ained in former days by king Sivi in consequence of his
having granted life to the pigeon is acquired by him, O monarch, who
makes a gift of food unto a Brahmana. Hence, it has been heard by us that
they that give life attain to very superior regions of felicity in after
life. Food, O best of the Kurus, may or may not be superior to drink.
Nothing can exist without the aid of what springs from water. The very
lord of all the planets, viz., the illustrious Soma, has sprung from
water. Amrita and Sudha and Swadha and milk as also every kind of food,
the deciduous herbs, O monarch, and creepers (medicinal and of other
virtues), spring from water. From these, O king, the life-breath of all
living creatures flows. The deities have nectar for their food. The Nagas
have Sudha. The Pitris have Swadha for theirs. The animals have herbs and
plants for their food. The wise have said that rice, etc., constitute the
food of human beings. All these, O chief of men, spring from water.
Hence, there is nothing superior to the gift of water or drink. If a
person wishes to secure prosperity for himself, he should always make
gifts of drink. The gift of water is regarded as very praiseworthy. It
leads to great fame and bestows long life on the giver. The giver of
water, O son of Kunti, always stays over the heads of his enemies. Such a
person obtains the fruition of all his wishes and earns everlasting fame.
The giver, O chief of men, becomes cleansed of every sin and obtains
unending felicity hereafter as he proceeds to heaven, O thou of great
splendour. Manu himself has said that such a person earns regions of
inexhaustible bliss in the other world."'"

SECTION LXVIII

"'Yudhishthira said, "Do thou discourse to me once again, O grandsire,
upon the merits attaching to gifts of sesame and of lamps for lighting
darkness, as also of food and robes."

"'Bhishma said, "In this connection, O Yudhishthira, is recited the
narrative of the discourse that took place in ancient times between a
Brahmana and Yama. In the country lying between the rivers Ganga and
Yamuna, at the foot of the hills called Yamuna, there was a large town
inhabited by Brahmanas. The town was celebrated under the name of
Parnasala and was very delightful in appearance, O king. A large number
of learned Brahmanas lived in it. One day, Yama, the ruler of the dead,
commanded a messenger of his, who was clad in black, endued with
blood-red eyes and hair standing erect, and