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 berkata: “Sesiapa yang pada hari kedua puluh tiga hanya makan sekali—setelah tekun menjalankan amalan seperti Agnihotra setiap hari untuk tempoh yang panjang, serta berpegang pada ahimsa, berakal budi, berkata benar, dan tidak mencari-cari kesalahan—akan memperoleh rupa yang bersinar seperti Matahari. Dengan menaiki vimāna yang unggul, dia pergi ke alam para Vasu. Di sana dia berkelana sesuka hati, hidup dengan meminum amerta, berhias dengan perhiasan ilahi, dan bersuka ria bersama bidadari.”
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.