वैशम्पायन उवाच श्रुत्वा तु वचनं भीष्मो वासुदेवस्य धीमतः। किंचिदुन्नाम्य वदनं प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
Vaishampayana said Hearing those words of the highly intelligent Vasudeva, Bhishma, raising his head a little, said these words with joined hands.
भीष्म उवाच नमस्ते भगवन् कृष्ण लोकानां प्रभवाप्यय। त्वं हि कर्ता हृषीकेश संहर्ता चापराजितः॥
Bhishma said 'Salutations to you, O divine Krishna! You are the origin and the dissolution of all the worlds. You are the Creator and you are the Destroyer. You, O Hrishikesha, cannot be defeated by any one.
विश्वकर्मन् नमस्तेऽस्तु विश्वात्मन् विश्वसम्भव। अपवर्गोऽसि भूतानां पञ्चानां परतः स्थितः॥
The universe is the work of your hand. You are the soul of the universe and the universe has originated from you. Salutations to you. You are the end of all created things. You are above the five elements.
नमस्ते त्रिषु लोकेषु नमस्ते परतस्त्रिषु। योगेश्वर नमस्तेऽस्तु त्वं हि सर्वपरायणः॥
Salutations to you who are the three worlds and that are again above the three worlds. O lord of Yogins, salutations to you who are the refuge of all.
मत्संश्रितं यदाऽऽत्थ त्वं वचः पुरुषसत्तम। तेन पश्यामि ते दिव्या भावान् हि त्रिषु वर्त्मसु॥ तच्च पश्यामि गोविन्द यत् ते रूपं सनातनम्।
O foremost of beings, those words which you have said regarding me have enabled me to see your divine attributes as manifest in the three worlds. O Govinda, I also behold your eternal image.
सप्त मार्गा निरुद्धास्ते वायोरमिततेजसः॥ दिवं ते शिरसा व्याप्तं पद्भ्यां देवी वसुन्धरा।
You stand closing the seven paths of the powerful Wind. The sky is occupied by your head, and the Earth by your feet.
दिशो भुजा रविश्चक्षुर्वीर्ये शुक्रः प्रतिष्ठितः॥ अतसीपुष्पसंकाशं पीतवाससमच्युतम्। वपुर्खनुमिमीमस्ते मेघस्येव सविद्युतः॥ त्वत्प्रपन्नाय भक्ताय गतिमिशं जिगीषवे। यच्छ्रेयः पुण्डरीकाक्ष तद् ध्यायस्व सुरोत्तम॥
The quarters are your two arms, and the Sun is your eye, and Shakra is your prowess. O you of undecaying glory, your body clad in yellow robes that resemble the colour of the Atasi flower, seem to us to be like a could charged with flashes of lightning. Think of that, O best of gods, which would be good, O you having lotus eyes, for my humble self who am devoted to you, who seek refuge with you, and who am desirous of acquiring a blissful end.'
वासुदेव उवाच यतः खलु पुरा भक्तिर्मयि ते पुरुषर्षभ। ततो मया वपुर्दिव्यं त्वयि राजन् प्रदर्शितम्॥
Vasudeva said-'Since, O foremost of men, your devotion to me is very great, for this, O prince, I have shown my divine form to you.
न ह्यभक्ताय राजेन्द्र भक्तायानृजवे न च। दर्शयाम्यहमात्मानं च चाशान्ताय भारत॥
I do not, O foremost of kings, display myself to one which is not my votary, or to a devotee who is not sincere, or to one, O Bharata, who has not restrained his soul.
भवांस्तु मम भक्तश्च नित्यं चार्जवमास्थितः। दमे तपसि सत्ये च दाने च निरतः शुचिः॥
You are devoted to me and always observe righteousiness, Of a pure heart, you are always self-restrained and ever practice penances and make gifts.
अर्हस्त्वं भीष्म मां द्रष्टुं तपसा स्वेन पार्थिव। तव ह्युपस्थिता लोका येभ्यो नावर्तते पुनः॥
Through your own penances, O Bhishma, you are competent to see me. Those regions from which no one returns, O King, are ready for you.
पञ्चाशतं षट् च कुरुप्रवीर शेष दिनानां तव जीवितस्या ततः शुभैः कर्मफलोदयैस्त्वं समेष्यसे भीष्म विमुच्य देहम्॥
Fifty-six days, O foremost of Kuru's race, still remain for you to live. Renouncing your body, you shall then, O Bhishma, obtain the blessed meed of your deeds.
एते हि देवा वसवो विमार्ना न्यास्थाय सर्वे ज्वलिताग्निकल्पा:। अन्तर्हितास्त्वां प्रतिपालयन्ति काष्ठां प्रपद्यन्तमुदक्पतङ्गम्॥
See, those deities and the Vasus, all having fiery forms, riding on their cars, are waiting for you invisibly till the moment of the Sun's entering on his northerly course.
व्यावर्तमाने भगवत्युदीची सूर्ये दिशं कालवशात् प्रपन्ने। गन्तासि लोकान् पुरुषप्रवीर नावर्तते यानुपलभ्य विद्वान्॥
Subject to universal time, when the divine Sun turns to his northerly course, you, O foremost of men, shall go to those regions whence no man returns to this Earth.
अमुं च लोकं त्वयि भीष्म याते ज्ञानानि नंक्ष्यन्त्यखिलेन वीर। अतस्तु सर्वे त्वयि संन्निकर्ष समागता धर्मविवेचनाय॥
When you, O Bhishma, will leave this world all knowledge, O hero, will end with you. It is, therefore, that all these persons, assembled together, have approached you for listening to discourses on duty and morality.
तज्ज्ञातिशोकोपहतश्रुताय सत्याभिसंधाय युधिष्ठिराय। प्रब्रूहि धर्मार्थसमाधियुक्तं सत्यं वचोऽस्यापनुदाशु शोकम्॥
Do you then speak words of truth, containing morality and profit and Yoga, to Yudhishthira who is firm in truth but whose learning has been clouded by consequent on the destruction of his kinsmen, and do you by this, speedily remove that grief of his. sorrow