SECTION LXV "Bhishma said, 'The illustrious Atri, the son of the Grandsire Brahman, said, 'The !

ho ma"e #ifts of #old are said to ma"e #ifts of e$er thin# in the !orld%' &in# 'aris(handra said that the #ift of #old is sin)(leansin#, leads to lon# life, and *e(omes +rodu(ti$e of ine,hausti*le merit unto the -itris% .anu has said that a #ift of drin" is the *est of all #ifts/ therefore should a man (ause !ells and tan"s and la"es to *e e,(a$ated% A !ell full of !ater and from !hi(h di$erse (reatures dra! !ater, is said to ta"e off half the sinful a(ts of the +erson !ho has e,(a$ated it% The !hole ra(e of a +erson is res(ued from hell and sin in !hose !ell or tan" or la"e "ine and Brahmanas and ri#hteous +eo+le (onstantl 0uen(h their thirst% That man trans(ends e$er "ind of (alamit from !hose !ell or tan" e$er one dra!s !ater !ithout restraint durin# the summer season% Ghee is said to #ratif the illustrious Vrihas+ati, -ushan, Bha#a, the t!in As!ins, and the deit of fire% Ghee is +ossessed of hi#h medi(inal $irtues% It is a hi#h re0uisite for sa(rifi(e% It is the *est of all li0uids% The merit a #ift of #hee +rodu(es is $er su+erior% That man !ho is desirous of the re!ard of ha++iness in the ne,t !orld, !ho !ishes for fame and +ros+erit , should !ith a (leansed soul and ha$in# +urified himself ma"e #ifts of #hee unto the Brahmanas% 1+on that man !ho ma"es #ifts of #hee unto the Brahmanas in the month of As!in, the t!in As!ins, #ratified, (onfer +ersonal *eaut % 2a"shasas ne$er in$ade the a*ode of that man !ho ma"es #ifts unto the Brahmanas of -a asa mi,ed !ith #hee% That man ne$er dies of thirst !ho ma"es #ifts unto the Brahmanas of 3ars filled !ith !ater% Su(h a +erson o*tains e$er ne(essar of life in a*undan(e, and has ne$er to under#o an (alamit or distress% That man, !ho !ith #reat de$otion and restrained senses ma"es #ifts unto the foremost of Brahmanas, is said to ta"e a si,th +art of the merits !on * the Brahmanas * their +enan(es% That man !ho ma"es +resents unto Brahmanas ha$in# the means of life, of fire!ood for +ur+oses of (oo"in# as also of ena*lin# them to dri$e (old, finds all his +ur+oses and all his a(ts (ro!ned !ith su((ess% Su(h a one is seen to shine !ith #reat s+lendour o$er all his enemies% The illustrious deit of fire *e(omes +leased !ith su(h a man% As another re!ard, he ne$er *e(omes di$ested of (attle, and he is sure to a(hie$e $i(tor in *attles% The man !ho ma"es a #ift of an um*rella o*tains (hildren and #reat +ros+erit % Su(h a +erson +% 45 is ne$er affe(ted * an e e)disease% The merits also that s+rin# from the +erforman(e of a sa(rifi(e *e(ome his% That man !ho ma"es a #ift of an um*rella in the season of summer or rains, has ne$er to meet !ith an heart)*urnin# on an a((ount% Su(h a man 0ui("l su((eeds in freein# himself from e$er diffi(ult and im+ediment% The hi#hl *lessed and illustrious 2ishi Sandil a has said that, of all #ifts, the #ift of a (ar, O "in#, is the *est%'"