t merit. Therefore, do it. Thou shouldst
be always maintained by me with great care. Maintenance of the father is
a duty which the good always covet. The maintenance of the father in his
old age is the duty ordained for the son. Even this is the eternal sruti
(audition) current in the three worlds, O learned Rishi. By barely living
thou art capable of practising penances. The life-breath is the great
deity that resides in the bodies of all embodied creatures.'[217]

"'"The father, at this, said, 'If thou attainest to the age of even a
thousand years, thou wilt still seem to me to be only a little child.
Having begotten a son, the sire achieves success through him. O puissant
one, I know that the hunger of children is very strong. I am old. I shall
somehow succeed in holding my life-breaths. Do thou, O son, become strong
(by eating the food that has fallen to thy share). Old and decrepit as I
am, O son, hunger scarcely afflicts me. I have, again, for many years,
practised penances. I have no fear of death.'

"'"The son said, 'I am thy offspring. The Sruti declares that one's
offspring is called putra because one is rescued by him. One's own self,
again, takes birth as one's son. Do thou, therefore, rescue thyself by
thy own self (in the form of thy son).'

"'"The father said, 'In form thou art like me. In conduct and in
self-restraint also thou art my like. Thou hast been examined on various
occasions by me. I shall, therefore, accept thy share of the barley, O
son.' Having said this, that foremost of regenerate persons cheerfully
took his son's share of the barley and smilingly presented it to his
regenerate guest. Having eaten that barley also, the guest's hunger was
not appeased. The righteous-souled host in the observance of the unccha
vow became ashamed (at the thought that he had nothing more to give).
Desirous of doing what was agreeable to him, his chaste daughter-in-law
then, bearing her share of the barley, approached him and said, 'Through
thy son, O learned Brahmana, I shall obtain a son. Do thou, therefore,
take my share of the barley and give it unto this guest. Through thy
grace, numerous regions of beatitude will be mine for eternity. Through
the grandson one obtains those regions repairing whither one has not to
endure any kind of misery. Like the triple aggregate beginning with
Religion, or the triple aggregate of sacred fires, there is a triple
aggregate of everlasting Heavens, depending upon the son,