Shloka 17
उपवासफलात्मकविधिः — Upavāsa as Yajña-Equivalent Merit
Angiras Teaching
मार्गशीर्ष तु यो मासमेकभक्तेन संक्षिपेत्
mārgaśīrṣa tu yo māsam ekabhaktena saṁkṣipet
Aṅgiras berkata: “Siapa yang menjalani bulan Mārgaśīrṣa dengan hanya satu kali makan sehari, ia menempuh laku tapa pengendalian diri. Ikrar ini dipuji sebagai laku yang berpahala, sebab melatih pengekangan diri dan meneguhkan hidup menurut dharma.”
अंगियरा उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse commends regulated eating—specifically taking only one meal a day during the month of Mārgaśīrṣa—as a form of tapas that cultivates self-mastery and supports ethical, dharmic conduct.
Aṅgirā is enumerating or prescribing month-based religious observances (vratas). Here he highlights the practice of ekabhakta (single daily meal) for the month of Mārgaśīrṣa as a meritorious discipline.