Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच किमिदं परमाश्चर्यं ध्यायस्यमितविक्रम कच्चिल्लोकत्रयस्यास्य स्वस्ति लोकपरायण
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said 'Wonderful it is, o you of immeasurable prowess, that you are rapt in meditation. O great refuge of the universe, is it all well with the three worlds?
चतुर्थं ध्यानमार्गं त्वमालम्ब्य पुरुषोत्तम अपक्रान्तो यतो देव तेन मे विस्मितं मनः
M. N. Dutt: When you have, O god, withdrawn yourself from the world, having, O foremost of men, adopted the fourth state (of perfect unconsciousness of the world) my mind has been filled with wonder.
निगृहीतो हि वायुस्ते पञ्चकर्मा शरीरगः इन्द्रियाणि च सर्वाणि मनसि स्थापितानि ते
M. N. Dutt: The five vital airs which act within the body have been controlled by you. You have controlled your senses within your mind.
इन्द्रियाणि मनश्चैव बुद्धौ संवेशितानि ते सर्वश्चैव गणो देव क्षेत्रज्ञे ते निवेशितः
M. N. Dutt: Both words and mind, O Govinda, have been concentered within your understanding. All your senses, have been withdrawn into your self.
नेङ्गन्ति तव रोमाणि स्थिरा बुद्धिस्तथा मनः स्थाणुकुड्यशिलाभूतो निरीहश्चासि माधव
M. N. Dutt: The hair on your body stands erect. Your mind and understanding are both calm. You are as immobile now, O Madhava, as an wooden post or a stone?
यथा दीपो निवातस्थो निरिङ्गो ज्वलतेऽच्युत तथासि भगवन्देव निश्चलो दृढनिश्चयः
M. N. Dutt: O illustrious god, you are as calm as the flame of a lamp burning in a place where there is no wind. You are as immobile as a rock.
Supplementary Passages:
12.46.6 After 6, K2 ins. (cf. 6c, 7d): *63 तथापि भगवन्देव प्रपन्नायाभियाचते
यदि श्रोतुमिहार्हामि न रहस्यं च ते यदि छिन्धि मे संशयं देव प्रपन्नायाभियाचते
M. N. Dutt: If I am fit to hear the cause, and if it is no secret, remove, O god, my doubt, for I beg this। favour from you.
त्वं हि कर्ता विकर्ता च त्वं क्षरं चाक्षरं च हि अनादिनिधनश्चाद्यस्त्वमेव पुरुषोत्तम
M. N. Dutt: You are the Creator and you are the Destroyer. You are destructible and you indestructible. You are without beginning and you are without end. You are the first and the foremost of beings.
त्वत्प्रपन्नाय भक्ताय शिरसा प्रणताय च ध्यानस्यास्य यथातत्त्वं ब्रूहि धर्मभृतां वर
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of pious men, tell me the cause of this abstraction. I solicit your favour, and am your devoted worshipper, and am bending my head to you.
वैशंपायन उवाच ततः स्वगोचरे न्यस्य मनो बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि च स्मितपूर्वमुवाचेदं भगवान्वासवानुजः
M. N. Dutt: Thus accosted the illustrious younger brother of Vasava, reinstating his mind, understanding and the senses in their proper places, said these words similingly.
शरतल्पगतो भीष्मः शाम्यन्निव हुताशनः मां ध्याति पुरुषव्याघ्रस्ततो मे तद्गतं मनः
M. N. Dutt: Vasudeva said 'That foremost men, viz., Bhishma, who is now lying on a bed of arrows, and who is now like a fire that is about to be extinguished, is thinking of me. It is therefore my mind also was concentrated on him.
यस्य ज्यातलनिर्घोषं विस्फूर्जितमिवाशनेः न सहेद्देवराजोऽपि तमस्मि मनसा गतः
M. N. Dutt: My mind was fixed in him the twang of whose bow and the sound of whose palms Indra himself was unable to bear.
येनाभिद्रुत्य तरसा समस्तं राजमण्डलम् ऊढास्तिस्रः पुरा कन्यास्तमस्मि मनसा गतः
M. N. Dutt: I was thinking of him who having defeated in a moment all the assembled kings, carried the three princesses of Kashi for the marriage of his brother Vichitravirya.
त्रयोविंशतिरात्रं यो योधयामास भार्गवम् न च रामेण निस्तीर्णस्तमस्मि मनसा गतः
M. N. Dutt: I was thinking of him who fought continually for twenty-three days with Rama himself of Bhrigu's race and whom Rama could not defeat.
यं गङ्गा गर्भविधिना धारयामास पार्थिवम् वसिष्ठशिष्यं तं तात मनसास्मि गतो नृप
M. N. Dutt: I was thinking of him whom Ganga conceived and gave birth to, according to ordinary human laws and whom Vasishtha took as a pupil.
दिव्यास्त्राणि महातेजा यो धारयति बुद्धिमान् साङ्गांश्च चतुरो वेदांस्तमस्मि मनसा गतः
M. N. Dutt: I was thinking of that powerful hero of great intelligence who is a master of all the celestial weapons as also of the four Vedas with all their auxiliaries.
रामस्य दयितं शिष्यं जामदग्न्यस्य पाण्डव आधारं सर्वविद्यानां तमस्मि मनसा गतः
M. N. Dutt: I was thinking of him, O son of Pandu, who is the favourite disciple of Rama the son of Jamadagni, and who is the master of all the sciences.
एकीकृत्येन्द्रियग्रामं मनः संयम्य मेधया शरणं मामुपागच्छत्ततो मे तद्गतं मनः
AI Translation: Having unified the group of senses, having controlled the mind with wisdom, he who has come to me as a refuge, then his mind is fixed on me.
स हि भूतं च भव्यं च भवच्च पुरुषर्षभ वेत्ति धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठस्ततो मे तद्गतं मनः
M. N. Dutt: I was thinking of that best of all persons conversant with morality and duty, of him, O foremost of Bharatas, who knows the Past, the Future, and the Present.
तस्मिन्हि पुरुषव्याघ्रे कर्मभिः स्वैर्दिवं गते भविष्यति मही पार्थ नष्टचन्द्रेव शर्वरी
M. N. Dutt: After the ascension to heaven of that foremost of kings for his own achievements the Earth, O son of Pritha, will took like a moonless night.
तद्युधिष्ठिर गाङ्गेयं भीष्मं भीमपराक्रमम् अभिगम्योपसंगृह्य पृच्छ यत्ते मनोगतम्
M. N. Dutt: Therefore, O Yudhishthira, humbly approaching Ganga's son, viz., Bhishma, ask him about what you may wish to learn.
चातुर्वेद्यं चातुर्होत्रं चातुराश्रम्यमेव च चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य धर्मं च पृच्छैनं पृथिवीपते
M. N. Dutt: O king enquire of him about the four branches of knowledge, about sacrifices and the rites sanctioned for the four castes, about the four modes of life, and about the duties of kings.
तस्मिन्नस्तमिते भीष्मे कौरवाणां धुरंधरे ज्ञानान्यल्पीभविष्यन्ति तस्मात्त्वां चोदयाम्यहम्
M. N. Dutt: When Bhishma, that foremost one of Kuru's race, will disappear from the world every kind of knowledge will go away with him. It is, therefore, that I urge you to do it.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वासुदेवस्य तथ्यं वचनमुत्तमम् साश्रुकण्ठः स धर्मज्ञो जनार्दनमुवाच ह
AI Translation: Hearing those excellent true words of Vāsudeva, with a voice choked with tears, the one who knew dharma spoke to Janārdana:
यद्भवानाह भीष्मस्य प्रभावं प्रति माधव तथा तन्नात्र संदेहो विद्यते मम मानद
AI Translation: You have spoken about Bhishma's power, O Madhava. And that is not in doubt for me, O you who are honoured.
महाभाग्यं हि भीष्मस्य प्रभावश्च महात्मनः श्रुतं मया कथयतां ब्राह्मणानां महात्मनाम्
M. N. Dutt: I had heard of the piety and greatness, of the illustrious Bhishma from great Brahmanas talking about it.
भवांश्च कर्ता लोकानां यद्ब्रवीत्यरिसूदन तथा तदनभिध्येयं वाक्यं यादवनन्दन
M. N. Dutt: You, O killer of foes, are the Creator of all the worlds, There, cannot, therefore, O delighter of the Yadavas, be the least doubt in what you say.
यतस्त्वनुग्रहकृता बुद्धिस्ते मयि माधव त्वामग्रतः पुरस्कृत्य भीष्मं पश्यामहे वयम्
M. N. Dutt: If you are pleased to show us favour, O Madhava, then we shall go to Bhishma with yourself at our head.
आवृत्ते भगवत्यर्के स हि लोकान्गमिष्यति त्वद्दर्शनं महाबाहो तस्मादर्हति कौरवः
M. N. Dutt: When the divine Sun shall have turned towards the north, Bhishma will leave (this world) for those blissful regions which he has acquired. That descendant of Kuru's race, therefore, O mighty-armed one, deserves to see you.
तव ह्याद्यस्य देवस्य क्षरस्यैवाक्षरस्य च दर्शनं तस्य लाभः स्यात्त्वं हि ब्रह्ममयो निधिः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishina will then see you who are the first of gods, and who destructible and indestructible. Indeed, O lord, you are the vast receptacle of Brahma.
श्रुत्वैतद्धर्मराजस्य वचनं मधुसूदनः पार्श्वस्थं सात्यकिं प्राह रथो मे युज्यतामिति
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said Hearing these words of king Yudhishthira, the destroyer of Madhu addressed Satyaki who was sitting by him, saying,–'Let my car be yoked.
सात्यकिस्तूपनिष्क्रम्य केशवस्य समीपतः दारुकं प्राह कृष्णस्य युज्यतां रथ इत्युत
M. N. Dutt: are At this Satyaki quickly left Keshava's company and going out, ordered Daruka, saying,-'Let Krishna's car be made ready.'
स सात्यकेराशु वचो निशम्य; रथोत्तमं काञ्चनभूषिताङ्गम् मसारगल्वर्कमयैर्विभङ्गै;र्विभूषितं हेमपिनद्धचक्रम्
AI Translation: Hearing the words of Sātyaki, he mounted the excellent chariot adorned with gold, adorned with ornaments of coral, emerald, and gold, with wheels bound with gold,
दिवाकरांशुप्रभमाशुगामिनं; विचित्रनानामणिरत्नभूषितम् नवोदितं सूर्यमिव प्रतापिनं; विचित्रतार्क्ष्यध्वजिनं पताकिनम्
AI Translation: Swiftly moving, radiant like the rays of the sun, adorned with various precious jewels, Like the newly risen sun, blazing, with a variegated vulture banner, with a banner.
सुग्रीवसैन्यप्रमुखैर्वराश्वै;र्मनोजवैः काञ्चनभूषिताङ्गैः सुयुक्तमावेदयदच्युताय; कृताञ्जलिर्दारुको राजसिंह
AI Translation: With the foremost of Sugriva's army, with excellent horses, swift as the mind, adorned with gold, Daruka, with folded hands, informed the unerring one, the lion among kings,