02.035
Pancharatra: Bhishma justifies why Krishna deserves the highest honour.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा शिशुपालमुपाद्रवत्। उवाच चैनं मधुरं सान्त्वपूर्वमिदं वचः ॥२-३५-१॥
Then King Yudhishthira approached Shishupala and addressed him with these conciliatory and gentle words. (2-35-1)
नेदं युक्तं महीपाल यादृशं वै त्वमुक्तवान्। अधर्मश्च परो राजन्पारुष्यं च निरर्थकम् ॥२-३५-२॥
O king, what you have spoken is not proper. It is great unrighteousness, harshness, and meaningless. (2-35-2)
न हि धर्मं परं जातु नावबुध्येत पार्थिव। भीष्मः शान्तनवस्त्वेनं मावमंस्था अतोऽन्यथा ॥२-३५-३॥
O king, no one ever understands a dharma higher than this; Bhishma, son of Shantanu, do not despise him for any other reason. (2-35-3)
पश्य चेमान्महीपालांस्त्वत्तो वृद्धतमान्बहून्। मृष्यन्ते चार्हणां कृष्णे तद्वत्त्वं क्षन्तुमर्हसि ॥२-३५-४॥
See, O Krishna, these many kings, most senior to you, are tolerated and honored; likewise, you should also be forgiving. (2-35-4)
वेद तत्त्वेन कृष्णं हि भीष्मश्चेदिपते भृशम्। न ह्येनं त्वं तथा वेत्थ यथैनं वेद कौरवः ॥२-३५-५॥
O king of the Cedis, Bhīṣma indeed knows Kṛṣṇa in reality and thoroughly; you do not know him in the same way as the Kaurava does. (2-35-5)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
नास्मा अनुनयो देयो नायमर्हति सान्त्वनम्। लोकवृद्धतमे कृष्णे योऽर्हणां नानुमन्यते ॥२-३५-६॥
He should not be conciliated; he does not deserve soothing words. Even among the most senior in the world, Kṛṣṇa does not approve of honor. (2-35-6)
क्षत्रियः क्षत्रियं जित्वा रणे रणकृतां वरः। यो मुञ्चति वशे कृत्वा गुरुर्भवति तस्य सः ॥२-३५-७॥
A warrior who conquers another warrior in battle is the best among those who fight; but he who, having subdued someone, releases him, becomes his teacher. (2-35-7)
अस्यां च समितौ राज्ञामेकमप्यजितं युधि। न पश्यामि महीपालं सात्वतीपुत्रतेजसा ॥२-३५-८॥
And in this assembly of kings, I do not see even a single king unconquered in battle by the energy of Satyavati's son. (2-35-8)
न हि केवलमस्माकमयमर्च्यतमोऽच्युतः। त्रयाणामपि लोकानामर्चनीयो जनार्दनः ॥२-३५-९॥
Acyuta is not only the most worthy of worship for us; Janardana is worthy of worship even for the three worlds. (2-35-9)
कृष्णेन हि जिता युद्धे बहवः क्षत्रियर्षभाः। जगत्सर्वं च वार्ष्णेये निखिलेन प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥२-३५-१०॥
Indeed, many mighty kṣatriyas were conquered in battle by Kṛṣṇa; and the entire world was established by the descendant of Vṛṣṇi. (2-35-10)
तस्मात्सत्स्वपि वृद्धेषु कृष्णमर्चाम नेतरान्। एवं वक्तुं न चार्हस्त्वं मा भूत्ते बुद्धिरीदृशी ॥२-३५-११॥
Therefore, even among the virtuous and elders, let us worship Kṛṣṇa and not others. You should not speak thus, nor should your mind be like this. (2-35-11)
ज्ञानवृद्धा मया राजन्बहवः पर्युपासिताः। तेषां कथयतां शौरेरहं गुणवतो गुणान् ॥ समागतानामश्रौषं बहून्बहुमतान्सताम् ॥२-३५-१२॥
O king, I have attended many who are grown in knowledge. Among them, as they spoke of Śauri, I heard the qualities of the virtuous. Of those assembled, I heard many highly esteemed virtues of the good. (2-35-12)
कर्माण्यपि च यान्यस्य जन्मप्रभृति धीमतः। बहुशः कथ्यमानानि नरैर्भूयः श्रुतानि मे ॥२-३५-१३॥
The actions of that wise one, from his birth onwards, which have often been recounted by men, I have heard again and again. (2-35-13)
न केवलं वयं कामाच्चेदिराज जनार्दनम्। न सम्बन्धं पुरस्कृत्य कृतार्थं वा कथञ्चन ॥२-३५-१४॥
Not only do we, out of desire, seek the king of Cedi, O Janardana, but not even considering relationship or whether one has achieved his purpose in any way. (2-35-14)
अर्चामहेऽर्चितं सद्भिर्भुवि भौमसुखावहम्। यशः शौर्यं जयं चास्य विज्ञायार्चां प्रयुज्महे ॥२-३५-१५॥
We worship him who is worshipped by the virtuous on earth and brings earthly happiness; knowing his fame, valor, and victory, we perform his worship. (2-35-15)
न हि कश्चिदिहास्माभिः सुबालोऽप्यपरीक्षितः। गुणैर्वृद्धानतिक्रम्य हरिरर्च्यतमो मतः ॥२-३५-१६॥
Indeed, no one here, not even a very young boy, has been left unexamined by us; surpassing the elders in virtues, Hari is considered the most worthy of worship. (2-35-16)
ज्ञानवृद्धो द्विजातीनां क्षत्रियाणां बलाधिकः। पूज्ये ताविह गोविन्दे हेतू द्वावपि संस्थितौ ॥२-३५-१७॥
Among the twice-born, one who is advanced in knowledge, and among the kṣatriyas, one who is superior in strength—these two are worthy of worship here; in Govinda, both these reasons are present. (2-35-17)
वेदवेदाङ्गविज्ञानं बलं चाप्यमितं तथा। नृणां हि लोके कस्यास्ति विशिष्टं केशवादृते ॥२-३५-१८॥
Who among men in this world possesses distinguished knowledge of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, special knowledge, and immeasurable strength, except Keśava? (2-35-18)
दानं दाक्ष्यं श्रुतं शौर्यं ह्रीः कीर्तिर्बुद्धिरुत्तमा। संनतिः श्रीर्धृतिस्तुष्टिः पुष्टिश्च नियताच्युते ॥२-३५-१९॥
Gift, skill, learning, valor, modesty, fame, excellent intellect, humility, prosperity, steadfastness, contentment, and nourishment — all these are firmly established in Acyuta (Viṣṇu). (2-35-19)
तमिमं सर्वसम्पन्नमाचार्यं पितरं गुरुम्। अर्च्यमर्चितमर्चार्हं सर्वे संमन्तुमर्हथ ॥२-३५-२०॥
All of you ought to honor him, this teacher, father, and preceptor, who is endowed with all virtues and is worthy of worship, worshipped, and deserving of worship. (2-35-20)
ऋत्विग्गुरुर्विवाह्यश्च स्नातको नृपतिः प्रियः। सर्वमेतद्धृषीकेशे तस्मादभ्यर्चितोऽच्युतः ॥२-३५-२१॥
The priest, the teacher, the bridegroom, the graduate, and the king are all dear; therefore, all these were offered to Dhṛṣīkeśa, and thus Acyuta was worshipped. (2-35-21)
कृष्ण एव हि लोकानामुत्पत्तिरपि चाप्ययः। कृष्णस्य हि कृते भूतमिदं विश्वं समर्पितम् ॥२-३५-२२॥
Kṛṣṇa alone is the origin and dissolution of the worlds; for the sake of Kṛṣṇa, indeed, this entire universe of beings is dedicated. (2-35-22)
एष प्रकृतिरव्यक्ता कर्ता चैव सनातनः। परश्च सर्वभूतेभ्यस्तस्माद्वृद्धतमोऽच्युतः ॥२-३५-२३॥
This nature is unmanifest, the eternal doer; and the transcendent, therefore, is the most ancient and infallible among all beings. (2-35-23)
बुद्धिर्मनो महान्वायुस्तेजोऽम्भः खं मही च या। चतुर्विधं च यद्भूतं सर्वं कृष्णे प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥२-३५-२४॥
Intellect, mind, the great principle (mahat), air, fire, water, ether, earth, and all fourfold beings—everything is established in Kṛṣṇa. (2-35-24)
आदित्यश्चन्द्रमाश्चैव नक्षत्राणि ग्रहाश्च ये। दिशश्चोपदिशश्चैव सर्वं कृष्णे प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥२-३५-२५॥
The sun, the moon, the stars, the planets, the directions and the intermediate directions—all are established in Kṛṣṇa. (2-35-25)
अयं तु पुरुषो बालः शिशुपालो न बुध्यते। सर्वत्र सर्वदा कृष्णं तस्मादेवं प्रभाषते ॥२-३५-२६॥
But this man, the child Śiśupāla, does not understand. Therefore, everywhere and always, he thus speaks about Kṛṣṇa. (2-35-26)
यो हि धर्मं विचिनुयादुत्कृष्टं मतिमान्नरः। स वै पश्येद्यथाधर्मं न तथा चेदिराडयम् ॥२-३५-२७॥
An intelligent man who truly investigates the highest dharma will recognize what is adharma, and will not see it as this king of the Cedis does. (2-35-27)
सवृद्धबालेष्वथ वा पार्थिवेषु महात्मसु। को नार्हं मन्यते कृष्णं को वाप्येनं न पूजयेत् ॥२-३५-२८॥
Among the aged and the young, or among kings and great souls, who would not consider Kṛṣṇa worthy? Who indeed would not worship him? (2-35-28)
अथेमां दुष्कृतां पूजां शिशुपालो व्यवस्यति। दुष्कृतायां यथान्यायं तथायं कर्तुमर्हति ॥२-३५-२९॥
Now, Śiśupāla determines to perform this evil worship. Since it is wrongdoing, he is justified in acting in such an unjust manner. (2-35-29)
