Shloka 833
मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity
सदा द्वादशमासान् वै सप्तलोकान् स पश्यति । जो लगातार बारह महीनोंतक प्रति अठारहवें दिन एक बार भोजन करता है, वह भू आदि सातों लोकोंका दर्शन करता है
sadā dvādaśa-māsān vai sapta-lokān sa paśyati |
Bhīṣma sprach: Wer ein volles Jahr lang die Zucht hält, nur einmal an jedem achtzehnten Tag zu essen, dem wird nachgesagt, er erlange die Schau der sieben Welten (beginnend mit Bhū).
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that sustained, disciplined austerity—specifically a strict regimen of eating only once every eighteenth day for a year—produces extraordinary spiritual merit, symbolized by the ability to behold the seven worlds. It underscores the dharmic value of self-control and regulated conduct.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs on dharma and the fruits of vows and austerities. Here he states the promised result of a particular food-discipline observance, presenting it as an example of how tapas yields elevated spiritual outcomes.