The condition of men who know others wives

Lomasha said The departed Manes of those men vho, without having wives of their own know the wives of other people, are disappointed when the time for the Shraddha comes.

He who knows the wives of other people, he who indulges in sexual union with a barren woman and he who appropriates what belongs to a Brahmana, are equally sinful.

Forsooth, the departed Manes of such people cut them off without wishing to have any intercourse with them. The offerings they make fail to please the celestials and the departed Manes.

Hence, one should always abstain from sexual union with women who are the lawful wives of others, as also with women who are barren. The man who seeks his own good, should not appropriate what belongs to a Brahmana.

Listen now to another mystery unknown to all, about Religion. One should having faith, always do the command of his preceptor and other elders.

On the twelfth lunar day, as also on the day of the full moon, every month, one should make gifts to Brahmanas of clarified butter and of Akshata. Listen to me as I say what the measure is of the merit that such a person wins.

By such a deed one is said to increase Soma and the Ocean. Vasava, the king of the celestials confers upon him a fourth part of the merits of the Horse Sacrifice.

By making such gifts, a person becomes gifted with great energy and prowess. Wellpleased with him, the divine Soma grants him the fruition of his desires.

Listen now to another duty, together with the foundation on which it depends, which yields great merits. In this age of Kali, that duty, if performed gives much happiness to men.

That man who, rising at dawn and purifying himself by a bath dresses himself in white clothes and with concentrated attention makes gifts to Brahmanas of vessels full of sesame seeds, who makes offerings to the departed Manes of water with sesame seeds and honey and who gives lamps as also the food called Krishara, acquires great merits. Listen to me as I say what those merits are:

The divine chastiser of Paka has attributed these merits to the gift of vessels of copper and brass filled with sesame seeds. He who makes gifts of kine, he who makes gifts of land which yield eternal merit, he who performs the Agnishthoma sacrifice with profuse presents in the form of Dakshina to the Brahmanas are all considered by the celestials as acquiring merits equal to those which one acquires by making gifts of vessels filled with sesame seeds.

Gifts of water with sesame seeds are considered by the departed Manes as yielding eternal gratification to them. The grandfathers all become highly pleased with gifts of lamps and Krishara.

I have thus recited the ancient ordinance, laid down by the Rishis that is highly spoken of by both the departed Manes and the celestials in their respective regions.