in return with longevity and fame and wealth.  Clean food, of agreeable scent and appearance, mixed with milk and curds, should, along with flowers, be offered to the deities.  The Valis that should be offered to Yakshas and Rakshasas should be rich with blood and meat, with wines and spirits accompanying, and adorned with coatings of fried paddy.[444] Valis mixed with lotuses and Utpalas are very agreeable to the Nagas.  Sesame seeds, boiled in raw sugar, should be offered to the spirits and other unearthly Beings.  He who never takes any food without first serving therefrom the Brahmanas and deities and guests, becomes entitled to first portions of food.  Such a man becomes endued with strength and energy.  Hence, one should never take any food without first offering a portion thereof to the deities after worshipping them with reverence.  One’s house always blazes forth with beauty in consequence of the household deities that live in it.  Hence, he that desires his own advancement and prosperity should worship the household deities by offering them the first portion of every food.  Even thus did the learned Kavi of Bhrigu’s race discourse to Vali, the chief of the Asuras.  That discourse was next recited by Manu unto the Rishi Suvarna, Suvarna, in his turn, recited it to Narada.  The celestial Rishi Narada recited unto me the merits that attach to the several acts mentioned.  Informed of those merits, do thou, O son, perform the several acts mentioned!’”

SECTION XCIX

“Yudhishthira said, ’I have, O chief of the Bharatas, heard what the merits are that are won by presenters of flowers and incense and lights.  I have heard thee speak also of the merits that attach to a due observance of the ordinances in respect of the presentation of the Vali.  It behoveth thee, O grandsire, to discourse unto me once more on this subject.  Indeed, tell me, O sire, once more of the merits of presenting incense and lights.  Why are Valis offered on the ground by persons leading the domestic mode of life?’

“Bhishma said, ’In this connection is recited the old narrative of the discourse between Nahusha and Agastya and Bhrigu.  The royal sage Nahusha, O monarch, possessed of wealth of penances, acquired the sovereignty of Heaven by his own good deeds.  With restrained senses, O king, he dwelt in Heaven, engaged in doing diverse acts of both human and celestial nature.  From that high-souled monarch flowed diverse kinds of human acts and diverse kinds of celestial acts also, O chief of men.  The diverse rites with respect to the sacrificial fire, the collection of sacred fuel and of Kusa grass, as also of flowers, and the presentation of Vali consisting of food adorned with fried paddy (reduced to powder), and the offer of incense and of light,—­all these, O monarch, occurred daily in the abode of that high-souled king while he dwelt in heaven.  Indeed, though dwelling in heaven, he performed the sacrifice of Japa (or silent