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.’”

SECTION CX

“Vaisampayana said, ’Approaching the Kuru grandsire, venerable in years, viz., Bhishma, who was then lying on his bed of arrows, Yudhishthira possessed of great wisdom put the following question.’

“Yudhishthira said, ’How, O grandsire, does one acquire beauty of form and prosperity and agreeableness of disposition?  How, indeed, does one become possessed of religious merit and wealth and pleasure?  How does one become endued with happiness?’

“Bhishma said, ’In the month of Margasirsha, when the moon 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 Aswini, and his shins are in the two Ashadhas, 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 Visakhas, when his two hands are indicated by Hasta, when Punarvasu, O king, makes his fingers, Aslesha his nails, when Jyeshtha is known for his neck, when by Sravana is pointed out his ears, and his mouth by Pushya, when Swati is said to constitute his teeth and lips, when Satabhisha is his smile and Magha his nose, when Mrigasiras is known to be in his eye, and Chitra in his forehead, when his head is in Bharani, when Ardra constitutes his hair, O king, the vow called Chandravrata should be commenced.  Upon the completion of that vow, gift of ghee should be made unto Brahmanas conversant with the Vedas.  As the fruit of that vow, one becomes possessed about knowledge.  Indeed, one becomes, in consequence of such a vow, as full (of every blessed attribute) as the moon himself when he is at full.’”

SECTION CXI

“Yudhishthira said, ’O grandsire, O thou that art possessed of great wisdom and conversant with all the scriptures.  I desire to know those excellent ordinances in consequence of which mortal creatures have to travel through their rounds of rebirth.  What is that conduct by following which, O king, men succeed in attaining to high heaven, and what is that conduct by which one sinks in Hell?  When, abandoning the dead body that is as inert as a piece of wood or clod of earth, people proceed to the other world, what are those that follow them thither?’

“Bhishma said, ’Yonder comes the illustrious Vrihaspati of great intelligence!  Do thou ask his blessed self.  The subject is an eternal mystery.  None else is capable of explaining the matter.  There is no speaker like Vrihaspati.’