golden-complexioned
_Apsaras_, dwell in contentment on the shores of those lakes. He who
giveth cows (to Brahmanas) attaineth the highest regions; by giving
bullocks he reacheth the solar regions, by giving clothes he getteth to
the lunar world, and by giving gold he attaineth to the state of the
Immortals. He who giveth a beautiful cow with a fine calf, and which is
easily milked and which doth not run away, is (destined) to live for as
many years in the celestial regions as there are hairs on the body of
that animal. He who giveth a fine, strong, powerful, young bullock,
capable of drawing the plough and bearing burdens, reacheth the regions
attained by men who give ten cows. When a man bestoweth a
well-caparisoned _kapila_ cow with a brazen milk-pail and with money
given afterwards, that cow becoming, by its own distinguished qualities,
a giver of everything reacheth the side of the man who gave her away. He
who giveth away cows, reapeth innumerable fruits of his action, measured
by the hairs on the body of that animal. He also saveth (from perdition)
in the next world his sons and grandsons and ancestors to the seventh
generation. He who presenteth to a Brahmana, sesamum made up in the form
of a cow, having horns made of gold, with money besides, and a brazen
milk-pail, subsequently attaineth easily to the regions of the _Vasus_.
By his own acts man descends into the darksome lower regions, infested
by evil spirits (of his own passions) like a ship tossed by the storm in
the high seas; but the gift of kine to Brahmanas saves him in the next
world. He who giveth his daughter in marriage, in the _Brahma_ form, who
bestoweth gifts of land on Brahmanas and who duly maketh other presents,
attaineth to the regions of Purandara. O Tarkshya, the virtuous man who
is constant in presenting oblations to the sacred fire for seven years,
sanctifieth by his own action seven generations up and down."

"'Tarkshya said, "O beautiful lady, explain to me who ask thee, the
rules for the maintenance of the sacred fire as inculcated in the
_Vedas_. I shall now learn from thee the time-honoured rules for
perpetually keeping up the sacred fire."'"

SECTION CLXXXVI

"Then Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu, said to the Brahmana, Markandeya,
'Do thou now narrate the history of Vaivaswata Manu.'

"Markandeya replied, 'O king, O foremost of men, there was a powerful
and great _Rishi_ of the name of Manu. He was the son of Vivaswan and
was eq