12.053
Pancharatra: The Pandavas, along with Krishna and Satyaki, purify themselves and visit Bhishma, leaving behind the army and others.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tataḥ praviśya bhavanaṃ prasupto madhusūdanaḥ। yāmamātrāvaśeṣāyāṃ yāminyāṃ pratyabudhyata ॥12-53-1॥
Then Madhusūdana entered the house and fell asleep. He awoke when only a watch of the night was left.
sa dhyānapatham āśritya sarvajñānāni mādhavaḥ। avalokya tataḥ paścād dadhyau brahma sanātanam ॥12-53-2॥
Mādhava, having resorted to the path of meditation and having observed all knowledges, then afterwards meditated upon the eternal Brahman.
tataḥ śrutipurāṇajñāḥ śikṣitā raktakaṇṭhinaḥ। astuvanviśvakarmāṇaṃ vāsudevaṃ prajāpatim ॥12-53-3॥
Then, those who knew the Vedas and Purāṇas, who were well-trained and red-throated, praised Viśvakarman, Vāsudeva, the Lord of all beings.
paṭhanti pāṇisvanikās tathā gāyanti gāyanāḥ। śaṅkhānakamṛdaṅgāṃś ca pravādyanta sahasraśaḥ ॥12-53-4॥
The hand-clappers recite, and likewise the singers sing; conch-shells, drums, and mridangas are played by the thousands.
vīṇā-paṇava-veṇūnāṃ svanaś cāti-manoramaḥ। prahāsa iva vistīrṇaḥ śuśruve tasya veśmanaḥ ॥12-53-5॥
From his mansion, the exceedingly delightful sound of lutes, drums, and flutes, spreading like laughter, was heard.
tathā yudhiṣṭhirasya api rājño maṅgala-saṁhitāḥ। ucceruḥ madhurā vācaḥ gīta-vāditra-saṁhitāḥ ॥12-53-6॥
In the same way, for King Yudhiṣṭhira too, auspicious songs resounded; sweet voices accompanied by singing and instrumental music rose up.
tata utthāya dāśārhaḥ snātaḥ prāñjalir acyutaḥ। japtvā guhyaṃ mahābāhur agnīn āśritya tasthivān ॥12-53-7॥
Then Acyuta (Krishna), the mighty-armed descendant of the Daśārhas, having bathed, rose, joined his palms, muttered the secret mantra, and stood by the sacred fires.
tataḥ sahasraṃ viprāṇāṃ caturvedavidāṃ tathā। gavāṃ sahasreṇaikaikaṃ vācayāmāsa mādhavaḥ ॥12-53-8॥
Then Mādhava caused each of a thousand Brāhmaṇas, who were also knowers of the four Vedas, to recite, giving each one a thousand cows.
maṅgalālambhanaṃ kṛtvā ātmānam avalokya ca। ādarśe vimale kṛṣṇas tataḥ sātyakim abravīt ॥12-53-9॥
After performing the auspicious act and looking at himself in the clear mirror, Kṛṣṇa then spoke to Sātyaki.
gaccha śaineya jānīhi gatvā rājaniveśanam। api sajjo mahātejā bhīṣmaṃ draṣṭuṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥12-53-10॥
Go, O Śaineya, and find out by going to the royal residence whether the mighty Yudhiṣṭhira is prepared to visit Bhīṣma.
tataḥ kṛṣṇasya vacanātsātyakistvarito yayau। upagamya ca rājānaṃ yudhiṣṭhiramuvāca ha ॥12-53-11॥
Then, at Kṛṣṇa's command, Sātyaki quickly went and, approaching King Yudhiṣṭhira, spoke to him.
yukto rathavaro rājan vāsudevasya dhīmataḥ। samīpam āpageyasya prayāsyati janārdanaḥ ॥12-53-12॥
O king, the excellent chariot of wise Vāsudeva was yoked; Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa) will proceed near to the son of the river (Bhīṣma).
bhavatpratīkṣaḥ kṛṣṇo'sau dharmarāja mahādyute। yadatrānantaraṃ kṛtyaṃ tadbhavān kartum arhati ॥12-53-13॥
O Dharmarāja, Kṛṣṇa is waiting for you, O greatly illustrious one. Whatever needs to be done next here, you should do that.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
yujyatāṃ me rathavaraḥ phalgunāpratimadyute। na sainikaiśca yātavyaṃ yāsyāmo vayameva hi ॥12-53-14॥
Let my excellent chariot, whose brilliance rivals that of Arjuna, be yoked. We ourselves shall go, not with soldiers.
na ca pīḍayitavyo me bhīṣmo dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ। ataḥ puraḥsarāś cāpi nivartantu dhanañjaya ॥12-53-15॥
Bhishma, the best among the upholders of dharma, is not to be harmed by me; therefore, O Dhananjaya, let the leaders also withdraw.
adyaprabhr̥ti gāṅgeyaḥ paraṃ guhyaṃ pravakṣyati. tato necchāmi kaunteya pr̥thagjanasamāgamam ॥12-53-16॥
From this day, Bhishma (the son of Ganga) will reveal the highest secret. Therefore, O son of Kunti, I no longer wish to associate with others.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tad-vākyam-ākarṇya tathā kuntī-putro dhanañjayaḥ। yuktaṃ ratha-varaṃ tasmā ācacakṣe nara-ṛṣabha ॥12-53-17॥
O bull among men, having heard those words, Kuntī's son Dhanañjaya informed him that the excellent chariot was yoked.
tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā yamau bhīmarjunāv api। bhūtānīva samastāni yayuḥ kṛṣṇaniveśanam ॥12-53-18॥
Then King Yudhishthira, along with Nakula, Sahadeva, Bhima, and Arjuna, all went to Krishna's residence, just as all beings do.
āgacchatsvatha kṛṣṇo'pi pāṇḍaveṣu mahātmasu। śaineyasahito dhīmānrathamevānvapadyata ॥12-53-19॥
Then Kṛṣṇa, accompanied by Sātyaki, also came to the great-souled Pāṇḍavas and, being wise, ascended the chariot.
rathasthāḥ saṃvidaṃ kṛtvā sukhāṃ pṛṣṭvā ca śarvarīm। meghaghoṣai rathavaraiḥ prayayuste mahārathāḥ ॥12-53-20॥
After conferring while standing on their chariots and inquiring about the pleasant night, those great chariot-warriors set out with their thunderous, excellent chariots.
meghapuṣpaṃ balāhaṃ ca sainyaṃ sugrīvameva ca। dārukaścodayāmāsa vāsudevasya vājinaḥ ॥12-53-21॥
Dāruka, the charioteer, urged on Vāsudeva's horses—Meghapuṣpa, Balāha, Sugrīva—and the army.
te hayā vāsudevasya dārukeṇa pracoditāḥ। gāṃ khurāgraistathā rājaṃlikhantaḥ prayayustadā ॥12-53-22॥
Then, O king, those horses of Vāsudeva, urged on by Dāruka, went forth, scratching the earth with the tips of their hooves.
te grasanta ivākāśaṃ vegavanto mahābalāḥ। kṣetraṃ dharmasya kṛtsnasya kurukṣetram avatāran ॥12-53-23॥
The mighty and swift warriors, as if devouring the sky, descended into the entire field of dharma, Kurukṣetra.
tato yayur yatra bhīṣmaḥ śaratalpagataḥ prabhuḥ। āste brahmarṣibhiḥ sārdhaṃ brahmā devagaṇairyathā ॥12-53-24॥
Then they proceeded to the place where Bhīṣma, the lord, lay on his bed of arrows, surrounded by the Brahmarṣis, just as Brahmā is surrounded by the hosts of gods.
tato'vatīrya govindo rathāts ca yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। bhīmo gāṇḍīvadhanvā ca yamau sātyakireva ca ॥ ṛṣīn abhyarcayāmāsuḥ karān udyamya dakṣiṇān ॥12-53-25॥
Then Govinda, Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna (the wielder of Gandiva), Nakula and Sahadeva (the sons of Yama), and Satyaki, having descended from the chariot, raised their right hands and worshipped the sages.
sa taiḥ parivṛto rājā nakṣatrairiva candramāḥ। abhyājagāma gāṅgeyaṃ brahmāṇamiva vāsavaḥ ॥12-53-26॥
Surrounded by his followers, the king advanced towards Bhīṣma, just as the moon is surrounded by stars, or as Indra approaches Brahman.
śaratalpe śayānaṃ tam ādityaṃ patitaṃ yathā। dadarśa sa mahābāhur bhayād āgata-sādhvasaḥ ॥12-53-27॥
The mighty-armed one saw him lying on the bed of arrows, fallen like the sun, overcome with anxiety arising from fear.
