“Bhishma continued, ’Having heard these words of the self-born Brahman, O Yudhishthira, Sakra of a thousand eyes began from that time to worship kine every day and to show them the greatest respect.  I have thus told thee everything about the sanctifying character of kine, O thou of greet splendour.  The sacred and high pre-eminence and glory of kine, that is capable of cleansing one from every sin, has, O chief of men, been thus explained to thee.  That man who with senses withdrawn from every other object will recite this account unto Brahmanas, on occasions when Havya and Kavya are offered, or at sacrifices, or on occasions of adoring the Pitris, succeeds in conferring upon his ancestors an inexhaustible felicity fraught with the fruition of every wish.  That man who is devoted to kine succeeds in obtaining the fruition of every wish of his.  Indeed, even those women that are devoted to kine succeed in obtaining the accomplishment of every wish of theirs.  He that desireth sons obtaineth them.  He that desireth daughters obtaineth them.  He that desireth wealth succeedeth in aquiring it and he that desireth religious merit succeedeth in winning it.  He that desireth knowledge acquireth it and he that desireth felicity succeedeth in acquiring it.  Indeed, O Bharata, there is nothing that is unattainable to one that is devoted to kine.’”

SECTION LXXXIV

“Yudhishthira said, ’Thou hast, O grandsire, discoursed to me on the gift of kine that is fraught with great merit.  In the case of kings observant of their duties, that gift is most meritorious.  Sovereignty is always painful.  It is incapable of being borne by persons of uncleansed souls.  In the generality of cases, kings fail to attain to auspicious ends.  By always making, however, gifts of earth, they succeed in cleansing themselves (of all their sins).  Thou hast, O prince of Kuru’s race, discoursed to me on many duties.  Thou hast discoursed to me on the gifts of kine made by king Nriga in days of old.  The Rishi Nachiketa, in ancient times, had discoursed on the merits of this act.  The Vedas and the Upanishads also have laid down that in all sacrifices,—­in fact, in all kinds of religious acts,—­the Dakshina should be earth or kine or gold.  The Srutis, however, declare that in all Dakshinas, gold is superior and is, indeed, the best.  I desire, O grandsire, to hear thee discourse truly on this topic.  What is gold?  How did it spring up?  When did it come into existence?  What is its essence?  Who is its presiding deity?  What are its fruits?  Why is it regarded as the foremost of all things?  For what reason do men of wisdom applaud the gift of gold?  For what reason is gold regarded as the best Dakshinas in all sacrifices?  Why also is gold regarded as a cleanser superior to earth itself and kine?  Why, indeed, is it regarded so superior as a Dakshina?  Do thou, O grandsire, discourse to me on all this!’