भीष्म उवाच शृणु चेदं महाराज ब्रह्मभूतं स्तवं मम। ब्रह्मर्षिभिश्च देवैश्च यः पुरा कथितो भुवि॥
Bhishma said Hear, O monarch, from me this hymn, chanted by Brahma himself, and recounted in the days of yore to men on earth by the Brahmanical sages and the celestial.
साध्यानामपि देवानां देवदेवेश्वरः प्रभुः। लोकभावनभावज्ञ इति त्वां नारदोऽब्रवीत्॥
“You are the Master of the Sadhyas and the celestial and are the Lord of the god of gods, the Protector of people and the Knower of all hearts. Thus has the sage Narada sung of you.
भूतं भव्यं भविष्यं च मार्कण्डेयोऽभ्युवाच ह। यज्ञं त्वां चैव यज्ञानां तपश्च तपसामपि॥
Markandeya has spoken of you as the Past, the Present, and the Future, the sacrifice of all sacrifices and the Austerity of all austerities.
देवानामपि देवं च त्वामाह भगवान् भृगुः। पुराणं चैव परमं विष्णो रूपं तवेति च॥
The almighty Bhrigu has sang of you that you are the God of all gods, and you are the ancient and excellent semblance that is ascribed to Vishnu.
वासुदेवो वसूनां त्वं शक्रं स्थापयिता तथा। देव देवोऽसि देवानामिति द्वैपायनोऽब्रवीत्॥
Dvaipayana spoke of you that you are the Vasudeva among the Vasu, the consolidator of the sway of Shakra (Indra) and the God of gods and of all created beings.
पूर्वे प्रजानिसर्गे च दक्षमाहुः प्रजापितम्। स्रष्टारं सर्वलोकानामङ्गिरास्त्वां तथाऽब्रवीत्॥
In the days of yore, on the occasion of the creation of creatures, you have been called Daksha, the Lord of creation. Angiras has spoken of you as the creator of all corporeal beings.
अव्यक्तं ते शरीरोत्थं व्यक्तं ते मनसि स्थितम्। देवास्त्वत्सम्भवाश्चैव देवलस्त्वसितोऽब्रवीत्॥
Devala has sung of you that the Unmanifest All is in your form and the Manifest is in your mind, and that the celestial have all sprung from your speech (breath).
शिरसा ते दिवं व्याप्तं बाहुभ्यां पृथिवी तथा। जठरं ते त्रयो लोकाः पुरुषोऽसि सनातनः॥
The heavens are pervaded with your head; you does sustain the Earth with your two arms the triune world is inside your abdomen you are the Eternal Male being.
एवं त्वामभिजानन्ति तपसा भाविता नराः। आत्मदर्शनतृप्तानामृषीणां चासि सत्तमः॥
Persons purified by the performance of austerities, know your divine self even to be such, To the sages gratified with a knowledge of the self, you are the foremost of all true existent entities.
राजर्षीणामुदाराणामाहवेष्वनिवर्तिनाम्। सर्वधर्मप्रधानानां त्वं गतिर्मधुसूदन॥
O Slayer of Madhu, you are the sole refuge of the royal sages, who are of illustrious nature, who never turn back from the fight and who are devoted to all their duties.
इति नित्यं योगविद्भिर्भगवान् पुरुषोत्तमः। सनत्कुमारप्रमुखैः स्तूयतेऽभ्यर्च्यते हरिः॥
Even thus is that almighty and excellent Being Hari always adored and eulogised by sages conversant with the Yoga who are headed by Sanatkumara".
एष ते विस्तरस्तात संक्षेपश्च प्रकीर्तितः। केशवस्य यथातत्त्वं सुप्रीतो भज केशवम्॥
Thus, O Sire, has been described to you, in detail and in brief, the real nature of Keshava. Now turn you heart in love to Keshava.
संजय उवाच पुण्यं श्रुत्वैतदाख्यानं महाराज सुतस्तव। केशवं बहु मेने स पाण्डवांश्च महारथान्॥
Sanjaya said Your son, O mighty monarch, listening to this sacred story, began to regard highly Keshava and those mighty car-warriors, the sons Pandu.
तमब्रवीन्महाराज भीष्मः शान्तनवः पुनः। माहात्म्यं ते श्रुतं राजन् केशवस्य महात्मनः॥ नरस्य च यथातत्त्वं यन्मां त्वं पृच्छसे नृप। यदर्थं नृषु सम्भूतौ नरनारायणावृषी॥
Thereafter, O monarch, Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, again addressed him saying-"You have now heard, o monarch, the true description of the glory of the high-souled Keshava and of Nara, about which you asked me. You have also heard of the purpose for which both Nara and Narayana have taken their births among men.
अवध्यौ च यथा वीरौ संयुगेष्वपराजितौ। यथा च पाण्डवा राजन्नवध्या युधि कस्यचित्॥
You have also learnt why those two heroes are invincible and why they have not been ever vanquished in battle; as also why the sons of Pandu, O king, are unslayable in battle by anybody.
प्रीतिमान् हि दृढं कृष्णः पाण्डवेषु यशस्विषु। तस्माद् ब्रवीमि राजेन्द्र शमो भवतु पाण्डवैः॥
Towards the Pandavas endued with fame, Krishna bears an unshaken affection. Therefore it is, O foremost of sovereigns, that I advice that peace be concluded with the Pandavas.
पृथिवीं भुक्ष्व सहितो भ्रातृभिर्बलिभिर्वशी। नरनारायणौ देवाववज्ञाय न शिष्यसि॥
Controlling your passions do you rule this earth with your powerful brothers around you. You shall surely reap destruction if you disregard the divine Nara and Narayana”.
एवमुक्त्वा तव पिता तूष्णीमासीद् विशाम्पते। व्यसर्जयच्च राजान शयनं च विवेश ह॥
Having spoken thus, O ruler of men, your father became silent; and dismissing the king, he entered his own tent.
राजा च शिबिरं प्रायात् प्रणिपत्य महात्मने। शिश्ये च शयने शुभे रात्रिं तां भरतर्षभ।।२०
The king also retired to his own tent having bowed down to that one of illustrious soul. Then, O foremost of the Bharatas, he slept away that night on a (milk) white bed.