Shloka 39
मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity
यस्तु संवत्सरं भुड्क्ते नवमे नवमे5हनि,जो एक वर्षतक नौ-नौ दिनपर एक समय भोजन करता है और बारहों महीने प्रतिदिन अग्निमें आहुति देता है, उसे एक हजार अश्वमेध यज्ञका परम उत्तम फल प्राप्त होता है
yastu saṁvatsaraṁ bhuṅkte navame navame 'hani, sa eka-varṣaṁ yāvat nava-nava-dine ekakālaṁ bhojanaṁ karoti dvādaśa-māsān pratidinam agnau āhutiṁ dadāti; tasmai sahasrāśvamedha-yajñānāṁ paramottamaṁ phalaṁ prāpyate.
Wika ni Bhishma: Sinumang sa loob ng isang buong taon ay kumakain lamang nang minsan tuwing ikasiyam na araw, at sa buong labindalawang buwan ay araw-araw na naghahandog ng alay sa banal na apoy—ang taong may ganitong disiplina ay nagkakamit ng pinakadakilang kabutihang-kaloob, na katumbas ng isang libong sakripisyong Aśvamedha. Pinupuri ng aral ang matatag na pagpipigil na kaakibat ng araw-araw na banal na tungkulin bilang makapangyarihang landas ng dangal at gantimpalang espirituwal.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Sustained self-control (eating only once every ninth day) combined with unwavering daily sacred duty (offering oblations into the fire) is praised as extraordinarily meritorious—ethically elevating inner discipline and consistent practice above mere display, equating it with the fruit of grand royal sacrifices.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he describes a specific year-long vow of regulated eating and daily fire-offerings, then states the resulting spiritual merit: the highest fruit comparable to that of a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices.