ndreds of
thousands of kine in the great Pushkara, do not come up to those that are
his with whom a guest is gratified. Listen now to another duty whose
observance is fraught with happiness to mankind. It should be observed
with its secret ritual by a person endued with faith. Its merits are
certainly high. Listen to what they are. If a person, rising at early
dawn and taking with him a quantity of water and a few blades of Kusa
grass, proceeds into a cow-pen and arriving there washes a cow's horns by
sprinkling thereon that water with those blades of Kusa grass and then
causes the water to drip down on his own head, he is regarded, in
consequence of such a bath, as one that has performed his ablutions in
all the sacred waters that the wise have heard to exist in the three
worlds and that are honoured and resorted to by Siddhas and Charanas.'
After Arundhati had said these words, all the deities and Pitris
applauded her, saying, 'Excellent, Excellent,' Indeed, all the beings
there were highly gratified and all of them worshipped Arundhati.

"'"Brahman said, 'O highly blessed one, excellent is the duty that thou
hast enunciated, together with its secret ritual. Praise be to thee! I
grant thee this boon, viz., that thy penances will continually increase!'

"'"Yama said, 'I have heard from thee an excellent and agreeable discourse.
Listen now to what Chitragupta has said and what is agreeable to me.
Those words relate to duty with its secret ritual, and are worthy of
being heard by the great Rishis, as also by men endued with faith and
desirous of achieving their own good. Nothing is lost of either piety or
sin that is committed by creatures. On days of the full moon and the new
moon, those acts are conveyed to the sun where they rest. When a mortal
goes into the region of the dead, the deity of the sun bears witness to
all his acts. He that is righteous acquires the fruits of his
righteousness there. I shall now tell you of some auspicious duties that
are approved by Chitragupta. Water for drink, and lamps for lighting
darkness, should always be given, as also sandals and umbrellas and
Kapila kine with due rites. In Pushkara especially should one make the
gift of a Kapila cow unto a Brahmana conversant with the Vedas. One
should also always maintain one's Agnihotra with great care. Here is
another duty which was proclaimed by Chitragupta. It behoveth them that
are the best of creatures to listen to what the merits are of