I have thus
spoken to thee upon a hundred subjects. What dost thou desire to hear
from me again?'
"Yudhishthira said, 'O master, conversant thou art with virtue and
morality, and so I desire to repeatedly listen to thee as thou speakest
on sacred subjects appertaining to virtue and morals.'
"Markandeya said, 'O king, I will now speak on another sacred subject
appertaining to eternal interests and capable of washing off all sins.
Listen thou with rapt attention. O thou foremost of the Bharatas, the
merit equal to that of giving away a _Kapila_ cow in (the _tirtha_
called) _Jyeshtha-Pushkara_ arises from washing the feet of Brahmanas.
As long as the earth remains wet with water which a Brahmana hath
touched with his feet, so long do _Pitris_ drink water of cups made of
lotus-leaves. If the guest is welcomed (with enquiries about his
welfare), the deities of fire become glad; and if he is offered a seat,
it is the god of a hundred sacrifices, who is gratified. If his feet are
washed, it is the _Pitris_ who are delighted; and if he is fed it is
_Prajapati_ that is pleased. One should with collected soul, give a cow
when (during her throes) the feet and head of her calf are visible,
before her delivery is complete. A cow with her calf in the air in
course of falling from the uterus to the earth, is to be regarded as
equal to the earth herself. He, therefore, that giveth away such a cow,
reapeth the merit of giving away the earth.
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