life-breaths depend upon food.  There is no doubt in this.  Afflicting (if need be) one’s relatives, one is desirous of one’s own prosperity, should make gifts of food unto a high-souled Brahmana or a person of the mendicant order.  That man who makes a gift of food unto an accomplished Brahmana who solicits the same, secures for himself in the world to come wealth of great value.  The householder who is desirous of his own prosperity should receive with reverence a deserving old man that is spent with toil while proceeding on his way far from home, when such a man honours the householder’s abode with his presence.  That man who, casting off wrath that overleaps every bound and becoming righteous in disposition and freed from malice, makes gifts of food, is sure to attain to happiness, O king, both here and hereafter.  The householder should never disregard the man that comes to his abode, nor should he insult him by sending him away.  A gift of food made unto even a Chandala or a dog is never lost.  That man who makes a gift of clean food unto a person on the way who is toil-worn and unknown to the giver, is sure to acquire great merit.  The man who gratifies with gifts of food the Pitris, the deities, the Rishis, the Brahmanas, and guests arrived at his abode, acquires merit whose measure is very large.  That person who having committed even a heinous sin makes a gift of food unto one that solicits, or unto a Brahmana, is never stupefied by that heinous sin.  A gift of food made unto a Brahmana becomes inexhaustible.  One made to a Sudra becomes productive of great merit.  Even this is the difference between the merits that attach to gifts of food made unto Brahmanas and Sudras.  Solicited by it Brahmana, one should not enquire about his race or conduct or Vedic lore.  Asked for food, one should give food to him that asks.  There is no doubt in tits, O king, that he who makes gifts of food obtains both here and hereafter many trees yielding food and every other object of desire.  Like tillers expecting auspicious showers of rain, the Pitris always expect that their sons and grandsons would make offerings unto them of food (in Sraddhas).  The Brahmana is a great being.  When he comes into one’s anode and solicits, saying, ’Give me,’ the owner of the abode, whether influenced or not by the desire of acquiring merit, is sure to win great merit by listening to that solicitation.  The Brahmana is the guest of all creatures in the universe.  He is entitled to the first portion of every food.  That house Increases in prosperity to which the Brahmanas repair from desire of soliciting alms and from which they return honoured in consequence of their desires being fulfilled.  The owner of such a house takes birth in his next life in a family, O Bharata, that can command all the comforts and luxuries of life.  A man, by making gifts of food in this world, is sure to attain to an excellent place hereafter.  He who makes gifts of sweetmeat and all food that is