वैशम्पायन उवाच अथाब्रवीन्महातेजा वाक्यं कौरवनन्दनः। हन्त धर्मान् प्रवक्ष्यामि दृढे वाङ्मनसी मम॥ तव प्रसादाद् गोविन्द भूतात्मा ह्यासि शाश्वतः।
Vaishampayana said The highly energetic delighter of Kurus, viz., Bhishma said,—'I shall describe the subject of duty. My speech and mind have become steady, through your favour, O Govinda, since you are the eternal soul of every being.
युधिष्ठिरस्तु धर्मात्मा मां धर्माननुपृच्छतु। एवं प्रीतो भविष्यामि धर्मान् वक्ष्यामि चाखिलान्॥
Let the righteous-souled Yudhishthira enquire of me about morality and duty. I shall then be much pleased to speak of all duties.
यस्मिन् राजर्षभे जाते धर्मात्मनि महात्मनि। अहृष्यन्नृषयः सर्वे स मां पृच्छतु पाण्डव॥
Let the son of Pandu, that virtuous and noble royal sage, upon whose birth all the Vrishnis were filled with joy, question me.
सर्वेषां दीप्तयशसां कुरूणां धर्मचारिणाम्। यस्य नास्ति समः कश्चित् स मां पृच्छतुं पाण्डवः॥४
Let the son of Pandu, who has no peer among all the Kurus, among all righteous persons and among celebrated men question me.
धृतिर्दमो ब्रह्मचर्यं क्षमा धर्मश्च नित्यदा। यस्मिन्नोजश्च स मां पृच्छतु पाण्डवः॥
let the son of Pandu, who is endued with intelligence, self-restraint, Brahmacharya, forgiveness righteousness, mental vigour and energy, question me.
सम्बन्धिनोऽतिथीन् भृत्यान् संश्रितांश्चैव यो भृशम्। सम्मानयति सत्कृत्य स मा पृच्छतु पाण्डवः॥
Let the son of Pandu, who always by his favour honours his relative and guests and servants and dependants, question me.
सत्यं दानं तपः शौर्य शान्तिर्दाक्ष्यमसम्भ्रमः। यस्मिन्नेतानि सर्वाणि स मां पृच्छतु पाण्डवः॥
Let the son of Pandu, who is settled in truth, charity, penances, heroism, peacefulness, cleverness, and fearlessness, question me.
यो न कामान्न संरम्भान्न भयानार्थकारणात्। कुर्यादधर्मं धर्मात्मा स मां पृच्छतु पाण्डवः॥
Let the pious son of Pandu, who would never commit a sin actuated by desire of pleasure of profit or from fear, question me.
सत्यनित्यः क्षमानित्यो ज्ञाननित्योऽतिथिप्रियः। यो ददाति सतां नित्यं स मां पृच्छतु पाण्डवः॥
Let the son of Pandu, who is ever truthful, forgiving, endued with knowledge, and attentive to guests and who always makes gifts to the pious, question me.
इज्याध्ययननित्यस्य धर्मे च निरतः सदा। क्षान्तः श्रुतरहस्यश्च स मां पृच्छतु पाण्डवः॥
Let the son of Pandu, who always celebrates sacrifices and studies the Vedas and satisfies the morality and duty, who is ever peaceful and who has heard all mysteries, question me.
वासुदेव उवाच लज्जया परयोपेतो धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः। अभिशापभयाद् भीतो भवन्तं नोपसर्पति॥
Vasudeva said 'King Yudhishthira, possessed by great shame and fearing your imprecations, does not venture to approach you.
लोकस्य कदनं कृत्वा लोकनाथो विशाम्पते। अभिशापभयाद् भीतो भवन्तं नोपसर्पति॥
That king, O monarch, having caused a great carnage, ventures not to approach you from fear of your curse.
पूज्यान् मान्यांश्च भक्तांश्च गुरून् सम्बन्धिबान्धवान्। अर्घार्हानिषुभिर्भित्त्वा भवन्तं नोपसर्पति॥
Having wounded with arrows those who were worthy of his worship, those who were devoted to him, those who were his preceptors, those who were his relatives and kinsmen, and those who deserved his highest regard, he ventures not to approach you.
भीष्म उवाच ब्राह्मणानां यथा धर्मो दानमध्ययनं तपः। क्षत्रियाणां तथा कृष्ण समरे देहपातनम्॥
Bhishma said As the duty of the Brahmanas is to practise charity, to study, and perform penances, so the duty of Kshatriyas is to renounce their bodies, OKrishna, in battle.
पितॄन् पितामहान् भ्रातृन् गुरून् सम्बन्धिबान्धवान्। मिथ्याप्रवृत्तान् यः संख्ये निहन्याद् धर्म एव सः॥
Kshatriyas should kill fathers and grandfathers and brothers and preceptors and relatives and kinsmen that may give them an unjust battle. This is their open duty.
समयत्यागिनो लुब्धान् गुरूनपि च केशव। निहन्ति समरे पापान् क्षत्रियो यः स धर्मवित्॥
The Kshatriya, O Keshava, knows his own duty who kills in battle his very preceptors, if they happen to be sinful and covetous and negligent of restraints and vows.
यो लोभान समीक्षेत धर्मसेतुं सनातनम्। निहन्ति यस्तं समरे क्षत्रियो वै स धर्मवित्॥
That Kshatriya knows his duty who kills in battle the person who out of covetousness neglects the eternal restrictions of virtue.
लोहितोदां केशतृणां गजशैलां ध्वजगुमाम्। महीं करोति युद्धेषु क्षत्रियो यः स धर्मवित्॥
That Kshatriya knows his duty who in battle converts the Earth into a lake of blood, having the hairs of killed warriors for the grass and straw floating on it, and having elephants for its rocks, and standards for the trees on its banks.
आहूतेन रणे नित्यं योद्धव्यं क्षत्रबन्धुना। धर्म्यं स्वर्यं च लोक्यं च युद्धं हि मनुरब्रवीत्॥
A Kshatriya, when challenged, must always fight in battle, for Manu has said that a righteous battle acquire both heaven and fame on Earth for him.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तस्तु भीष्मेण धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। विनीतवदुपागम्य तस्थौ संदर्शनेऽग्रतः॥
Vaishampayana said After Bhishma had spoken thus, Dharma's son Yudhishthira humbly approached the Kuru hero and stood before him.
अथास्य पादौ जग्राह भीष्मश्चापि ननन्द तम्। मूर्ध्नि चैनमुपाघ्राय निषीदेत्यब्रवीत् तदा॥
He seized the feet of Bhishma who in return cheered him with affectionate words. Smelling his head, Bhishma asked Yudhishthira to take his seat.
तमुवाचाथ गाङ्गेयो वृषभः सर्वधन्विनाम्। मां पृच्छ तात विश्रब्धं मा भैस्त्वं कुरुसत्तम॥
Then Ganga's son, that best of bowmen, addressed Yudhishthira, saying,—'Do not fear, O best of the Kurus. Ask me, O child, without any hesitation.'