, and is never troubled by
misfortunes. The Brahmana who takes his food in the company of Sudras is
purged from all impurity by duly observing the ceremonies of
purification. The Brahmana who takes his food in the company of Vaisyas
is absolved from sin by living on alms for three successive nights. If a
Brahmana takes his food with Kshatriyas, he should make expiation by
bathing with his clothes on. By eating with a Sudra from off the same
plate the Sudra loses his family respectability; the Vaisya by eating
from off the same plate with a Vaisya, loses his cattle and friends. The
Kshatriya loses his prosperity, and the Brahmana his splendour and
energy. In such cases, expiations should be made, and propitiatory rites
should be observed, and oblations offered to the gods. The Savitri hymn
should be recited and the Revati rites and Kushmanda penances should be
observed with the view of destroying the sin. If any of the above four
classes partake of food partly eaten by a person of any other class, the
expiation is undoubtedly made by smearing the body with auspicious
substances like Rochana, Durva grass, and turmeric."'"

SECTION CXXXVII

"'Yudhishthira said, "O Bharata, of the two things charity and devotion,
do thou condescend to tell me, O sire, which is the better in this world?
Do thou, by this, remove a great doubt from my mind."

"'Bhishma said, "Do thou, listen to me as I recite the names of the
princes who having been devoted to virtue, and having cleansed their
hearts by penances and practised gifts and other acts of piety,
undoubtedly attained to the different celestial regions. The Rishi Atreya
revered by all, attained, O monarch, to the excellent celestial regions,
by imparting the knowledge of the unconditional Supreme Being to his
pupils. King Sivi, the son of Usinara, by offering the life of his dear
son, for the benefit of a Brahmana, was translated from this world to
heaven. And Pratardana, the king of Kasi, by giving his son to a
Brahmana, secured to himself unique and undying fame in this as well as
in the other world. Rantideva, the son of Sankriti, attained to the
highest heaven by duly making gifts to the high-souled Vasishtha.
Devavriddha too went to heaven by giving a hundred-ribbed and excellent
golden umbrella to a Brahmana for a sacrifice. The worshipful Amvarisha
too has attained to the region of the gods, by making a gift of all his
kingdom to a Brahmana of great power. King Janamejaya