at
Vighasa (viz., what remains after serving the deities and guests).
Indeed, he should be hospitable towards all that come to his abode. He
should always eat Amrita (viz., the food that remains in the house after
all the family, including guests and servants have eaten) He should duly
observe all rites and perform sacrifices."

"'Yudhishthira said, "How may one come to be regarded as always observant
of fasts? How may one become observant of vows? How, O king, may one come
to be an eater of Vighasa? By doing what may one be said to be found of
guest?"

"'Bhishma said, "He who takes food only morning and evening at the
prescribed hours and abstains from all food during the interval between,
is said to be an abstainer from food. He who has congress with only his
wedded wife and that only at her season, is said to be observant of the
vow of Brahmacharya. By always making gifts, one comes to be regarded as
truthful in speech. By abstaining from all meat obtained from animals
slaughtered for nothing, one becomes an abstainer from meat.[417] By
making gifts one becomes cleansed of all sins, and by abstaining from
sleep during daytime one comes to be regarded as always awake. He who
always eats what remains after serving the needs of guests and servants
is said to always eat Amrita. He who abstains from eating till Brahmanas
have eaten (of that food), is regarded as conquering heaven by such
abstention. He who eats what remains after serving the deities, the
Pitris, and relatives and dependants, is said to eat Vighasa. Such men
acquire many regions of felicity in the abode of Brahman himself. There,
O king, they dwell in the company of Apsaras and Gandharvas. Indeed, they
sport and enjoy all sports of delight in those regions, with the deities
and guests and the Pitris in their company, and surrounded by their own
children and grandchildren. Even such becomes their high end."

"'Yudhishthira said, "People are seen to make diverse kinds of gifts unto
the Brahmanas. What, however, is the difference, O grandsire, between the
giver and the receiver?"

"'Bhishma said, "The Brahmana accepts gifts from him that is righteous,
and from him that is unrighteous. If the giver happens to be righteous,
the receiver incurs little fault. If on the other hand, the giver happens
to be unrighteous the receiver sinks in hell. In this connection is cited
an old history of the conversation between Vrishadarbhi and the seven
Rishis, O Bharata.