Text 41] Ambarisa Maharaja Offended by Durvasa Muni 119
hand, if one does not observe the breaking of the fast within the
time of Dvadasi, there is a flaw in one’s observance of the vow.
Therefore, O brahmanas, 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 brahmanas, the King reached this
decision, for according to brahminical opinion, drinking water
may be accepted as eating and also as not eating.
PURPORT

When Maharaja Ambarisa, in his dilemma, consulted the brahmanas
about whether he should break the fast or wait for Durvasa Muni, ap-
parently they could not give a definite answer about what to do. A
Vaisnava, however, is the most intelligent personality. Therefore
Maharaja Ambarisa himself decided, in the presence of the brahmanas,
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 brahmana.
In the Vedas it is said, apo ‘snati tan naivasitam naivanasitam. 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 satydgraha will not eat but will drink
water. Considering that drinking water would not be eating, Maharaja
Ambarisa decided to act in this way.

TEXT 41
SIT: TT UaltaeaTy ATAATT |
iN
maqe geas fRamaqa a lee
ity apah prasya rdajarsis
cintayan manasdcyutam
pratyacasta kuru-Srestha
dvijagamanam eva sah

iti—thus; apah—water; prasya—after drinking; rdjarsih—the great
King Ambarisa; cintayan—meditating upon; manasd—by the mind;
acyutam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pratyacasta—began to
wait; kuru-srestha—O best of the Kuru kings; dvija-4gamanam—the
