with fruition.  Such a person rides on a celestial car of golden complexion, of the effulgence of the morning sun, set with pearls and lapis lazuli, resounding with the music of Vinas and Murajas, adorned with banners and lamps, and echoing with the tinkle of celestial bells, such a person enjoys all kinds of happiness in heaven for as many years as there are pores in his body.  There is no Sastra superior to the Veda.  There is no person more worthy of reverence than the mother.  There is no acquisition superior to that of Righteousness, and no penance superior to fast.  There is nothing, more sacred, in heaven or earth, than Brahmanas.  After the same manner there is no penance that is superior to the observance of fasts.  It was by fasts that the deities have succeeded in becoming denizens of heaven.  It is by fasts that the Rishis have attained to high success.  Viswamitra passed a thousand celestial years, confining himself every day to only one meal, and as the consequence thereof attained to the status of a Brahmana.  Chyavana and Jamadagni and Vasishtha and Gautama and Bhrigu—­all these great Rishis endued with the virtue of forgiveness, have attained to heaven through observance of fasts.  In former days Angiras declared so unto the great Rishis.  The man who teaches another the merit of fasts have never to suffer any kind of misery.  The ordinances about fasts, in their due order, O son of Kunti, have flowed from the great Rishi Angiras.  The man who daily reads these ordinances or hears them read, becomes freed from sins of every kind.  Not only is such a person freed from every calamity, but his mind becomes incapable of being touched by any kind of fault.  Such a person succeeds in understanding the sounds of all creatures other than human, and acquiring eternal fame, become foremost of his species.’”

SECTION CVII

“Yudhishthira said, ’O high-souled grandsire, thou hast duly discoursed to us on the subject of Sacrifices, including the merits in detail that attach to them both here and hereafter.  It should be remembered, however, O grandsire, that Sacrifices are incapable of being performed, by people that are poor, for these require a large store of diverse kinds of articles.  Indeed, O grandsire, the merit attaching to Sacrifices can be acquired by only kings and princes.  That merit is incapable of being acquired by those that are destitute of wealth and divested of ability and that live alone and are helpless.  Do thou tell us, O grandsire, what the ordinances are in respect of those acts that are fraught with merit equal to what attaches to sacrifices and which, therefore, are capable of being performed by persons destitute of means.’[490]