Shloka 53
मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity
विधिं यज्ञफलैस्तुल्यं तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर । भीष्मजीने कहा--युधिष्ठिर! अंगिरा मुनिकी बतलायी हुई जो उपवासकी विधि है
vidhiṁ yajñaphalais tulyaṁ tan nibodha yudhiṣṭhira | varṣāṇy aparimeyāṇi yugāntāgnisamaprabhaḥ ||
Bhīṣma disse: “Compreende isto, ó Yudhiṣṭhira: a observância (vidhi) do jejum ensinada pelo sábio Aṅgirā produz frutos iguais aos dos ritos sacrificiais. Vou descrevê-la novamente—ouve. Por anos incontáveis, seu mérito perdura e resplandece, radiante como o fogo no fim de uma era.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that disciplined fasting (upavāsa-vidhi), as taught by the sage Aṅgirā, can yield merit equal to that obtained through elaborate sacrifices—highlighting inner restraint and ethical discipline as a powerful form of dharma.
In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira and introduces (or reiterates) a specific fasting observance, praising its efficacy and long-lasting spiritual fruit, comparable to sacrificial results.