Shloka 17
अन्नदानफलं (Anna-dāna-phala) / The Fruit of Food-Giving
अत: पर॑ं नोपवासो भवतीति विनिश्षय: । उवाच भगवान् विष्णु: स्वयमेव पुरातनम्,इस उपवाससे बढ़कर दूसरा कोई उपवास नहीं है, इसे निश्चय समझना चाहिये। साक्षात् भगवान् विष्णुने ही इस पुरातन व्रतके विषयमें बताया है
ataḥ paraṁ nopavāso bhavatīti viniśṣayaḥ | uvāca bhagavān viṣṇuḥ svayam eva purātanam |
Bhishma berkata: “Ketahuilah dengan pasti: tiada puasa yang lebih tinggi daripada ini. Amalan purba ini diajarkan sendiri oleh Tuhan Vishnu.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts the supremacy of a particular religious fast/observance, emphasizing that no higher upavāsa exists, and grounds this claim in the highest authority—Vishnu’s direct instruction—thereby linking ascetic discipline with devotional dharma.
In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction-setting, Bhishma continues his discourse on dharma and vows, affirming a definitive conclusion about an exemplary fast and citing Vishnu as the original teacher of this ancient observance.