, rising at early
dawn, touches a cow, ghee, and curds, as also mustard seeds and the
larger variety thereof called Priyangu, becomes cleansed of all sins. As
regards Rishis possessed of wealth of penances, they always avoid all
creatures both before and behind, as also all that is impure while
performing Sraddhas.'[549]

"'"The deities said, 'If a person, taking a vessel of copper, filling it
with water, and facing the east, resolves upon a fast or the observance
of a particular vow, the deities become gratified with him and all his
wishes become crowned with success. By observing fasts, or vows in any
other way, men of little understandings gain nothing.[550] In uttering
the resolution about the observance of fasts and in making offerings to
the deities, the use of a vessel of copper is preferable. In presenting
the offerings to the deities, in (giving and accepting) alms, in
presenting the ingredients of the Arghya and in offering oblations of
water mixed with sesame seeds to the Pitris, a vessel of copper should be
used. By doing these acts in any other way, one acquires little merit.
Even these mysteries have been laid down relating to how the deities are
gratified.'

"'"Dharma said, 'The offerings made in all rites in honour of the deities
and in those in honour of the Pitris should never be given away to a
Brahmana that has accepted service under the king, or that rings the bell
or attends to subsidiary duties in acts of worship or at Sraddhas, or
that keeps kine, or that is engaged in trade, or that follows some art as
a profession, or that is an actor, or that quarrels with friends or that
is destitute of Vedic studies, or that marries a Sudra woman[551]. The
performer of the Sraddha who gives away such offerings unto such a
Brahmana falls away from prosperity and multiplies not his race. He
fails, again, to gratify his Pitris by doing such an act. From the house
of that person whence a guest returns unsatisfied, the Pitris, the
deities, and the sacred fires, all return disappointed in consequence of
such treatment of the guest. That man who does not discharge the duties
of hospitality towards the guest arrived at his abode, comes to be
regarded as equally sinful with those that are slayers of women or of
kine, that are ungrateful towards benefactors, that are slayers of
Brahmanas, or that are violators of the beds of their preceptors.'

"'"Agni said, 'Listen ye with concentrated attention. I shall recite the