Shloka 20
मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity
सदा द्वादशमासान् वै जुह्बमानो जातवेदसम् | वाजपेयस्य यज्ञस्य फल प्राप्रोत्यनुत्तमम्
bhīṣma uvāca | sadā dvādaśa-māsān vai juhvamāno jātavedasam | vājapeyasya yajñasya phalaṁ prāpnoty anuttamam ||
Bhīṣma disse: “Aquele que, por doze meses completos, oferece continuamente oblações a Jātavedas (o fogo sagrado) e disciplina a si mesmo tomando alimento apenas uma vez a cada quarto dia, enquanto mantém o Agnihotra diário, alcança o mérito insuperável que se diz provir do sacrifício Vājapeya.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Steady daily worship of the sacred fire, combined with disciplined restraint in eating, can yield merit comparable to that of an eminent Vedic sacrifice like the Vājapeya—emphasizing inner discipline and sustained practice over mere grandeur.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma and religious observances, he describes a rigorous year-long regimen: maintaining Agnihotra daily, offering oblations to Agni (Jātavedas), and eating only once every fourth day; he then states the spiritual reward as equal to the supreme fruit of the Vājapeya sacrifice.