मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity
अष्टादशे यो दिवसे प्राश्नीयादेकभोजनम्
aṣṭādaśe yo divase prāśnīyād ekabhojanam
ఎవడు పదునెనిమిదవ రోజున ఒక్కసారి మాత్రమే భోజనం చేస్తాడో,
भीष्म उवाच
The verse promotes disciplined restraint—specifically limiting oneself to one meal on a designated day—as a dharmic practice. Such regulation of appetite is presented as a means to cultivate self-mastery and moral purity.
Bhīṣma is instructing (in a prescriptive, rule-like style) about a particular observance involving diet. The line is part of a larger set of guidelines where specific days and modes of eating are linked to ethical and religious merit.