12.052
Pancharatra: When Bhishma expresses his inability to steady the mind, Krishna grants him the boon not to feel any pain. As the sun was setting, everyone departed, eager to assemble again the next morning to listen to Bhishma.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tataḥ kṛṣṇasya tadvākyaṃ dharmārthasahitaṃ hitam। śrutvā śāntanavo bhīṣmaḥ pratyuvāca kṛtāñjaliḥ ॥12-52-1॥
Then, after hearing Kṛṣṇa's beneficial words, which were in accord with righteousness and purpose, Bhīṣma, son of Śantanu, with joined palms, replied.
lokanātha mahābāho śiva nārāyaṇācyuta। tava vākyam abhiśrutya harṣeṇāsmi pariplutaḥ ॥12-52-2॥
O lord of the world, mighty-armed one, auspicious Śiva, Nārāyaṇa, Acyuta, upon hearing your words, I am filled with joy. 12-52-2.
kiṃ cāhamabhidhāsyāmi vākpate tava saṃnidhau। yadā vācogataṃ sarvaṃ tava vāci samāhitam ॥12-52-3॥
O lord of speech, what can I say in your presence, when all that can be said is already contained within your own speech?
yaddhi kiñcitkṛtaṃ loke kartavyaṃ kriyate ca yat। tvattastanniḥsṛtaṃ deva lokā buddhimayā hi te ॥12-52-4॥
O Lord, whatever is done or ought to be done in the world, all that has emanated from you; indeed, the worlds are composed of intelligence and are yours.
kathayeddevalokaṃ yo devarājasamīpataḥ। dharmakāmārthaśāstrāṇāṃ so'rthānbrūyāttavāgrataḥ ॥12-52-5॥
He who can describe the world of the gods as witnessed near the king of gods should explain to you, in your presence, the meanings of the treatises on dharma, desire, and wealth.
śarābhighātād vyathitaṃ mano me madhusūdana। gātrāṇi cāvasīdanti na ca buddhiḥ prasīdati ॥12-52-6॥
O Madhusūdana, my mind is disturbed by the impact of arrows; my limbs are failing and my understanding is not steady.
na ca me pratibhā kācid asti kiñcit prabhāṣitum। pīḍyamānasya govinda viṣānalasamaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥12-52-7॥
O Govinda, I do not have even a little intelligence left to speak, being tormented by arrows that are like poison and fire.
balaṃ medhāḥ prajarati prāṇāḥ santvarayanti ca। marmāṇi paritapyante bhrāntaṃ cetastathaiva ca ॥12-52-8॥
My strength and intelligence depart, my vital breaths are agitated; my vital parts are tormented, and my mind is confused in the same way.
daurbalyātsajjate vāṅme sa kathaṃ vaktumutsahae। sādhu me tvaṃ prasīdasva dāśārhakulanandana ॥12-52-9॥
Because of weakness, my speech falters; how can I speak? O noble one, please be gracious to me, O joy of the Daśārha lineage.
tat-kṣamasva mahā-bāho na brūyāṃ kiñcid acyuta। tvat-saṃnidhau ca sīdet vācas-patir api bruvan ॥12-52-10॥
Therefore, O mighty-armed, forgive me; I would not say anything, O infallible one. Even the lord of speech would falter while speaking in your presence.
na diśaḥ samprajānāmi nākāśaṃ na ca medinīm। kevalaṃ tava vīryeṇa tiṣṭhāmi madhusūdana ॥12-52-11॥
O Madhusudana, I do not perceive the directions, nor the sky, nor the earth; I stand only by your strength.
svayameva prabho tasmāddharmarājasya yaddhitam। tadbravīhyāśu sarveṣāmāgamānāṃ tvamāgamaḥ ॥12-52-12॥
O lord, therefore, please quickly tell whatever is beneficial for Dharmarāja; you are the authority among all traditions.
kathaṁ tvayi sthite loke śāśvate lokakartari। prabrūyān madvidhaḥ kaścid gurau śiṣya iva sthite ॥12-52-13॥
How could anyone like me, when you, the eternal creator of the world, are present, speak to the teacher as a disciple would?
vāsudeva uvāca॥
Vāsudeva said.
upapannam idaṃ vākyaṃ kauravāṇāṃ dhurandhare. mahāvīrye mahāsattve sthite sarvārthadarśini ॥12-52-14॥
This statement is appropriate, as the pillar of the Kauravas, endowed with great energy and great courage, who perceives all meanings, stands here.
yacca mām āttha gāṅgeya bāṇaghātarujaṃ prati। gṛhāṇātra varaṃ bhīṣma matprasādakṛtaṃ vibho ॥12-52-15॥
O Bhishma, O son of Ganga, regarding what you have asked me about the pain from the arrow-strike, accept here the boon granted by my grace, O mighty one.
na te glānir na te mūrcchā na dāho na ca te rujā। prabhaviṣyanti gāṅgeya kṣutpipāse na cāpyuta ॥12-52-16॥
O son of Ganga, neither fatigue nor fainting, nor burning, nor pain will arise for you; and indeed, neither hunger nor thirst will affect you.
jñānāni ca samagrāṇi pratibhāsyanti te'nagha। na ca te kvacid āsaktir buddheḥ prādurbhaviṣyati ॥12-52-17॥
O sinless one, all knowledges will become clear to you, and nowhere will any attachment of the intellect arise in you.
sattvasthaṃ ca mano nityaṃ tava bhīṣma bhaviṣyati। rajastamobhyāṃ rahitaṃ ghanair mukta ivoḍurāṭ ॥12-52-18॥
Your Bhishma's mind will always remain established in sattva, free from rajas and tamas, just like the moon released from clouds.
yadyacca dharmasaṃyuktam arthayuktam athāpi vā। cintayiṣyasi tatrāgryā buddhis tava bhaviṣyati ॥12-52-19॥
Whatever you consider that is joined with dharma or artha, or even otherwise, there your intellect will be foremost.
imaṃ ca rājaśārdūla bhūtagrāmaṃ caturvidham। cakṣurdivyaṃ samāśritya drakṣyasyamitavikrama ॥12-52-20॥
O mighty-armed one, O tiger among kings, by resorting to the divine eye, you will see this group of beings of four kinds.
caturvidhaṃ prajā-jālaṃ saṃyukto jñāna-cakṣuṣā। bhīṣma drakṣyasi tattvena jale mīna ivāmale॥12-52-21॥
O Bhīṣma, endowed with the eye of knowledge, you will truly perceive the fourfold net of beings, just as fish are seen in clear water.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tataste vyāsasahitāḥ sarva eva maharṣayaḥ। ṛg-yajuḥ-sāma-saṃyuktair vacobhiḥ kṛṣṇam arcayan ॥12-52-22॥
Then all the great sages, together with Vyāsa, worshipped Kṛṣṇa with words from the Ṛg, Yajus, and Sāma Vedas.
tataḥ sarvārtavaṃ divyaṃ puṣpavarṣaṃ nabhastalāt। papāta yatra vārṣṇeyaḥ sagāṅgeyaḥ sapāṇḍavaḥ ॥12-52-23॥
Then, a divine shower of flowers from all seasons fell from the sky at the place where Kṛṣṇa, together with Bhīṣma and the Pāṇḍavas, was present.
vāditrāṇi ca divyāni jaguścāpsarasāṃ gaṇāḥ। na cāhitamaniṣṭaṃ vā kiñcittatra vyadṛśyata ॥12-52-24॥
Divine musical instruments were played and groups of apsarases sang; nothing harmful or inauspicious was seen there.
vavau śivaḥ sukho vāyuḥ sarvagandhavahaḥ śuciḥ। śāntāyāṃ diśi śāntāś ca prāvadann mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ ॥12-52-25॥
A gentle, auspicious, and fragrant wind blew, and in the tranquil direction, the peaceful animals and birds made their sounds.
tato muhūrtādbhagavānsahasrāṃśurdivākaraḥ। dahanvanamivaikānte pratīcyāṃ pratyadṛśyata ॥12-52-26॥
Then, after a moment, the glorious sun with a thousand rays, like a burning forest, appeared alone in the western sky.
tato maharṣayaḥ sarve samutthāya janārdanam। bhīṣmamāmantrayāṃ cakrū rājānaṃ ca yudhiṣṭhiram ॥12-52-27॥
Then all the great sages rose and addressed Janārdana, Bhīṣma, and King Yudhiṣṭhira.
tataḥ praṇāmamakarot keśavaḥ pāṇḍavas tathā। sātyakiḥ sañjayaś caiva sa ca śāradvataḥ kṛpaḥ ॥12-52-28॥
Then Keśava offered obeisance; similarly did the Pāṇḍava, Sātyaki, Sañjaya, and Kṛpa, the son of Śarada.
tataste dharmaniratāḥ samyaktairabhipūjitāḥ। śvaḥ sameṣyāma ityuktvā yatheṣṭaṃ tvaritā yayuḥ ॥12-52-29॥
Then those devoted to dharma, having been properly honored, said, "Tomorrow we shall assemble," and quickly departed as they wished.
tathaivāmantrya gāṅgeyaṃ keśavaste ca pāṇḍavāḥ। pradakṣiṇamupāvṛtya rathānāruruhuḥ śubhān ॥12-52-30॥
In the same way, after addressing the son of Ganga, Keśava and the Pāṇḍavas circumambulated him and then ascended their auspicious chariots.
tato rathaiḥ kāñcanadantakūbaraiḥ mahīdharābhaiḥ samadaiś ca dantibhiḥ hayaiḥ suparṇair iva ca āśugāmibhiḥ padātibhiḥ ca āttaśarāsanādibhiḥ ॥12-52-31॥
Then, the army advanced with chariots adorned with golden-tusked humps, elephants like mountains in rut, horses swift as Garuḍa, and foot-soldiers equipped with drawn bows and other weapons.
yayau rathānāṃ purato hi sā camū; stathaiva paścādatimātrasāriṇī. puraśca paścācca yathā mahānadī; purarkṣavantaṃ girimetya narmadā ॥12-52-32॥
That army moved ahead of the chariots, and likewise, exceedingly fast behind. In front and behind, just as the great river Narmada, after reaching the mountain named Purarkṣa.
tataḥ purastādbhagavānniśākaraḥ; samutthitastāmabhi harṣayaṃścamūm. divākarāpītarasāstathauṣadhīḥ; punaḥ svakenaiva guṇena yojayan ॥12-52-33॥
Then, in front, the venerable moon rose, delighting her and the army. The sun, having deprived the herbs of their juices, again restored them by his own quality.
tataḥ puraṃ surapura-saṃnibha-dyuti; praviśya te yadu-vṛṣa-pāṇḍavās tadā। yathocitān bhavana-varān samāviśa; śramānvitā mṛga-patayaḥ guhā iva ॥12-52-34॥
Then, those Yadus, Vrishnis, and Pandavas entered the city, which shone like the city of the gods, and, weary, entered their splendid mansions as lions enter their caves.
