12.055
Core and Pancharatra: Bhishma says Yudhishthira should only ask the questions directly, and then he will answer. Accordingly, Yudhishthira comes forward and takes his blessings.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
athābravīn mahātejā vākyaṃ kauravanandanaḥ। hanta dharmān pravakṣyāmi dṛḍhe vāṅmanasī mama॥ tava prasādād govinda bhūtātmā hy asi śāśvataḥ॥12-55-1॥
Then the illustrious Kaurava prince spoke: "Now, I shall declare the dharmas with firm resolve in speech and mind. By your grace, O Govinda, you are truly the eternal soul of all beings."
yudhiṣṭhiras tu māṃ rājā dharmān sam-anupṛcchatu। evaṃ prīto bhaviṣyāmi dharmān vakṣyāmi ca anagha ॥12-55-2॥
But let king Yudhishthira ask me about the dharmas; then, being pleased, I shall explain the dharmas, O sinless one.
yasmin rājarṣabhe jāte dharmātmani mahātmani। ahṛṣyann ṛṣayaḥ sarve sa māṃ pṛcchatu pāṇḍavaḥ ॥12-55-3॥
O Pāṇḍava, ask me about that royal bull, the great and righteous-souled one, in whom, when he was born, all the sages did not rejoice.
sarveṣāṃ dīptayaśasāṃ kurūṇāṃ dharmacāriṇām। yasya nāsti samaḥ kaścit sa māṃ pṛcchatu pāṇḍavaḥ ॥12-55-4॥
Among all the illustrious and righteous Kurus, if there is anyone who has no equal, let that person question me, O Pāṇḍava.
dhṛtir damo brahmacaryaṃ kṣamā dharmaś ca nityadā। yasmin nojaś ca tejaś ca sa māṃ pṛcchatu pāṇḍavaḥ॥12-55-5॥
O Pāṇḍava, ask me about that person in whom steadfastness, self-control, celibacy, forbearance, righteousness, and always vital energy and brilliance are found.
satyaṃ dānaṃ tapaḥ śaucaṃ śāntir dākṣyam asambhramaḥ। yasminn etāni sarvāṇi sa māṃ pṛcchatu pāṇḍavaḥ ॥12-55-6॥
O Pāṇḍava, he in whom all these—truth, charity, austerity, purity, peace, dexterity, and absence of confusion—are found, let him ask me.
yo na kāmānna saṁrambhānna bhayānnārthakāraṇāt। kuryādadharmaṁ dharmātmā sa māṁ pṛcchatu pāṇḍavaḥ ॥12-55-7॥
O Pāṇḍava, he who would not commit unrighteousness from desire, anger, fear, or motive of gain, and whose nature is righteousness, let him question me.
sambandhino'tithīnbhṛtyāṁsaṁśritopāśritāṁśca yaḥ। saṁmānayati satkṛtya sa māṁ pṛcchatu pāṇḍavaḥ ॥12-55-8॥
O Pāṇḍava, let him who honors relatives, guests, servants, those who have sought refuge, and dependents with due respect, ask me (his question).
satyanityaḥ kṣamānityo jñānanityo'tithipriyaḥ। yo dadāti satāṃ nityaṃ sa māṃ pṛcchatu pāṇḍavaḥ ॥12-55-9॥
O Pāṇḍava, let him who is always truthful, always forbearing, always wise, fond of guests, and who always gives to the good, ask me.
ijyādhyayananityaś ca dharme ca nirataḥ sadā। śāntaḥ śrutarahasyaś ca sa māṃ pṛcchatu pāṇḍavaḥ ॥12-55-10॥
He who is always engaged in sacrifice and study, always devoted to dharma, peaceful, and a knower of secret teachings—O Pāṇḍava, let him ask me.
vāsudeva uvāca॥
Vāsudeva said.
lajjayā parayopeto dharmātmā sa yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। abhiśāpabhayādbhīto bhavantaṃ nopasarpati ॥12-55-11॥
Yudhishthira, who is righteous and deeply ashamed, fearing a curse, does not come near you.
lokasya kadanaṃ kṛtvā lokanātho viśāṃ pate| abhiśāpabhayādbhīto bhavantaṃ nopasarpati ||12-55-12||
O lord of the people, having destroyed the world, the lord of the world, out of fear of a curse, does not come near you.
pūjyānmānyāṃśca bhaktāṃśca gurūnsambandhibāndhavān | arghyārhāniśubhirhatvā bhavantaṃ nopasarpati ||12-55-13||
He who has slain with arrows those worthy of worship, honor, devotion, teachers, related kinsmen, and those worthy of offerings, does not approach you.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
brāhmaṇānāṃ yathā dharmo dānamadhyayanaṃ tapaḥ। kṣatriyāṇāṃ tathā kṛṣṇa samare dehapātanam ॥12-55-14॥
Just as duty, charity, study, and austerity are for the Brāhmaṇas, so for the Kṣatriyas, O Kṛṣṇa, is the falling of the body in battle (death in battle).
pitṝn pitāmahān putrān gurūn sambandhi bāndhavān। mithyāpravṛttān yaḥ saṅkhye nihanyād dharma eva saḥ॥12-55-15॥
He who, in battle, slays fathers, grandfathers, sons, teachers, relatives, and kinsmen who are wrongly engaged, is truly acting in accordance with righteousness.
samayatyāgino lubdhān gurūn api ca keśava। nihanti samare pāpān kṣatriyo yaḥ sa dharmavit ॥12-55-16॥
O Keśava, that kṣatriya who, in battle, kills even the greedy, those who abandon duty, and teachers who are wicked, he is a knower of dharma.
āhūtena raṇe nityaṃ yoddhavyaṃ kṣatrabandhunā। dharmyaṃ svargyaṃ ca lokyaṃ ca yuddhaṃ hi manurabravīt ॥12-55-17॥
Manu said: "A kṣatriya, when called to battle, must always fight; such battle is righteous, leads to heaven, and is worthy in the world."
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
evam-uktas tu bhīṣmeṇa dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। vinīta-vad upāgamya tasthau sandarśane'grataḥ ॥12-55-18॥
Thus addressed by Bhīṣma, Yudhiṣṭhira, the king of dharma, approached with humility and stood in front of him to be seen.
athāsya pādau jagrāha bhīṣmaścābhinananda tam | mūrdhni cainam upāghrāya niṣīdetyabravīttadā ||12-55-19||
Then Bhishma grasped his feet and welcomed him; having smelled his head, he said, "Sit down."
tam uvācātha gāṅgeya ṛṣabhaḥ sarvadhanvinām। pṛccha māṃ tāta visrabdhaṃ mā bhais tvaṃ kurusattama ॥12-55-20॥
Then the son of Gaṅgā, the foremost among all bowmen, said to him: "Ask me anything, dear one, without hesitation; do not be afraid, O best of the Kurus."
