Shloka 15
मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity
जो मनुष्य नित्य अग्निमें होम करता हुआ एक वर्षतक प्रति दूसरे दिन एक बार भोजन करता है तथा प्रतिदिन अग्निकी उपासनामें तत्पर रहकर नित्य सबेरे जागता है, वह अग्निष्टोम यज्ञका फल पाता है ।।
Bhīṣma uvāca: yo manuṣyo nityam agnau homaṃ kurvan ekavarṣaṃ yāvat pratyahaṃ dvitīyadine ekavāraṃ bhojanaṃ karoti tathā pratidinam agnyupāsane tatparaḥ san nityaṃ prātaḥ prabudhyate, sa agniṣṭoma-yajñasya phalaṃ prāpnoti. haṃsa-sārasa-yuktaṃ ca vimānaṃ labhate naraḥ; indraloke ca vasate vara-strībhiḥ samāvṛtaḥ.
Wika ni Bhishma: Ang lalaking sa loob ng isang buong taon ay araw-araw naghahandog sa banal na apoy, kumakain lamang nang minsan tuwing ikalawang araw, nananatiling deboto sa pagsamba kay Agni araw-araw, at palagiang bumabangon sa bukang-liwayway—nakakamit niya ang meritong katumbas ng sakripisyong Agniṣṭoma. Sinasabing matatamo niya ang isang makalangit na sasakyang hinihila ng mga sisne at mga tagak, at mananahan sa langit ni Indra na napaliligiran ng mahuhusay na babae.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Steady discipline—daily fire-offerings, regulated eating, dawn-rising, and devotion to Agni—can yield the same religious merit as a major Vedic sacrifice (Agniṣṭoma), emphasizing that sincere, sustained practice can substitute for costly ritual performance.
Bhishma is describing a specific year-long observance (austerity plus fire-worship) and then states its promised reward: the fruit of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice and enjoyment in Indra’s heaven with a celestial vimāna.