na,
attains to eternal felicity after death and resides in the region of
Indra, respected by Brahmanas, Apsaras, and Devas. O puissant one, he who
gives shoes to Snataka Brahmanas as also to Brahmanas practising the
rites of religion whose feet have become sore with the heat of the sun,
attains to regions coveted by the very deities. Such a man, O Bharata,
dwells in happiness in the highest Heaven after his death. O foremost one
of Bharata's race, I have thus recited to thee in full, the merits of
giving away shoes and umbrellas at religious ceremonies!"'"

SECTION XCVII

"'Yudhishthira said, "O foremost one of Bharata's race, do thou relate to
me all the duties of the household mode and tell me all that a man should
do in order to attain to prosperity in this world."

"'Bhishma said, "O Bharata, I shall, in this connection, recite to thee
the old story of Vasudeva and the goddess Earth. The puissant Vasudeva, O
excellent prince of Bharata's race, after hymning the praises of the
goddess Earth, questioned her about this very topic that thou hast
enquired about.

"'"Vasudeva said, 'Having adopted the state of a householder, what acts
should I, or one like me, perform and how are such acts to fructify in
good?'

"'"The goddess Earth said, 'O Madhava, the Rishis, the deities, the Pitris,
and men should be worshipped, and sacrifices should be performed, by a
householder. Do thou also learn this from me that the deities are always
pleased with sacrifices, and men are gratified with hospitality.
Therefore, the householder should gratify them with such objects as they
desire. By such acts, O slayer of Madhu, the Rishis also are gratified.
The householder, abstaining from food, should daily attend to his sacred
fire and to his sacrificial offerings. The deities, O slayer of Madhu,
are gratified with such acts. The householder should daily offer
oblations of food and water, or of fruits, roots and water, for the
gratification of the Pitris, and the Vaiswadeva offering should be
performed with rice boiled, and oblations of clarified butter unto Agni,
Soma, and Dhanwantari. He should offer separate and distinct oblations
unto Prajapati. He should make sacrificial offerings in due order; to
Yama in the Southern region, to Varuna in Western region, to Soma in the
Northern region, to Prajapati within the homestead, to Dhanwantari in the
North-eastern region, and to Indra in the Eastern region. He should offer
food to men at