Hear now the wondrous fruits of sacred acts, O king. When a person bathes in all the holy waters, with the Ganges as the foremost among them, he is purified for more than eight hundred lifetimes in the Ganges itself—there is no doubt of this. United with a multitude of families, he dwells in the celestial city of Vūhya for an entire age. There, Viṣṇu, moved by compassion, grants all his desires. Freed from every sin, he attains whatever his heart longs for. Pleased by such merit, the lord of the gods bestows his own divine realm upon this blessed soul. He ascends to the exceedingly rare abode of Brahma, a place few attain. O learned one, the merit and fruit of his actions are so great that I cannot fully describe them. Indeed, he himself becomes like Rudra, wholly freed from all sin. Even if one were to count for hundreds of years, the extent of his merit could not be enumerated. Consider, O king, the weight of all sacrifices, performed with the finest gifts—these are on one side. But greater still is the merit of one who protects a Brahmin afflicted by fear. The giver of cloth attains the abode of Rudra; the giver of a maiden in marriage, the realm of Brahma. If one, having adorned a maiden, gives her to a man learned in spiritual knowledge, especially on the full moon of Kartika or Ashadha, that person is freed from all sins acquired even in noble births, and attains the very form of Rudra. He who marks a buffalo with the sign of the Śiva-liṅga and releases it, or who gives betel according to his means, earns great merit. The one who gives sugarcane, O best of kings, goes to the abode of Brahma, and by giving jaggery or sugarcane juice, attains the ocean of milk. The gift of knowledge leads a man to union with Mādhava, and by giving cows—whether for recitation, riding, or milking—one is lifted from the torments of hell. Again, by the gift of knowledge, one attains union with Viṣṇu. The Śālagrāma stone, when given as a gift, is proclaimed as supremely meritorious. The fruit gained by giving away ten million universes is doubled by the gift of a single Śālagrāma stone. Whoever gives a gift from his own house, and especially if he gives a golden vessel adorned with jewels, earns great merit. The gift of a ruby brings the highest liberation; the gift of coral leads to heaven; pearls and beryl grant the realm of Rudra, as do red gems. By giving horses, one enjoys their company for a long time, and by giving a vehicle, he is mounted upon a heavenly chariot and goes to heaven. By giving grass to cows, he attains Rudra’s realm. Those who are devoted to the conduct of their own āśrama, intent on the welfare of all beings, who instruct others, and are free from passion and envy—such people delight in the company of the virtuous and are ever engaged in noble deeds. They are always devoted to the welfare of Brāhmaṇas and cows. They have mastered their senses and their food, are patient with cows, and possess good character. They serve the sacred fire and attend faithfully to their teachers. Such is the path of merit, O king, and such are the blessed fruits bestowed by the gods.