Shloka 8
उपवासफलात्मकविधिः — Upavāsa as Yajña-Equivalent Merit
Angiras Teaching
भीष्म उवाच इदं खलु मया राजन् श्रुतमासीत् पुरातनम् । उपवासविधीौ श्रेष्ठा गुणा ये भरतर्षभ
bhīṣma uvāca idaṃ khalu mayā rājan śrutam āsīt purātanam | upavāsavidhau śreṣṭhā guṇā ye bharatarṣabha ||
Wika ni Bhishma: O Hari, ito nga ay isang sinaunang aral na minsan ko nang narinig. O pinakamainam sa angkan ng Bharata, sasabihin ko ang mga dakilang kabutihang taglay ng wastong pagsasagawa ng pag-aayuno—mga birtud na nagpapadalisay sa pagpipigil-sa-sarili at sumusuporta sa dharma.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma frames fasting (upavāsa) as a dharmic discipline with specific 'excellent virtues'—a traditional teaching meant to cultivate restraint, purity, and ethical steadiness rather than mere physical deprivation.
In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction-setting, Bhishma addresses King Yudhishthira and introduces an ancient account he has heard, preparing to explain the proper method and merits of fasting as part of righteous conduct.