SECTION CIX "Yudhishthira said, 'It behoveth thee, O grandsire, to tell me what are the highest, the most

benefi ial, and the most ertain fruit of all hinds of fasts ! this world"' "#hishma said, '$isten, O !ing, to what was sung b% the Self&born himself and b% a om'lishing whi h a 'erson, without doubt, attains to the highest ha''iness" That man who fasts on the twelfth da% of the moon in the month alled (argasirsha and worshi's )rishna as )esava for the whole da% and night, attains to the merit of the *orse&sa rifi e and be omes leansed of all his sins" *e who+ after the same manner, fasts on the twelfth da% of the moon in the month of ,ausha and worshi's )rishna as Nara%ana, for the whole da% and night, attains to the merits of the -a.a'e%a sa rifi e and the highest su ess" *e who fasts on the twelfth da% of the moon in the month of (agha and worshi's )rishna as (adhava, for the whole da% and night, attains to the merits of the /a.asu%a sa rifi e, and res ues his own ra e 0from miser%1" 2 *e who fasts on the twelfth da% of the moon in the month of ,halguna and worshi's )rishna as 3ovinda, for the whole da% and night, attains to the merit of the 4tiratra sa rifi e and goes to the region of Soma" *e who fasts on the twelfth da% of the moon in the month of Chaitra and worshi' )rishna as -ishnu, for the whole da% and night, attains to the merit of the ,undari!a sa rifi e and 'ro eeds to the region of the deities" '" 556 7'aragra'h ontinues8 #% observing a similar fast on the twelfth da% of the month of -aisa!ha and worshi''ing )rishna as the sla%er of (adhu for the whole da% and night, one attains to the merits of the 4gnishtoma sa rifi e and 'ro eeds to the region of Soma" #% observing a fast on the twelfth lunar da% in the month of 9%aishtha and worshi''ing )rishna as him who had 0in -ali's sa rifi e1 overed the universe with three ste's of his, one attains to the merits of the 3omedha sa rifi e and s'orts with the 4'saras in great ha''iness" #% observing a fast on the twelfth da% of the moon in the month of 4shadha and worshi''ing )rishna as the dwarf 0who beguiled the 4sura !ing -ali1, one attains to the merits of the Naramedha 2 sa rifi e and s'orts in ha''iness with the 4'saras" #% observing a fast for the twelfth lunar da% of the month Sravana and worshi''ing )rishna for da% and night as Sridhara, one attains to the merits of the sa rifi e alled ,an ha%a.na and a :uires a beautiful ar in *eaven whereon he s'orts in .o%" #% observing a fast on the twelfth da% of the moon in the month of #hadra'ada and worshi''ing )rishna as *rishi!esa for the whole da% and night, one attains to the merits of the Sautramani sa rifi e and be omes leansed of all sins" #% observing a fast for the twelfth da% of the moon in the month of 4swin and worshi'&'ing )rishna as ,admanabha, one attains without doubt, to the merits of the sa rifi e in whi h a thousand !ine are given awa%" #% observing a fast for the twelfth da% of the moon in the month of )arti!a and worshi''ing )rishna as ;amodara, one attains, without doubt, to the ombined merits of all the sa rifi es" *e who, in this wa%, adores )rishna for a whole %ear as ,undari!a!sha, a :uires the 'ower of re olle ting the in idents of his 'ast births and wins mu h wealth in gold" Similarl%, he who worshi's )rishna ever% da% as <'endra attains to identit% with him" 4fter )rishna has been worshi''ed in this wa%, one should, at the on lusion of

one's vow, feed a number of #rahmanas or ma!e gifts unto them of ghee" The illustrious -ishnu, that an ient #eing, has himself said that there is no fast that 'ossesses merits su'erior to what atta h to fast of this !ind"'"