'
"Bhishma said, 'O Bharata, I shall, in this connection, recite to thee
the old story of Vasudeva and the goddess Earth, The puissant Vasudeva. O
excellent prince of Bharata's race, after hymning the praises of the
goddess Earth, questioned her about this very topic that thou hast
enquired about.'
"Vasudeva said, 'Having adopted the state of a householder, what acts
should I, or one like me, perform and how are such acts to fructify in
good?'"
"The goddess Earth said, 'O Madhava, the Rishis, the deities, the Pitris,
and men should be worshipped, and sacrifices should be performed, by a
householder. Do thou also learn this from me that the deities are always
pleased with sacrifices, and men are gratified with hospitality.
Therefore, the householder should gratify them with such objects as they
desire. By such acts, O slayer of Madhu, the Rishis also are gratified.
The householder, abstaining from food, should daily attend to his sacred
fire and to his sacrificial offerings. The deities, O slayer of Madhu,
are gratified with such acts. The householder should daily offer
oblations of food and water, or of fruits, roots and water, for the
gratification of the Pitris, and the Vaiswadeva offering should be
performed with rice boiled, and oblations of clarified butter unto Agni,
Soma, and Dhanwantari.
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