01.094
Bhishma’s Vow, and the boon from Shantanu.
vaiśampāyanaḥ uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
sa evaṁ śantanuḥ dhīmān devarājarṣi-satkṛtaḥ। dharmātmā sarvalokeṣu satyavāk iti viśrutaḥ ॥1॥
Thus was Śantanu, wise and honored by gods, kings, and sages, righteous in all the worlds, renowned as a speaker of truth.
damaḥ dānaṁ kṣamā buddhiḥ hrīḥ dhṛtiḥ tejaḥ uttamam। nityam āsan mahāsattve śantanau puruṣarṣabhe ॥2॥
Self-restraint, generosity, forgiveness, wisdom, modesty, fortitude, and supreme splendor were always present in the great-souled Śantanu, the best of men.
evaṁ sa guṇasampanno dharmārthakuśalo nṛpaḥ। āsīt bharatavaṁśasya goptā sādhujanasya ca ॥3॥
Thus, the virtuous and righteous king, skilled in dharma and wealth, became the protector of the Bharata lineage and of the virtuous.
kambugrīvaḥ pṛthu vyaṁsaḥ matta vāraṇa vikramaḥ। dharma eva paraḥ kāmāt arthāt ca iti vyavasthitaḥ ॥4॥
With a neck like a conch, broad chest, and the gait of a proud elephant, he was firmly established in holding dharma above desire and wealth.
etān āsan mahāsattve śantanau bharatarṣabha। na ca asya sadṛśaḥ kaścit kṣatriyaḥ dharmataḥ abhavat ॥5॥
These virtues were present in Śantanu, the great-souled one, O best of the Bharatas; and no kṣatriya equaled him in righteousness.
vartamānaṁ hi dharme sve sarvadharmavidāṁ varam। taṁ mahīpā mahīpālaṁ rājarājye abhyaṣecayan ॥6॥
Seeing him abiding firmly in his own dharma, the best among all knowers of righteousness, the kings anointed him, the lord of the earth, in supreme sovereignty.
vītaśoka-bhayābādhāḥ sukhasvapna-vibodhanāḥ। prati bhārata-goptāraṁ samapadyanta bhūmipāḥ ॥7॥
Freed from sorrow, fear, and afflictions, and waking from pleasant dreams, the kings gathered around the protector of the Bhārata land.
śantanupra-mukhaiḥ gupte loke nṛpatibhiḥ tadā। niyamāt sarvavarṇānāṁ brahmottaram avartata ॥8॥
Then, with the world protected by kings headed by Śantanu, the supremacy of the Brahmins prevailed through the disciplined conduct of all varṇas.
brahma paryacarat kṣatram viśaḥ kṣatram anuvratāḥ। brahmakṣatra-anuraktāś ca śūdrāḥ paryacaran viśaḥ ॥9॥
The Kṣatriyas served the Brahmins; the Vaiśyas were obedient to the Kṣatriyas; and the Śūdras, devoted to both Brahmins and Kṣatriyas, served the Vaiśyas.
sa hāstinapure ramye kurūṇāṁ puṭabhedane। vasan sāgara-paryantām anvaśād vai vasundharām ॥10॥
Residing in the delightful Hastināpura, capital of the Kurus, he ruled the earth extending to the ocean.
sa devarājasadṛśaḥ dharmajñaḥ satyavāk ṛjuḥ। dānadharmatapoyogāt śriyā paramayā yutaḥ ॥11॥
He was like Indra, a knower of dharma, truthful, upright, endowed with supreme splendor through charity, righteousness, austerity, and discipline.
arāgādveṣasaṁyuktaḥ somavat priyadarśanaḥ। tejasā sūryasaṅkāśaḥ vāyuvegasamo jave॥ antakapratimaḥ kope kṣamayā pṛthivīsamaḥ ॥12॥
Free from passion and hatred, pleasing like the moon, brilliant like the sun, swift as the wind, like Yama in wrath, and like the earth in forbearance.
vadhaḥ paśu-varāhāṇāṁ tathaiva mṛgapakṣiṇām। śantanau pṛthivīpāle nāvartata vṛthā nṛpa ॥13॥
Under King Śantanu, the protector of the earth, the killing of animals, boars, deer, or birds did not occur without purpose, O king.
dharmabrahmottare rājye śantanuḥ vinayātmavān। samaṁ śaśāsa bhūtāni kāmarāgavivarjitaḥ ॥14॥
In a kingdom where dharma and the Brahmins were supreme, Śantanu ruled all beings equally with humility, free from lust and attachment.
devarṣi-pitṛ-yajñārtham ārabhyanta tadā kriyāḥ। na ca adharmeṇa keṣāñcit prāṇinām abhavat vadhaḥ ॥15॥
Then, sacrificial rites for gods, sages, and ancestors were undertaken, and no living being was slain unrighteously.
