Bhishma Proclaims Krishna's Greatness

Verse 1 (2.41.1)

ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा शिशुपालमुपाद्रवत् । उवाच चैनं मधुरं सान्त्वपूर्वमिदं वचः ॥

tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā śiśupālamupādravat | uvāca cainaṃ madhuraṃ sāntvapūrvamidaṃ vacaḥ

Then King Yudhishthira hurried after Shishupala and spoke to him these gentle and conciliating words:

Verse 2 (2.41.2)

नेदं युक्तं महीपाल यादृशं वै त्वमुक्तवान् । अधर्मश्च परो राजन्पारुष्यं च निरर्थकम् ॥

nedaṃ yuktaṃ mahīpāla yādṛśaṃ vai tvamuktavān | adharmaśca paro rājanpāruṣyaṃ ca nirarthakam

"What you have said, lord of the earth, is not right. Such harshness is pointless, O king, and a grave wrong.

Note on the text: Speaker: Yudhishthira's direct speech, which fills the verse (Wikisource prints no heading).

Verse 3 (2.41.3)

न हि धर्मं परं जातु नावबुध्येत पार्थिवः । भीष्मः शान्तनवस्त्वेनं मावमंस्थास्त्वमन्यथा ॥

na hi dharmaṃ paraṃ jātu nāvabudhyeta pārthivaḥ | bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavastvenaṃ māvamaṃsthāstvamanyathā

Bhishma, son of Shantanu, is a king who could never fail to understand the highest dharma; do not think otherwise of him.

Note on the text: Speaker: Yudhishthira's direct speech, which fills the verse (Wikisource prints no heading).

Verse 4 (2.41.4)

पश्य चैतान्महीपालांस्त्वत्तो वृद्धतरान्बहून् । मृष्यन्ते चार्हणां कृष्णे तद्वत्त्वं क्षन्तुमर्हसि ॥

paśya caitānmahīpālāṃstvatto vṛddhatarānbahūn | mṛṣyante cārhaṇāṃ kṛṣṇe tadvattvaṃ kṣantumarhasi

Look at these many lords of the earth, far older than you: they accept the honour paid to Krishna. You too should bear it in the same way.

Note on the text: Corrected तद्वत्वं → तद्वत्त्वं (misprint in Wikisource; tadvat tvaṃ, a dropped त; the critical edition reads tadvat tvaṃ). Speaker: Yudhishthira's direct speech, which fills the verse (Wikisource prints no heading).

Verse 5 (2.41.5)

वेद तत्त्वेन कृष्णं हि भीष्मश्चेदिपते भृशम् । न ह्येनं त्वं तथा वेत्थ यथैनं वेद कौरवः ॥

veda tattvena kṛṣṇaṃ hi bhīṣmaścedipate bhṛśam | na hyenaṃ tvaṃ tathā vettha yathainaṃ veda kauravaḥ

Bhishma knows Krishna truly and thoroughly, lord of Chedi; you do not know him as the Kaurava knows him."

Note on the text: Corrected भीष्णः → भीष्मः (misprint in Wikisource) and restored the dropped word वेत्थ in the second line (न ह्येनं त्वं तथा यथैनं → न ह्येनं त्वं तथा वेत्थ यथैनं; the line was two syllables short and lacked its verb; the critical edition reads na hy enaṃ tvaṃ tathā vettha yathainaṃ). Speaker: Yudhishthira's direct speech, which fills the verse (Wikisource prints no heading).

Verse 6 (2.41.6)

नास्मै देयो ह्यनुनयो नायमर्हति सान्त्वनम् । लोकवृद्धतमे कृष्णे योऽर्हणां नाभिमन्यते ॥

nāsmai deyo hyanunayo nāyamarhati sāntvanam | lokavṛddhatame kṛṣṇe yo'rhaṇāṃ nābhimanyate

"He who will not accept the honour paid to Krishna, the most venerable in the world, deserves no conciliation and is not worth soothing.

Verse 7 (2.41.7)

क्षत्रियः क्षत्रियं जित्वा रणे रणकृतां वरः । यो मुञ्चति वशे कृत्वा गुरुर्भवति तस्य सः ॥

kṣatriyaḥ kṣatriyaṃ jitvā raṇe raṇakṛtāṃ varaḥ | yo muñcati vaśe kṛtvā gururbhavati tasya saḥ

A kshatriya, best of warriors, who conquers another kshatriya in battle, brings him under his power and then sets him free, becomes that man's master.

Verse 8 (2.41.8)

अस्यां हि समितौ राज्ञामेकमप्यजितं युधि । न पश्यामि महीपालं सात्वतीपुत्रतेजसा ॥

asyāṃ hi samitau rājñāmekamapyajitaṃ yudhi | na paśyāmi mahīpālaṃ sātvatīputratejasā

In this gathering of kings I do not see a single lord of the earth who has not been overcome in battle by the might of the son of the Satvata lady.

Verse 9 (2.41.9)

न हि केवलमस्माकमयमर्च्यतमोऽच्युतः । त्रयाणामपि लोकानामर्चनीयो महाभुजः ॥

na hi kevalamasmākamayamarcyatamo'cyutaḥ | trayāṇāmapi lokānāmarcanīyo mahābhujaḥ

Achyuta is not the most worthy of worship for us alone; the mighty-armed one is to be worshipped by all three worlds.

Verse 10 (2.41.10)

कृष्णेन हि जिता युद्धे बहवः क्षत्रियर्षभाः । जगत्सर्वं च वार्ष्णेये निखिलेन प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥

kṛṣṇena hi jitā yuddhe bahavaḥ kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ | jagatsarvaṃ ca vārṣṇeye nikhilena pratiṣṭhitam

For many bulls among the kshatriyas have been conquered in battle by Krishna, and the whole world rests wholly on the Vrishni.

Verse 11 (2.41.11)

तस्मात्सत्स्वपि वृद्धेषु कृष्णमर्चाम नेतरान् । एवं वक्तुं न चार्हस्त्वं मा तेऽभूद्बुद्धिरीदृशी ॥

tasmātsatsvapi vṛddheṣu kṛṣṇamarcāma netarān | evaṃ vaktuṃ na cārhastvaṃ mā te'bhūdbuddhirīdṛśī

That is why, even with elders present, we worship Krishna and not the others. You should not speak this way; do not let such a thought be yours.

Verse 12 (2.41.12)

ज्ञानवृद्धा मया राजन्बहवः पर्युपासिताः । यस्य राजन्प्रभावज्ञाः पुरा सर्वे च रक्षिताः । तेषां कथयतां शौरेरहं गुणवतो गुणान् ॥

jñānavṛddhā mayā rājanbahavaḥ paryupāsitāḥ | yasya rājanprabhāvajñāḥ purā sarve ca rakṣitāḥ | teṣāṃ kathayatāṃ śaurerahaṃ guṇavato guṇān

I have waited on many men grown old in wisdom, O king — men who knew his power, all of whom he once protected; and as they spoke of the virtues of Shauri, rich in virtues,

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (` and ') around the middle line. The middle line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension) and appears there only in the apparatus (passage *356); the first and third lines are 2.35.12ab–cd.

Verse 13 (2.41.13)

समागतानामश्रौषं बहून्बहुमतान्सताम् । कर्माण्यपि च यान्यस्य जन्मप्रभृति धीमतः ॥

samāgatānāmaśrauṣaṃ bahūnbahumatānsatām | karmāṇyapi ca yānyasya janmaprabhṛti dhīmataḥ

when those good and highly esteemed men had gathered, I listened to many of them; and the deeds he has done, wise as he is, from his very birth,

Note on the text: The critical edition divides these verses differently: this verse is 2.35.12ef and 2.35.13ab.

Verse 14 (2.41.14)

बहुशः कथ्यमानानि नरैर्भूयः श्रुतानि मे । न केवलं वयं कामाच्चेदिराज जनार्दनम् ॥

bahuśaḥ kathyamānāni narairbhūyaḥ śrutāni me | na kevalaṃ vayaṃ kāmāccedirāja janārdanam

told over and over by people, I have heard again and again. It is not on a whim, king of Chedi, that we worship Janardana,

Note on the text: Corrected बहृशः → बहुशः and चेदिगज → चेदिराज (misprints in Wikisource; the critical edition reads bahuśaḥ … cedirāja). The critical edition divides these verses differently: this verse is 2.35.13cd and 2.35.14ab.

Verse 15 (2.41.15)

न सम्बन्धं पुरस्कृत्य कृतार्थं वा कथञ्चन । अर्चामहेऽर्चितं सद्भिर्भुवि भूतसुखावहम् ॥

na sambandhaṃ puraskṛtya kṛtārthaṃ vā kathañcana | arcāmahe'rcitaṃ sadbhirbhuvi bhūtasukhāvaham

nor out of regard for kinship, nor for any favour received. We worship him, who is honoured by the good and brings happiness to beings on earth,

Note on the text: The critical edition divides these verses differently: this verse is 2.35.14cd and 2.35.15ab.

Verse 16 (2.41.16)

यशः शौर्यं जयं चास्य विज्ञायार्चां प्रयुञ्ज्महे । न च कश्चिदिहास्माभिः सुबालोऽप्यपरीक्षितः ॥

yaśaḥ śauryaṃ jayaṃ cāsya vijñāyārcāṃ prayuñjmahe | na ca kaścidihāsmābhiḥ subālo'pyaparīkṣitaḥ

knowing his fame, his valour and his victories, and so we offer him worship. There is no one here, not even a small child, whom we have not weighed.

Note on the text: Corrected सुवालोप्यपरीक्षितः → सुबालोऽप्यपरीक्षितः (misprint in Wikisource; व for ब and a missing avagraha; the critical edition reads subālo 'py aparīkṣitaḥ). The critical edition divides these verses differently: this verse is 2.35.15cd and 2.35.16ab.

Verse 17 (2.41.17)

गुणैर्वृद्धानतिक्रम्य हरिरर्च्यतमो मतः । ज्ञानवृद्धो द्विजातीनां क्षत्रियाणां बलाधिकः ॥

guṇairvṛddhānatikramya harirarcyatamo mataḥ | jñānavṛddho dvijātīnāṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ balādhikaḥ

Passing over those great in merit, Hari is judged the most worthy of worship. Among the twice-born, one is honoured for being senior in knowledge; among kshatriyas, for excelling in strength;

Note on the text: The critical edition divides these verses differently: this verse is 2.35.16cd and 2.35.17ab.

Verse 18 (2.41.18)

वैश्यानां धान्यधनवाञ्शूद्राणामेव जन्मतः । पूज्यतायां च गोविन्दे हेतू द्वावपि संस्थितौ ॥

vaiśyānāṃ dhānyadhanavāñśūdrāṇāmeva janmataḥ | pūjyatāyāṃ ca govinde hetū dvāvapi saṃsthitau

among vaishyas, for wealth in grain and riches; among shudras, by age alone. And in Govinda both grounds for honour are firmly present.

Note on the text: The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension) and appears there only in the apparatus (passage *357); the second line is 2.35.17cd.

Verse 19 (2.41.19)

वेदवेदाङ्गविज्ञानं बलं चाभ्यधिकं तथा । नृणां लोके हि कोऽन्योऽस्ति विशिष्टः केशवादृते ॥

vedavedāṅgavijñānaṃ balaṃ cābhyadhikaṃ tathā | nṛṇāṃ loke hi ko'nyo'sti viśiṣṭaḥ keśavādṛte

Knowledge of the Vedas and Vedangas, and surpassing strength as well — who else in the world of men excels in these, apart from Keshava?

Note on the text: Corrected कोऽन्योस्ति → कोऽन्योऽस्ति (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha).

Verse 20 (2.41.20)

दानं दाक्ष्यं श्रुतं शौर्यं ह्रीः कीर्तिर्बुद्धिरुत्तमा । संनतिः श्रीर्धृतिस्तुष्टिः पुष्टिश्च नियताऽच्युते ॥

dānaṃ dākṣyaṃ śrutaṃ śauryaṃ hrīḥ kīrtirbuddhiruttamā | saṃnatiḥ śrīrdhṛtistuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiśca niyatā'cyute

Generosity, skill, learning, valour, modesty, fame, the highest understanding, humility, fortune, steadfastness, contentment and prosperity are ever present in Achyuta.

Verse 21 (2.41.21)

तमिमं लोकसम्पन्नमाचार्यं पितरं गुरुम् । अर्घ्यमर्चितमर्चामः सर्वे सङ्क्षन्तुमर्हथ ॥

tamimaṃ lokasampannamācāryaṃ pitaraṃ gurum | arghyamarcitamarcāmaḥ sarve saṅkṣantumarhatha

He is rich in all the world's excellences, our teacher, father and guru; he is worthy of the offering and already honoured, and we worship him. All of you should bear with this.

Verse 22 (2.41.22)

ऋत्विग्गुरुर्विवाह्यश्च स्नातको नृपतिः प्रियः । सर्वमेतद्धृषीकेशस्तस्मादभ्यर्चितोऽच्युतः ॥

ṛtviggururvivāhyaśca snātako nṛpatiḥ priyaḥ | sarvametaddhṛṣīkeśastasmādabhyarcito'cyutaḥ

Officiating priest, guru, one fit for a marriage alliance, snataka, king and friend — Hrishikesha is all of these; that is why Achyuta has been honoured.

Verse 23 (2.41.23)

कृष्ण एव हि लोकानामुत्पत्तिरपि चाप्ययः । कृष्णस्य हि कृते विश्वमिदं भूतं चराचरम् ॥

kṛṣṇa eva hi lokānāmutpattirapi cāpyayaḥ | kṛṣṇasya hi kṛte viśvamidaṃ bhūtaṃ carācaram

Krishna alone is the origin and the dissolution of the worlds; for Krishna's sake exists this whole universe of moving and unmoving beings.

Verse 24 (2.41.24)

एष प्रकृतिरव्यक्ता कर्ता चैव सनातनः । परश्च सर्वभूतेभ्यस्तस्मात्पूज्यतमोऽच्युतः ॥

eṣa prakṛtiravyaktā kartā caiva sanātanaḥ | paraśca sarvabhūtebhyastasmātpūjyatamo'cyutaḥ

He is unmanifest Prakriti, the eternal maker, and beyond all beings; therefore Achyuta is the most worthy of worship.

Verse 25 (2.41.25)

बुद्धिर्मनो महद्वायुस्तेजोऽम्भः खं मही च या । चतुर्विधं च यद्भूतं सर्वं कृष्णे प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥

buddhirmano mahadvāyustejo'mbhaḥ khaṃ mahī ca yā | caturvidhaṃ ca yadbhūtaṃ sarvaṃ kṛṣṇe pratiṣṭhitam

Intellect, mind, the great principle, wind, fire, water, space and earth, and beings of the four kinds of birth — all of it rests on Krishna.

Note on the text: Corrected द्धिर्मनो → बुद्धिर्मनो (dropped akshara बु, the pada is a syllable short) and तेजोऽभः → तेजोऽम्भः (broken conjunct; "water") (misprints in Wikisource; the critical edition reads buddhir mano … tejo 'mbhaḥ).

Verse 26 (2.41.26)

आदित्यश्चन्द्रमाश्चैव नक्षत्राणि ग्रहाश्च ये । दिशश्च विदिशश्चैव सर्वं कृष्णे प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥

ādityaścandramāścaiva nakṣatrāṇi grahāśca ye | diśaśca vidiśaścaiva sarvaṃ kṛṣṇe pratiṣṭhitam

The sun and the moon, the stars and the planets, the quarters and the intermediate quarters — all of it rests on Krishna.

Verse 27 (2.41.27)

एष रुद्रश्च सर्वात्मा ब्रह्मा चैव सनातनः । अक्षरं क्षररूपेण मानुषत्वमुपागतः ॥

eṣa rudraśca sarvātmā brahmā caiva sanātanaḥ | akṣaraṃ kṣararūpeṇa mānuṣatvamupāgataḥ

He is Rudra, the Self of all, and Brahma the eternal; the imperishable, in perishable form, he has taken on the state of a man.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (` and ') around the verse. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus after 2.35.25 (passage *359).

Verse 28 (2.41.28)

अग्निहोत्रमुखा वेदा गायत्री च्छन्दसां मुखम् । राजा मुखं मनुष्याणां नदीनां सागरो मुखम् ॥

agnihotramukhā vedā gāyatrī cchandasāṃ mukham | rājā mukhaṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ nadīnāṃ sāgaro mukham

The Vedas have the agnihotra at their head, the metres have the Gayatri, men have the king, and rivers have the ocean;

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus after 2.35.25 (passage *358, lines 1–2).

Verse 29 (2.41.29)

नक्षत्राणां मुखं चन्द्र आदित्यस्तेजसां मुखम् । पर्वतानां मुखं मेरुर्गरुडः पततां मुखम् ॥

nakṣatrāṇāṃ mukhaṃ candra ādityastejasāṃ mukham | parvatānāṃ mukhaṃ merurgaruḍaḥ patatāṃ mukham

the stars have the moon at their head, the lights have the sun, the mountains have Meru, and the birds have Garuda;

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus after 2.35.25 (passage *358, lines 3–4).

Verse 30 (2.41.30)

ऊर्ध्वं तिर्यगधश्चैव यावती जगतो गतिः । सदेवकेषु लोकेषु भगवान्केशवो मुखम् ॥

ūrdhvaṃ tiryagadhaścaiva yāvatī jagato gatiḥ | sadevakeṣu lokeṣu bhagavānkeśavo mukham

and above, across and below, as far as the world extends, in all the worlds together with the gods, the blessed Keshava stands at the head.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus after 2.35.25 (passage *358, lines 5–6).

Verse 31 (2.41.31)

अयं तु पुरुषो बालः शिशुपालो न बुध्यते । सर्वत्र सर्वदा कृष्णं तस्मादेवं प्रभाषते ॥

ayaṃ tu puruṣo bālaḥ śiśupālo na budhyate | sarvatra sarvadā kṛṣṇaṃ tasmādevaṃ prabhāṣate

But this man Shishupala is a child; he does not understand that Krishna is everywhere and always, and that is why he talks like this.

Verse 32 (2.41.32)

यो हि धर्मं विचिनुयादुत्कृष्टं मतिमान्नरः । स वै पश्येद्यथा धर्मं न तथा चेदिराडयम् ॥

yo hi dharmaṃ vicinuyādutkṛṣṭaṃ matimānnaraḥ | sa vai paśyedyathā dharmaṃ na tathā cedirāḍayam

A thoughtful man who searches out the highest dharma will see dharma as it truly is; this king of Chedi does not.

Verse 33 (2.41.33)

सवृद्धबालेष्वथवा पार्थिवेषु महात्मसु । को नार्हं मन्यते कृष्णं को वाप्येनं न पूजयेत् ॥

savṛddhabāleṣvathavā pārthiveṣu mahātmasu | ko nārhaṃ manyate kṛṣṇaṃ ko vāpyenaṃ na pūjayet

Among these great-souled lords of the earth, old and young, who does not think Krishna worthy, or who would not worship him?

Verse 34 (2.41.34)

अथैनां दुष्कृतां पूजां शिशुपालो व्यवस्यति । दुष्कृतायां यथान्यायं तथाऽयं कर्तुमर्हति ॥

athaināṃ duṣkṛtāṃ pūjāṃ śiśupālo vyavasyati | duṣkṛtāyāṃ yathānyāyaṃ tathā'yaṃ kartumarhati

If Shishupala holds that this worship was wrongly done, then let him do about it whatever is proper when a thing is wrongly done."