his sacred fire every day for a
whole year, and who performs three ablutions in course of the day for
purifying himself and saying his prayers and doing his worship, and who
leads a life of Brahmacharya, divested of malice in his conduct, acquires
the merit of the Gomedha sacrifice. He acquires an excellent car adorned
with pure gold, possessed of the effulgence of a blazing fire and drawn
by swans and peacocks. He sleeps on the lap of Apsaras and is awakened
every morning by the melodious tinkle of Nupuras and Kanchis. He leads
such a life of happiness for ten thousand million years and three
thousand million besides and eight and ten Padmas and two Patakas.[493]
Such a man resides also, honoured by all, in the region of Brahma for as
many years as there are hairs on the bodies of hundreds of bears. Fasting
for six days, he who eats only one meal every seventh day and pours
libations on the sacred fire every day, for a full year, restraining
speech all the while and observing the vow of Brahmacharya, and
abstaining from the use of flowers and unguents and honey and meat,
attains to the region of the Maruts and of Indra. Crowned with the
fruition of every desire as it springs up in the mind, he is waited upon
and adored by celestial damsels. He acquires the merits of a sacrifice in
which abundance of gold is given away. Proceeding to the regions named,
he lives there for countless years in the greatest happiness[494]. He who
shows forgiveness to all and fasting for seven days eats on every eighth
day for a whole year, and, pouring libations every day on the sacred
fire, adores the deities regularly, acquires the high merits of the
Paundarika sacrifice. The car he rides is of a colour like that of the
lotus. Without doubt, such a man acquires also a large number of damsels,
possessed of youth and beauty, some having complexions that are dark,
some with complexions like that of gold, and some that are Syamas, whose
looks and attitudes are of the most agreeable kind. He who fasts for
eight days and takes only one meal on every ninth day for a whole year,
and pours libations on the sacred fire every day, acquires the high
merits of a thousand Horse-sacrifices. The car he rides in Heaven is as
beautiful as a lotus. He always makes his journeys on that car,
accompanied by the daughters of Rudra adorned with celestial garlands and
endued with the effulgence of the midday sun or the fires of blazing
flames. Attaining to the regio