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Six day fast and parana, seven day fast and parana, one day fast and parana, two day fast and parana, three day fast and parana, four day fast and parana, five day fast and parana. This is the fifth string.
Two day fast and parana, three day fast and parana, four day fast and parana. five day fast and parana, six day fast and parana, seven day fast and parana, one day fast and parana. This is the sixth string.
Five day fast and parana. six day fast and parana, seven day fast and parana, one day fast and parana, two day fast and parana, three day fast and parana, four day fast and parana. This is the seventh string.
There is a complete sequence of all these seven strings which lasts for 245 days. It contains 196 fasting days and 49 cating days.
In total there are four different sequences like this lasting for 980 days. This includes 784 fasting days and 196 eating days.
The rule about food is that during the first sequence food including some stimulating things (vigaya) is allowed; during the second sequence food without any stimulating things is allowed; during the third sequence food without any oil is allowed and during the fourth sequence ayambil-tap is observed on the eating days.
Following this procedure and observing prescribed rules and rituals. Mahatsarvatobhadra pratima is concluded.
This pratima was practiced by Arya Virakrishna.
7. Bhadrottar Pratima
The word 'Bhadrottar' is made up of two words-Bhadra and uttar. 'Bhadra' means beneficent or that which gives or does benefit and 'Uttar' here means most important or main. Therefore Bhadrottar means that which causes maximum benefit or the best of the beneficent. Thus Bhadrottar pratima endows maximum benefits to the seeker.
The practice of this pratima starts with five day fast and goes up to nine day fast. Therefore the related tables of numerals have numbers from 5 to 9. The number of squares in a table are 25 (5 x 5) and the total of a column is 35.
Namokar mantra also has 35 letters and that also is believed to be the best of the beneficent. What a strange coincidence!
Procedure-The procedure of Bhadrottar pratima practice is as follows---
Five day fast and parana, six day fast and parana, seven day fast and parana, eight 'day fast and parana, nine day fast and parana. This sequence is called the first string.
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