t is the high reward attainable through the merit
arising from gifts. What gifts, O king, are productive of rewards both
here and hereafter? I desire to hear all this from thee. Do thou
discourse to me on all this in detail."

"'Bhishma said, "These very questions were on a former occasion put by me
to Narada of celestial appearance. Hear me as I recite to thee what that
celestial sage told me in reply.

"'"Narada said, 'The deities and all the Rishis applaud food. The course of
the world and the intellectual faculties have all been established on
food. There has never been, nor will be any gift that is equal to the
gifts of food. Hence, men always desire particularly to make gifts of
food. In this world, food is the cause of energy and strength. The
life-breaths are established on food. It is food that upholds the wide
universe, O puissant one. All classes of men, householders and mendicants
and ascetics, exist, depending upon food. The life-breaths depend upon
food. There is no doubt in this. Afflicting (if need be) one's relatives,
one that is desirous of one's own prosperity, should make gifts of food
unto a high-souled Brahmana or a person of the mendicant order. That man
who makes a gift of food unto an accomplished Brahmana who solicits the
same, secures for himself in the world to come wealth of great value. The
householder who is desirous of his own prosperity should receive with
reverence a deserving old man that is spent with toil while proceeding on
his way far from home, when such a man honours the householder's abode
with his presence. That man who, casting off wrath that overleaps every
bound and becoming righteous in disposition and freed from malice, makes
gifts of food, is sure to attain to happiness, O king, both here and
hereafter. The householder should never disregard the man that comes to
his abode, nor should he insult him by sending him away. A gift of food
made unto even a Chandala or a dog is never lost. That man who makes a
gift of clean food unto a person on the way who is toil-worn and unknown
to the giver, is sure to acquire great merit. The man who gratifies with
gifts of food the Pitris, the deities, the Rishis, the Brahmanas, and
guests arrived at his abode, acquires merit whose measure is very large.
That person who having committed even a heinous sin makes a gift of food
unto one that solicits, or unto a Brahmana, is never stupefied by that
heinous sin. A gift of food made unto a Brah