Krishna Asks Bhishma to Teach Dharma

Verse 1 (12.53.1)

धर्मात्मनि महावीर्ये सत्यसन्धे जितात्मनि । देवव्रते महाभागे शरतल्पगतेऽच्युते ॥

dharmātmani mahāvīrye satyasandhe jitātmani | devavrate mahābhāge śaratalpagate'cyute

Janamejaya said: Devavrata, righteous in soul, of great prowess, true to his pledge and master of himself, the great and fortunate one who never fell from his place, lay upon his bed of arrows,

Verse 2 (12.53.2)

शयाने वीरशयने भीष्मे शन्तनुनन्दने । गाङ्गेये पुरुषव्याघ्रे पाण्डवैः पर्युपासिते ॥

śayāne vīraśayane bhīṣme śantanunandane | gāṅgeye puruṣavyāghre pāṇḍavaiḥ paryupāsite

and Bhishma, Shantanu's son, the Gangeya, that tiger among men, lay upon the hero's bed while the Pandavas sat in attendance on him.

Verse 3 (12.53.3)

काः कथाः समवर्तन्त तस्मिन्वीरसमागमे । हतेषु सर्वसैन्येषु तन्मे शंस महामुने ॥

kāḥ kathāḥ samavartanta tasminvīrasamāgame | hateṣu sarvasainyeṣu tanme śaṃsa mahāmune

What talk went on at that gathering of heroes, when all the armies had been slain? Tell me that, great sage.

Verse 4 (12.53.4)

शरतल्पगते भीष्मे कौरवाणां पितामहे । आजग्मुर्ऋषयः सिद्धा नारदप्रमुखा नृप ॥

śaratalpagate bhīṣme kauravāṇāṃ pitāmahe | ājagmurṛṣayaḥ siddhā nāradapramukhā nṛpa

Vaishampayana said: When Bhishma, grandsire of the Kauravas, lay upon his bed of arrows, sages and perfected beings came to him, with Narada at their head, O king.

Verse 5 (12.53.5)

हतशिष्टाश्च राजानो युधिष्ठिरपुरोगमाः । धृतराष्ट्रश्च कृष्णश्च भीमार्जुनयमास्तथा ॥

hataśiṣṭāśca rājāno yudhiṣṭhirapurogamāḥ | dhṛtarāṣṭraśca kṛṣṇaśca bhīmārjunayamāstathā

The kings who survived the slaughter came too, with Yudhishthira at their head, and Dhritarashtra and Krishna, and Bhima, Arjuna and the twins.

Verse 6 (12.53.6)

तेऽभिगम्य महात्मानो भरतानां पितामहम् । अन्वशोचन्त गाङ्गेयमादित्यं पतितं यथा ॥

te'bhigamya mahātmāno bharatānāṃ pitāmaham | anvaśocanta gāṅgeyamādityaṃ patitaṃ yathā

Those great-souled ones went up to the grandsire of the Bharatas and mourned the son of Ganga, fallen like the sun from the sky.

Verse 7 (12.53.7)

मुहूर्तमिव च ध्यात्वा नारदो देवदर्शनः । उवाच पाण्डवान्सर्वान्हतशिष्टांश्च पार्थिवान् ॥

muhūrtamiva ca dhyātvā nārado devadarśanaḥ | uvāca pāṇḍavānsarvānhataśiṣṭāṃśca pārthivān

After reflecting for a moment, Narada, who sees the gods, spoke to all the Pandavas and to the surviving kings.

Verse 8 (12.53.8)

प्राप्तकालं समाचक्षे भीष्मोऽयमनुयुज्यताम् । अस्तमेति हि गाङ्गेयो भानुमानिव भारत ॥

prāptakālaṃ samācakṣe bhīṣmo'yamanuyujyatām | astameti hi gāṅgeyo bhānumāniva bhārata

Narada said: I tell you that the time has come; let Bhishma be questioned. For the son of Ganga is setting like the radiant sun, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Narada's words; the page's heading still reads Vaishampayana, and the narration (line 1 of verse 7) introduces them.

Verse 9 (12.53.9)

अयं प्राणानुत्सिसृक्षुस्तं सर्वेऽभ्यनुपृच्छत । कृत्स्नान्हि विविधान्धर्मांश्चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य वेत्त्ययम् ॥

ayaṃ prāṇānutsisṛkṣustaṃ sarve'bhyanupṛcchata | kṛtsnānhi vividhāndharmāṃścāturvarṇyasya vettyayam

He wishes to give up his life; all of you go to him and ask. For he knows in full the many kinds of dharma of the four orders.

Note on the text: Narada's speech continues (no heading printed).

Verse 10 (12.53.10)

एष वृद्धः पराँल्लोकान्संप्राप्नोति तनुं त्यजन् । तं शीघ्रमनुयुञ्जीध्वं संशयान्मनसि स्थितान् ॥

eṣa vṛddhaḥ parām̐llokānsaṃprāpnoti tanuṃ tyajan | taṃ śīghramanuyuñjīdhvaṃ saṃśayānmanasi sthitān

This elder will reach the highest worlds when he leaves the body. Question him quickly about the doubts that stand in your minds.

Note on the text: Narada's speech continues (no heading printed).

Verse 11 (12.53.11)

एवमुक्ते नारदेन भीष्ममीयुर्नराधिपाः । प्रष्टुं चाशक्रुवन्तस्ते वीक्षांचक्रुः परस्परम् ॥

evamukte nāradena bhīṣmamīyurnarādhipāḥ | praṣṭuṃ cāśakruvantaste vīkṣāṃcakruḥ parasparam

Vaishampayana said: When Narada had spoken, the lords of men went to Bhishma, but unable to put their questions they only looked at one another.

Verse 12 (12.53.12)

अथोवाच हृषीकेशं पाण्डुपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । नान्यस्त्वद्देवकीपुत्र शक्तः प्रष्टुं पितामहम् ॥

athovāca hṛṣīkeśaṃ pāṇḍuputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | nānyastvaddevakīputra śaktaḥ praṣṭuṃ pitāmaham

Then Yudhishthira, Pandu's son, said to Hrishikesha: No one but you, son of Devaki, is able to question the grandsire.

Note on the text: Line 1 is narration and line 2 is Yudhishthira's speech; the verse is kept whole under the narrator.

Verse 13 (12.53.13)

प्रव्याहर यदुश्रेष्ठ त्वमग्रे मधुसूदन । त्वं हि नस्तात सर्वेषां सर्वधर्मविदुत्तमः ॥

pravyāhara yaduśreṣṭha tvamagre madhusūdana | tvaṃ hi nastāta sarveṣāṃ sarvadharmaviduttamaḥ

Speak first, best of the Yadavas, O slayer of Madhu! For you, dear one, are the best of all who know every dharma.

Note on the text: Yudhishthira's speech (no heading printed).

Verse 14 (12.53.14)

एवमुक्तः पाण्डवेन भगवान्केशवस्तदा । अभिगम्य दुराधर्षं प्रव्याहारयदच्युतः ॥

evamuktaḥ pāṇḍavena bhagavānkeśavastadā | abhigamya durādharṣaṃ pravyāhārayadacyutaḥ

Thus addressed by the Pandava, the Blessed Keshava, the unfailing, then went up to that unassailable man and spoke to him.

Verse 15 (12.53.15)

कच्चित्सुखेन रजनी व्युष्टा ते राजसत्तम । विस्पष्टलक्षणा बुद्धिः कच्चिच्चोपस्थिता तव ॥

kaccitsukhena rajanī vyuṣṭā te rājasattama | vispaṣṭalakṣaṇā buddhiḥ kacciccopasthitā tava

Vasudeva said: Has the night passed easily for you, best of kings? And does your understanding, with its signs clear, stand ready in you?

Note on the text: Krishna's speech (no heading printed; CE 12.54.15 heads it Vasudeva).

Verse 16 (12.53.16)

कच्चिज्ज्ञानानि सर्वाणि प्रतिभान्ति च तेऽनघ । न ग्लायते च हृदयं न च ते व्याकुलं मनः ॥

kaccijjñānāni sarvāṇi pratibhānti ca te'nagha | na glāyate ca hṛdayaṃ na ca te vyākulaṃ manaḥ

Do all kinds of knowledge shine forth in you, blameless one? Your heart does not flag, nor is your mind disturbed?

Note on the text: Krishna's speech continues.

Verse 17 (12.53.17)

दाहो मोहः श्रमश्चैव क्लमो ग्लानिस्तथा रुजा । तव प्रसादाद्वार्ष्णेय सद्यो व्यपगतानि मे ॥

dāho mohaḥ śramaścaiva klamo glānistathā rujā | tava prasādādvārṣṇeya sadyo vyapagatāni me

Bhishma said: Burning, bewilderment, weariness, exhaustion, faintness and pain have all left me at once, son of Vrishni, by your grace.

Verse 18 (12.53.18)

यच्च भूतं भविष्यच्च भवच्च परमद्युते । तत्सर्वमनुपश्यामि पाणौ फलमिवाहितम् ॥

yacca bhūtaṃ bhaviṣyacca bhavacca paramadyute | tatsarvamanupaśyāmi pāṇau phalamivāhitam

Whatever has been, whatever will be and whatever is, O you of supreme radiance, I see it all, like a fruit laid in the palm of my hand.

Verse 19 (12.53.19)

वेदोक्ताश्चैव ये धर्मा वेदान्ताधिगताश्च ये । तान्सर्वान्संप्रपश्यामि वरदानात्तवाच्युत ॥

vedoktāścaiva ye dharmā vedāntādhigatāśca ye | tānsarvānsaṃprapaśyāmi varadānāttavācyuta

The duties taught in the Vedas and those reached through the Vedanta, all of them I see clearly, by your boon, Achyuta.

Verse 20 (12.53.20)

शिष्टैश्च धर्मो यः प्रोक्तः स च मे हृदि वर्तते । देशजातिकुलानां च धर्मज्ञोऽस्मि जनार्दन ॥

śiṣṭaiśca dharmo yaḥ proktaḥ sa ca me hṛdi vartate | deśajātikulānāṃ ca dharmajño'smi janārdana

The dharma that the learned have declared lives in my heart; and I know the dharma of lands, castes and families, Janardana.

Verse 21 (12.53.21)

चतुर्ष्वाश्रमधर्मेषु योऽर्थः स च हृदि स्थितः । राजधर्मांश्च सकलानवगच्छामि केशव ॥

caturṣvāśramadharmeṣu yo'rthaḥ sa ca hṛdi sthitaḥ | rājadharmāṃśca sakalānavagacchāmi keśava

Whatever meaning lies in the duties of the four stages of life is fixed in my heart, and I understand all the duties of kings, Keshava.

Verse 22 (12.53.22)

यच्च यत्र च वक्तव्यं तद्वक्ष्यामि जनार्दन । तव प्रसादाद्धि शुभा मनो मे बुद्धिराविशत् ॥

yacca yatra ca vaktavyaṃ tadvakṣyāmi janārdana | tava prasādāddhi śubhā mano me buddhirāviśat

Whatever should be said, and wherever, I shall say it, Janardana; by your grace a bright understanding has entered my mind.

Verse 23 (12.53.23)

युवेवास्मि समावृत्तस्त्वदनुध्यानबृंहितः । वक्तुं श्रेयः समर्थोऽस्मि त्वत्प्रसादाज्जनार्दन ॥

yuvevāsmi samāvṛttastvadanudhyānabṛṃhitaḥ | vaktuṃ śreyaḥ samartho'smi tvatprasādājjanārdana

Strengthened by meditating on you, I have become as if young again; by your grace, Janardana, I am able to speak of what is best.

Verse 24 (12.53.24)

स्वयं किमर्थं तु भवाञ्श्रेयो न प्राह पाण्डवम् । किं ते विवक्षितं चात्र तदाशु वद माधव ॥

svayaṃ kimarthaṃ tu bhavāñśreyo na prāha pāṇḍavam | kiṃ te vivakṣitaṃ cātra tadāśu vada mādhava

But why did you not yourself tell the Pandava what is best? What did you wish to say in this matter? Tell me quickly, Madhava.

Verse 25 (12.53.25)

यशसः श्रेयसश्चैव मूलं मां विद्धि कौरव । मत्तः सर्वेऽभिनिर्वृत्ता भावाः सदसदात्मकाः ॥

yaśasaḥ śreyasaścaiva mūlaṃ māṃ viddhi kaurava | mattaḥ sarve'bhinirvṛttā bhāvāḥ sadasadātmakāḥ

Vasudeva said: Know me, Kaurava, as the root of fame and of the highest good; from me all things have arisen, whether they are or are not.

Note on the text: Corrected मूल मां → मूलं मां (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara, CE mūlaṃ māṃ).

Verse 26 (12.53.26)

शीतांशुश्चन्द्र इत्युक्ते लोके को विस्मयिष्यति । तथैव यशसा पूर्णे मयि को विस्मयिष्यति ॥

śītāṃśuścandra ityukte loke ko vismayiṣyati | tathaiva yaśasā pūrṇe mayi ko vismayiṣyati

When the moon is called cool-rayed, who is astonished? So too, who will be astonished at me, who am full of fame?

Verse 27 (12.53.27)

आधेयं तु मया भूयो यशस्तव महाद्युते । ततो मे विपुला बुद्धिस्त्वयि भीष्म समाहिता ॥

ādheyaṃ tu mayā bhūyo yaśastava mahādyute | tato me vipulā buddhistvayi bhīṣma samāhitā

But I wish still more to add to your fame, O you of great radiance; that is why my large purpose is set upon you, Bhishma.

Verse 28 (12.53.28)

यावद्धि पृथिवीपाल पृथ्वीयं स्थास्यति ध्रुवा । तावत्तवाक्षया कीर्तिर्लोकाननुचरिष्यति ॥

yāvaddhi pṛthivīpāla pṛthvīyaṃ sthāsyati dhruvā | tāvattavākṣayā kīrtirlokānanucariṣyati

As long as this earth stays firm, O lord of the earth, so long will your undying fame travel through the worlds.

Verse 29 (12.53.29)

यच्च त्वं वक्ष्यसे भीष्म पाण्डवायानुपृच्छते । वेदप्रवाद इव ते स्थास्यते वसुधातले ॥

yacca tvaṃ vakṣyase bhīṣma pāṇḍavāyānupṛcchate | vedapravāda iva te sthāsyate vasudhātale

And what you say, Bhishma, to the Pandava who questions you will endure on the earth like a teaching of the Veda.

Verse 30 (12.53.30)

यश्चैतेन प्रमाणेन योक्ष्यत्यात्मानमात्मना । स फलं सर्वपुण्यानां प्रेत्य चानुभविष्यति ॥

yaścaitena pramāṇena yokṣyatyātmānamātmanā | sa phalaṃ sarvapuṇyānāṃ pretya cānubhaviṣyati

Whoever shall join himself to himself by this authority will enjoy, in the next world, the fruit of all meritorious acts.

Verse 31 (12.53.31)

एतस्मात्कारणाद्भीष्म मतिर्दिव्या मया हि ते । दत्ता यशो विप्रथयेत्कथं भूयस्तवेति ह ॥

etasmātkāraṇādbhīṣma matirdivyā mayā hi te | dattā yaśo viprathayetkathaṃ bhūyastaveti ha

For this reason, Bhishma, I gave you a divine understanding, thinking: how may his fame spread still further?

Verse 32 (12.53.32)

यावद्धि प्रथते लोके पुरुषस्य यशो भुवि । तावत्तस्याक्षया कीर्तिर्भवतीति विनिश्चिता ॥

yāvaddhi prathate loke puruṣasya yaśo bhuvi | tāvattasyākṣayā kīrtirbhavatīti viniścitā

It is settled that as far as a man's fame spreads over the earth, so far does his renown last without end.

Verse 33 (12.53.33)

राजानो हतशिष्टास्त्वां राजन्नभित आसते । धर्माननुयुयुक्षन्तस्तेभ्यः प्रब्रूहि भारत ॥

rājāno hataśiṣṭāstvāṃ rājannabhita āsate | dharmānanuyuyukṣantastebhyaḥ prabrūhi bhārata

These surviving kings sit around you, O king, wishing to question you about dharma; speak to them, Bharata.

Verse 34 (12.53.34)

भवान्हि वयसा वृद्धः श्रुताचारसमन्वितः । कुशलो राजधर्माणां सर्वेषामपराश्च ये ॥

bhavānhi vayasā vṛddhaḥ śrutācārasamanvitaḥ | kuśalo rājadharmāṇāṃ sarveṣāmaparāśca ye

You are advanced in years, rich in learning and good conduct, and skilled in all the duties of kings and in the rest as well.

Verse 35 (12.53.35)

जन्मप्रभृति ते किंचिद्वृजिनं न ददर्श ह । ज्ञातारं सर्वधर्माणां त्वां विदुः सर्वपार्थिवाः ॥

janmaprabhṛti te kiṃcidvṛjinaṃ na dadarśa ha | jñātāraṃ sarvadharmāṇāṃ tvāṃ viduḥ sarvapārthivāḥ

From your birth no one has seen any fault in you; all kings know you as the knower of every dharma.

Note on the text: Corrected वॄजिनं → वृजिनं (misprint in Wikisource; long vocalic ॠ-sign for ृ, CE vṛjinaṃ).

Verse 36 (12.53.36)

तेभ्यः पितेव पुत्रेभ्यो राजन्ब्रूहि परं नयम् । ऋषयश्चैव देवाश्च त्वया नित्यमुपासिताः ॥

tebhyaḥ piteva putrebhyo rājanbrūhi paraṃ nayam | ṛṣayaścaiva devāśca tvayā nityamupāsitāḥ

Teach them, king, the highest policy, as a father teaches his sons; you have always served the sages and the gods.

Verse 37 (12.53.37)

तस्माद्वक्तव्यमेवेदं त्वयाऽवश्यमशेषतः । धर्मं शुश्रूषमाणेभ्यः पृष्टेन न सता पुनः ॥

tasmādvaktavyamevedaṃ tvayā'vaśyamaśeṣataḥ | dharmaṃ śuśrūṣamāṇebhyaḥ pṛṣṭena na satā punaḥ

Therefore you must by all means tell this fully to those who wish to hear dharma, for a good man who has been asked must not hold back.

Verse 38 (12.53.38)

वक्तव्यं विदुषा चेति धर्ममाहुर्मनीषिणः । अप्रतिब्रुवतः कष्टो दोषो हि भविता प्रभो ॥

vaktavyaṃ viduṣā ceti dharmamāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ | apratibruvataḥ kaṣṭo doṣo hi bhavitā prabho

The wise say that a learned man must speak when asked, for a grievous fault falls on one who gives no answer, my lord.

Verse 39 (12.53.39)

तस्मात्पुत्रैश्च पौत्रैश्च धर्मान्पृष्टान्सनातनान् । विद्वञ्जिज्ञासमानेभ्यः प्रब्रूहि भरतर्षभ ॥

tasmātputraiśca pautraiśca dharmānpṛṣṭānsanātanān | vidvañjijñāsamānebhyaḥ prabrūhi bharatarṣabha

So, best of the Bharatas, being learned, teach the eternal dharmas to these sons and grandsons of yours who ask and wish to know.

Note on the text: Corrected पौत्रेश्च → पौत्रैश्च (misprint in Wikisource; instrumental plural needed, CE pautraiś ca).