Shloka 69
मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity
यत्तु पक्षे गते भुडक्ते एकभक्तं जितेन्द्रिय: । सदा द्वादशमासांस्तु जुह्दानो जातवेदसम्
yat tu pakṣe gate bhuñkte ekabhaktaṁ jitendriyaḥ | sadā dvādaśa-māsāṁs tu juhvāno jātavedasam ||
بھیشم نے کہا—لیکن جو ضبطِ نفس والا مرد پندرہ روزہ مدت گزرنے پر مقررہ دن صرف ایک بار کھاتا ہے اور بارہ مہینے برابر جات وید (آگ) میں آہوتی ڈالتا رہتا ہے، وہ عظیم ترین پھل پاتا ہے۔
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Disciplined restraint (jitendriyatā) combined with steady sacred duty (daily fire-offering) is presented as a powerful form of dharma, yielding merit comparable to grand royal sacrifices—showing that inner discipline and consistent practice can rival costly public rites.
Bhīṣma is describing a specific observance: eating only once at the end of each fortnight while maintaining daily offerings to Agni for a full year. He then states the exalted reward—equivalent to a thousand Rājasūyas and ascent in a divine vimāna attended by swans and peacocks.