nd night,
one attains to the merits of the Agnishtoma sacrifice and proceeds to the
region of Soma. By observing a fast on the twelfth lunar day in the month
of Jyaishtha and worshipping Krishna as him who had (in Vali's sacrifice)
covered the universe with three steps of his, one attains to the merits
of the Gomedha sacrifice and sports with the Apsaras in great happiness.
By observing a fast on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of
Ashadha and worshipping Krishna as the dwarf (who beguiled the Asura king
Vali), one attains to the merits of the Naramedha[505] sacrifice and
sports in happiness with the Apsaras. By observing a fast for the twelfth
lunar day of the month Sravana and worshipping Krishna for day and night
as Sridhara, one attains to the merits of the sacrifice called
Panchayajna and acquires a beautiful car in Heaven whereon he sports in
joy. By observing a fast on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of
Bhadrapada and worshipping Krishna as Hrishikesa for the whole day and
night, one attains to the merits of the Sautramani sacrifice and becomes
cleansed of all sins. By observing a fast for the twelfth day of the moon
in the month of Aswin and worshipping Krishna as Padmanabha, one attains
without doubt, to the merits of the sacrifice in which a thousand kine
are given away. By observing a fast for the twelfth day of the moon in
the month of Kartika and worshipping Krishna as Damodara, one attains,
without doubt, to the combined merits of all the sacrifices. He who, in
this way, adores Krishna for a whole year as Pundarikaksha, acquires the
power of recollecting 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 a