Shloka 99
मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity
रमते देवकन्याभिर्दिव्याभरण भूषित: । जो बारह महीनोंतक प्रतिदिन अग्निहोत्र करता हुआ बाईसवाँ दिन प्राप्त होनेपर एक बार भोजन करता है तथा अहिंसामें तत्पर
trayoviṁśe tu divase prāśed yas tv ekabhojanam |
Bhishma dijo: «Quien, en el vigésimo tercer día, toma alimento una sola vez—habiendo sostenido observancias disciplinadas como el Agnihotra diario durante largo tiempo, y permaneciendo dedicado a la no violencia, inteligente, veraz y libre de la manía de hallar faltas—adquiere una forma radiante como el Sol. Montado en un excelso carro celestial, va al mundo de los Vasus. Allí vaga a voluntad, vive bebiendo ambrosía y, adornado con joyas divinas, se deleita en compañía de doncellas celestiales.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Sustained religious discipline (such as regulated eating and daily Agnihotra) must be paired with ethical virtues—especially non-violence, truthfulness, and freedom from fault-finding. When austerity and character align, the text portrays a high karmic fruit: radiant transformation and attainment of a divine realm.
Bhishma is describing the results of a specific observance: the practitioner eats only once on the prescribed day (here, the twenty-third), while maintaining Agnihotra and moral virtues. The narrative then depicts the promised outcome—ascending in a celestial vehicle to the realm of the Vasus, enjoying ambrosia and the company of heavenly maidens.