वैशम्पायन उवाच शरतल्पगतं भीष्मं वृद्धं कुरुपितामहम्। उपगम्य महाप्राज्ञः पर्यपृच्छद् युधिष्ठिरः॥
Vaishampayana said Approaching Bhishma venerable in years viz., Bhishma, who was then lying on his bed of arrows, the highly wise Yudhishthira put the following questions.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अङ्गानां रूपसौभाग्यं प्रियं चैव कथं भवेत्। धर्मार्थकामसंयुक्तः सुखभागी कथं भवेत्॥
Yudhishthira said How, O grandfather does one acquire beauty of form and prosperity and sweetness of disposition? How, indeed, does one acquire religious meril and wealth and pleasure? How does one win happiness?
भीष्म उवाच मार्गशीर्षस्य मासस्य चन्द्रे मूलेन संयुते। पादौ मूलेन राजेन्द्र जंघायामथ रोहिणीम्॥ अश्चिन्यां सक्थिनी चैव उरू चाषाढयोस्तथा। गुह्यं तु फाल्गुनी विद्यात् कृत्तिका कटिकास्तथा।॥ नाभिं भाद्रपदे विद्याद् रेवत्यामक्षिमण्डलम्। पृष्ठमेव धनिष्ठासु अनुराधोत्तरास्तथा॥ बाहुभ्यां तु विशाखासु हस्तौ हस्तेन निर्दिशेत्। पुनर्वस्वङ्गुली राजन्नाश्लेषासु नखास्तथा॥ ग्रीवां ज्येष्ठा च राजेन्द्र श्रवणेन तु कर्णयोः। मुखं पुष्येण दानेन दन्तोष्ठौ स्वातिरुच्यते॥ हासं शतभिषां चैव मघां चैवाथ नासिकाम्। नेत्रे मृगशिरो विद्याल्ललाटे मित्रमेव तु॥ भरण्यां तु शिरो विद्यात् केशानार्दो नराधिप। समाप्ते तु घृतं दद्याद् ब्राह्मणे वेदपारगे॥
Bhishma said In the month of Margashira, when the inoon comes in conjunction with the asterism called Mula, when his two feet are united with that very asterism, O king, when Rohini is in his calf, when his knee-joints are in Ashvini, and his thighs are in the two Ashadas when Phalguni makes his anus, and Krittika his waist, when his navel is in Bhadrapada, his ocular region in Revati, and his back on the Dhanishthas, when Anuradha makes his belly, when with his two arms he reaches the Vishakhas, when his two hands are indicated by Hasta, when Punarvasu, O king, makes his fingers, Ashlesha his nails when Jyeshtha makes his neck when Shravana makes his ears, and Pushya his mouth when Svati is said to make his teeth and lips, when Shatabhisha is his smile and Magha his nose, when Mrigashiras is known to be in his eye, and Chitra in his forehead, when his head is in Bharani, when Ardra forms his hair, o king, the vow called Chandravrata should be taken in hand. Upon the termination of that vow, gifts of clarified butter should be made 10 Brahmanas conversant with the Vedas.
सुभगो दर्शनीयश्च ज्ञानभाग्यथ जायते। जायते परिपूर्णाङ्गः पौर्णमास्येव चन्द्रमाः॥
As the fruit of that vow one acquires prosperity, personal beauty and that good luck which brings about knowledge. Indeed, onc becomes on account of such a vow, as full of attribute as the full Moon hiinself.