thy permission, O highly blessed one, we
desire to perform a sacrifice. The person who has not obtained by lawful
means the earth whereon to make the sacrificial altar, earns not the
merit of the sacrifice he performs. Thou art the Lord of all the universe
consisting of its mobile and immobile objects. Hence, it behoveth thee to
grant us a piece of earth for the sacrifice we wish to make.'

"'"Brahman said, 'Ye foremost of deities, I shall give you a piece of earth
whereon, ye sons of Kasyapa, you shall perform your intended sacrifice.'

"'"The deities said, 'Our wishes, O holy one, have been crowned with
fruition. We shall perform our sacrifice even here with large Dakshina.
Let, however, the Munis always adore the piece of earth.' Then there came
to that place Agastya and Kanwa and Bhrigu and Atri and Vrishakapi, and
Asita and Devala. The high-souled deities then, O thou of unfading glory,
performed their sacrifice. Those foremost of gods concluded it in due
time. Having completed that sacrifice of theirs on the breast of that
foremost of mountains, Himavat, the deities attached to the gift of earth
a sixth part of the merit arising from their sacrifice. The man who makes
a gift of even a span of earth (unto a Brahmana) with reverence and
faith, has never to languish under any difficulty and has never to meet
with any calamity. By making a gift of a house that keeps out cold, wind,
and sun, and that stand upon a piece of clean land, the giver attains to
the region of the deities and does not fall down even when his merit
becomes exhausted. By making a gift of a residential house, the giver,
possessed of wisdom, lives, O king, in happiness in the company of Sakra.
Such a person receives great honours in heaven. That person in whose
house a Brahmana of restrained sense, well-versed in the Vedas, and
belonging by birth to a family of preceptors, resides in contentment,
succeeds in attaining to and enjoying a region of high felicity.[341]
After the same manner, O best of the Bharatas, by giving away a shed for
the shelter of kine that can keep out cold and rain and that is
substantial in structure, the giver rescues seven generations of his race
(from hell). By giving away a piece of arable earth the giver attains to
excellent prosperity. By giving a piece of earth containing mineral
wealth, the giver aggrandises his family and race. One should never give
away any earth that is barren or that is burnt (arid); nor should o