Critical Edition
वैशंपायन उवाच श्रुत्वा तु वचनं भीष्मो वासुदेवस्य धीमतः किंचिदुन्नाम्य वदनं प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said Hearing those words of the highly intelligent Vasudeva, Bhishma, raising his head a little, said these words with joined hands.
नमस्ते भगवन्विष्णो लोकानां निधनोद्भव त्वं हि कर्ता हृषीकेश संहर्ता चापराजितः
M. N. Dutt: 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.
विश्वकर्मन्नमस्तेऽस्तु विश्वात्मन्विश्वसंभव अपवर्गोऽसि भूतानां पञ्चानां परतः स्थितः
M. N. Dutt: 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 सर्वपरायणम्
M. N. Dutt: 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 यदात्थ त्वं वचः पुरुषसत्तम तेन पश्यामि ते दिव्यान्भावान्हि त्रिषु वर्त्मसु
M. N. Dutt: 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.
तच्च पश्यामि तत्त्वेन यत्ते रूपं सनातनम् सप्त मार्गा निरुद्धास्ते वायोरमिततेजसः
AI Translation: I see that true form of yours, which is eternal. The seven paths of the wind of immeasurable splendor are blocked.
दिवं ते शिरसा व्याप्तं पद्भ्यां देवी वसुंधरा दिशो भुजौ रविश्चक्षुर्वीर्ये शक्रः प्रतिष्ठितः
AI Translation: Your head covers the sky, the earth is covered by your feet, The directions are your arms, the sun is your eye, and Indra is established in your strength.
अतसीपुष्पसंकाशं पीतवाससमच्युतम् वपुर्ह्यनुमिमीमस्ते मेघस्येव सविद्युतः
AI Translation: Like a jasmine flower, wearing yellow robes, I contemplate your body, like a cloud with lightning.
त्वत्प्रपन्नाय भक्ताय गतिमिष्टां जिगीषवे यच्छ्रेयः पुण्डरीकाक्ष तद्ध्यायस्व सुरोत्तम
AI Translation: O you who are the refuge of those who have resorted to you, to your devotee, to one who desires to conquer the desired goal, O Lotus-eyed one, O Supreme Being, think of that which is best for me.
वासुदेव उवाच यतः खलु परा भक्तिर्मयि ते पुरुषर्षभ ततो वपुर्मया दिव्यं तव राजन्प्रदर्शितम्
M. N. Dutt: 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 न चादान्ताय भारत
M. N. Dutt: 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
M. N. Dutt: 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
M. N. Dutt: 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 षट्च कुरुप्रवीर; शेषं दिनानां तव जीवितस्य ततः शुभैः कर्मफलोदयैस्त्वं; समेष्यसे भीष्म विमुच्य देहम्
M. N. Dutt: 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 विमाना;न्यास्थाय सर्वे ज्वलिताग्निकल्पाः अन्तर्हितास्त्वां प्रतिपालयन्ति; काष्ठां प्रपद्यन्तमुदक्पतंगम्
M. N. Dutt: 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.
व्यावृत्तमात्रे भगवत्युदीचीं; सूर्ये दिशं कालवशात्प्रपन्ने गन्तासि लोकान्पुरुषप्रवीर; नावर्तते यानुपलभ्य विद्वान्
M. N. Dutt: 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 नङ्क्ष्यन्त्यखिलेन वीर अतः स्म सर्वे त्वयि संनिकर्षं; समागता धर्मविवेचनाय
M. N. Dutt: 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 धर्मार्थसमाधियुक्त;मर्थ्यं वचोऽस्यापनुदास्य शोकम्
M. N. Dutt: 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