An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s9.274

c5.s9.274

[Maitreya-bhikṣā] ("the alms of Maitreya"). § 763b (Anuśāsanik.): Bhīṣma said: Once Vyāsa, while wandering in disguise, waited at Vārāṇasī upon Maitreya in the house of a loose woman (svairinikule; so BR.; quite otherwise Nil. and PCR.), and was fed by him with excellent food. As he smiled, Maitreya said that he did not see much difference between one that behaved as an ordinary person [such as Vyāsa] [and himself], [or generally] between one who is unemancipated and one who is emancipated, especially when [the latter, such as Maitreya] was distinguished by birth (pṛthag ācaratas tāta pṛthagātmasukhātmanaḥ|alpāntaram ahaṃ manye, viśiṣṭam api cānvayāt; cf. Nil. and PCR.). Vyāsa said that he wondered that the Vedas should [seemingly] contain an untruth; for even a small gift (as, for instance, a little water given to a thirsty man) produces great results, and Maitreya had, by feeding Vyāsa, conquered many high regions of felicity, as one does [according to the Vedas, only] by great sacrifices. Gift is more auspicious than all sacred acts (XIII, 120). Maitreya, approving of the words of Vyāsa, praised the brahmans as the root of righteousness: "if the brahman be gratified, D. and P. also are gratified," referring to R. (XIII, 121). Vyāsa, saying that even the most atrocious sins are washed off by (gifts and) penances, recommended to him the duties of householders (XIII, 123).