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 dit : «Celui qui, au vingt-troisième jour, ne prend qu’un seul repas—après avoir longtemps observé des disciplines telles que l’Agnihotra quotidien, demeurant voué à la non-violence, intelligent, véridique et sans esprit de blâme—revêt une forme éclatante comme le Soleil. Monté sur un char céleste d’exception, il gagne le monde des Vasus. Là, il erre à son gré, vit en buvant l’ambroisie et, paré d’ornements divins, se réjouit en compagnie des jeunes filles célestes.»
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.