Yudhishthira said You should, O grandfather, tell me what is the highest, the most beneficial, and the most certain fruit of all sorts of fasts in this world.

Bhishma said Listen, O king, to what was recited by the selfcreate himself and by doing which a person, forsooth, acquires the highest happiness.

That man who fasts on the twelfth day of the moon in the month called Margashira and adores Krishna as Keshava for the whole day and night, acquires the merits of the Horse sacrifice and becomes purged off of all his sins.

He who, similarly, fasts on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of Pausha and adores Krishna as Narayana, for the whole day and night, acquires the merits of the Vajapeya sacrifice and the highest success.

He who fasts on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of Magha and adores Krishna, as Madhava, for the whole day and night, acquires the merits of the Rajasuya sacrifice, and rescues his own family.

He who fasts on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of Phalguna and adores Krishna as Govinda, for the whole day and night, acquires the merit of the Atiratra sacrifice and goes to the region of soma.

He who fasts on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of Chaitra and adores Krishna as Vishnu, for the whole day and night acquires the merit of the Pundarika sacrifice and proceeds to the region of the celestials.

By observing a similar fast on the twelfth day of the month of Vaishakha and adoring Krishna as the destroyer of Madhur for the whole day and night one acquires 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 Jaishtha and adoring Krishna as him who had covered the universe with three steps of his, one acquires 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 Ashada and adoring Krishna as the Dwarf, one acquires the merits of the Naramedha sacrifice and sports in happiness with the Apsaras.

By observing a fast for the twelfth lunar day of the month of Shravana and adoring Krishna for day and night as Shrecdhara, one acquires the merits of the sacrifice called Panchayajna and acquires a beautiful car in the celestial region where on he sports in joy.

By observing a fast on the twelfth day of the moon in the month of Bhadrapada and adoring Krishna as Hrishikesha for the whole day and night, one acquires the merits of the sautramani sacrifice and becomes purged off of all sins.

By observing a fast for the twelfth day of the moon in the month of Ashvin and adoring Krishna as Padmanabha, onc acquires forsooth, the merits of that 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 adoring Krishna as Damodara, one acquires forsooth, the combined merits of all the sacrifices.

He who, in this way worship Krishna for a whole year as Pundarikaksha, acquires the power of recollecting the incidents of his pristine births and acquires much wealth in gold.

Likewise he who adores Krishna every day as Upendra, acquires oneness with him. After Krishna has been adored thus, one should, at the conclusion of his vow, feed a number of Brahmanas or make gifts of clarified butter to them. The illustrious Vishnu, that ancient Being, has himself said that there is no fast which possesses superior merits.

Likewise he who adores Krishna every day as Upendra, acquires oneness with him. After Krishna has been adored thus, one should, at the conclusion of his vow, feed a number of Brahmanas or make gifts of clarified butter to them. The illustrious Vishnu, that ancient Being, has himself said that there is no fast which possesses superior merits.