Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 50
उपवासफलात्मकविधिः — Upavāsa as Yajña-Equivalent Merit
Angiras Teaching
संवत्सरमिहैक॑ तु मासि मासि पिबेदप: । फल विश्वजितस्तात प्राप्रोति स नरो नृप,तात! नरेश्वर! जो मनुष्य एक वर्षतक प्रतिमास एक बार जल पीकर रहता है, उसे विश्वजित् यज्ञका फल मिलता है
saṁvatsaram ihaikaṁ tu māsi māsi pibed apaḥ | phalaṁ viśvajitas tāta prāpnoti sa naro nṛpa tāta ||
安吉罗说：“噢，亲爱的，噢，大王——若有人在此世整整一年，每月仅饮水一次，恒常守持此自制之戒，便能获得等同于毗湿瓦吉特祭（Viśvajit）的功德。”
अंगियरा उवाच
Educational Q&A
Steady self-discipline (austere but simple observance) sustained over time can yield merit comparable to major Vedic sacrifices; ethical emphasis is on consistency and restraint rather than mere external grandeur.
The sage Aṅgirā instructs a king, describing a specific vow: for one year, drinking water only once each month. He then states the promised spiritual reward—equal to the fruit of the Viśvajit sacrifice.