Chapter 110

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

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

“Bhishma said, ‘In the month of Margasirsha, when the moon comes inconjunction with the asterism called Mula, when his two feet are unitedwith that very asterism, O king, when Rohini is in his calf, when hisknee-joints are in Aswini, and his shins are in the two Ashadhas, whenPhalguni makes his anus, and Krittika his waist, when his navel is inBhadrapada, his ocular region in. Revati, and his back on theDhanishthas, when Anuradha makes his belly, when with his two arms hereaches the Visakhas, when his two hands are indicated by Hasta, whenPunarvasu, O king, makes his fingers, Aslesha his nails, when Jyeshtha isknown for his neck, when by Sravana is pointed out his ears, and hismouth by Pushya, when Swati is said to constitute his teeth and lips,when Satabhisha is his smile and Magha his nose, when Mrigasiras is knownto be in his eye, and Chitra in his forehead, when his head is inBharani, when Ardra constitutes his hair, O king, the vow calledChandravrata should be commenced. Upon the completion of that vow, giftof ghee should be made unto Brahmanas conversant with the Vedas. As thefruit of that vow, one becomes possessed about knowledge. Indeed, onebecomes, in consequence of such a vow, as full (of every blessedattribute) as the moon himself when he is at full.'”