मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity
यस्तु मासे गते भुड्क्ते एकभक्तं शमात्मक:
yas tu māse gate bhuṅkte ekabhaktaṃ śamātmakaḥ
यस्तु मासे गते भुङ्क्ते एकभक्तं शमात्मकः॥
भीष्म उवाच
The verse praises disciplined restraint—specifically the practice of limiting oneself to a single daily meal after a set period—grounded in inner calm and self-control, presenting austerity as an ethical tool for purification and steadiness in dharma.
Bhīṣma continues his instruction on dharma and religious observances, describing a particular mode of regulated eating (ekabhakta) as part of a vow, emphasizing the practitioner’s tranquil, self-governed disposition.