amsels of transcendent beauty.
He is able to go to the abode of the solar deity, of the lunar deity, and
of Siva, O king. Indeed, he succeeds in living in the same region with
Vishnu himself. It is even so, O monarch. There is no doubt in this. A
person listening with faith, becomes even so. My preceptor has said this.
Unto the reciter should be given all such objects as he may wish.
Elephants and steeds and cars and conveyances, especially animals and the
vehicles they draw, a bracelet of gold, a pair of ear-rings, sacred
threads, beautiful robes, and perfumes in especial (should be given). By
worshipping him as a deity one attains to the regions of Vishnu.

"'After this I shall declare what should be given away, as each parva is
reached of the Bharata in course of its recitation, unto brahmanas, after
ascertaining their birth, country, truthfulness, and greatness, O chief
of Bharata's race, as also their inclination for piety, and unto
Kshatriyas too, O king, after ascertainment of similar particulars.
Causing the Brahmanas to utter benedictions, the business of recitation
should be begun. When a parva is finished, the brahmanas should be
worshipped to the best of one's power. At first, the reciter, clad in good
robes and smeared with perfumed paste, should, O king, be duly fed with
honey and frumenty of the best kind.

"'When the Astika-parva is being recited, brahmanas should be entertained
with fruits and roots, and frumenty, and honey and clarified butter, and
rice boiled with raw sugar.

"'When the Sabha-parva is being recited, brahmanas should be fed with
habisya along with apupas and pupas and modakas, O king.

"'When the Aranyaka-parva is being recited, superior brahmanas should be
fed with fruits and roots.

"'When the Arani-parva is reached, water-pots full of water should be
given away. Many superior kinds of delicious food, also rice and fruits
and roots, and food possessed of every agreeable attribute, should be
presented unto the brahmanas.

"'During the recitation of the Virata-parva diverse kinds of robes should
be given away; and during that of the Udyoga-parva, O chief of the
Bharatas, the twice-born ones, after being decked with perfumes and
garlands, should be entertained with food possessed of every agreeable
quality.

"'During the recitation of the Bhishma-parva, O king of kings, after
giving them excellent cars and conveyances, food should be given that is
pure and well-cooked and posses