"Bhishma continued, 'After this, the highly blessed and celebrated seven Rishis, with Vasishtha at their head,

rose and circumambulating the Lotus-born Brahman, stood around him with hands joined in reverence Vasishtha, that foremost of all !ersons conversant with Brahma, became their s!o"esman and as"ed this #uestion that is beneficial to every creature, but es!ecially so to Brahmanas and $shatriyas, 'By doing what acts may men of righteous conduct who are, however, destitute of the good of this world, succeed in ac#uiring merits attaching to sacrifices%' &earing this #uestion of theirs, the 'randsire Brahman began to say what follows ' "Brahman said, '()cellent is this #uestion, ye highly blessed ones* +t is at once aus!icious and high and fraught with a mystery ,his #uestion that ye have !ut is subtil and is fraught with high benefit to man"ind -e Rishis !ossessed of wealth of !enances, + shall recite everything to you in detail .o ye listen with attention to what + say as to how men ac#uire the merits attaching to sacrifices /even when they are unable to !erform them through !overty 0 +n the lighted fortnight of the month of 1ausha, when the constellation Rohini is in conjunction, if one, !urifying oneself by a bath, lies under the co!e of heaven, clad in a single !iece of raiment, with faith and concentrated attention, and drin"s the rays of the moon, one ac#uires the merits that attach to the !erformance of great sacrifices -e foremost of regenerate !ersons, this is a high mystery that + declare unto you in re!ly to your #uestions, ye that are !ossessed of insight into the subtil truths of all to!ics of en#uiry '"