Shloka 46
मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity
जो एक वर्षतक दस-दस दिन बीतनेपर एक बार भोजन करता है और बारहों महीने प्रतिदिन अग्निमें आहुति देता है, वह सम्पूर्ण भूतोंके लिये मनोहर ब्रह्मकन्याओंके निवास- स्थानमें जाकर एक हजार अभश्व-मेध यज्ञोंका परम उत्तम फल पाता है और उस सनातन पुरुषका वहाँकी रूपवती कन्याएँ मनोरंजन करती हैं ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | yo eka-varṣa-tak daśa-daśa-dina-bīte paraṃ ekavāra bhojanaṃ karoti, ca dvādaśa māsān pratidinam agnau āhutiṃ dadāti, sa sarva-bhūtebhyaḥ manohare brahma-kanyā-nivāsa-sthāne gatvā sahasra-aśvamedha-yajñānāṃ paramottamaṃ phalaṃ prāpnoti; tatra taṃ sanātanaṃ puruṣaṃ tat-sthānīyā rūpavatyaḥ kanyā manoranjayanti || nīlotpala-nibhaiḥ varṇaiḥ raktotpala-nibhais tathā | vimāna-maṇḍalāvartaṃ āvarta-gahana-ākulam ||
Wika ni Bhishma: Ang sinumang sa loob ng isang buong taon ay kumakain lamang nang minsan tuwing lumilipas ang bawat sampung araw, at sa loob ng labindalawang buwan ay araw-araw na naghahandog ng mga alay sa banal na apoy—ang taong iyon ay makararating sa kaaya-ayang tahanan ng mga dalagang kay Brahma, na nakalulugod sa lahat ng nilalang. Doon ay matatamo niya ang pinakadakilang bunga na katumbas ng isang libong sakripisyong Aśvamedha, at sa kahariang iyon ang magagandang dalaga ay nagbibigay-aliw sa walang-hanggang Purusha. Inilalarawan ang tanawin na hitik sa umiikot na mga bilog ng mga karwaheng makalangit, siksik sa mga alon ng pag-ikot, at kumikislap sa mga kulay na gaya ng asul at pulang lotus.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Sustained self-restraint (severe fasting discipline) combined with steady daily ritual offering is presented as extraordinarily meritorious, yielding results compared to grand royal sacrifices; the passage links disciplined practice and sacrificial regularity with exalted spiritual reward.
Bhishma describes the destiny of a practitioner who follows a year-long regimen of eating only once every ten days while maintaining daily fire-offerings; he depicts the person reaching a celestial abode of Brahma’s maidens, receiving the highest fruit equal to a thousand Aśvamedhas, amid a vivid vision of lotus-colored splendor and swirling vimānas.