O noble king, listen attentively to the wondrous results of sacred worship and offerings, as declared in the ancient scripture. On the auspicious eighth day ruled by Mercury, during the holy Ashadha month, and especially in sanctified places, if one offers ghee, honey, or curd with devotion, remarkable fruits are attained. Such a devotee comes to dwell in the radiant city of Vishnu, accompanied by three hundred virtuous souls. Liberation draws near for him, and the cycle of rebirth becomes exceedingly difficult to return to. When offerings are made to Shiva with pure milk, the worshipper attains union with Shiva himself and is thoroughly purified. Especially on the eighth day, or on a sacred Monday, this union with Shiva is assured. If the offering to Shiva is made with ghee and honey, the devotee attains a likeness to Shiva, sharing in his divine qualities. In this way, he also gains the corresponding likeness of his ancestors and the virtuous, and dwells in Shiva’s world for a kalpa, surrounded by the righteous. Should the offering be made with milk, O fortunate one, hear further of its greatness: the devotee uplifts his entire lineage—millions upon millions—guiding them all toward the state of Shiva. Freed from the sins accumulated over ten thousand births, he attains that supreme state. He and countless generations of his family are led to the abode of Vishnu, where they reside, free from all sin, for an age. By performing such worship with sincerity, the devotee reaches the appropriate divine realms, according to his offerings. By offering incense devotedly, all sins are washed away. Through giving, O best of kings, one attains every desired object. Freed from all sins, the giver receives the same merit as one who bathes in the sacred Ganges. Now, hear of the fruit of offering a lamp to the great Vishnu, which is equally dear to Shiva. Such a devotee attains the divine worlds, bringing with him three generations of ancestors. By generous giving, he reaches the supreme state, accompanied by forty generations; he goes to Vishnu’s abode, from which return is rare indeed. There has never been, nor will there ever be, a gift equal to that of food and water. The fruit of all gifts is found in the giving of food, as declared by the wise. For such a giver, there is no return to this world—this is firmly established in the scriptures. The teachers of the Veda have proclaimed that the giving of food is the highest of gifts. The lotus-born Brahma has said that the giver of water is freed from all bonds. Therefore, O lord of the earth, know that the giver of food is truly the giver of life itself. There is no greater gift than food. The messengers of Yama, the god of death, do not even see such a giver; thus, the giver of food is supreme among men. Having bathed in all sacred waters, especially the holy Ganges, the devotee is purified for more than eight hundred lifetimes—of this there is no doubt. Joined by his family and kin, he dwells in the city of Vūhya for an age, and for him, Vishnu, with a gracious heart, fulfills all desires. He attains all his wishes and is completely freed from every sin. The lord of the gods, pleased with such devotion, bestows his own divine realm upon the devotee. He even reaches the exceedingly rare abode of Brahma. O learned one, the merit of such deeds is so vast that I cannot fully describe it. The devotee becomes like Rudra himself, utterly free from all sins. Indeed, even in hundreds of years, no one could ever fully enumerate the merit gained by such actions.