Krishna Awakes; The Journey Back to Bhishma

Verse 1 (12.52.1)

ततः प्रविश्य भवनं प्रसुप्तो मधुसूदनः । याममात्रावशेषायां यामिन्यां प्रत्यबुध्यत ॥

tataḥ praviśya bhavanaṃ prasupto madhusūdanaḥ | yāmamātrāvaśeṣāyāṃ yāminyāṃ pratyabudhyata

Then, having entered his dwelling, Madhusudana slept, and when only one watch of the night remained, he awoke.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रविश्ये → प्रसुप्तो (Wikisource repeats the verb as a meaningless प्रविश्ये, probably a corruption of the word that follows; CE tataḥ praviśya bhavanaṃ prasupto madhusūdanaḥ).

Verse 2 (12.52.2)

स ध्यानपथमाविश्य सर्वज्ञानानि माधवः । अवलोक्य ततः पश्चाद्दध्यौ ब्रह्म सनातनम् ॥

sa dhyānapathamāviśya sarvajñānāni mādhavaḥ | avalokya tataḥ paścāddadhyau brahma sanātanam

Following the path of meditation, Madhava went over all branches of knowledge, and then meditated on eternal Brahman.

Verse 3 (12.52.3)

सूताः स्तुतिपुराणज्ञा रक्तकण्ठाः सुशिक्षिताः । अस्तुवन्विश्वकर्माणं वासुदेवं प्रजापतिम् ॥

sūtāḥ stutipurāṇajñā raktakaṇṭhāḥ suśikṣitāḥ | astuvanviśvakarmāṇaṃ vāsudevaṃ prajāpatim

Bards skilled in praises and the Puranas, with ruddy throats and well trained, hymned Vasudeva, the maker of the universe, the lord of creatures.

Verse 4 (12.52.4)

पठन्ति पाणिस्वनिकास्तथा गायन्ति गायनाः । शङ्खानथ मृदङ्गांश्च प्रवाद्यन्ति सहस्रशः ॥

paṭhanti pāṇisvanikāstathā gāyanti gāyanāḥ | śaṅkhānatha mṛdaṅgāṃśca pravādyanti sahasraśaḥ

The hand-clappers chanted and the singers sang, and conches and drums were sounded by the thousand.

Verse 5 (12.52.5)

वीणापणववेणूनां स्वनश्चातिमनोरमः । सहास इव विस्तीर्णः शुश्रुवे तस्य वेश्मनि ॥

vīṇāpaṇavaveṇūnāṃ svanaścātimanoramaḥ | sahāsa iva vistīrṇaḥ śuśruve tasya veśmani

The utterly charming sound of lutes, drums and flutes, spreading wide as though laughing, was heard in his dwelling.

Verse 6 (12.52.6)

ततो युधिष्ठिरस्यापि राज्ञो मङ्गलसंहिताः । उच्चेरुर्मधुरा वाचो गीतवादित्रबृंहिताः ॥

tato yudhiṣṭhirasyāpi rājño maṅgalasaṃhitāḥ | uccerurmadhurā vāco gītavāditrabṛṃhitāḥ

Then in King Yudhishthira's house too, sweet voices of benediction, swelled by song and instruments, rose up.

Verse 7 (12.52.7)

तत उत्थाय दाशार्हः स्नातः प्राञ्जलिरच्युतः । जप्त्वा गुह्यं महाबाहुरग्नीनाश्रित्य तस्थिवान् ॥

tata utthāya dāśārhaḥ snātaḥ prāñjaliracyutaḥ | japtvā guhyaṃ mahābāhuragnīnāśritya tasthivān

Then Achyuta, the Dasharha, rose and bathed; with joined palms he murmured the secret prayer and took his stand beside the sacred fires.

Verse 8 (12.52.8)

ततः सहस्रं विप्राणां चतुर्वेदविदां तथा । गवां सहस्रेणैकैकं वाचयामास माधवः ॥

tataḥ sahasraṃ viprāṇāṃ caturvedavidāṃ tathā | gavāṃ sahasreṇaikaikaṃ vācayāmāsa mādhavaḥ

Then Madhava had a thousand brahmans learned in the four Vedas pronounce blessings, giving a thousand cows to each of them.

Verse 9 (12.52.9)

मङ्गलालम्भनं कृत्वा आत्मानमवलोक्य च । आदर्शे विमले कृष्णस्ततः सात्यकिमब्रवीत् ॥

maṅgalālambhanaṃ kṛtvā ātmānamavalokya ca | ādarśe vimale kṛṣṇastataḥ sātyakimabravīt

Having touched the auspicious things and looked at himself in a clear mirror, Krishna then spoke to Satyaki.

Verse 10 (12.52.10)

गच्छ शैनेय जानीहि गत्वा राजनिवेशनम् । अपि सज्जो महातेजा भीष्मं द्रष्टुं युधिष्ठिरः ॥

gaccha śaineya jānīhi gatvā rājaniveśanam | api sajjo mahātejā bhīṣmaṃ draṣṭuṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

Go, Shaineya, to the king's residence and find out whether the greatly radiant Yudhishthira is ready to see Bhishma.

Note on the text: Corrected सञ्जो → सज्जो (misprint in Wikisource; ञ for ज्; CE sajjo). Speaker: Vasudeva (Krishna); his words to Satyaki fill the verse and the page prints no heading (the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 11 (12.52.11)

ततः कृष्णस्य वचनात्सात्यंकिस्त्वरितो ययौ । उपगम्य च राजानं युधिष्ठिरमभाषत ॥

tataḥ kṛṣṇasya vacanātsātyaṃkistvarito yayau | upagamya ca rājānaṃ yudhiṣṭhiramabhāṣata

Then, at Krishna's word, Satyaki went in haste, and approaching King Yudhishthira he said:

Verse 12 (12.52.12)

युक्तो रथवरो राजन्वासुदेवस्य धीमतः । समीपमापगेयस्य प्रयास्यति जनार्दनः ॥

yukto rathavaro rājanvāsudevasya dhīmataḥ | samīpamāpageyasya prayāsyati janārdanaḥ

The excellent chariot of the wise Vasudeva is yoked, O king; Janardana will go to the presence of Apageya (Bhishma).

Note on the text: Speaker: Satyaki; his message to Yudhishthira fills verses 12-13 and the page prints no heading for it (the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 13 (12.52.13)

भवत्प्रतीक्षः कृष्णोऽसौ धर्मराज महाद्युते । यदत्रानन्तरं कृत्यं तद्भवान्कर्तुमर्हति ॥

bhavatpratīkṣaḥ kṛṣṇo'sau dharmarāja mahādyute | yadatrānantaraṃ kṛtyaṃ tadbhavānkartumarhati

Krishna is waiting for you, O king of dharma, of great splendour; whatever should be done next, you should do.

Verse 14 (12.52.14)

एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । युज्यतां मे रथवरः फल्गुनाप्रतिमद्युते ॥

evamuktaḥ pratyuvāca dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | yujyatāṃ me rathavaraḥ phalgunāpratimadyute

Thus addressed, Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, replied: 'Let my excellent chariot be yoked, O Phalguna of matchless splendour.'

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment. Line 1 is the CE star line 12.53.13d*0119_01 (evam uktaḥ pratyuvāca dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ; Wikisource has धर्मपुत्रः for dharmarājaḥ, a variant), printed in the CE apparatus after 12.53.13; line 2 = CE 12.53.14a. Speaker: line 1 is narration, so Vaishampayana; line 2 is Yudhishthira's speech, which continues in verses 15-16.

Verse 15 (12.52.15)

न सैनिकैश्च यातव्यं यास्यामो वयमेव हि । न च पीडयितव्यो मे भीष्मो धर्मभृतां वरः ॥

na sainikaiśca yātavyaṃ yāsyāmo vayameva hi | na ca pīḍayitavyo me bhīṣmo dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ

'We shall not go with soldiers; we shall go by ourselves. And Bhishma, best of those who uphold dharma, must not be troubled by me.'

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment. Line 1 = CE 12.53.14c; line 2 = CE 12.53.15a. Wikisource divides the CE's couplets differently here (verses 14-16 hold CE 12.53.14a, 14c, 15a, 15c, 16a and 16c). Speaker: Yudhishthira; his speech has no printed heading (the heading is वैशंपायन उवाच until 12-52-17x).

Verse 16 (12.52.16)

अतः पुरःसराश्चापि निवर्तन्तु धनञ्जय । अद्यप्रभृति गाङ्गेयः परं गुह्यं प्रवक्ष्यति । अतो नेच्छामि कौन्तेय पृथग्जनसमागमम् ॥

ataḥ puraḥsarāścāpi nivartantu dhanañjaya | adyaprabhṛti gāṅgeyaḥ paraṃ guhyaṃ pravakṣyati | ato necchāmi kaunteya pṛthagjanasamāgamam

'So let even those who go in front turn back, Dhananjaya. From today Gangeya will speak of the highest secret, and so I do not want a gathering of common people, O son of Kunti.'

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment. Line 1 = CE 12.53.15c; line 2 = CE 12.53.16a; line 3 = CE 12.53.16c (Wikisource अतो for CE tato, a variant). Three-line verse, as on the page (labelled 12-52-16a/b/c).

Verse 17 (12.52.17)

स तद्वाक्यमथाज्ञाय कुन्तीपुत्रो धनञ्जयः । युक्तं रथवरं तस्मा आचचक्षे नरर्षभः ॥

sa tadvākyamathājñāya kuntīputro dhanañjayaḥ | yuktaṃ rathavaraṃ tasmā ācacakṣe nararṣabhaḥ

Hearing those words, Dhananjaya, Kunti's son, the best of men, reported that the excellent chariot was yoked and ready.

Verse 18 (12.52.18)

ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा यमौ भीमार्जुनावपि । भूतानीव समस्तानि ययुः कृष्णनिवेशनम् ॥

tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā yamau bhīmārjunāvapi | bhūtānīva samastāni yayuḥ kṛṣṇaniveśanam

Then King Yudhishthira, the twins, Bhima and Arjuna, all together as though they were the elements themselves, went to Krishna's residence.

Verse 19 (12.52.19)

आगच्छत्स्वथ कृष्णोऽपि पाण्डवेषु महात्मसु । शैनेयसहितो धीमान्रथमेवान्वपद्यत ॥

āgacchatsvatha kṛṣṇo'pi pāṇḍaveṣu mahātmasu | śaineyasahito dhīmānrathamevānvapadyata

And when the great-souled Pandavas arrived, Krishna too, the wise one, together with Shaineya, mounted his chariot.

Verse 20 (12.52.20)

रथस्थाः संविदं कृत्वा सुखां पृष्ट्वा च शर्वरीम् । मेघघोषै रथवरैः प्रययुस्ते नरर्षभाः ॥

rathasthāḥ saṃvidaṃ kṛtvā sukhāṃ pṛṣṭvā ca śarvarīm | meghaghoṣai rathavaraiḥ prayayuste nararṣabhāḥ

Seated in their chariots, those great warriors, bulls among men, exchanged greetings, asked how the night had passed, and set out in chariots that rumbled like thunderclouds.

Verse 21 (12.52.21)

बलाहकं मेघपुष्पं शैब्यं सुग्रीवमेव च । दारुकश्चोदयामास वासुदेवस्य वाजिनः ॥

balāhakaṃ meghapuṣpaṃ śaibyaṃ sugrīvameva ca | dārukaścodayāmāsa vāsudevasya vājinaḥ

Daruka drove on Vasudeva's horses, Balahaka, Meghapushpa, Shaibya and Sugriva.

Note on the text: Corrected सुग्रीवमेवच → सुग्रीवमेव च (missing space in Wikisource; CE sugrīvam eva ca).

Verse 22 (12.52.22)

ते हया वासुदेवस्य दारुकेण प्रचोदिताः । गां खुराग्रैस्तथा राजँल्लिखन्तः प्रययुस्तदा ॥

te hayā vāsudevasya dārukeṇa pracoditāḥ | gāṃ khurāgraistathā rājam̐llikhantaḥ prayayustadā

Urged on by Daruka, Vasudeva's horses sped on, O king, scoring the earth with the tips of their hooves.

Verse 23 (12.52.23)

ते ग्रसन्त इवाकाशं वेगवन्तो महाबलाः । क्षेत्रं धर्मस्य कृत्स्नस्य कुरुक्षेत्रमवातरन् ॥

te grasanta ivākāśaṃ vegavanto mahābalāḥ | kṣetraṃ dharmasya kṛtsnasya kurukṣetramavātaran

Swift and mighty, as though swallowing the sky, they came down to Kurukshetra, the field of all dharma.

Verse 24 (12.52.24)

ततो ययुर्यत्र भीष्मः शरतल्पगतः प्रभुः । आस्ते महर्षिभिः सार्धं ब्रह्मा देवगणैर्यथा ॥

tato yayuryatra bhīṣmaḥ śaratalpagataḥ prabhuḥ | āste maharṣibhiḥ sārdhaṃ brahmā devagaṇairyathā

Then they went to where the lord Bhishma lay on his bed of arrows, seated with the brahmanical seers like Brahma among the hosts of gods.

Note on the text: Corrected सार्ध्रं → सार्धं (misprint in Wikisource; stray conjunct ्र; CE sārdhaṃ).

Verse 25 (12.52.25)

ततोऽवतीर्य गोविन्दो रथात्स च युधिष्ठिरः । भीमो गाण्डीवधन्वा च यमौ सात्यकिरेव च । ऋषीनभ्यर्चयामासुः करानुद्यम्य दक्षिणान् ॥

tato'vatīrya govindo rathātsa ca yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | bhīmo gāṇḍīvadhanvā ca yamau sātyakireva ca | ṛṣīnabhyarcayāmāsuḥ karānudyamya dakṣiṇān

Then Govinda got down from his chariot, and so did Yudhishthira, Bhima, the wielder of Gandiva, the twins and Satyaki; raising their right hands, they honoured the seers.

Verse 26 (12.52.26)

स तैः परिवृतो राजा नक्षत्रैरिव चन्द्रमाः । अभ्याजगाम गाङ्गेयं ब्रह्माणमिव वासवः ॥

sa taiḥ parivṛto rājā nakṣatrairiva candramāḥ | abhyājagāma gāṅgeyaṃ brahmāṇamiva vāsavaḥ

Surrounded by them, the king, like the moon among the stars, went up to Gangeya as Vasava goes up to Brahma.

Verse 27 (12.52.27)

शरतल्पे शयानं तमादित्यं पतितं यथा । स ददर्श महाबाहुं भयाच्चागतसाध्वसः ॥

śaratalpe śayānaṃ tamādityaṃ patitaṃ yathā | sa dadarśa mahābāhuṃ bhayāccāgatasādhvasaḥ

He saw him, the mighty-armed, lying on his bed of arrows like the sun fallen from the sky, and trembling seized him from fear.