of Gorochana, or who hold Vachas in their hands, or who make gifts of ghee with those ingredients that go by the name of Akshata, or who place ghee and Akshata on their heads, or those who abstain from meat are incapable of being afflicted by us.  That man in whose house the sacred fire burns day and night without being ever put out, or who keeps the skin or teeth of a wolf in his abode or a hill-tortoise, or from whose habitation the sacrificial smoke is seen to curl upwards, or who keeps a cat or a goat that is either tawny or black in hue, is free from our power.  Verily, those householders who keep these things in their houses always find them free from the inroads of even the fiercest spirits that live on carrion.  Those beings also, that like us range through different worlds in pursuit of pleasure, are unable to do any injury to such houses.  Hence, ye deities, should men keep such articles in their houses,—­articles that are destructive of Rakshasas (and other beings of the kind).  We have thus told you everything about that respecting which ye had great doubts.’”

SECTION CXXXII

“Bhishma said, ’After this, the Grandsire Brahman, sprang from the primeval lotus and resembling the lotus (in agreeableness and fragrance), addressed the deities with Vasava, the lord of Sachi, at their head,—­Yonder sits the mighty Naga who is a resident of the nether regions.  Endued with great strength and energy, and with great prowess also, his name is Renuka.  He is certainly a great being.  Those mighty elephants endued with great energy and power, who hold the entire earth with her hills, waters, and lakes should be interviewed by this Renuka at your request.  Let Renuka go to them and ask them about the mysteries of religion or duty.—­Hearing these words of the Grandsire, the deities, with well-pleased minds commissioned (the elephant) Renuka to where those upholders of the world are.’”

“Renuka, proceeding to where those elephants are, addressed them, saying, ’Ye mighty creatures, I have been commanded by the deities and the Pitris to question you about the mysteries of religion and duty.  I desire to bear you discourse on that subject in detail.  Ye highly blessed ones, do ye discourse on the subject as your wisdom may dictate.’

“The (eight) elephants standing in the eight quarters said, ’On the auspicious eighth day of the dark fortnight in the month of Karttika when the constellation Aslesha is in the ascendant, one should make gifts of treacle and rice.  Casting aside wrath, and living on regulated diet, one should make these offerings at a Sraddha, uttering these mantras the while—­Let Valadeva and other Nagas possessed of great strength, let other mighty snakes of huge bodies that are indestructible and eternal, and let all the other great snakes that have taken their birth in their race, make Vali offerings to me for the enhancement of my strength and energy.