Jñāna-yoga and Karma-phala: Manu–Bṛhaspati on Akṣara and the Limits of Mantra
सायं प्रातर्मनुष्याणामशन वेदनिर्मितम् । नान्तरा भोजन दृष्टमुपवासी तथा भवेत्
sāyaṃ prātar manuṣyāṇām aśanaṃ vedanirmitam | nāntarā bhojanaṃ dṛṣṭam upavāsī tathā bhavet ||
Sinabi ni Bhīṣma: “Para sa tao, itinakda ng Veda ang pagkain sa dalawang panahon lamang—sa umaga at sa dapithapon. Walang tuntuning nakikitang nagpapahintulot ng pagkain sa pagitan. Ang tumutupad sa disiplinang ito ay itinuturing na upavāsin, at tinatamo ang kabutihang dulot ng pag-aayuno.”
भीष्म उवाच
The verse teaches restraint in food: eating only at the two prescribed times (morning and evening) is a dharmic discipline, and avoiding meals in between is treated as equivalent in merit to fasting.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and right conduct; here he lays down a rule of regulated eating grounded in Vedic authority, linking daily discipline with the spiritual fruit of upavāsa.