sweet words in which he addresseth him, the respect he payeth by following him, and the food and drink with which he treateth him, are the five Dakshinas[4] in that sacrifice.  He who giveth without stint food to a fatigued wayfarer never seen before, obtaineth merit that is great, and he who leading a domestic life, followeth such practices, acquireth religious merit that is said to be very great.  O Brahmana, what is thy opinion on this?’

[1] This seems to be the obvious.  There is a different reading however.  For Drie-cyate—­seen, some texts have Sasyate—­applauded.  Nilakantha imagines that the meaning is “As distribution (of food) amongst the various classes of beings like the gods, the Pitris, &c., is applauded &c., &c.”

[2] A form of sacrifice which consists in pouring oblations of clarified butter with prayers into a blazing fire.  It is obligatory on Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, except those that accept certain vows of great austerity.

    [3] The Viswedeva sacrifice is the offer of food to all
    creatures of the earth (by scattering a portion).

[4] A gift.  It may be of various kinds.  The fees paid to Brahmanas assisting at sacrifices and religious rites, such as offering oblations to the dead, are Dakshinas, as also gifts to Brahmanas on other occasions particularly when they are fed, it being to this day the custom never to feed a Brahmana without paying him a pecuniary fee.  There can be no sacrifice, no religious rite, without Dakshina.

“Saunaka said, ’Alas, this world is full of contradictions!  That which shameth the good, gratifieth the wicked!  Alas, moved by ignorance and passion and slaves of their own senses, even fools perform many acts of (apparent merit) to gratify in after-life their appetites!  With eyes open are these men led astray by their seducing senses, even as a charioteer, who hath lost his senses, by restive and wicked steeds!  When any of the six senses findeth its particular object, the desire springeth up in the heart to enjoy that particular object.  And thus when one’s heart proceedeth to enjoy the objects of any particular sense a wish is entertained which in its turn giveth birth to a resolve.  And finally, like unto an insect falling into a flame from love of light, the man falleth into the fire of temptation, pierced by the shafts of the object of enjoyment discharged by the desire constituting the seed of the resolve!  And thenceforth blinded by sensual pleasure which he seeketh without stint, and steeped in dark ignorance and folly which he mistaketh for a state of happiness, he knoweth not himself!  And like unto a wheel that is incessantly rolling, every creature, from ignorance and deed and desire, falleth into various states in this world, wandering from one birth to another, and rangeth the entire circle of existences from a Brahma to the point of a blade of grass, now in water, now on land, and now against in the air!