"'Yudhishthira said, "The disposition is seen, O grandsire, in all the
orders of men, including the very Mlechchhas, of observing fasts. The
reason, however, of this is not known to us. It has been heard by us that
only Brahmanas and Kshatriyas should observe the vow of fasts. How, O
grandsire, are the other orders to be taken as earning any merit by the
observance of fasts? How have vows and fasts come to be observed by
persons of all orders, O king? What is that end to which one devoted to
the observance of fasts attains? It has been said that fasts are highly
meritorious and that fasts are a great refuge. O prince of men, what is
the fruit that is earned in this world by the man that observe fasts? By
what means is one cleansed of one's sins? By what means doth one acquire
righteousness? By what means, O best of the Bharatas, doth one succeed in
acquiring heaven and merit? After having observed a fast, what should one
give away, O king? O, tell me, what those duties are by which one may
succeed in obtaining such objects as lead to happiness?"'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Unto Kunti's son by the deity of Dharma, who
was conversant with every duty and who said so unto him, Santanu's son,
Bhishma, who was acquainted with every duty, answered in the following
words.'
"'Bhishma said, "In former days, O king, I heard of these high merits, O
chief of Bharata's race, as attaching to the observance of fasts
according to the ordinance. I had, O Bharata, asked the Rishi Angiras of
high ascetic merit, the very same questions which thou hast asked me
today. Questioned by me thus, the illustrious Rishi, who sprang from the
sacrificial fire, answered me even thus in respect of the observance of
fasts according to the ordinance.
"'"Angiras said, 'As regards Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, fasts for three
nights at a stretch are ordained for them, O delighter of the Kurus.
Indeed, O chief of men, a fast for one night, for two nights, and for
three nights, may be observed by them. (They should never go beyond three
nights). As regards Vaisyas and Sudras, the duration of fasts prescribed
for them is a single night. If, from folly, they observe fasts for two or
three nights, such fasts never lead to their advancement. Indeed, for
Vaisyas and Sudras, fasts for two nights have been ordained (on certain
special occasions). Fasts for three nights, however, have not been laid
down for them by persons conversant with and observant of duties. That
man of wisdom who, with his senses and soul under control, O Bharata,
fasts, by abstaining from one of the two meals, on the fifth and the
sixth days of the moon as also on the day of the full moon, becomes
endured with forgiveness and beauty of person and conversance with the
scriptures. Such a person never becomes childless and poor. He who
performs sacrifices for adoring the deities on the fifth and sixth days
of the moon, transcends all the members of his family and succeeds in
feeding a large number of Brahmanas. He who observes fasts on the eighth
and the fourteenth days of the dark fortnight, becomes freed from
maladies of every kind and possessed of great energy. The man who
abstains from one meal every day throughout the month called Margasirsha,
should, with reverence and devotion, feed a number of Brahmanas. By so
doing he becomes freed from all his sins. Such a man becomes endued with
prosperity, and all kinds of grain become his. He becomes endued with
energy. In fact, such a person reaps an abundance of harvest from his
fields, acquires great wealth and much corn. That man, O son of Kunti,
who passes the whole month of Pausha, abstaining every day from one of
two meals, becomes endued with good fortune and agreeable features and
great fame. He who passes the whole month of Magha, abstaining every day
from one of the two meals, takes birth in a high family and attains to a
position of eminence among his kinsmen. He who passes the whole month of
Bhagadaivata, confining himself every day to only one meal becomes a
favourite with women who, indeed, readily own his sway. He who passes the
whole of the month of Chaitra, confining himself every day to one meal,
takes birth in a high family and becomes rich in gold, gems, and pearls.
The person, whether male or female, who passes the month of Vaisakha,
confining himself or herself every day to one meal, and keeping his or
her senses under control, succeeds in attaining to a position of eminence
among kinsmen. The person who passes the month of Jyaishtha confining
himself every day to one meal a day, succeeds in attaining to a position
of eminence and great wealth. If a woman, she reaps the same reward. He
who passes the month of Ashadha confining himself to one meal a day and
with senses steadily concentrated upon his duties, becomes possessed of
much corn, great wealth, and a large progeny. He who passes the month of
Sravana, confining himself to one meal a day, receives the honours of
Abhisheka wherever he may happen to reside, and attains to a position of
eminence among kinsmen whom he supports. That man who confines himself to
only one meal a day for the whole month of Proshthapada, becomes endued
with great wealth and attains to swelling and durable affluence. The man
who passes the month of Aswin, confining himself to one meal a day,
becomes pure in soul and body, possessed of animals and vehicles in
abundance, and a large progeny. He who passes the month of Kartika,
confining himself to one meal every day, becomes possessed of heroism,
many spouses, and great fame. I have now told thee, O chief of men what
the fruits are that are obtained by men by observing fasts for the two
and ten months in detail. Listen now, O king, to me as I tell thee what
the rules are in respect of each of the lunar days. The man who,
abstaining from it every day, takes rice at the expiration of every
fortnight, becomes possessed of a great many kine, a large progeny, and a
long life. He who observes a fast for three nights every month and
conducts himself thus for two and ten years, attains to a position of
supremacy among his kinsmen and associates, without a rival to contest
his claim and without any anxiety caused by any one endeavouring to rise
to the same height. These rules that I speak of, O chief of Bharata's
race, should be observed for two and ten years. Let the inclination be
manifested towards it. That man who eats once in the forenoon and once
after evening and abstains from drinking (or eating anything) in the
interval, and who observes compassion, towards all creatures and pours
libations of clarified butter on his sacred fire every day, attains to
success, O king, in six years. There is no doubt in this. Such a man
earns the merit that attaches to the performance of the Agnishtoma
sacrifice. Endued with merit and freed from every kind of stain, he
attains to the region of the Apsaras that echo with the sound of songs
and dance, and passes his days in the company of a thousand damsels of
great beauty. He rides on a car of the complexion of melted gold and
receives high honours in the region of Brahma. After the exhaustion of
that merit such a person comes back to earth and attains to pre-eminence
of position. That man who passes one whole year, confining himself every
day to only one meal, attains to the merit of the Atiratra sacrifice. He
ascends to heaven after death and receives great honours there. Upon the
exhaustion of that merit he returns to earth and attains to a position of
eminence. He who passes one whole year observing fasts for three days in
succession and taking food on every fourth day, and abstaining from
injury from every kind, adheres to truthfulness of speech and keeps his
senses under control, attains to the merit of the Vajapeya sacrifice.
Such a person ascends to heaven after death and receives high honours
there. That man, O son of Kunti, who passes a whole year observing fasts
for five days and taking food on only the sixth day, acquires the merit
of the Horse-sacrifice. The chariot he rides is drawn by Chakravakas.
Such a man enjoys every kind of happiness in heaven for full forty
thousand years. He who passes a whole year observing fasts for seven days
and taking food on only every eighth day, acquires the merit of the
Gavamaya sacrifice. The chariot he rides is drawn by swans and cranes.
Such a person enjoys all kinds of happiness in Heaven for fifty thousand
years. He who passes a whole year, O king, eating only at intervals of a
fortnight, acquires the merit of a continuous fast for six months. This
has been said by the illustrious Angiras himself. Such a man dwells in
heaven for sixty thousand years. He is roused every morning from his bed
by the sweet notes of Vinas and Vallakis and flutes, O king. He who
passes a whole year, drinking only a little water at the expiration of
every month, acquires, O monarch, the merit of the Viswajit sacrifice.
Such a man rides a chariot drawn by lions and tigers. He dwells in heaven
for seventy thousand years in the enjoyment of every kind of happiness.
No fast for more than a month, O chief of men, has been ordained. Even
this, O son of Pritha, is the ordinance in respect of fasts that has been
declared by sages conversant with duties. That man who, unafflicted by
disease and free from every malady, observes a fast, verily acquires, at
every step the merits that attach to Sacrifices. Such a man ascends to
Heaven on a car drawn by swans. Endued with puissance, he enjoys every
kind of happiness in heaven for a hundred years. A hundred Apsaras of the
most beautiful features wait upon and sport with him. He is roused from
his bed every morning by the sound of the Kanchis and the Nupuras of
those damsels.[489] Such a person rides on a car drawn by a thousand
swans. Dwelling, again, in a region teeming with hundreds of the most
beautiful damsels, he passes his time in great joy. The person who is
desirous of heaven does not like the accession of strength when he
becomes weak, or the cure of wounds when he is wounded, or the
administration of healing drugs when he is ill, or soothing by others
when he is angry, or the mitigation, by the expenditure of wealth, of
sorrows caused by poverty. Leaving this world where he suffers only
privations of every kind, he proceeds to heaven and rides on cars adorned
with gold, his person embellished with ornaments of every kind. There, in
the midst of hundreds of beautiful damsels, he enjoys all kinds of
pleasure and happiness, cleansed of every sin. Indeed, abstaining from
food and enjoyments in this world, he takes leave of this body and
ascends to heaven as the fruit of his penances. There, freed from all his
sins, health and happiness become his and whatever wishes arise in his
mind become crowned with fruition. Such a person rides on a celestial car
of golden complexion, of the effulgence of the morning sun, set with
pearls and lapis lazuli, resounding with the music of Vinas and Murajas,
adorned with banners and lamps, and echoing with the tinkle of celestial
bells, such a person enjoys all kinds of happiness in heaven for as many
years as there are pores in his body. There is no Sastra superior to the
Veda. There is no person more worthy of reverence than the mother. There
is no acquisition superior to that of Righteousness, and no penance
superior to fast. There is nothing, more sacred, in heaven or earth, than
Brahmanas. After the same manner there is no penance that is superior to
the observance of fasts. It was by fasts that the deities have succeeded
in becoming denizens of heaven. It is by fasts that the Rishis have
attained to high success. Viswamitra passed a thousand celestial years,
confining himself every day to only one meal, and as the consequence
thereof attained to the status of a Brahmana. Chyavana and Jamadagni and
Vasishtha and Gautama and Bhrigu--all these great Rishis endued with the
virtue of forgiveness, have attained to heaven through observance of
fasts. In former days Angiras declared so unto the great Rishis. The man
who teaches another the merit of fasts have never to suffer any kind of
misery. The ordinances about fasts, in their due order, O son of Kunti,
have flowed from the great Rishi Angiras. The man who daily reads these
ordinances or hears them read, becomes freed from sins of every kind. Not
only is such a person freed from every calamity, but his mind becomes
incapable of being touched by any kind of fault. Such a person succeeds
in understanding the sounds of all creatures other than human, and
acquiring eternal fame, become foremost of his species."'"