of Vishriu), is well-known by the name Ganga, and she destroys large heaps of sins. (There are other rivers like) Narmada, Sarayu, so also the river Vetravatl, Tapi, Payoshni, Candra, Vipasa, Karmanasini, Pushya, Рйгца, DIpa, Vidipa and Suryatejasa.

6-10. A man obtains that fruit which he certainly gets by giving a thousand bulls in a moment by seeing Ganga. This Ganga is especially very meritorious for those who have killed brahmajias. Ganga smites the sins of those who are connected with (i.e. who have fallen into) a hell. О sinless one, a man obtains that fruit just by seeing Ganga which is (obtained) at the time of the lunar eclipse or the solar eclipse. О dear one, as the darkness goes away at the time of sunrise, similarly the sin (of a man) perishes due to the prowess of Ganga. This (Ganga) is always honoured in the world. She is pure. She destroys sins. She is always of the nature of auspiciousness. She was formerly produced by Vishnu. She is of a divine form. She is the mother. She is said to be the purifier of the helpless.

11-14. As Vishnu is (the best) of the gods, so is Ganga the best river (among the rivers). For those men who regularly bathe in (the month of) Magha, there is no grief for three hundred kalpas. There is no doubt that having bathed and drunk (water at the holy place by which) Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati flow, a man enjoys salvation.

О lord, the talk which I affectionately do about you is your praise. What I eat is an offering to you. That I go is (due to) my being sent by you. That I sleep quickly at the pair of your lotus-like feet may be (treated as) my prostration (before you) in the manner of a staff. О lord, may you, the lord of the universe be pleased with whatever I do. This is that water of Yamuna, by seeing which, by saluting which, or by holding which on the head, men are freed.

15-18. О you daughter of the Sun, О you great river, men are overpowered by the dangers like poverty, diseases, death, due to the mundane existence, till they do not see your very blue water and hold it on their heads. Today that Ganga, the recollection of which even from (the distance of) a lakh of yojanas instantly cuts off the streams of sins, overcomes the row of sins, the utterance of whose name purifies the world, will luckily come within (our) sight. The path of the divine river is reached with a delighted mind eager to see her. (Even) the first creator went to this divine river. It is not a great wonder that a bath, offering of sandhya, a libation of water as the sraddha ceremony, worship of gods, a sraddha-ceremony, feeding the brahmaflas — all this becomes perfect (in this river) and gives delight to the lord. О Ganga, you are Brahman turned into goddess (Ganga); you give great delight. Accept my materials of worship. Remove my sin. My salutation to you.

19-21. О Bhagirathl, О glorious goddess, I salute you who carry the water which is righteousness in a liquid form, which is the essence of the nectar (flowing) from the lotus-like feet of the enemy of Mura, which is a boat of (i.e. helping to cross) the ocean of grief, which is a flight of steps leading to heaven and lauded by men and gods, which removes all sins, which has excellent merits, (and) which is lustrous. О Ganga, О you heavenly river, О you who emancipate the people plunged in the ocean of sins, О you who have destroyed the mass of darkness (of sins) by means of the spotless lustre of your rising waves, О you, who purify the world, О goddess, purify (me) who am overcome with the fear of sins, who am a recipient of your favour; О mother, О you who give shelter to him who has sought it, protect me who am frightened. О (my) heart, О my friend, why do you trouble? I am alarmed due to the fear of (falling into) hell. ‘Why do you fear?’ Thus are the words heard of (i.e. uttered by) a sinner in the hell. Do not be afraid. If I have secured her who competes with the mountain (i.e. mass) of sins, then listen to my course (i.e. the course I shall have). How then will I have hell? What else do I have (as) righteousness or wealth?

22-23. In it (i.e. in the water of Ganga) bathing is said to be the experience of joy due to the praise of the lord of all and others; seeing it the divine women are delighted due to the possibility of meeting gods and their lord. О daughter of Jahnu, those who engaged in curbs and restraints bathe in your water, clearly obtain godhead. Even those who do bad deeds (also secure godhead). In this (matter), the Vedas are the authority. О (my) intellect, may you have good thoughts like this. О (my) mind, well-being to you. О (my) feet, may you two be always remaining at the place (of the lord). May the eyes see well. О (my) speech, О you dear to me like my own life, may you, with the body of your virtues manifested, obtain the nourishment of beings, so that through all of you I obtained (i.e. would obtain) the agreeable, incomparable merit due to the holy place.

24-32. О best sacred place Prayaga, the ornament of the three rivers, viz. Shri Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati, О lord of all, favour me. Take me up (to heaven). With your lustre destroy the darkness of ten kinds. О you lord of speech, О lord of pious men, that lord of the holy places, viz. Prayaga, whose white and blue bank the gods like Indra, the best among the learned resort to for the destruction of their sins is victorious. That lord of holy places, viz. Prayaga, where the divine river (i.c. Ganga) having had confluence with Yamuna, shakes off the three torments of the people like the one relating to the self, is victorious. That lord of the holy places, viz. Prayaga, where the sacred fig tree, of a dark colour1, covers (the place) with its darkish shadow, and cuts off (i.e. removes) the dark (i.e. great) fatigue of the people when it is seen, is victorious. That lord of holy places, viz. Prayaga, the portion of religious merit, which Brahma and others resort to after abandoning their act, and where Yama will cast his staff, is victorious. That lord of holy places, viz. Prayaga, resorting to which gods and divine sages — deities among men — do not care for heaven and the best kingdom on the earth, is victorious. It is well-known that (the holy place, Prayaga) destroys sins and that discerning takes place by the splendour of its name. That is the lord of holy places, viz. Prayaga, which holds all around the charming beauty of the chowries, where the white and black excellent rivers (i.e. Ganga and Yamuna) meet, where the primitive fig tree exceedingly shines like an umbrella, is victorious. That lord of the holy places, viz. Prayaga, where at the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati (that is underground) they take those who bathe there to the position of Brahma merely by means of their offering sacrifice with sacred rice grains is victorious.

2. Trivepi: The place near Prayaga where Gafigft joins Yamuna and receives unerground Sarasvati.

33-35. (That is the holy place Prayaga to go) where many persons of good words pass a crore of lives saying, T (shall) go, 1 (shall) go’. Excellent years of those who long for the fixed one may pass there. He who cannot be described by words, and who is reached through lakhs of fortunate (occurrences), becomes ours (i.e. favours us) at Prayaga. Prayaga where sacrifices move (i.e. take place constantly) and which is marked by confluence (of the three rivers) becomes the guest of our sight (only) through good luck. Brahma and others, after having properly and fully thought about the fruit of (sacrifices like) the horse-sacrifice, have prescribed this dear Prayaga for those men who long for heaven, who are worried as to how to reach the position of gods by means of hymns of the eulogy of the glory and hymns of praise (of gods), and who are unable to perform sacrifices in the Kali age. I have not performed the sandhya (prayer) due to faults like carelessness and impatience. Let the sandhya of me who am performing it here be accomplished for my entire life. Elsewhere also he, meditated upon in a penance where his greatness is loudly proclaimed by the distant people with love continuously gives the desired position without any expectation.

36-37. I salute in my heart that Prayaga which is surrounded by the confluence of the three rivers, the rich dust of which is incomparable, which is the lord of holy places, which shines with the presence of several (rivers), which itself is an excellent deity. Have we practised good penance, have we performed sacrifices, have we given various kinds of gifts to worthy recipients, have we worshipped gods, have we resorted to a good holy place, have we honoured a group of good brahmanas, due to which we have reached that capital of Shiva which gives happiness?

38-41. Due to my good fortune of many existences I have had (i.e. reached) the city of Shiva, which destroys all sins, which is full of all wonders, and which is a boat to cross the ocean of the mundane existence. I have received the fruit of a good birth. (My) family is made pure. My soul is purified. (Thus) everything for me has been done. What else is there that stands above all? Since what is said, viz. ‘A living man sees a lakh of good things’ is not false, I have physically reached Kasi with my transitory sight. The counting and worship of the sacred places and phalluses of the lord (found) in Kashi, the divine land, cannot be done even by gods. With my ha^ds joined, I salute the ancient pious (places), which are secret or open here (i.e. in Kasi). О men, what is the use of the fear from the multitude of sins, what is the use of the joy due to innumerable meritorious deeds done (by you), what is the use of the pride due to the study of the lores, what is the use of dejection due to the fault of dullness, what is the use of the pride due to prosperity, what is the use of being tormented due to poverty, if the lord of the universe is seen after bathing in the water of!Shri Manikarnika?

42-49. Since that city of Gadadhara, which though it has little (worldly) affluence, (though) it is small, is not reached even by desires, is not the object of even a dream, but which is reached by means of the power rich with enthusiasm, which is accompanied by the attachment of the mind and the practicability of which is possibly manifest, instantly gives salvation. I think that it is not my act, itis not the strength of theacquisition of an ancestor, it is not the unmoving authority of my kinsmen; how then can it be numbness or torment (which has brought me here)? Reaching Ganga, Prayaga, Yamuna, Kasi difficult to reach, on the coming of a good occasion — for that the favour of Sarada, giving a great fruit, is triumphant. I salute that Gadadhara who is actually present in Gaya, and who even though remembered from a distance at the time of a sraddha, gives salvation to the manes. A man with a potsherd and pitiable words, after having come from a remote place and after having trodden the path that is difficult to cross, and that is crowded with hostile (factors like) mean tigers, hyenas, thorns and snakes, should first solicit the immutable one; (for) О you rich Gadadhara living in water, he longs to see you every day. How do you, pleasing the deities and the universe by showing yourself as a result of the sraddha at Gaya, resort, like an indifferent (person) to this apathy? О Gadadhara, I have performed the sraddha through your favour. О god, (now) allow me to go home. The eulogy of the four deities gives the wealth of heaven. A man should recite it at the time of sraddha. A man should recite it at the time of bathing every day. Due to the listening to it, reciting it and muttering it the bath is equal to the bath at all holy places. О ЬгаЬтаца. the sins due to (one’s) deeds perish by listening to the praise of Prayaga, Ganga and Yamuna.

l-5a. О Narada, listen. I shall tell you the importance of Tulasi, having heard which a man is free from sin from his birth to his death. Everything of Tulasi including leaves, flowers, fruits, roots, branches, skin, and stem is purifying, so also the clay (where) Tulasi-plant grows. Those whose bodies are burnt with the Tulasi-wood (are free from sins), so also he on whose dead body the Tulasi-wood is placed and who (i.e. whose dead body) is cremated after doing so, is freed from sins. He who at the time has (heard) the narration (of the virtues) or the recollection of Vishnu, and who is cremated with the Tulasi-wood is not reborn.

5b-lla. If among hundred (pieces of any other kind of) wood, there is (just) one (piece) of Tulasi-wood (in the funeral pyre), the man would have salvation just at the time of cremation — even if he has committed a crore of sins. By being sprinkled with the water of Ganga, religious merit becomes meritorious. (Pieces of) wood become meritorious (when) mixed with Tulasi-wood. As long as the funeral pyre mixed with Tulasi-wood is burning, all his sins committed during crores of kalpas are burnt. Seeing (the dead body of) a man being burnt with the Tulasi-wood, Vi^u’s messengers take him (to Vishnu’s world) and not Yama’s servants. Freed from thousands of crores of existences, he goes to Vishflu. On those men seated in aeroplanes, who (i.e. whose dead bodies) are burnt with Tulasi-wood, gods drop handfuls of flowers. All the celestial damsels sing and singers sing songs.

1 lb-21. Seeing him, Vishnu, along with Shiva, is pleased. Taking him by his hand and physically taking him to his house Vishiju would clean all his sins in the presence of gods after having celebrated a great festival along with cries of victory. The sin of men is burnt in the fire-chamber or crematory when the fire of Tulasi-wood is burning with clarified butter. Those men who perform a sacrifice with the fire of Tulasi-wood, would obtain the fruit of an Agnishtoma sacrifice for every Sheshamum seed that is offered (into the fire). A man who offers the incense of a (piece of) Tulasl-wood to Vishnu, obtains the fruit similar to that of a hundred sacrifices (or that of the gift) of a hundred cows. That food which a man cooks as an offering of eatables tc the deity with the fire made from Tulasi-wood, is indeed offered to Vishnu. О lord, he who offers one lamp (lighted from) the Tulasi-wood to Vishnu, obtains the fruit of the religious merit earned by (the offering of) thousands of lakhs of lamps. There is no devotee seen on the earth like him who offers the sandal (-like paste) of Tulasi-wood to Krishna. О best brahmana, he becomes fit for the favour of Vishnu. Having devoutly smeared Vishnu with the sandal(-like paste) obtained from Tulasi-wood in the Kali-age, he always enjoys in the vicinity of Vishnu. He who with his body smeared with the paste from Tulasi-wood, worships Visiju, obtains the fruit of having given a hundred cows in one day — (a fruit) of the worship offered for a hundred days.

22-27. Listen (i.e. note that), the fruit of the religious merit remains as long as the sandal(-like paste) from the Tulasiwood, used for smearing the image of Vishriu, remains in the temple. The same fruit as the religious merit a man would obtain by giving eight prasthas of Sheshamum-seeds, is obtained by the favour of Vishnu. If a man gives (i.e. puts) a Tulasi-leaf on the pijrida offered to the manes, then for every leaf (that is thus offered) the manes are contented for a hundred years. A man should especially bathe with (i.e. after applying to his body) the clay at the root of Tulasi. As long as the clay is on the body, he has bathed at a holy place. When a man worships with the shoot of it (i.e. Tulasi), he has performed the worship with many flowers (and it lasts) as long as the moon and the sun (shine in the sky). All that sin like (that due to) the murder of a brahmana perishes by touching or seeing (the plant) when there is a garden of Tulasi (-plants) in one’s house. Even by seeing it, О Narada, all that (sin) perishes.

28-33. Now I shall tell you something else. Listen (to it) with a concentrated mind (i.e. attentively). О best of the divine sages, I have not told it to anyone (else). In whichever house, village or grove there would be the Tulasi(-plant), Vishflu, the lord of the world, being pleased, would stay there. In that house where there is a Tulasl(-plant) there is no poverty, no (hostile) action due to (i.e. from) the kinsmen, no grief, no fear, and no disease. Everywhere Tulasl(-plant) is auspicious, and especially so in a sacred place. Due to its being planted on the earth, it is always in the vicinity of that god (i.e. Vishnu). When Tulasi is planted (by men) they eternally get Vishiju’s position. When Tulasi is devoutly worshipped, Vishnu pacifies portents, fearful diseases and many ill-omens. Wherever the wind goes (i.e. the breezes blow) after taking the fragrance of Tulasi, (all) the ten quarters are (thereby) purified, so also the aggregate of beings of four kinds.

34-46. О best sage, the deities, Shiva, Vishnu always reside in that house in which there is the clay (taken from) the root of the Tulasi(-plant). At its root is Brahma. In the middle is god Vishnu. Rudra stays in the sprout. Therefore, Tulasi is purifying. All that sprinkling himself with water which a man does at the time of the sandhya (prayer) is snatched by demons, and gives (i.e. takes) him (to) hell. He who carries on his head the water dropping from the Tulasl-leaf obtains the fruit of (having bathed in) Ganga and would get the fruit of a gift of a hundred cows. If he especially plants a Tulasi(-plant) in the temple of Shiva, he would stay in heaven for as many yugas as is the number of the seeds (of Tulasi). Formerly goddess Parvati had planted a hundred Tulasi-trees (i.e. plants) on the Himalaya for Shankara.

I bow down to Tulasi. A man should plant (a Tulasi-plant) on a parvan day (i.e. the day of the four changes of the moon), on (any other) occasion or in Sravana, or on a Samkranti-day. Tulasi gives great religious merit. A poor man who worships Tulasi daily would be rich. The image of Vish*iu, bringing about every kind of success, gives fame also. Visiju is present there where there is a Salagrama stone. Bath and (giving) gifts there is hundred times superior to (doing so) at Varanasi. The religious merit is a crore of times superior to (a visit to) Kurukshetra, Prayaga, and Naimisaraijya. All that religious merit which can be had at Varanasi, would be (secured) there where the mark of the form of Salagrama is present. By means of the worship of a Salagrama stone, a man would quickly destroy all that sin due to the killing of a brahmana etc.

l-8a. I shall tell you, as I have heard, the greatness of Prayaga where live people who are intent upon giving large gifts and practise meritorious acts. That holy place (called Prayaga) where (i.e. by which) Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati are (flowing) is the best and is inaccessible even to gods. Such (a holy place) was never there (in the past) nor will be there (in the future). The excellent, holy place called Prayaga is best among all the holy places as the Sun is among the planets or the Moon among the stars. О learned one, he who would bathe in the morning at Prayaga, is free from great sins, and goes to the highest position. A man desiring absence of poverty should give something (to a brahmana at Prayaga). There is no doubt that a man who after going would bathe there, becomes rich and lives a long life. A man who sees the undecaying fig-tree there, (his sin due to his having committed) the murder of a brahmana perishes. That fig-tree is called Ak?aya-vata and is (i.e. will be) seen even at the end of the kalpa.

8b-13. Since Vishnu lies on its leaf, it is known to be immutable. Men dear to Vishnu, worship (the lord) there. A man should get it worshipped (i.e. should worship it) after having covered it with a thread. The god called Madhava (i.e. Vishnu) always stays there happily. One should see (the image of) him. One then is freed from great sins. Gods, sages, and men having resorted to their own places, always stay there everywhere. A man who has killed a cow, or who is a сапфНа, who is wicked or of a wicked mind, or who has murdered a child, so also who is not learned, dying there becomes one having four hands and lives in Vaikuntha for a long time.

14-19a. О best among the divine sages, listen. A man who bathes at Prayaga during the month of Magha, has no (limit to the) number of fruits (that he obtains). We hear that apati (i.e. waters) is said to be narah (i.e. waters — apab and narah are synonyms) in the entire world. Therefore, he is called Narayaija. He gives pleasures and salvation to those who have bathed there. As the Sun is best among the planets, the Moo#n among the stars, similarly Magha is the best in (i.e. for) all acts. When in Magha the Sun is in the Capricornus sign, a bath in the morning, even in the clear water of a very small puddle, gives heaven even to the sinners. О learned one, such an opportunity is rare in the three worlds with the mobile and the immobile. He too who has made an effort (to bathe) here at Prayaga and would bathe (every day) for three days or five or seven days would grow like the Moon in his family, О best brahmana.

19b-23. The mobile and immobile living beings, so also human beings and others, go soon to Vaikuntha after having resorted to the holy place of Prayaga. Those sages like Vasishtha and like Sanaka also repeatedly resort to the holy place of Prayaga. There, in the excellent holy place of Prayaga, all (gods like) Vishnu, Rudra and Indra live. They recommend giving gifts here, so also observing restraints. After having bathed there and drunk (water) there, there is no rebirth.

1. Like this, I have, through your favour, heard the greatness of Tulasi. Now tell me the vow of Tulasi (lasting for) three days.

2-9. О very intelligent brahmana, listen to this ancient vow, having heard which (a man) gets freed from all sins. There is no doubt about it. Formerly in the Raibhyantara kalpa there was a king (named) Prajapati. His well-known and very chaste wife was Candrarupa. She practised this vow giving the fruits of all desires. Her vow, giving (the fruit of) righteousness, worldly prosperity, sensual enjoyment lasted for three nights. The life of those who have listened to the Tulasl-vow is fruitful.

О Narada, on the ninth of the bright fortnight of Kartika, a man should observe restraint, be pious, control his senses and sleep on the (bare) ground. Intending to practise the Tulasi-vow, he, being pure and with his mind controlled, should, as a rule, sleep in the vicinity of a Tulasi-grove. Then at mid-day, he, having bathed in the pure water in a river etc., should duly gratify (with oblations) the manes and deities. He should get fashioned (a) golden (image of) Vishnu with Lakshmi. He, desiring his welfare, should not be dishonest as regards wealth. Then he should get fashioned a pair of garments. The garments should be yellow or white. He should duly commence the propitiatory rite for the nine planets.

10-14. Having put an oblation of rice, barley and pulse boiled for presentation to the gods and the manes, he (then) should offer a sacrifice to Vishnu. Having on the twelfth day carefully worshipped the lord of gods, he should duly place a pure pitcher without any bruise with five jewels and with leaves and herbs. On it, in a vessel, he should place (the image of) Vishnu with Lakshmi. He should put it at the root of Tulasi to the accompaniment of Vedic and Puriiflic hymns. He should sprinkle the grove of Tulasi with water only. He should bathe the god of gods, the best one in the world, with the five1 sweet things (viz. milk, sugar, ghee, curd and honey) (and to the accompaniment of this hymn of solicitation): ‘May that lord of gods, the divine one, who is of endless forms, who is of the form of the entire universe, who in the water sustains the creation of the world, who through his Maya creates the world, be pleased with me’.

15. This is the hymn of solicitation. ‘Come on, О Acyuta, О lord of gods, О mass of lustre, О lord of the world. You always remove the darkness. Protect me from the ocean of the mundane existence.’

16. This is the invocatory hymn. Good bath is (given to him) with the five sweet things and with sandal mixed with water, so also with the water of Ganga and other (rivers). ‘May Ananta (i.e. Vishflu thus) bathed, be pleased.’

1. Paftcamrta: A collection of five sweet things used in worshipping deities. They are: milk, sugar, ghee, curd, and honey.

17. This is the hymn (to be recited) at the time of bathing the image of the deity. ‘O god, I have devoutly offered you the smearing with sandal, agaru, camphor and saffron etc. With Lakshmi, accept it.’

18. This is the hymn (to be recited) at the time of smearing (the image). ‘O Narayaria, salutation to you, the protector (of me) from the ocean of hell. О you lord of the three worlds,

19. This is the hymn (to be recited) at the time of (offering) the garments. ‘O Damodara, my salutation to you. Protect me from the ocean of the worldly existence.

20. This is the hymn (to be recited) at the time of (offering) the sacred thread. This is the hymn (to be recited) at the time of offering flowers.

21. ‘O lord, l have offered you fragrant flowers like those of malatl etc. О lord of gods, accept them with love.’

22. This is the hymn (to be recited) at the time of offering of eatables. ‘O lord of gods, accept the betal nuts, the nagaleaves along with camphor. (Please) accept the tambula.’

23. This is the hymn (to be recited) at the time of offering a tambula. Having devoutly offered incense, agaru mixed with guggula (a particular fragrant gum resin) he should offer the worship thus. He should use a lamp with (i.e. burning due to) ghee.

24-27. О best among sages, he, being controlled, should prepare various kinds of lamps in front of Lakshmi and Narayana in the vicinity of the Tulasi-grove, and should offer materials of worship to the god holding the disc. On the ninth he should offer the best materials of worship with a coconut for (obtaining) a son; on the tenth he should offer a citron fruit for the accomplishment of religious merit and sensual enjoyment. On the eleventh he should worship the twin deity with a pomegranate. (This would) always destroy his poverty.

28-29. Covering with a piece of cloth, a full plate of metal and a basket full of seven (kinds of) grains and betel nuts, he should offer it to the god to the accompaniment of this (i.e. the following) hymn. О Narada, listen with a concentrated mind. ‘O god, you, with Tulasi, (please) accept this material of worship always accompanied by a conch, offered by me. О lord of gods, my salutation to you.’

30-35. This is the hymn (to be offered) at the time of offering materials of worship. Having thus worshipped Vishnu, the lord of gods, along with Lakshmi, he should solicit the lord of gods for the fulfilment (of the vow). (He should say): ‘O god, I being free from sensual desires and anger, have fasted by means of this vow. О lord of gods, you alone are my refuge. О god Janardana, let all that which in (i.e. while practising) this vow I have done (i.e. left) incomplete, be complete through your favour. Salutation to you, О lotus-eyed one; salutation to you who lie in water. О Kesava, through your favour I have practised the vow. О Kesava, О you who destroy the darkness of ignorance, being favourably disposed to me due to this vow, be one who would give me the sight of knowledge.’ Then at night (he should) keep awake, should sing songs, read (religious) books along with those who know sounds and art of dancing and with very auspicious and meritorious accounts.

36-43. When it is daybreak, and when the bright sun has arisen, he should devoutly invite brahmanas and offer a sraddha in the manner of Vishnu’s devotee. Having fed them, as they like, with sweetened milk and ghee, and having given them tambiilas, flowers, sandal etc. along with presents, so also sacred threads, garments, garlands and sandal, he should feed three (brahmana-)couples (and give them) garments, ornaments and saffron. He should also fill baskets according to his capacity with coconuts, cooked foods, garments and various kinds of fruits. He should make his preceptor and his wife put on the garments and divine ornaments (offered to them). He should worship (them) with sandal and flowers. He should also give a milch-cow along with articles of household use and with presents and garments. Listen to me who am telling you. All that religious merit which men obtain after bathing in all holy places is obtained by them through the favour of the lord of gods. Having enjoyed many pleasures and charming desired objects, he, through Visou’s favour, obtains Vishjju’s position in the end.

1. Tell me all that: Which things a man desirous of giving (gifts) to brahmanas excellent in merit, should give in this world?

2-6. Having known the truth in the world, listen, О you best among the divine sages. They praise food like this. Everything is settled in food. Therefore, men particularly desire to give food. There was no gift nor there will be a gift like food. The whole world consisting of the immobile and the mobile, is sustained by means of food. In the world food causes vigour. Life depends upon food only. A man desiring his own welfare, should even by troubling his family give eatable food to a magnanimous brahmaria. О Narada, he who would give food to a brahmana who asks for it and who is afflicted, is the best among the wise. He should look for his own well-being.

7-15. A wise man who is of a good character, who is free from jealousy, who, after abandoning his anger, gives food to a householder a brahmana — who is tired, who is on the road (i.e. who is travelling), who has come at the time (of eating food), obtains happiness that is there in heaven and on the earth. He should not censure the guest. He should never hate him. He should offer food to a brahmana knowing the Vedas. That gift is superior. He who would give food to a brahmana who is tired, who is not seen before, and who is travelling, so also to him who is afflicted, would obtain full (merit of) righteousness. The religious merit of that man who would please the manes, gods, brahmartas and guests with foods, is unlimited, О great sage. He who, even after having committed a very great sin, gives food to a suppliant, especially to a brahmana, is freed from sins. Gift given to brahmaoas is inexhaustible (in merit); (gift of) food to a shudra gives a great fruit. Offering food to a shQdra and to a brahmana is superior (to any other gift). He should not ask (the brahmana about his) family, the school of the Vedas to which he belongs, or about his study (of the Vedas).

Не should give food (thinking that) here is а ЬгаЬтаца that seeks (food), so also to a beggarly brahmaua. For a man who gives food, auspicious trees full of the fruits of all desires, are (fruitful) in this world and in heaven he is full of joy.

16-21. О great sage, know those worlds which are (reached by him) by means of giving food. For the magnanimous ones (who give food) aeroplanes of many shapes and forms and endowed with (the fulfilment of) various desires, shine in heaven. (They enjoy) auspicious, golden wells and lakes everywhere. (They rejoice with) sounding vehicles and thousands of pearls. They see mountains full of food. There are (for them) garments and ornaments. There are (for them) rivers flowing with milk and mountains of ghee. There are (for them) palaces shining with white colour, beds bright like gold. They desire, therefore, to give food. So a man should give food. Those worlds are (reached) by the meritorious. Offering food gives great fruit. Therefore, in this world men should especially give food.

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