Bhishma Reassures Yudhishthira

Verse 1 (2.63.1)

ततः सागरसङ्काशं दृष्ट्वा नृपतिमण्डलम् । संवर्तवाताभिहतं भीमं क्षुब्धमिवार्णवम् ॥

tataḥ sāgarasaṅkāśaṃ dṛṣṭvā nṛpatimaṇḍalam | saṃvartavātābhihataṃ bhīmaṃ kṣubdhamivārṇavam

Then, seeing the circle of kings like an ocean, like a fearful sea lashed by the winds of the world's dissolution,

Note on the text: The first line is 2.37.1a in the critical edition (which reads nṛpatisāgaram); the second line is not in its text and appears in its apparatus as passage *365. The critical edition's 2.37.1c is the first line of the next verse.

Verse 2 (2.63.2)

रोषात्प्रचलितं सर्वमिदमाह युधिष्ठिरः । भीष्मं मतिमतां मुख्यं वृद्धं कुरुपितामहम् । बृहस्पतिं बृहत्तेजाः पुरुहूत इवारिहा ॥

roṣātpracalitaṃ sarvamidamāha yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | bhīṣmaṃ matimatāṃ mukhyaṃ vṛddhaṃ kurupitāmaham | bṛhaspatiṃ bṛhattejāḥ puruhūta ivārihā

all stirred up with rage, Yudhishthira spoke to Bhishma, foremost of the wise, the aged grandsire of the Kurus, as Indra of great splendour, slayer of foes, might speak to Brihaspati:

Note on the text: The first line is 2.37.1c in the critical edition; the second and third lines are 2.37.2.

Verse 3 (2.63.3)

असौ रोषात्प्रचलितो महान्नृपतिसागरः । अत्र यत्प्रतिपत्तव्यं तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥

asau roṣātpracalito mahānnṛpatisāgaraḥ | atra yatpratipattavyaṃ tanme brūhi pitāmaha

"This great ocean of kings is heaving with rage. Tell me, grandsire, what is to be done here,

Verse 4 (2.63.4)

यज्ञस्य च न विघ्नः स्यात्प्रजानां च हितं भवेत् । यथा सर्वत्र तत्सर्वं ब्रूहि मेऽद्य पितामह ॥

yajñasya ca na vighnaḥ syātprajānāṃ ca hitaṃ bhavet | yathā sarvatra tatsarvaṃ brūhi me'dya pitāmaha

so that the sacrifice meets no obstacle and the people fare well. Tell me all of it today, grandsire, so that it may be so in every way."

Verse 5 (2.63.5)

इत्युक्तवति धर्मज्ञे धर्मराजे युधिष्ठिरे । उवाचेदं वचो भीष्मस्ततः कुरुपितामहः ॥

ityuktavati dharmajñe dharmarāje yudhiṣṭhire | uvācedaṃ vaco bhīṣmastataḥ kurupitāmahaḥ

When the righteous King Yudhishthira, knower of dharma, had spoken thus, Bhishma, grandsire of the Kurus, said these words:

Verse 6 (2.63.6)

मा भैस्त्वं कुरुशार्दूल श्वा सिंहं हन्तुमर्हति । शिवः पन्थाः सुनीतोऽत्र मया पूर्वतरं वृतः ॥

mā bhaistvaṃ kuruśārdūla śvā siṃhaṃ hantumarhati | śivaḥ panthāḥ sunīto'tra mayā pūrvataraṃ vṛtaḥ

"Have no fear, tiger of the Kurus. Can a dog kill a lion? I chose long ago a safe and well-laid path in this matter.

Verse 7 (2.63.7)

प्रसुप्ते हि यथा सिंहे श्वानस्तात समागताः । भषेयुः सहिताः सर्वे तथेमे वसुधाधिपाः ॥

prasupte hi yathā siṃhe śvānastāta samāgatāḥ | bhaṣeyuḥ sahitāḥ sarve tatheme vasudhādhipāḥ

Just as dogs gather, dear son, when a lion is asleep, and bark all together, so it is with these lords of the earth.

Verse 8 (2.63.8)

वृष्णिसिंहस्य सुप्तस्य तथाऽमी प्रमुखे स्थिताः । भषन्ते तात सङ्क्रुद्धाः श्वानः सिंहस्य सन्निधौ ॥

vṛṣṇisiṃhasya suptasya tathā'mī pramukhe sthitāḥ | bhaṣante tāta saṅkruddhāḥ śvānaḥ siṃhasya sannidhau

While the lion of the Vrishnis sleeps, they stand before him, dear son, and bark in fury like dogs in the presence of a lion.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रमुके → प्रमुखे (misprint in Wikisource; "in front of", as in the critical edition).

Verse 9 (2.63.9)

न हि सम्बुध्यते यावत्सुप्तः सिंह इवाच्युतः । तदिदं ज्ञातपूर्वं हि तव संस्तोतुमिच्छसि । तेन सिंहीकरोत्येतानसिंहश्चेदिपुङ्गवः ॥

na hi sambudhyate yāvatsuptaḥ siṃha ivācyutaḥ | tadidaṃ jñātapūrvaṃ hi tava saṃstotumicchasi | tena siṃhīkarotyetānasiṃhaścedipuṅgavaḥ

As long as Achyuta, like a sleeping lion, does not wake (this you knew before, wishing as you do to praise him), the bull of the Chedis, no lion himself, makes lions of these men.

Note on the text: Removed the stray backtick and quote mark that enclose the middle line in Wikisource. The first and last lines are 2.37.9 in the critical edition (which reads nṛsiṃhaś for असिंहश्); the middle line is not in its text and appears in its apparatus as passage *366 (reading icchataḥ).

Verse 10 (2.63.10)

पार्थिवान्पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ शिशुपालोऽल्पचेतनः । सर्वान्सर्वात्मना तात नेतुकामो यमक्षयम् ॥

pārthivānpārthivaśreṣṭha śiśupālo'lpacetanaḥ | sarvānsarvātmanā tāta netukāmo yamakṣayam

Small-minded Shishupala, O best of kings, wants with all his being to lead all these kings, dear son, to the abode of Yama.

Verse 11 (2.63.11)

नूनमेतत्समादातुं पुनरिच्छत्यधोक्षजः । यदस्य शिशुपालस्य तेजस्तिष्ठति भारत ॥

nūnametatsamādātuṃ punaricchatyadhokṣajaḥ | yadasya śiśupālasya tejastiṣṭhati bhārata

Surely Adhokshaja wishes to take back again the radiance that dwells in this Shishupala, O Bharata.

Verse 12 (2.63.12)

विप्लुता चास्य भद्रं ते बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतां वर । चेदिराजस्य कौन्तेय सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम् ॥

viplutā cāsya bhadraṃ te buddhirbuddhimatāṃ vara | cedirājasya kaunteya sarveṣāṃ ca mahīkṣitām

Blessings on you, wisest of the wise: the mind of this king of Chedi, son of Kunti, and of all these rulers of the earth, has been thrown into confusion.

Note on the text: Corrected महीक्षितम् → महीक्षिताम् (misprint in Wikisource; the genitive plural "of the rulers of the earth" is required, as in the critical edition).

Verse 13 (2.63.13)

आदातुं च नरव्याघ्रो यं यमिच्छत्ययं तदा । तस्य विप्लवते बुद्धिरेवं चेदिपतेर्यथा ॥

ādātuṃ ca naravyāghro yaṃ yamicchatyayaṃ tadā | tasya viplavate buddhirevaṃ cedipateryathā

Whomever this tiger among men wishes to take back into himself, that man's mind is thrown into confusion, just as the Chedi lord's is now.

Verse 14 (2.63.14)

चतुर्विधानां भूतानां त्रिषु लोकेषु माधवः । प्रभवश्चैव सर्वेषां निधनं च युधिष्ठिर ॥

caturvidhānāṃ bhūtānāṃ triṣu lokeṣu mādhavaḥ | prabhavaścaiva sarveṣāṃ nidhanaṃ ca yudhiṣṭhira

Madhava, Yudhishthira, is the origin and the end of all the four kinds of beings in the three worlds."

Verse 15 (2.63.15)

इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ततश्चेदिपतिर्नृपः । भीष्मं रूक्षाक्षरा वाचः श्रावयामास भारत ॥

iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā tataścedipatirnṛpaḥ | bhīṣmaṃ rūkṣākṣarā vācaḥ śrāvayāmāsa bhārata

Hearing his words, the king, lord of Chedi, then addressed harsh words to Bhishma, O Bharata.