The greatness of merit gained from the sacred act described is made manifest upon the earth. When one becomes initiated in mind and listens to the Varaha again, the recitation of these teachings, especially at holy sites such as Pushkara, Prayaga, and at the confluence of the Sindhu, is most auspicious. During eclipses and solstices, those who recite these verses receive abundant spiritual fruits. Even the gods themselves, after performing austerities, meditate and speak among each other, yearning, “When shall we, abandoning the body, attain the sixteenfold Varaha? When shall we reach the supreme abode from which there is no return?” At this point, an ancient legend is recounted. There once lived a king of great fame named Shveta, who resided in heaven. Filled with generosity, he wished to give the entire earth, with all its blossoming trees and forests, to the Brahmins. He declared, “O Lord, I desire to give the earth to the Brahmins.” He was advised, “O king, always give food, which brings happiness at all times. Among all gifts, the gift of food is the highest. Therefore, by every effort, give the gift of food, O noble one.” The king gave jewels, garments, ornaments, splendid cities, elephants, and deerskins to the Brahmins. He spoke these words to his priest, Vasiṣṭha, the foremost among those who recite mantras. He performed sacrifices for the twice-born using gold, silver, and copper. Yet, knowing that these material offerings were small, he neglected to give food. Then, O Devi, by the force of time and fate, death arrived. The king was tormented by hunger and thirst. There appeared the form from his previous birth, which had been burned long ago. Nevertheless, the king again ascended a celestial chariot and reached heaven. Vasiṣṭha, the great-souled sage, saw those bones being licked, and thus addressed the king at that time. The king confessed, “O venerable one, I am hungry, and in the past I have not received food or drink.” Hearing this, the eminent sage Vasiṣṭha asked, “What shall I do for you, O king, especially as you are hungry? By giving jewels and gold, a man becomes prosperous. But you, O king, have not given even a little, thinking it insignificant, O lord of men; now that you have come without giving, tell me as I ask you.” Vasiṣṭha continued, “Hear this, O tiger among men, as I recount it to you, O sinless one. He, the king, himself undertook the great sacrifice, the Sarvamedha. But even then, he did not give food, considering it insignificant, just as you have done. Having performed meritorious deeds, Vinītāśva, the foremost of kings, became sovereign of the earth. Yet he too, afflicted by hunger, departed in the same way, O king.” The king, shining like the sun, went in a radiant celestial chariot. There, on the bank of the Jahnavi, he saw his family priest, the officiating priest. He asked, “What is the cause of my hunger?” The priest replied, “O king, a cow yielding ghee, a cow, and a cow yielding sweet liquids—as long as the sun shines, or as long as the moon shines—” (the teaching continues), emphasizing the enduring merit of giving food and sustenance. Thus, the story illustrates that among all gifts, the gift of food is supreme, and its merit outshines all other offerings, enduring as long as the sun and moon shine in the heavens.