भीष्म उवाच ततः स भगवान् देवो लोकानामीश्वरेश्वरः। ब्रह्मणं प्रत्युवाचेदं स्निग्धगम्भीरया गिरा॥
Bhishma said Thereupon that almighty Divinity the Lord of the lords of people, thus replied to Brahma in a soft and sonorous voice.
विदितं तात योगान्मे सर्वमेतत् तवेप्सितम्। तथा तद् भवितेत्युक्त्वा तत्रैवान्तरधीयत॥
“I have come to know, O sire, all that you desire, through my Yoga power. It will be even as you desire”. Saying this he disappeared then and there.
ततो देवर्षिगन्धर्वा विस्मयं परमं गताः। कौतूहलपराः सर्वे पितामहमथाब्रुवन्॥
Then the celestials, the sages, and the Gandharvas were all filled with great wonder; and urged by curiosity they then thus spoke to the Grandsire Brahma.
कोन्वयं यो भगवता प्रणम्य विनयाद् विभो। वाग्भिः स्तुतो वरिष्ठाभिः श्रोतुमिच्छाम तं वयम्॥
Who indeed is he, O master, that was even now adored by your illustrious self with bows and with humility, and who was eulogised in so high terms? We desire to hear about him.
एवमुक्तस्तु भगवान् प्रत्युवाच पितामहः। देवब्रह्मर्षिगन्धर्वान् सर्वान् मधुरया गिरा॥
Thus spoken to, the almighty Grandsire, thus replied to the celestials, the regenerate sages, the Gandharvas and every one else in soft and sweet words.
यत् तत् परं भविष्यं च भवितव्य च यत्परम्। भूतात्मा च प्रभुश्चैव ब्रह्म यच्च परं पदम्॥
"O foremost of the celestials he who is designated That, he who is supreme, he who is existent at present, and will be so for all future periods, he who is the highest self, he who is called the soul of beings, and he who is the paramount Lord.
तेनास्मि कृतसंवादः प्रसन्नेन सुरर्षभाः। जगतोऽनुग्रहार्थाय याचितो मे जगत्पतिः॥
I was holding conversation even with his ever-contented self; that Lord of the universe has been entreated by me to show his grace on the earth.
मानुषं लोकमातिष्ठ वासुदेव इति श्रुतः। असुराणां वधार्थाय सम्भवस्व महीतले॥
To take his birth in the world of men and to be known as the son of Vasudeva (I entreated him saying): "For slaughtering the Asuras, do you take your birth on the face of the earth.
संग्रामे निहता ये ते दैत्यदानवराक्षसाः। त इमे नृषु सम्भूता घोररूपा महाबलाः॥
Those Daityas, and Danavas, and Rakshasas of dreadful appearance and of great might who were slain in battle, have been born among men.
तेषां वधार्थं भगवान् नरेण सहितो वशी। मानुषीं योनिमास्थाय चरिष्यति महीतले।॥
For slaying them, the almighty Lord of great strength, being accompanied by Nara, shall wonder over the earth assuming a human form.
नरनारायणौ यौ तौ पुराणावृषिसत्तमौ। सहितौ मानुषे लोके सम्भूतावमितद्युती॥
Those ancient and illustrious sages namely Nara and Narayana, are incapable of being vanquished in battle by even the gods united together.
अजेयौ समरे यत्तौ सहितैरमरैरपि। मूढास्त्वेतौ न जानन्ति नरनारायणावृषी॥
Together, those two sages, Nara and Narayana, of immeasurable effulgence, will be born in the world of men, and they that are fools will not recognise them as such.
तस्याहमग्रजः पुत्रः सर्वस्य जगतः प्रभुः। वासुदेवोऽर्चनीयो वः सर्वलोकमहेश्वरः॥
That Lord of the universe, whose son I Brahma am, that Vasudeva, the Paramount Lord of all the worlds should always be worshipped by you.
तथा मनुष्योऽयमिति कदाचित् सुरसत्तमाः। नात्र ज्ञेयो महावीर्यः शङ्खचक्रगदाधरः॥
O you foremost of celestials, endued with great prowess and bearing the conch the discus and the mace, he should never be disregarded by you as a man.
एतत् परमकं गुह्यमेतत् परमकं पदम्। एतत् परमकं ब्रह्म एतत् परमकं यशः॥
He is the supreme mystery; he is the supreme shelter; he is the supreme Brahma, and he is the supreme glory.
एतदक्षरमव्यक्तमेतद् वै शाश्वतं महः। यत् तत् पुरुषसंज्ञं वै गीयते ज्ञायते न च॥
He is undeteriorating, unmanifested and eternal. He is designated the Purusha, he is ever sung but never known by any body.
एतत् परमकं तेज एतत् परमकं सुखम्। एतत् परमकं सत्यं कीर्तितं विश्वकर्मणा॥
He is the supreme energy, his is the supreme felicity, he is the supreme truth. Thus has Vishvakarma sung.
तस्मात् सेन्द्रैः सुरैः सर्वैर्लोकैश्चामितविक्रमः। नावज्ञेयो वासुदेवो मानुषोऽयमिति प्रभुः॥
Therefore the Lord Vasudeva of infinite prowess should never be disregarded as a man by the celestials and the Asuras headed by Indra himself.
यश्च मानुशमात्रोऽयमिति ब्रूयात् स मन्दधीः। हृषीकेशमवज्ञानात् तमाहुः पुरुषाधमम्॥
That one of perverted understanding who, out of contempt, call Hrishikesha a man is said to be the vilest of all creatures.
योगिनं तं महात्मानं प्रविष्टं मानुषीं तनुम्। अवमन्येद् वासुदेवं तमाहुस्तामसं जनाः॥
He is spoken of as a great sinner who disregards Vasudeva for his having incarnated himself as a man.
देवं चराचरात्मानं श्रीवत्साङ्कं सुवर्चसम्। पद्मनाभं न जानाति तमाहुस्तामसं बुधाः॥
Men speak of him as a great sinner, who does not know that Divine one, that should of the mobile and the immobile, that one of pure effulgence, that one bearing the mark of Srivatsa on his breast, that one from whose navel a lotus has sprung.
किरीटकौस्तुभधरं मित्राणामभयंकरम्। अवजानन महात्मानं घोरे तमसि मज्जति॥
Disregarding that wearer of the diadem and the gem Kaustubha, that giver of assurance of safety to his friends and one of illustrious soul, a man becomes sunk in the dreadful mire of sin.
एवं विदित्वा तत्त्वार्थं लोकानामीश्वरेश्वरः। वासुदेवो नमस्कार्यः सर्वलोकैः सुरोत्तमाः॥
Every one, having known all these truths, should do obeisance, O best of the celestials, to Vasudeva that Lord of the fords of people”.
भीष्म उवाच एवमुक्त्वा स भगवान् देवान् सर्षिगणान् पुरा। विसृज्य सर्वभूतात्मा जगाम भवनं स्वकम्॥
Bhishma said That almighty one (the Grandsire), having thus spoken to the gods and the sages in the days of yore, repaired to his own residence' leaving all creatures behind.
ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वा मुनयोऽप्सरसोऽपि च। कथां तां ब्रह्मणा गीतां श्रुत्वा प्रीता दिवं ययुः॥
as Thereafter the celestials, together with the Gandharvas, the sages, and the Apsaras, having listened to that discourse delivered by Brahma, went to Heaven with joyful hearts.
एतच्छ्रुतं मया तात ऋषीणां भावितात्मनाम्। वासुदेवं कथयतां समवाये पुरातनम्॥
It was this, O sire, that was heard by me from the sages of accomplished understanding when they were speaking of Vasudeva the ancient one, among their assembly.
रामस्य जामदग्न्यस्य मार्कण्डेयस्य धीमतः। व्यासनारदयोश्चापि सकाशाद् भरतर्षभ।॥
O you conversant with the Shastras, I also heard this from Rama the son of Jamnadagni, from the highly intelligent Markandeya and also from Vyasa and Narada.
एतमर्थं च विज्ञाय श्रुत्वा च प्रभुमव्ययम्। वासुदेवं महात्मानं लोकानामीश्वरेश्वरम्॥
Having heard the truth about the subject, and having heard of Vasudeva the undeteriorating Lord of illustrious soul, the supreme Master of the Lords of people.
यस्य चैवात्मजो ब्रह्मा सर्वस्य जगत: पिता। कथं न वासुदेवोऽयमय॑श्चेज्यश्च मानवैः॥
From whose self has sprung Brahma the father of all the universe, why should not men adore and worship that Vasudeva?
वारितोऽसि मया तात मुनिभिवेदपारगैः। मा गच्छ संयुगं तेन वासुदेवेन धन्विना॥
You have been, O sire, forbidden in days past, by the sages of accomplished understandings (who said to you), “Do not risk a battle with Vasudeva the wielder of the bow.
मा पाण्डवैः सार्धमिति तत् त्वं मोहान बुध्यसे। मन्ये त्वां राक्षसं क्रूरं तथा चासि तमोवृतः॥
As also with the Pandavas, But out of folly, you could not comprehend my word; I do regard you therefore as a cruel Rakshasa; and you are encompassed in ignorance.
यस्माद् द्विषसि गोविन्दं पाण्डवं तं धनंजयम्। नरनारायणौ देवौ कोऽन्यो द्विष्याद्धि मानवः॥
For this reason it is that you despise Govinda and Dhananjaya the son of Pandu; for what other man could despise the divine Nara and Narayana?
तस्माद् ब्रवीमि ते राजन्नेष वै शाश्वतोऽव्ययः। सर्वलोकमयो नित्यः शास्ता धात्रीधरे. ध्रुवः॥
I therefore, O monarch, say to you that this one is eternal and undeteriorating pervading the whole universe, immutable, the ruler, the creator, the supporter and the truly existent.
यो धारयति लोकांस्त्रींश्चराचरगुरुः प्रभुः। योद्धा जयश्च जेता च सर्वप्रकृतिरीश्वरः॥
That preceptor of the mobile and the immobile creations, that supreme Lord supports the triune world; he is the Warrior the Victory, the Victorious, and the Lord of all nature.
राजन् सर्वमयो ह्येष तमोरागविवर्जितः। यतः कृष्णस्ततो धर्मो यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः॥
He is permeated, O king, with the quality of goodness and is free from the slightest tinge of the qualities of passion and dullness. Righteousness is where Krishna is; and victory is where righteousness is.
तस्य माहात्म्ययोगेन योगेनात्ममयेन च। धृताः पाण्डुसुता राजञ्जयश्चैषां भविष्यति॥
The sons of Pandu are, O king, supported by the supreme excellence of his Yoga of self; and, with certitude, victory will court them.
श्रेयोयुक्तां सदा बुद्धिं पाण्डवानां दधाति यः। बलं चैव रणे नित्यं भयेभ्यश्चैव रक्षति॥
He it is who inspires the sons of Pandu with an intelligence that brings about their prosperity; he it is who charges them with strength in battle; he it is who ever protects them from danger.
स एष शाश्वतो देवः सर्वगुह्यमयः शिवः। वासुदेव इति ज्ञेयो यन्मां पृच्छसि भारत॥
This one is that eternal Deity that pervades all creatures, and is ever blessed. He, of whom you have asked me, is celebrated under the name of Vasudeva.
ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रियैर्वैश्यैः शूदैश्च कृतलक्षणैः। सेव्यतेऽभ्यर्च्यते चैव नित्ययुक्तैः स्वकर्मभिः॥
He is adored and served with restrained hearts alike by the Brahmanas, the Kshatriya, the Vaishyas, and the Shudras, each having distinguishing features of their own, and performing their own duties.
द्वापरस्य युगस्यान्ते आदौ कलियुगस्य च। सात्वतं विधिमास्थाय गीत: संकर्षणेन वै॥
He it is , whom, at the end of the Dvapara Yuga and in the beginning of the Kali Yuga Samkarshana had eulogised in the manner of devotees.
स एष सर्वं सुरमर्त्यलोकं समुद्रकक्ष्यान्तरितां पुरीं च। युगे युगे मानुषं चैव वासं पुनः पुनः सृजते वासुदेवः॥
It is that Vasudeva the creator of the universe who does repeatedly create, Yuga after Yuga, all the regions of the celestials and the mortals, all the sea-girt cities, and also all the regions of human habitation.