Yudhishthira said When a king wishes to make gifts in this world, what, indeed, are those gifts which he should make, O best of the Bharatas, to such Brahmanas as are endued with superior accomplishments? What gift is that by which the Brahmanas become readily pleased? What fruits do they give in return? O you of powerful arms, tell me what is the high reward which can be won through the merit of gifts.

What gifts, O king; yield rewards both in this world and in the next? I wish to hear all this from you. Do you describe to me all this in detail.

Bhishma said These very questions were formerly put by me to Narada. Hear me as I recite to you what that celestial sage had told me in reply.

Narada said The celestials and all the Rishis speak highly of food. The course of the world and the intellectual faculties have all been fixed on food.

There has never been, nor will be, any gift equal to the gift of food. Hence, men always wish particularly to make gifts of food.

In this world, food is the root of energy and strength. The vital airs are established on food. It is food that keeps up the wide universe, O powerful one.

All classes of men, householders and mendicants and ascetics, live upon food. The vital airs depend upon food. There is no doubt in this.

Afflicting one's relatives, one, if desirous of his own prosperity, should make gifts of food to a great Brahmana or a person of the mendicant order.

That man who makes a gift of food to an accomplished Brahmana who begs the same, secures for himself in the next world wealth of great value.

The householder who seeks his own prosperity should receive with respect a deserving old man who is worn out with toil while proceeding on his way far from home, when such a man come to the householder's house.

That man who, shorn of irrepressible anger and becoming righteous in nature and freed from malice, makes gifts of food, is sure to acquire happiness, O king, both in this world and in the next.

The householder should never disregard the man who comes to his place, nor should he insult him by sending him away. A gift of food made to even a Chandala or a dog is never lost.

That man who makes a gift of clean food to a person on the way who is fatigued and unknown to the giver, is sure to win great merit.

The man who pleases with gifts of food the departed manes, the deities, the Rishis, the Brahmanas, and guests arrived at his house, wins great merit.

That person who having committed even a heinous crime makes a gift of food to one who solicits, or to a Brahmana in special, is never stupefied by that heinous sin.

A gift of food made to a Brahmana becoines eternal. One made to a Shudra yields great merit. This is the difference between the merits of the gifts of food made to Brahmanas and Shudras.

Solicited by a Brahmana, one should not enquire about his family or conduct or Vedic learning. Asked for food, one should give food to him who asks.

There is no doubt in this, O king, that he who makes gifts of food gets both in this world and in the next many trees giving food and every other object of desire.

Like cultivators expecting auspicious showers of rain, the departed manes always expect that their sons and grandsons would present food to them.

The Brahmana is a great being. When he comes into one's house and solicits, saying, Give me!the owner of the house, whether actuated or not by the desire of gaining merit, is sure to win great merit by listening to that prayer.

The Brahmana is the guest of all creatures in the universe. He is entitled to the first part of every food. That house increases in prosperity to which the Brahmanas go from desire of getting alms and from which they return honoured on account of their desires being satisfied. The owner of such a house is born in his next life in a family, O Bharata, that has all the comforts and luxuries of life.

A man, by making gifts of food in this world, is sure to acquire an excellent place hereafter. He who makes gifts of sweet meats and all food that is sweet, gains a residence in heaven where he is honoured of all the deities and other denizens. inan

Food forms the life-breaths of men. Everything rests upon food. He who makes gifts of food gets many animals, many children, profuse riches (in other shape), and all articles of comfort and luxury in profusion.

The giver of food is said to be the giver of life. Indeed, he is said to be the giver of everything. Hence, O king, such a acquires both strength and personal grace in this world.

If food be given duly to a Brahmana come to one's house as a guest, the giver acquires great happiness, and is adored by the very celestials.

The Brahmana, O Yudhishthira, is a great Being. He is also a fertile field. Whatever seed is sown on that field yields an abundant crop of merit.

A gift of food readily yields the happiness of both the giver and the receiver. All other gifts produce unseen fruits.

From food originate creatures. From food springs happiness and joy, O Bharata, Know that virtue and wordly profit both spring from food. The cure of disease or health also comes from food.

In a former Age, the Lord of all creatures said that food is ambrosia or the source of immortality. Food is Earth, Food is Heaven, Food is the Sky. Everything rests on food.

In the absence of food, the five elements that form the body cease to exist in a state of unison. From want of food the strength of even the strongest man is seen to fail.

Invitation and marriages and sacrifices all cease for want of food. The very Vedas disappear when there is no food.

All the mobile and iminobile creatures of the universe depend on food. Virtue and, worldly profit, in the three worlds, depend on food. Hence the wise should make gifts of food.

The strength, energy, fame and achievements of the man who makes gifts of food, always multiply themselves in the three worlds, O king.

The deity of wind, places above the clouds (the water drawn by the Sun). The water thus taken to the clouds is caused by Shakra to be poured upon the Earth, O Bharata.

The Sun, by means of his rays, draws up the moisture of the Earth. The god of wind cause the moisture to fall down from the Sun.

When the water comes down from the clouds upon the Earth, the goddess Earth become moist, О Bharata.

Then do people sow various kinds of crops upon whose outturn the universe of creatures depends. It is from the food thus produced that the flesh, fat, bones and vital seed of all beings originate.

From the vital seed thus made, O king, spring various kinds of living creatures. Agni and Soma, living within the body, create and maintain the vital seed.

Thus from food, the Sun and the god of wind and the vital seed spring and act. All these are said to form one element or quantity, and it is from these that all creatures originate.

That man who gives unto one who comes to his house and begs it, is said, O chief of the Bharatas, to contribute both life and energy to living creatures.

Bhishma said Thus addressed by Narada, O king, I have always made gifts of food. Do you also, therefore, freed from malice and with a cheerful heart, make gifts of food.

By making gifts of food, O king, worthy Brahinanas with due rites, you may be sure, O powerful one, of attaining to Heaven.

Hear me, O king, as I tell you what the regions are reserved for those who make gifts of food. The mansions of those great persons shine with resplendence in the regions of Heaven.

Bright as the stars in the sky, and supported upon many columns, white as the disc of the moon, and adorned with many tinkling bells, and rosy like the newly risen sun, those palaces are either fixed or movable.

Those mansions are filled with hundreds and hundreds of things and animals that live on land and as many things and animals living in water. Some of them are effulgent like lapis lazuli and some are resplendent like the Sun. Some of them are made of silver and some of gold.

Within those mansions are many trees capable of satisfying every desire of the inmates. Many tanks and roads and halls and wells and lakes are all there.

Thousands of vehicles with horses and other animals harnessed thereto and with wheels whose caltter is always loud, are all there. Mountains of food and all enjoyable articles and heaps of cloths and ornaments are also there.

Numerous rivers that run milk, and hills of rice and other edibles, are also there. Indeed, many palatial residences loO king like white clouds, with many beds of golden splendour, are in those regions.

All these are won by those men who make gifts of food in this world. Do you, therefore, become a giver of food. Indeed these are the regions reserved for those great and righteous persons who make gifts of food in this world. For these reasons, men should always make gifts of food in this world.