Shloka 7
व्यपोहनस्तवनिरूपण-प्रसङ्गे नक्तभोजन-शिवव्रतविधिः (वार्षिक-प्रतिमास-क्रमः)
कृष्णाष्टम्यां तु नक्तेन यावत्कृष्णचतुर्दशी भुञ्जन्भोगानवाप्नोति ब्रह्मलोकं च गच्छति
kṛṣṇāṣṭamyāṃ tu naktena yāvatkṛṣṇacaturdaśī bhuñjanbhogānavāpnoti brahmalokaṃ ca gacchati
From the eighth lunar day of the dark fortnight up to the fourteenth, one who keeps the “nakta” discipline—taking food only at night—attains refined enjoyments as the fruit of karma and thereafter goes to Brahmaloka. Rising by merit, one remains under the governance of Pati (Śiva), who ordains the fruits of vrata and worship.
Suta Goswami (narrating vrata-phala to the sages of Naimisharanya)
FAQs
It states a concrete vrata-phalā (result): practicing the nakta observance across specific tithis yields merit that grants higher enjoyments and ascent to Brahmaloka, reinforcing that disciplined worship and restraint are valid modes of honoring Śiva as Pati, the giver of fruits.
Though Śiva is not named in the line, the Purāṇic Shaiva frame assumes all vrata-phala is regulated by Pati (Śiva): the pashu (individual soul) acts under pasha (karmic bonds) and receives ordained results, indicating Śiva’s lordship over merit, destiny, and cosmic jurisdictions like Brahmaloka.
The practice is ‘nakta’—a vrata discipline of eating only at night—observed from Krishna Ashtami through Krishna Chaturdashi, emphasizing tapas (regulated sense-restraint) as a supportive limb to Śiva-pūjā rather than a purely physical fast.