SECTION CIX
"Yudhishthira said, 'It behoveth thee, O grandsire, to tell me what are
the highest, the most beneficial, and the most certain fruit of all hinds
of fasts k this world.'
"Bhishma said, 'Listen, O king, to what was sung by the Self-born himself
and by accomplishing which a person, without doubt, attains to the
highest happiness. That man who fasts on the twelfth day of the moon in
the month called Margasirsha and worships Krishna as Kesava for the whole
day and night, attains to the merit of the Horse-sacrifice and becomes
cleansed of all his sins. He who; after the same manner, fasts on the
twelfth day of the moon in the month of Pausha and worships Krishna as
Narayana, for the whole day and night, attains to the merits of the
Vajapeya sacrifice and the highest success. He who fasts on the twelfth
day of the moon in the month of Magha and worships Krishna as Madhava,
for the whole day and night, attains to the merits of the Rajasuya
sacrifice, and rescues his own race (from misery).[504] He who fasts on
the twelfth day of the moon in the month of Phalguna and worships Krishna
as Govinda, for the whole day and night, attains to the merit of the
Atiratra sacrifice and goes to the region of Soma. He who fasts on the
twelfth day of the moon in the month of Chaitra and worship Krishna as
Vishnu, for the whole day and night, attains to the merit of the
Pundarika sacrifice and proceeds to the region of the deities. By
observing a similar fast on the twelfth day of the month of Vaisakha and
worshipping Krishna as the slayer of Madhu for the whole day and night,
one attains to the merits of the Agnishtoma sacrifice and proceeds to the
region of Soma. By observing a fast on the twelfth lunar day in the month
of Jyaishtha and worshipping Krishna as him who had (in Vali's sacrifice)
covered the universe with three steps of his, one attains to the merits
of the Gomedha sacrifice and sports with the Apsaras in great happiness.
By observing a fast on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of
Ashadha and worshipping Krishna as the dwarf (who beguiled the Asura king
Vali), one attains to the merits of the Naramedha[505] sacrifice and
sports in happiness with the Apsaras. By observing a fast for the twelfth
lunar day of the month Sravana and worshipping Krishna for day and night
as Sridhara, one attains to the merits of the sacrifice called
Panchayajna and acquires a beautiful car in Heaven whereon he sports in
joy. By observing a fast on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of
Bhadrapada and worshipping Krishna as Hrishikesa for the whole day and
night, one attains to the merits of the Sautramani sacrifice and becomes
cleansed of all sins. By observing a fast for the twelfth day of the moon
in the month of Aswin and worship-ping Krishna as Padmanabha, one attains
without doubt, to the merits of the sacrifice in which a thousand kine
are given away. By observing a fast for the twelfth day of the moon in
the month of Kartika and worshipping Krishna as Damodara, one attains,
without doubt, to the combined merits of all the sacrifices. He who, in
this way, adores Krishna for a whole year as Pundarikaksha, acquires the
power of recollecting the incidents of his past births and wins much
wealth in gold. Similarly, he who worships Krishna every day as Upendra
attains to identity with him. After Krishna has been worshipped in this
way, one should, at the conclusion of one's vow, feed a number of
Brahmanas or make gifts unto them of ghee. The illustrious Vishnu, that
ancient Being, has himself said that there is no fast that possesses
merits superior to what attach to fast of this kind.'"
