Krishna Asks Bhishma to Console Yudhishthira

Verse 1 (12.49.1)

ततो रामस्य तत्कर्म श्रुत्वा राजा युधिष्ठिरः । विस्मयं परमं गत्वा प्रत्युवाच जनार्दनम् ॥

tato rāmasya tatkarma śrutvā rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | vismayaṃ paramaṃ gatvā pratyuvāca janārdanam

Then King Yudhishthira, hearing that deed of Rama, was filled with the utmost wonder and said to Janardana.

Verse 2 (12.49.2)

अहो रामस्य वार्ष्णेय शक्रस्येव महात्मनः । विक्रमो वसुधा येन क्रोधान्निःक्षत्रिया कृता ॥

aho rāmasya vārṣṇeya śakrasyeva mahātmanaḥ | vikramo vasudhā yena krodhānniḥkṣatriyā kṛtā

Ah, O Vrishni, the prowess of the great-souled Rama is like that of Shakra himself, for in his anger he made the earth free of Kshatriyas!

Note on the text: Speaker: Yudhishthira; his direct speech fills verses 2-4 and the page prints no heading for it (the heading above is वैशंपायन उवाच, and the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 3 (12.49.3)

गोभिः समुद्रेण तथा गोलाङ्गूलर्क्षवानरैः । गुप्ता रामभयोद्विग्नाः क्षत्रियाणां कुलोद्वहाः ॥

gobhiḥ samudreṇa tathā golāṅgūlarkṣavānaraiḥ | guptā rāmabhayodvignāḥ kṣatriyāṇāṃ kulodvahāḥ

Terrified of Rama, the Kshatriyas who were to carry on their lines were sheltered by cows, by the ocean, and by langurs, bears and monkeys.

Verse 4 (12.49.4)

अहो धन्यो नृलोकोऽयं सभाग्याश्च नरा भुवि । यत्र कर्मेदृशं धर्म्यं द्विजाग्र्यैः कृतमच्युत ॥

aho dhanyo nṛloko'yaṃ sabhāgyāśca narā bhuvi | yatra karmedṛśaṃ dharmyaṃ dvijāgryaiḥ kṛtamacyuta

Ah, blessed is this world of men, and fortunate are the people on earth, O Achyuta, where such a righteous deed has been done by the foremost of the twice-born!

Note on the text: Corrected समाग्याश्च → सभाग्याश्च (misprint in Wikisource; म for भ; CE sabhāgyāś ca).

Verse 5 (12.49.5)

कथयन्तौ कथां तात तावच्युतयुधिष्ठिरौ । जग्मतुर्यत्र गाङ्गेयः शरतल्पगतः प्रभुः ॥

kathayantau kathāṃ tāta tāvacyutayudhiṣṭhirau | jagmaturyatra gāṅgeyaḥ śaratalpagataḥ prabhuḥ

Talking in this way, dear child, those two, Achyuta and Yudhishthira, went to where the lord Gangeya lay on his bed of arrows.

Note on the text: Speaker: Vaishampayana resumes the narration here (तात addresses Janamejaya).

Verse 6 (12.49.6)

ततस्ते ददृशुर्भीष्मं शरप्रस्तरशायिनम् । स्वरश्मिमालासंवीतं सायंसूर्यसमप्रभम् ॥

tataste dadṛśurbhīṣmaṃ śaraprastaraśāyinam | svaraśmimālāsaṃvītaṃ sāyaṃsūryasamaprabham

There they saw Bhishma lying on his spread of arrows, wrapped in the garland of his own rays, shining like the sun at evening.

Verse 7 (12.49.7)

उपास्यमानं मुनिभिर्देवैरिव शतक्रतुम् । देशे परमधर्मिष्ठे नदीमोघवतीमनु ॥

upāsyamānaṃ munibhirdevairiva śatakratum | deśe paramadharmiṣṭhe nadīmoghavatīmanu

He was waited upon by sages, as Shatakratu is by the gods, in a most righteous spot along the river Oghavati.

Verse 8 (12.49.8)

दूरादेव तमालोक्य कृष्णो राजा च धर्मजः । चत्वारः पाण्डवाश्चैव ते च शारद्वतादयः ॥

dūrādeva tamālokya kṛṣṇo rājā ca dharmajaḥ | catvāraḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva te ca śāradvatādayaḥ

Seeing him from afar, Krishna, King Dharmaja, the four other Pandavas, and Sharadvata (Kripa) and the rest,

Verse 9 (12.49.9)

अवस्कन्द्याथ वाहेभ्यः संयम्य प्रचलं मनः । एकीकृत्येन्द्रियग्राममुपतस्थुर्महामुनीन् ॥

avaskandyātha vāhebhyaḥ saṃyamya pracalaṃ manaḥ | ekīkṛtyendriyagrāmamupatasthurmahāmunīn

dismounted from their conveyances, steadied their restless minds, gathered their senses into one, and approached the great sages.

Note on the text: Corrected अवम्कन्द्याथ → अवस्कन्द्याथ and उपतम्थुः → उपतस्थुः (misprints in Wikisource; म for स; CE avaskandyātha … upatasthur; the page's footnote also reads अवस्कन्द्य).

Verse 10 (12.49.10)

अभिवाद्य तु गोविन्दः सात्यकिस्ते च पार्थिवाः । व्यासादींस्तानृषीन्पश्चाद्गाङ्गेयमुपतस्थिरे ॥

abhivādya tu govindaḥ sātyakiste ca pārthivāḥ | vyāsādīṃstānṛṣīnpaścādgāṅgeyamupatasthire

Govinda, Satyaki and those kings first saluted the sages, Vyasa and the others, and afterwards came up to Gangeya.

Note on the text: Corrected व्यासादीस्तानृपीन् → व्यासादींस्तानृषीन् (misprints in Wikisource; dropped anusvāra and प for ष; CE vyāsādīṃs tān ṛṣīn).

Verse 11 (12.49.11)

तपोवृद्धिं ततः पृष्ट्वा गाङ्गेयं यदुपुङ्गवः । परिवार्य ततः सर्वे निपेदुः पुरुषर्षभाः ॥

tapovṛddhiṃ tataḥ pṛṣṭvā gāṅgeyaṃ yadupuṅgavaḥ | parivārya tataḥ sarve nipeduḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ

The chief of the Yadus asked Gangeya how his austerity fared, and then all those bulls among men sat down around him.

Note on the text: Corrected तपोवृद्धि → तपोवृद्धिं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvāra; CE tapovṛddhiṃ).

Verse 12 (12.49.12)

ततो निशाम्य गाङ्गेयं शाम्यमानमिवानलम् । किंचिद्दीनमना भीष्ममितिहोवाच केशवः ॥

tato niśāmya gāṅgeyaṃ śāmyamānamivānalam | kiṃciddīnamanā bhīṣmamitihovāca keśavaḥ

Then, looking at Gangeya, who was like a fire dying down, Keshava, somewhat downcast in mind, spoke thus to Bhishma.

Verse 13 (12.49.13)

कच्चिज्ज्ञानानि सर्वाणि प्रसन्नानि यथापुरम् । कच्चिन्न व्याकुला चैव बुद्धिस्ते वदतां वर ॥

kaccijjñānāni sarvāṇi prasannāni yathāpuram | kaccinna vyākulā caiva buddhiste vadatāṃ vara

Are all your branches of knowledge as clear as before, and is your mind not troubled, O best of speakers?

Note on the text: Speaker: Vasudeva (Krishna); his speech runs from this verse to the end of the adhyaya and the page prints no heading for it (the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 14 (12.49.14)

शराभिघातदुःखार्तं कच्चिद्गात्रं न दूयते । मानसादपि दुःखाद्धि शारीरं बलवत्तरम् ॥

śarābhighātaduḥkhārtaṃ kaccidgātraṃ na dūyate | mānasādapi duḥkhāddhi śārīraṃ balavattaram

Is your body not tormented, afflicted by the pain of the arrow-blows? For bodily suffering is stronger than the suffering of the mind.

Verse 15 (12.49.15)

वरदानात्पितुः कामं छन्दमृत्युरसि प्रभो । शन्तनोर्धर्मनित्यस्य न त्वेतदिह कारणम् ॥

varadānātpituḥ kāmaṃ chandamṛtyurasi prabho | śantanordharmanityasya na tvetadiha kāraṇam

By the boon of your father Shantanu, ever steadfast in dharma, you are indeed master of the hour of your death, O lord; but that is no answer to the matter here.

Verse 16 (12.49.16)

सुसूक्ष्मोऽपि तु देहे वै शल्यो जनयते रुजम् । किंपुनः शरसंघातैश्चितस्य तव पार्थिव ॥

susūkṣmo'pi tu dehe vai śalyo janayate rujam | kiṃpunaḥ śarasaṃghātaiścitasya tava pārthiva

Even a very fine sliver, once lodged in the body, causes pain; how much more so for you, O king, who are covered over with masses of arrows.

Note on the text: Corrected सुमूक्ष्मोऽपि → सुसूक्ष्मोऽपि (misprint in Wikisource; म for स; CE susūkṣmo 'pīha).

Verse 17 (12.49.17)

कामं नैतत्तवाख्येयं प्राणिनां प्रभवाप्ययौ । भवानुपदिशेच्छ्रेयो देवानामपि भारत ॥

kāmaṃ naitattavākhyeyaṃ prāṇināṃ prabhavāpyayau | bhavānupadiśecchreyo devānāmapi bhārata

There is certainly no need to tell you how beings arise and pass away; you could teach even the gods what is best, O Bharata.

Verse 18 (12.49.18)

यच्च भूतं भविष्यं च भवच्च पुरुषर्षभ । सर्वं तज्ज्ञानवृद्धस्य तव पाणाविवाहितम् ॥

yacca bhūtaṃ bhaviṣyaṃ ca bhavacca puruṣarṣabha | sarvaṃ tajjñānavṛddhasya tava pāṇāvivāhitam

All that has been, all that will be, and all that now is, O bull among men, lies for you, so ripe in knowledge, as though placed in the palm of your hand.

Verse 19 (12.49.19)

संसारस्येह भूतानां धर्मस्य च फलोदयः । विदितस्ते महाप्राज्ञ त्वं हि धर्ममयो निधिः ॥

saṃsārasyeha bhūtānāṃ dharmasya ca phalodayaḥ | viditaste mahāprājña tvaṃ hi dharmamayo nidhiḥ

The round of worldly existence of beings and the rising of the fruit of dharma are known to you, O greatly wise one; for you are a treasure made wholly of dharma.

Verse 20 (12.49.20)

त्वां हि राज्ये स्थितं स्फीते समग्राङ्गमरोगिणम् । स्त्रीसहस्रैः परिवृतं पश्यामीवोर्ध्वरेतसम् ॥

tvāṃ hi rājye sthitaṃ sphīte samagrāṅgamarogiṇam | strīsahasraiḥ parivṛtaṃ paśyāmīvordhvaretasam

I seem to see you as you stood in your flourishing kingdom, whole of limb and free of illness, surrounded by thousands of women, yet living in unbroken celibacy.

Note on the text: Corrected त्व, हि → त्वां हि (misprint in Wikisource; a comma for ā + anusvāra; CE tvāṃ hi).

Verse 21 (12.49.21)

ऋते शान्तनवाद्भीष्मात्त्रिषु लोकेषु पार्थिवम् । सत्यधर्मान्महावीर्याच्छूराद्धर्मैकतत्परात् ॥

ṛte śāntanavādbhīṣmāttriṣu lokeṣu pārthivam | satyadharmānmahāvīryācchūrāddharmaikatatparāt

Apart from Bhishma, Shantanu's son, true to his word and to dharma, of great might, a hero wholly devoted to dharma, among the kings of the three worlds—

Note on the text: Corrected भीष्मात्रिषु → भीष्मात्त्रिषु (misprint in Wikisource; dropped त in the sandhi of भीष्मात् + त्रिषु; CE bhīṣmāt triṣu).

Verse 22 (12.49.22)

मृत्युमावार्य तपसा शरसंस्तरशायिनः । त्रिवर्गप्रभवं कंचिन्न च तातानुशुश्रुम ॥

mṛtyumāvārya tapasā śarasaṃstaraśāyinaḥ | trivargaprabhavaṃ kaṃcinna ca tātānuśuśruma

we have heard of no one, dear sir, who lying on a bed of arrows has held off death by austerity, nor of anyone else who is a source of the three aims of life.

Verse 23 (12.49.23)

सत्ये तपसि दाने च यज्ञाधिकरणे तथा । धनुर्वेदे च वेदे च नित्यं चैवान्ववेक्षणे ॥

satye tapasi dāne ca yajñādhikaraṇe tathā | dhanurvede ca vede ca nityaṃ caivānvavekṣaṇe

In truthfulness, in austerity, in giving, in the conduct of sacrifice, in the science of the bow and in the Veda, and in constant care and watchfulness—

Verse 24 (12.49.24)

अनृशंसं शुचिं दान्तं सर्वभूतहिते रतम् । महारथं त्वत्सदृशं न कंचिदनुशुश्रुम ॥

anṛśaṃsaṃ śuciṃ dāntaṃ sarvabhūtahite ratam | mahārathaṃ tvatsadṛśaṃ na kaṃcidanuśuśruma

we have heard of no great warrior equal to you, so free of cruelty, so pure and self-controlled, so devoted to the good of all beings.

Verse 25 (12.49.25)

त्वं हि देवान्सगन्धर्वानसुरान्यक्षराक्षसान् । शक्तस्त्वेकरथेनैव विजेतुं नात्र संशयः ॥

tvaṃ hi devānsagandharvānasurānyakṣarākṣasān | śaktastvekarathenaiva vijetuṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ

You alone, on a single chariot, are able to conquer the gods, gandharvas, asuras, yakshas and rakshasas; there is no doubt of that.

Verse 26 (12.49.26)

स त्वं भीष्म महाबाहो वसूनां वासवोपमः । नित्यं विप्रैः समाख्यातो नवमोऽनवमो गुणैः ॥

sa tvaṃ bhīṣma mahābāho vasūnāṃ vāsavopamaḥ | nityaṃ vipraiḥ samākhyāto navamo'navamo guṇaiḥ

You, Bhishma, mighty-armed, are like Vasava among the Vasus; the brahmans always proclaim you the ninth of them, yet second to none in virtues.

Verse 27 (12.49.27)

अहं च त्वाऽभिजानामि स्वयं पुरुषसत्तम । त्रिदशेष्वपि विख्यातस्त्वं शक्त्या पुरुषोत्तमः ॥

ahaṃ ca tvā'bhijānāmi svayaṃ puruṣasattama | tridaśeṣvapi vikhyātastvaṃ śaktyā puruṣottamaḥ

I too know you myself, O best of men; famed even among the gods, you are the foremost of men in power.

Verse 28 (12.49.28)

मनुष्येषु मनुष्येन्द्र न दृष्टो न च मे श्रुतः । भवतो हि गुणैस्तुल्यः पृथिव्यां पुरुषः क्वचित् ॥

manuṣyeṣu manuṣyendra na dṛṣṭo na ca me śrutaḥ | bhavato hi guṇaistulyaḥ pṛthivyāṃ puruṣaḥ kvacit

Among men, O lord of men, I have neither seen nor heard of anyone on earth who is your equal in virtues.

Verse 29 (12.49.29)

त्वं हि सर्वगुणै राजन्देवानप्यतिरिच्यसे ॥

tvaṃ hi sarvaguṇai rājandevānapyatiricyase

In all virtues, O king, you surpass even the gods.

Note on the text: Page-labelled 12-49-29a, a one-line verse. The line = CE 12.50.29a. The CE verse 12.50.29 has three lines (29a, 29c and the star line 29d*0116_01); Wikisource divides it as this line plus verse 30.

Verse 30 (12.49.30)

तपसा हि भवाञ्शक्तः स्रष्टुं लोकांश्चराचरान् । किंपुनश्चात्मनो लोकानुत्तमानुत्तमैर्गुणैः ॥

tapasā hi bhavāñśaktaḥ sraṣṭuṃ lokāṃścarācarān | kiṃpunaścātmano lokānuttamānuttamairguṇaiḥ

By your austerity you are able to create the worlds, moving and unmoving; how much more, then, supreme worlds for yourself, through your supreme virtues?

Note on the text: Page-labelled 12-49-30a/b. Line 1 = CE 12.50.29c; line 2 is the CE star line 12.50.29d*0116_01 (kiṃ punaś cātmano lokān uttamān uttamair guṇaiḥ), printed in the apparatus. With verse 29 it fills the three-line CE verse 12.50.29.

Verse 31 (12.49.31)

तदस्य तप्यमानस्य ज्ञातीनां संक्षयेन वै । ज्येष्ठस्य पाण्डुपुत्रस्य शोकं भीष्म व्यपानुद ॥

tadasya tapyamānasya jñātīnāṃ saṃkṣayena vai | jyeṣṭhasya pāṇḍuputrasya śokaṃ bhīṣma vyapānuda

So, Bhishma, remove the grief of the eldest son of Pandu, who is burning with sorrow at the destruction of his kinsmen.

Verse 32 (12.49.32)

ये हि धर्माः समाख्याताश्चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य भारत । चातुराश्रम्यसंयुक्ताः सर्वे ते विदितास्तव ॥

ye hi dharmāḥ samākhyātāścāturvarṇyasya bhārata | cāturāśramyasaṃyuktāḥ sarve te viditāstava

All the duties that have been declared for the four orders, O Bharata, together with those of the four stages of life, are known to you.

Verse 33 (12.49.33)

चातुर्विद्ये च ये प्रोक्ताश्चातुर्होत्रे च भारत । योगे साङ्ख्ये च नियता ये च धर्माः सनातनाः ॥

cāturvidye ca ye proktāścāturhotre ca bhārata | yoge sāṅkhye ca niyatā ye ca dharmāḥ sanātanāḥ

The duties laid down in the four Vedas and in the rite of the four priests, and the everlasting duties fixed in Yoga and Sankhya, O Bharata—

Verse 34 (12.49.34)

चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य यश्चोक्तो धर्मो न स्म विरुध्यते । सेव्यमानः स चैवाद्यो गाङ्गेय विदितस्तव ॥

cāturvarṇyasya yaścokto dharmo na sma virudhyate | sevyamānaḥ sa caivādyo gāṅgeya viditastava

and the one dharma spoken of for the four classes that conflicts with none, which when practised is the primal dharma—this too is known to you, O Gangeya.

Note on the text: Corrected सवैयाख्यो → स चैवाद्यो (Wikisource's सवैयाख्यो is not a valid word in context; probable misprint; CE sa caivādyo).

Verse 35 (12.49.35)

प्रतिलोमप्रसूतानां म्लेच्छानां चैव यः स्मृतः । देशजातिकुलानां च जानीषे धर्मलक्षणम् ॥

pratilomaprasūtānāṃ mlecchānāṃ caiva yaḥ smṛtaḥ | deśajātikulānāṃ ca jānīṣe dharmalakṣaṇam

The rule of dharma that is remembered for those born of inverse unions and for the barbarians, and the marks of dharma that belong to lands, castes and families—you know them.

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment. Lines = CE star passage 12.50.33d*0117_01-02 (pratilomaprasūtānāṃ mlecchānāṃ caiva yaḥ smṛtaḥ / deśajātikulānāṃ ca jānīṣe dharmalakṣaṇam), printed in the CE apparatus after 12.50.33; it is not in the CE main text. The page ends this verse with a single daṇḍa.

Verse 36 (12.49.36)

वेदोक्तो यश्च शिष्टोक्तः सदैव विदितस्तव । प्रवृत्तश्च निवृत्तश्च स चापि विदितस्तव ॥

vedokto yaśca śiṣṭoktaḥ sadaiva viditastava | pravṛttaśca nivṛttaśca sa cāpi viditastava

What is taught in the Veda and what is taught by the learned has always been known to you, and the dharma of action and of renunciation is likewise known to you.

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment. Line 1 = CE star line 12.50.33d*0117_03 (vedokto yaś ca śiṣṭoktaḥ sa caiva viditas tava; Wikisource's सदैव for sa caiva is a variant); line 2 = CE star line 12.50.33d*0118_01 (pravṛttaś ca nivṛttaś ca sa cāpi viditas tava), printed in the CE apparatus. Removed the stray wiki marks (backtick and apostrophe) and the doubled daṇḍa printed around line 2.

Verse 37 (12.49.37)

इतिहासपुराणार्थाः कार्त्स्न्येन विदितास्तव । धर्मशास्त्रं च सकलं नित्यं मनसि ते स्थितम् ॥

itihāsapurāṇārthāḥ kārtsnyena viditāstava | dharmaśāstraṃ ca sakalaṃ nityaṃ manasi te sthitam

The meanings of the Itihasas and Puranas are known to you in full, and the whole Dharmashastra is ever present in your mind.

Verse 38 (12.49.38)

ये च केचन लोकेऽस्मिन्नर्थाः संशयकारकाः । तेषां छेत्ता नास्ति लोके त्वदन्यः पुरुषर्षभः ॥

ye ca kecana loke'sminnarthāḥ saṃśayakārakāḥ | teṣāṃ chettā nāsti loke tvadanyaḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ

Whatever matters in this world give rise to doubt, there is no one in the world but you, O bull among men, to resolve them.

Verse 39 (12.49.39)

स पाण्डवेयस्य मनःसमुत्थितं । नरेन्द्र शोकं व्यपकर्ष मेधया । भवद्विधा ह्युत्तमबुद्धिर्विस्तरा । विमुह्यमानस्य जनस्य शान्तये ॥

sa pāṇḍaveyasya manaḥsamutthitaṃ | narendra śokaṃ vyapakarṣa medhayā | bhavadvidhā hyuttamabuddhirvistarā | vimuhyamānasya janasya śāntaye

So, O lord of men, draw out with your wisdom the grief that has risen in the mind of Pandu's son; for men like you, of supreme understanding and wide reach, exist for the calming of a person who is bewildered.