Shloka 4
अन्नदानफलं (Anna-dāna-phala) / The Fruit of Food-Giving
तथैव पौषमासे तु पूज्यो नारायणेति च । वाजपेयमवाप्रोति सिद्धि च परमां व्रजेत्
tathaiva pauṣamāse tu pūjyo nārāyaṇeti ca | vājapeyam avāpnoti siddhiṁ ca paramāṁ vrajet ||
Demikian pula pada tithi Dvādaśī di bulan Pauṣa, hendaknya orang memuja Nārāyaṇa dengan disiplin puasa. Dengan itu ia meraih pahala setara Vājapeya dan mencapai kesempurnaan tertinggi.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That disciplined devotion—specifically worship of Nārāyaṇa in Pauṣa with a Dvādaśī fast—can confer merit comparable to an elaborate Vedic sacrifice (Vājapeya) and lead toward the highest spiritual accomplishment (paramā siddhi).
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma (Anuśāsana Parva), he continues prescribing sacred observances and their fruits, here recommending a Pauṣa-month worship of Nārāyaṇa (with fasting on Dvādaśī) and stating the exalted reward associated with it.