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The last 5 days of the month of Kartika are traditionally known as the Bhishma Panchaka or the Vishnu Panchaka. In the Hari Bhakti Vilasa, it is said that if one is capable, one should observe fasting from certain foodstuffs on the Bhishma-panchaka for the pleasure of the Lord. This is optional. The Padma Purana say that one pleases the Lord and makes spiritual advancement by such austerities.

This episode also showed how very renounced devotees need to be, the following supports this from shastra:

mahaprabhura bhakta-ganera vairagya pradhana
yaha dekhi' prita hana gaura-bhagavan

Renunciation is the basic principle sustaining the lives of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's devotees. Seeing this renunciation, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is extremely satisfied.

PURPORTAnyone, whether an ordinary materialistic person or a pure devotee, can understand the behavior of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's devotees if he studies it minutely. One will thus find that the devotees of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu are not at all attached to any kind of material enjoyment. They have completely given up sense enjoyment to engage fully in the service of Lord Sri Krsna and dedicate their lives and souls to serving Krsna without material desires. Because their devotional service is free from material desires, it is unimpeded by material circumstances. Although ordinary men have great difficulty understanding this attitude of the devotees, it is greatly appreciated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (Caitanya Caritamrta Antya 6.220 Verse and Purport by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.) (c) 1991 by Bhaktivedanta Book Trust

Bhishma Panchaka

This kind of 5 day fast is also prescribed for the last 5 days of Kartika (Damodara) Month and it is known as "Bhisma Pancaka".
During that vrata puja offerings to the Lord are also prescribed. In the Padma Purana it only stated that in addition to ekadasee one can observe a "pancaratrika" fast until amavasya. Here are offerings prescribed for Bhisma Pancaka.
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Devotees may offer the following to the Deity form of the Lord:
On the first day, one must offer padma (lotus) flowers to the feet of the Lord
On the second day, one must offer bilva (wood-apple) leaves of the thigh of the Lord
On the third day, one must offer gandha (scents) to the navel of the Lord
On the fourth day, one must offer java flower to the shoulders of the Lord
On the fifth day, one must offer malati flower to the head (siro-desa) of the Lord
Reference: Garuda Puraana (op cit.)

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