Text 41] Ambarīṣa Mahārāja Offended by Durvāsā Muni 119
hand, if one does not observe the breaking of the fast within the time of Dvādaśī, there is a flaw in one's observance of the vow. Therefore, O brāhmaṇas, if you think that it will be auspicious and not irreligious, I shall break the fast by drinking water." In this way, after consulting with the brāhmaṇas, the King reached this decision, for according to brahminical opinion, drinking water may be accepted as eating and also as not eating.
PURPORT
When Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, in his dilemma, consulted the  brāhmaṇas  about whether he should break the fast or wait for Durvāsā Muni, apparently they could not give a definite answer about what to do. A Vaiṣṇava, however, is the most intelligent personality. Therefore Mahārāja Ambarīṣa himself decided, in the presence of the  brāhmaṇas , that he would drink a little water, for this would confirm that the fast was broken but would not transgress the laws for receiving a  brāhmaṇa . In the  Vedas  it is said,  apo śnāti tan naivāśitam naivānaśitam . This Vedic injunction declares that the drinking of water may be accepted as eating or as not eating. Sometimes in our practical experience we see that some political leader adhering to  satyāgraha  will not eat but will drink water. Considering that drinking water would not be eating, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa decided to act in this way.
TEXT 41
इत्यपः प्राज्य राजर्षिश्चिन्तयन् मनसाच्युतम् ।
प्रत्यचष्ट कुरुश्रेष्ठ द्विजागमनमेव सः ॥४१॥
ity apaḥ prāśya rājarṣiś cintayan manasācyutam pratyacaṣṭa kuru-śreṣṭha dvijāgamanam eva saḥ
iti—thus; apaḥ—water; prāśya—after drinking; rājarṣiḥ—the great King Ambarīṣa; cintayan—meditating upon; manasā—by the mind; acyutam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pratyacaṣṭa—began to wait; kuru-śreṣṭha—O best of the Kuru kings; dvija-āgamanam—the