History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.149.5

v6.c81.149.5

In the Mahābhārata¹⁰⁸ (and the Padmapurāṇa VI 53 4-6) it is stated that the Vedic rites and rites prescribed by Manu cannot be performed in Kaliyuga and that therefore it declares to Yudhiṣṭhira something that would be an easy remedy, requiring little wealth and causing little trouble but securing great rewards and that would be the essence of Purāṇas, viz one should not eat on the Ekādaśī of both fortnights; he who does not eat food on Ekādaśī does not go to hell About the Ubhayadvādaśīvrata described in the Bhaviṣyapurāṇa it is said that Prabhāsa,¹⁰⁹ Gayā, Puṣkara, Vārāṇasī, Prayāga or holy places to the east or west thereof, or to the north are not superior or equal to the Kārtika vrata The Anuśāsana-parva¹¹⁰ proclaims that there is no higher *tapas* than *upavāsa* (fasting) or even equal to it and that poor men can secure the rewards of sacrifices by resorting to the upavāsa described Hemādri quotes two verses on Arkavrata from the Bhaviṣyapurāṇa stating that if a man observes for a year *nakta* on the 6th and 7th tithis in each fortnight he obtains the merit secured by those who perform the Vedic sacrifices called *sattras* or who observe the vow of speaking the truth