युधिष्ठिर उवाच सर्वेषामुपवासानां यच्छ्रेयः सुमहत्फलम्। यच्चाप्यसंशयं लोके तन्मे त्वं वक्तुमर्हसि॥
Yudhishthira said You should, O grandfather, tell me what is the highest, the most beneficial, and the most certain fruit of all sorts of fasts in this world.
भीष्म उवाच शृणु राजन् यथा गीतं स्वयमेव स्वयम्भुवा। यत् कृत्वा निर्वृतो भूयात् पुरुषो नात्र संशयः॥
Bhishma said Listen, O king, to what was recited by the selfcreate himself and by doing which a person, forsooth, acquires the highest happiness.
द्वादश्यां मार्गशीर्षे तु अहोरात्रेण केशवम्। अाश्वमेधं प्राप्नोति दुष्कृतं चास्य नश्यति॥
That man who fasts on the twelfth day of the moon in the month called Margashira and adores Krishna as Keshava for the whole day and night, acquires the merits of the Horse sacrifice and becomes purged off of all his sins.
तथैव पौषमासे तू पूज्यो नारायणेति च। वाजपेयमवाप्नोति सिद्धिं च परमां व्रजेत्॥
He who, similarly, fasts on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of Pausha and adores Krishna as Narayana, for the whole day and night, acquires the merits of the Vajapeya sacrifice and the highest success.
अहोरात्रेण द्वादश्यां माघमासे तु माधवम्। राजसूयमवाप्नोति कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत्॥
He who fasts on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of Magha and adores Krishna, as Madhava, for the whole day and night, acquires the merits of the Rajasuya sacrifice, and rescues his own family.
तथैव फाल्गुने मासि गोविन्देति च पूजयन्। अतिरात्रमवाप्नोति सोमलोकं च गच्छति॥
He who fasts on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of Phalguna and adores Krishna as Govinda, for the whole day and night, acquires the merit of the Atiratra sacrifice and goes to the region of soma.
अहोरात्रेण द्वादश्यां चैत्रे विष्णुरिति स्मरन्। पौण्डरीकमवाप्नोति देवलोकं च गच्छति॥
He who fasts on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of Chaitra and adores Krishna as Vishnu, for the whole day and night acquires the merit of the Pundarika sacrifice and proceeds to the region of the celestials.
वैशाखमासे द्वादश्यां पूजयन् मधुसूदनम्। अग्निष्टोममवाप्नोति सोमलोकं च गच्छति॥
By observing a similar fast on the twelfth day of the month of Vaishakha and adoring Krishna as the destroyer of Madhur for the whole day and night one acquires the merits of the Agnishtoma sacrifice and proceeds to the region of soma.
अहोरात्रेण द्वादश्यां ज्येष्ठे मासि त्रिविक्रमम्। गवां मेधमवाप्नोति अप्सरोभिश्च मोदते॥
By observing a fast on the twelfth lunar day in the month of Jaishtha and adoring Krishna as him who had covered the universe with three steps of his, one acquires the merits of the Gomedha sacrifice and sports with the Apsaras in great happiness.
आषाढे मासि द्वादश्यां वामनेति च पूजयन्। नरमेधमवाप्नोति पुण्यं च लभते महत्॥
By observing a fast on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of Ashada and adoring Krishna as the Dwarf, one acquires the merits of the Naramedha sacrifice and sports in happiness with the Apsaras.
अहोरात्रेण द्वादश्यां श्रावणे मासि श्रीधरम्। पञ्चयज्ञानवाप्नोति विमानस्थश्च मोदते॥
By observing a fast for the twelfth lunar day of the month of Shravana and adoring Krishna for day and night as Shrecdhara, one acquires the merits of the sacrifice called Panchayajna and acquires a beautiful car in the celestial region where on he sports in joy.
तथा भाद्रपदे मासि हृषीकेशेति पूजयन्। सौत्रामणिमवाप्नोति पूतात्मा भवते च हि॥
By observing a fast on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of Bhadrapada and adoring Krishna as Hrishikesha for the whole day and night, one acquires the merits of the sautramani sacrifice and becomes purged off of all sins.
द्वादश्यामाश्विने मासि पद्मनाभेति चार्चयन्। गोसहस्रफलं पृण्यं प्राप्नुयान्नात्र संशयः॥
By observing a fast for the twelfth day of the moon in the month of Ashvin and adoring Krishna as Padmanabha, onc acquires forsooth, the merits of that sacrifice in which a thousand kine are given away.
द्वादश्यां कार्तिके मासि पूज्य दामोदरेति च। गवां यज्ञमवाप्नोति पुमान् स्त्री वा न संशयः॥
By observing a fast for the twelfth day of the moon in the month of Kartika and adoring Krishna as Damodara, one acquires forsooth, the combined merits of all the sacrifices.
अर्चयेत् पुण्डरीकाक्षमेवं संवत्सरं तु यः। जातिस्मरत्वं प्राप्नोति विन्द्याद् बहु सुवर्णकम्॥
He who, in this way worship Krishna for a whole year as Pundarikaksha, acquires the power of recollecting the incidents of his pristine births and acquires much wealth in gold.
अहन्यहनि तद्भावमुपेन्द्रं योऽधिगच्छति। समाप्ते भोजयेद् विप्रानथवा दापयेद् घृतम्॥ अतः परं नोपवासो भवतीति विनिश्चयः। उवाच भगवान् विष्णुः स्वयमेव पुरातनम्॥
Likewise he who adores Krishna every day as Upendra, acquires oneness with him. After Krishna has been adored thus, one should, at the conclusion of his vow, feed a number of Brahmanas or make gifts of clarified butter to them. The illustrious Vishnu, that ancient Being, has himself said that there is no fast which possesses superior merits.
उवाच भगवान् विष्णुः स्वयमेव पुरातनम्॥
Likewise he who adores Krishna every day as Upendra, acquires oneness with him. After Krishna has been adored thus, one should, at the conclusion of his vow, feed a number of Brahmanas or make gifts of clarified butter to them. The illustrious Vishnu, that ancient Being, has himself said that there is no fast which possesses superior merits.