Bhishma Begins the Story of Narayana

Verse 1 (2.43.1)

ततो भीष्मस्य तच्छ्रुत्वा वचः काले युधिष्ठिरः । ज्ञापनार्थाय सर्वेषां भीष्मं पुनरथाब्रवीत् ॥

tato bhīṣmasya tacchrutvā vacaḥ kāle yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | jñāpanārthāya sarveṣāṃ bhīṣmaṃ punarathābravīt

Then, having heard Bhishma's words at that moment, Yudhishthira spoke to Bhishma once more, so that everyone present might come to know:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 22–23 (the second line in a variant form).

Verse 2 (2.43.2)

विस्तरेणास्य देवस्य कर्माणीच्छामि सर्वशः । श्रोतुं भगवतस्तानि प्रब्रवीहि पितामह ॥

vistareṇāsya devasya karmāṇīcchāmi sarvaśaḥ | śrotuṃ bhagavatastāni prabravīhi pitāmaha

"Grandfather, I wish to hear in full every one of the deeds of this god, the Lord. Tell them to me.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 24–25.

Verse 3 (2.43.3)

कर्मणामानुपूर्वा च प्रादुर्भावाश्च ये विभोः । यथा च प्रकृतिः कृष्णे तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥

karmaṇāmānupūrvā ca prādurbhāvāśca ye vibhoḥ | yathā ca prakṛtiḥ kṛṣṇe tanme brūhi pitāmaha

Tell me, grandfather, the order of his deeds, the manifestations of the all-pervading one, and what the true nature of Krishna is."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 26–27.

Verse 4 (2.43.4)

एवमुक्तस्तदा भीष्मः प्रोवाच भरतर्षभ । युधिष्ठिरममित्रघ्नं तस्मिन्राजसमागमे ॥

evamuktastadā bhīṣmaḥ provāca bharatarṣabha | yudhiṣṭhiramamitraghnaṃ tasminrājasamāgame

Asked this, O best of the Bharatas, Bhishma then spoke to Yudhishthira, slayer of his foes, in that gathering of kings.

Note on the text: Corrected तस्मिन्त्राजसमागमे → तस्मिन्राजसमागमे (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct, न्त्र for न्र (तस्मिन् + राज-)). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 28–29.

Verse 5 (2.43.5)

समक्षं वासुदेवस्य देवस्येव शतक्रतोः । कर्माण्यसुकराण्यन्यैराचचक्षे जनाधिप ॥

samakṣaṃ vāsudevasya devasyeva śatakratoḥ | karmāṇyasukarāṇyanyairācacakṣe janādhipa

In the presence of Vasudeva, as though in the presence of Indra, the god of a hundred sacrifices, he recounted, O lord of men, deeds that others could hardly accomplish,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 30–31.

Verse 6 (2.43.6)

शृण्वतां पार्थिवानां च धर्मराजस्य चान्तिके । इदं मतिमतां श्रेष्ठः कृष्णं प्रति विशाम्पते ॥

śṛṇvatāṃ pārthivānāṃ ca dharmarājasya cāntike | idaṃ matimatāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ kṛṣṇaṃ prati viśāmpate

while the kings listened and the King of Dharma sat close by. O lord of the people, the best of the wise spoke this concerning Krishna.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 32–33.

Verse 7 (2.43.7)

साम्नैवामन्त्र्य राजेन्द्र चेदिराजमरिन्दमम् । भीमकर्मा ततो भीष्मो भूयः स इदमब्रवीत् ॥

sāmnaivāmantrya rājendra cedirājamarindamam | bhīmakarmā tato bhīṣmo bhūyaḥ sa idamabravīt

First, O king of kings, he calmed the king of Chedi, tamer of foes, with gentle words; then Bhishma, terrible in his deeds, spoke once more as follows.

Note on the text: Corrected म्नैवामन्त्र्य → साम्नैवामन्त्र्य (misprint in Wikisource; the akshara सा was lost, leaving no word and a short line; the critical edition reads sāmnaivāmantrya). Corrected भीष्णो → भीष्मो (misprint in Wikisource; ण for म). Corrected इतमब्रवीत् → इदमब्रवीत् (misprint in Wikisource; त for द; the critical edition reads idam abravīt). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 34–35.

Verse 8 (2.43.8)

कुरूणामपि राजानं युधिष्ठिरमभाषत ॥

kurūṇāmapi rājānaṃ yudhiṣṭhiramabhāṣata

He addressed Yudhishthira, the king of the Kurus:

Note on the text: Split: Wikisource verse 8 carries the speaker heading (printed भीष्ण उवाच) between its two lines (the page labels them 8a, 8x, 8b). This first line is narration. Corrected करूणामपि → कुरूणामपि (misprint in Wikisource; vowel sign misplaced; the critical edition reads kurūṇāṃ). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), line 36.

Verse 9 (2.43.9)

वर्तमानामतीतां च शृणु राजन्युधिष्ठिर ॥

vartamānāmatītāṃ ca śṛṇu rājanyudhiṣṭhira

Hear, King Yudhishthira, of the present and the past —

Note on the text: Split from the preceding line at the heading भीष्म उवाच (printed भीष्ण उवाच in Wikisource, which also carries भीष्ण as the speaker of every following verse; corrected to भीष्म). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), line 37.

Verse 10 (2.43.10)

ईश्वरस्योत्तमस्यैनां कर्मणां गहनां गतिम् । अव्यक्तो व्यक्तलिङ्गस्थो य एष भगवान्प्रभुः ॥

īśvarasyottamasyaināṃ karmaṇāṃ gahanāṃ gatim | avyakto vyaktaliṅgastho ya eṣa bhagavānprabhuḥ

of this deep and hidden course of the deeds of the supreme Lord, who is this blessed master, unmanifest yet dwelling in a manifest form.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 38–39.

Verse 11 (2.43.11)

पुरा नारायणो देवः स्वयम्भूः प्रपितामहः । सहस्रशीर्षः पुरुषो ध्रुवोऽनन्तः सनातनः ॥

purā nārāyaṇo devaḥ svayambhūḥ prapitāmahaḥ | sahasraśīrṣaḥ puruṣo dhruvo'nantaḥ sanātanaḥ

In the beginning there was the god Narayana, self-born, the great-grandsire of all; the Person with a thousand heads, constant, endless and eternal;

Note on the text: Corrected ध्रवोऽनन्तः → ध्रुवोऽनन्तः (misprint in Wikisource; the vowel sign ु was lost from ध्रुवः; the critical edition reads dhruvo). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 40–41 (अनन्तः for avyaktaḥ).

Verse 12 (2.43.12)

सहस्रास्यः सहस्राक्षः सहस्रचरणो विभुः । सहस्रबाहुः सर्वज्ञो देवो नामसहस्रवान् ॥

sahasrāsyaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ sahasracaraṇo vibhuḥ | sahasrabāhuḥ sarvajño devo nāmasahasravān

with a thousand faces, a thousand eyes and a thousand feet, all-pervading; with a thousand arms, all-knowing, the god who bears a thousand names;

Note on the text: Corrected सहस्राश्चः → सहस्राक्षः (misprint in Wikisource; श्च for क्ष; the critical edition reads sahasrākṣaḥ). Corrected सहस्रवाहुः → सहस्रबाहुः (misprint in Wikisource; व for ब; the critical edition reads sahasrabāhuḥ). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 42–43 (in a different order, and सर्वज्ञो for sāhasro).

Verse 13 (2.43.13)

सहस्रमुकुटो देवो विश्वरूपो महाद्युतिः । अनेकवर्णो देवादिरव्यक्ताद्वै परे स्थितः ॥

sahasramukuṭo devo viśvarūpo mahādyutiḥ | anekavarṇo devādiravyaktādvai pare sthitaḥ

the god with a thousand crowns, whose form is the universe, of great radiance, of many colours, the first of the gods, abiding beyond the unmanifest.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 44–45.

Verse 14 (2.43.14)

असृजत्सलिलं पूर्वं स च नारायणः प्रभुः । ततस्तु भगवांस्तोये ब्रह्माणमसृजत्स्वयम् ॥

asṛjatsalilaṃ pūrvaṃ sa ca nārāyaṇaḥ prabhuḥ | tatastu bhagavāṃstoye brahmāṇamasṛjatsvayam

That lord Narayana first created the waters; then in the waters the blessed one himself created Brahma.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 46–47.

Verse 15 (2.43.15)

ब्रह्मा चतुर्मुखो लोकान्सर्वांस्तानसृजत्स्वयम् । आदिकाले पुरा ह्येवं सर्वलोकस्य चोद्भवः । पुरा यः प्रलये प्राप्ते नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे ॥

brahmā caturmukho lokānsarvāṃstānasṛjatsvayam | ādikāle purā hyevaṃ sarvalokasya codbhavaḥ | purā yaḥ pralaye prāpte naṣṭe sthāvarajaṅgame

Four-faced Brahma himself created all those worlds. Thus, long ago, at the beginning of time, the whole world came into being. And he who, in the past, when the dissolution came and all things moving and unmoving perished —

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 48–50 (a three-line verse in both).

Verse 16 (2.43.16)

ब्रह्मादिषु प्रलीनेषु नष्टे लोके चराचरे । आभूतसम्प्लवे प्राप्ते प्रलीने प्रकृतौ महान् ॥

brahmādiṣu pralīneṣu naṣṭe loke carācare | ābhūtasamplave prāpte pralīne prakṛtau mahān

when Brahma and the rest had dissolved, when the world of moving and unmoving things had perished, when the final flood of all beings had come and the great principle had dissolved into primal nature —

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 51–52.

Verse 17 (2.43.17)

एकस्तिष्ठति सर्वात्मा स तु नारायणः प्रभुः । नारायणस्य चाङ्गानि सर्वदैवानि भारत ॥

ekastiṣṭhati sarvātmā sa tu nārāyaṇaḥ prabhuḥ | nārāyaṇasya cāṅgāni sarvadaivāni bhārata

remains alone, the Self of all — he is the lord Narayana. All the deities, O Bharata, are the limbs of Narayana.

Note on the text: Corrected एकस्मिष्ठति → एकस्तिष्ठति (misprint in Wikisource; the conjunct स्ति was misread as स्मि, leaving no word; the critical edition reads ekas tiṣṭhati). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 53–54.

Verse 18 (2.43.18)

शिरस्तस्य दिवं राजन्नाभिः खं चरणौ मही । अश्विनौ कर्णयोर्देवौ चक्षुषी शशिभास्करौ ॥

śirastasya divaṃ rājannābhiḥ khaṃ caraṇau mahī | aśvinau karṇayordevau cakṣuṣī śaśibhāskarau

Heaven is his head, O king, the sky his navel, the earth his feet; the two Ashvin gods are in his ears, and the moon and the sun are his eyes.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 55–56.

Verse 19 (2.43.19)

इन्द्रवैश्वानरौ देवौ मुखं तस्य महात्मनः । अन्यानि सर्वदैवानि सर्वाङ्गानि महात्मनः ॥

indravaiśvānarau devau mukhaṃ tasya mahātmanaḥ | anyāni sarvadaivāni sarvāṅgāni mahātmanaḥ

The gods Indra and Agni Vaishvanara are the mouth of that great being; all the other deities are the rest of the limbs of that great being.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 57–58.

Verse 20 (2.43.20)

सर्वं चापि हरौ संस्थं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव । आभूतसम्प्लवान्तेऽथ दृष्ट्वा सर्वं तमोन्वितम् ॥

sarvaṃ cāpi harau saṃsthaṃ sūtre maṇigaṇā iva | ābhūtasamplavānte'tha dṛṣṭvā sarvaṃ tamonvitam

Everything rests in Hari, like clusters of gems strung on a thread. Then, at the end of the great flood, seeing everything wrapped in darkness,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 59–60 (the first line in a variant form).

Verse 21 (2.43.21)

नारायणो महायोगी सर्वज्ञः परमात्मवान् । ब्रह्मभूतस्तदात्मानं ब्रह्माणमसृजत्स्वयम् ॥

nārāyaṇo mahāyogī sarvajñaḥ paramātmavān | brahmabhūtastadātmānaṃ brahmāṇamasṛjatsvayam

Narayana, the great yogin, all-knowing, possessed of the supreme Self, having become Brahman, himself brought forth himself as Brahma.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्रह्मणमसृजत् → ब्रह्माणमसृजत् (misprint in Wikisource; the vowel sign ा was lost from ब्रह्माणम्; the critical edition reads brahmāṇam). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 61–62.

Verse 22 (2.43.22)

सोऽध्यक्षः सर्वभूतानां प्रभूतप्रभवोऽच्युतः । सनत्कुमारं रुद्रं च सप्तर्षीश्च तपोधनान् ॥

so'dhyakṣaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ prabhūtaprabhavo'cyutaḥ | sanatkumāraṃ rudraṃ ca saptarṣīśca tapodhanān

He is the overseer of all beings, the abundant source, the one who never falls. Sanatkumara, Rudra and the seven sages rich in austerity —

Note on the text: Corrected तपोधनात् → तपोधनान् (misprint in Wikisource; an ablative singular where the accusative plural agreeing with सप्तर्षीन् is required; the critical edition reads tapodhanān). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 63–64 (सप्तर्षीन् for manuṃ caiva).

Verse 23 (2.43.23)

सर्वमेवासृजद्ब्रह्मा तथा लोकांस्तथा प्रजाः । ते च तद्व्यसृजंस्तत्र प्राप्तकाले युधिष्ठिर ॥

sarvamevāsṛjadbrahmā tathā lokāṃstathā prajāḥ | te ca tadvyasṛjaṃstatra prāptakāle yudhiṣṭhira

all this Brahma created, and the worlds and the creatures likewise. And they in turn, Yudhishthira, brought forth creation there when the time had come.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 65–66.

Verse 24 (2.43.24)

तेभ्योऽभवन्महात्मभ्यो बहुधा ब्रह्म शाश्वतम् । कल्पानां बहुकोट्यश्च समतीतास्तु भारत ॥

tebhyo'bhavanmahātmabhyo bahudhā brahma śāśvatam | kalpānāṃ bahukoṭyaśca samatītāstu bhārata

From those great souls the eternal Brahman came forth in many forms. Many millions of kalpas have gone by, O Bharata,

Note on the text: Corrected बहुकोट्यश्चसमतीतास्तु → बहुकोट्यश्च समतीतास्तु (misprint in Wikisource; the space between two words was lost). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 67–68.

Verse 25 (2.43.25)

आभूतसम्प्लवाश्चैव बहुधाऽद्धाऽपचक्रमुः । मन्वन्तरयुगा राजन्सङ्कल्पो भूतसम्प्लवाः ॥

ābhūtasamplavāścaiva bahudhā'ddhā'pacakramuḥ | manvantarayugā rājansaṅkalpo bhūtasamplavāḥ

and the great floods of all beings have truly passed away many times. The Manvantaras and the yugas, O king, the creative resolve and the floods of beings

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 69–70 (in a variant form).

Verse 26 (2.43.26)

चक्रवत्परिवर्तन्ते सर्वं विषमुखं जगत् । सृष्ट्वा चतुर्मुखं देवं देवो नारायणः प्रभुः ॥

cakravatparivartante sarvaṃ viṣamukhaṃ jagat | sṛṣṭvā caturmukhaṃ devaṃ devo nārāyaṇaḥ prabhuḥ

turn round like a wheel, and so does the whole world that begins with the waters. Having created the four-faced god, the god Narayana, the lord,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 71–72. विषमुखं (critical edition viṣṇumayaṃ) is kept: the Wikisource page's own footnote glosses it as "the waters and the rest" (विषमुखं जलादिकम्).

Verse 27 (2.43.27)

स लोकानां हितार्थाय क्षीरोदे वसति प्रभुः । ब्रह्मा च सर्वलोकानां लोकस्य च पितामहः ॥

sa lokānāṃ hitārthāya kṣīrode vasati prabhuḥ | brahmā ca sarvalokānāṃ lokasya ca pitāmahaḥ

dwells in the Ocean of Milk for the welfare of the worlds. Brahma is the grandsire of all the worlds and of all people;

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), lines 73–74.

Verse 28 (2.43.28)

ततो नारायणो देवः सर्वस्य प्रपितामहः ॥

tato nārāyaṇo devaḥ sarvasya prapitāmahaḥ

and so the god Narayana is the great-grandsire of all.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.21 (after 2.35.29), line 75. A single line, kept as Wikisource prints it (its 27a): the CE pairs it with line 76, which Wikisource prints as the first line of adhyaya 44.