ver
crossing him in anything, or similarly serves his mother or (elder)
brother or other senior or preceptor, it should be known, O king, earns a
residence in heaven. The man of cleansed soul, in consequence of such
service rendered to his seniors, has never even to behold hell."'"

SECTION LXXVI

"'Yudhishthira said, "I desire, O king, to hear thee discourse in detail
upon those high ordinances which regulate gifts of kine, for it is by
making gifts (of kine) according to those ordinances that one attains to
innumerable regions of eternal felicity."

"'Bhishma said, "There is no gift, O lord of Earth, that is higher in
point of merit than the gift of kine. A cow, lawfully acquired, if given
away, immediately rescues the whole race of the giver. That ritual which
sprang for the benefit of the righteous, was subsequently declared for
the sake of all creatures. That ritual has come down from primeval time.
It existed even before it was declared. Verily, O king, listen to me as I
recite to thee that ritual which affects the gift of kine.[366] In days
of yore when a number of kine (intended to be given away) was brought
(before him), king Mandhatri, filled with doubt in respect of the ritual
he should observe (in actually giving them away), properly questioned
Vrihaspati (the preceptor of the celestials) for an explanation of that
doubt. Vrihaspati said, 'Duly observing restraints the while, the giver
of kine should, on the previous day, properly honour the Brahmanas and
appoint the (actual) time of gift. As regards the kine to be given away,
they should be of the class called Rohini. The kine also should be
addressed with the words--Samange and Vahule--Entering the fold where the
kine are kept, the following Srutis should be uttered,--The cow is my
mother. The bull is my sire. (Give me) heaven and earthly prosperity! The
cow is my refuge!--Entering the fold and acting in this way, the giver
should pass the night there. He should again utter the formula when
actually giving away the kine.[367] The giver, thus residing with the
kine in the fold without doing anything to restrain their freedom, and
lying down on the bare earth (without driving away the gnats and other
insects that would annoy him as they annoy the kine), becomes immediately
cleansed of all his sins in consequence of his reducing himself to a
state of perfect similitude with the kine. When the sun rises in the
morning, thou shouldst give away the cow, ac