The Passing Away of Bhīṣmadeva in the Presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa
VERSE 1.9.1
sūta uvāca
iti bhītaḥ prajā-drohāt
sarva-dharma-vivitsayā
tato vinaśanaṁ prāgād
yatra deva-vrato ’patat
SYNONYMS
sūtaḥ uvāca — Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; bhītaḥ — being afraid of; prajā-drohāt — because of killing the subjects; sarva — all; dharma — acts of religion; vivitsayā — for understanding; tataḥ — thereafter; vinaśanam — the place where the fight was held; prāgāt — he went; yatra — where; deva-vrataḥ — Bhīṣmadeva; apatat — lay down for passing away.
TRANSLATION
Sūta Gosvāmī said: Being afraid for having killed so many subjects on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira went to the scene of the massacre. There, Bhīṣmadeva was lying on a bed of arrows, about to pass away.
VERSE 1.9.2
tadā te bhrātaraḥ sarve
sadaśvaiḥ svarṇa-bhūṣitaiḥ
anvagacchan rathair viprā
vyāsa-dhaumyādayas tathā
SYNONYMS
tadā — at that time; te — all of them; bhrātaraḥ — the brothers; sarve — all together; sat-aśvaiḥ — drawn by first-class horses; svarṇa — gold; bhūṣitaiḥ — being decorated with; anvagacchan — followed one after another; rathaiḥ — on the chariots; viprāḥ — O brāhmaṇas; vyāsa — the sage Vyāsa; dhaumya — Dhaumya; ādayaḥ — and others; tathā — also.
TRANSLATION
At that time all his brothers followed him on beautiful chariots drawn by first-class horses decorated with gold ornaments. With them were Vyāsa and ṛṣis like Dhaumya [the learned priest of the Pāṇḍavas] and others.
VERSE 1.9.3
bhagavān api viprarṣe
rathena sa-dhanañjayaḥ
sa tair vyarocata nṛpaḥ
kuvera iva guhyakaiḥ
SYNONYMS
bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead (Śrī Kṛṣṇa); api — also; vipra-ṛṣe — O sage among the brāhmaṇas; rathena — on the chariot; sa-dhanañjayaḥ — with Dhanañjaya (Arjuna); saḥ — He; taiḥ — by them; vyarocata — appeared to be highly aristocratic; nṛpaḥ — the King (Yudhiṣṭhira); kuvera — Kuvera, the treasurer of the demigods; iva — as; guhyakaiḥ — companions known as Guhyakas.
TRANSLATION
O sage amongst the brāhmaṇas, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, also followed, seated on a chariot with Arjuna. Thus King Yudhiṣṭhira appeared very aristocratic, like Kuvera surrounded by his companions [the Guhyakas].
VERSE 1.9.4
dṛṣṭvā nipatitaṁ bhūmau
divaś cyutam ivāmaram
praṇemuḥ pāṇḍavā bhīṣmaṁ
sānugāḥ saha cakriṇā
SYNONYMS
dṛṣṭvā — thus seeing; nipatitam — lying down; bhūmau — on the ground; divaḥ — from the sky; cyutam — fallen; iva — like; amaram — demigod; praṇemuḥ — bowed down; pāṇḍavāḥ — the sons of Pāṇḍu; bhīṣmam — unto Bhīṣma; sa-anugāḥ — with the younger brothers; saha — also with; cakriṇā — the Lord (carrying the disc).
TRANSLATION
Seeing him [Bhīṣma] lying on the ground, like a demigod fallen from the sky, the Pāṇḍava King Yudhiṣṭhira, along with his younger brothers and Lord Kṛṣṇa, bowed down before him.
VERSE 1.9.5
tatra brahmarṣayaḥ sarve
devarṣayaś ca sattama
rājarṣayaś ca tatrāsan
draṣṭuṁ bharata-puṅgavam
SYNONYMS
tatra — there; brahma-ṛṣayaḥ — ṛṣis among the brāhmaṇas; sarve — all; deva-ṛṣayaḥ — ṛṣis among the demigods; ca — and; sattama — situated in the quality of goodness; rāja-ṛṣayaḥ — ṛṣis among the kings; ca — and; tatra — in that place; āsan — were present; draṣṭum — just to see; bharata — the descendants of King Bharata; puṅgavam — the chief of.
TRANSLATION
Just to see the chief of the descendants of King Bharata [Bhīṣma], all the great souls in the universe, namely the ṛṣis amongst the demigods, brāhmaṇas and kings, all situated in the quality of goodness, were assembled there.
VERSE 1.9.6-7
parvato nārado dhaumyo
bhagavān bādarāyaṇaḥ
bṛhadaśvo bharadvājaḥ
saśiṣyo reṇukā-sutaḥ
vasiṣṭha indrapramadas
trito gṛtsamado ’sitaḥ
kakṣīvān gautamo ’triś ca
kauśiko ’tha sudarśanaḥ
SYNONYMS
parvataḥ — Parvata Muni; nāradaḥ — Nārada Muni; dhaumyaḥ — Dhaumya; bhagavān — incarnation of Godhead; bādarāyaṇaḥ — Vyāsadeva; bṛhadaśvaḥ — Bṛhadaśva; bharadvājaḥ — Bharadvāja; sa-śiṣyaḥ — along with disciples; reṇukā-sutaḥ — Paraśurāma; vasiṣṭhaḥ — Vasiṣṭha; indrapramadaḥ — Indrapramada; tritaḥ — Trita; gṛtsamadaḥ — Gṛtsamada; asitaḥ — Asita; kakṣīvān — Kakṣīvān; gautamaḥ — Gautama; atriḥ — Atri; ca — and; kauśikaḥ — Kauśika; atha — as well as; sudarśanaḥ — Sudarśana.
TRANSLATION
All the sages like Parvata Muni, Nārada, Dhaumya, Vyāsa the incarnation of God, Bṛhadaśva, Bharadvāja and Paraśurāma and disciples, Vasiṣṭha, Indrapramada, Trita, Gṛtsamada, Asita, Kakṣīvān, Gautama, Atri, Kauśika and Sudarśana were present.
VERSE 1.9.8
anye ca munayo brahman
brahmarātādayo ’malāḥ
śiṣyair upetā ājagmuḥ
kaśyapāṅgirasādayaḥ
SYNONYMS
anye — many others; ca — also; munayaḥ — sages; brahman — O brāhmaṇas; brahmarāta — Śukadeva Gosvāmī; ādayaḥ — and such others; amalāḥ — completely purified; śiṣyaiḥ — by the disciples; upetāḥ — accompanied; ājagmuḥ — arrived; kaśyapa — Kaśyapa; āṅgirasa — Āṅgirasa; ādayaḥ — others.
TRANSLATION
And many others like Śukadeva Gosvāmī and other purified souls, Kaśyapa and Āṅgirasa and others, all accompanied by their respective disciples, arrived there.
VERSE 1.9.9
tān sametān mahā-bhāgān
upalabhya vasūttamaḥ
pūjayām āsa dharma-jño
deśa-kāla-vibhāgavit
SYNONYMS
tān — all of them; sametān — assembled together; mahā-bhāgān — all greatly powerful; upalabhya — having received; vasu-uttamaḥ — the best among the Vasus (Bhīṣmadeva); pūjayām āsa — welcomed; dharma-jñaḥ — one who knows religious principles; deśa — place; kāla — time; vibhāga-vit — one who knows the adjustment of place and time.
TRANSLATION
Bhīṣmadeva, who was the best amongst the eight Vasus, received and welcomed all the great and powerful ṛṣis who were assembled there, for he knew perfectly all the religious principles according to time and place.
VERSE 1.9.10
kṛṣṇaṁ ca tat-prabhāva-jña
āsīnaṁ jagad-īśvaram
hṛdi-sthaṁ pūjayām āsa
māyayopātta-vigraham
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇam — unto Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; ca — also; tat — of Him; prabhāva-jñaḥ — the knower of the glories (Bhīṣma); āsīnam — sitting; jagat-īśvaram — the Lord of the universe; hṛdi-stham — situated in the heart; pūjayām āsa — worshiped; māyayā — by internal potency; upātta — manifested; vigraham — a form.
TRANSLATION
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone’s heart, yet He manifests His transcendental form by His internal potency. This very Lord was sitting before Bhīṣmadeva, and since Bhīṣmadeva knew of His glories, he worshiped Him duly.
VERSE 1.9.11
pāṇḍu-putrān upāsīnān
praśraya-prema-saṅgatān
abhyācaṣṭānurāgāśrair
andhībhūtena cakṣuṣā
SYNONYMS
pāṇḍu — the late father of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and his brothers; putrān — the sons of; upāsīnān — sitting silently nearby; praśraya — being overtaken; prema — in feelings of love; saṅgatān — having gathered; abhyācaṣṭa — congratulated; anurāga — feelingly; aśraiḥ — by tears of ecstasy; andhībhūtena — overwhelmed; cakṣuṣā — with his eyes.
TRANSLATION
The sons of Mahārāja Pāṇḍu were sitting silently nearby, overtaken with affection for their dying grandfather. Seeing this, Bhīṣmadeva congratulated them with feeling. There were tears of ecstasy in his eyes, for he was overwhelmed by love and affection.
VERSE 1.9.12
aho kaṣṭam aho ’nyāyyaṁ
yad yūyaṁ dharma-nandanāḥ
jīvituṁ nārhatha kliṣṭaṁ
vipra-dharmācyutāśrayāḥ
SYNONYMS
aho — oh; kaṣṭam — what terrible sufferings; aho — oh; anyāyyam — what terrible injustice; yat — because; yūyam — all of you good souls; dharma-nandanāḥ — sons of religion personified; jīvitum — to remain alive; na — never; arhatha — deserve; kliṣṭam — suffering; vipra — brāhmaṇas; dharma — piety; acyuta — God; āśrayāḥ — being protected by.
TRANSLATION
Bhīṣmadeva said: Oh, what terrible sufferings and what terrible injustices you good souls suffer for being the sons of religion personified. You did not deserve to remain alive under those tribulations, yet you were protected by the brāhmaṇas, God and religion.
VERSE 1.9.13
saṁsthite ’tirathe pāṇḍau
pṛthā bāla-prajā vadhūḥ
yuṣmat-kṛte bahūn kleśān
prāptā tokavatī muhuḥ
SYNONYMS
saṁsthite — after the demise; ati-rathe — of the great general; pāṇḍau — Pāṇḍu; pṛthā — Kuntī; bāla-prajā — having young children; vadhūḥ — my daughter-in-law; yuṣmat-kṛte — on your account; bahūn — multifarious; kleśān — afflictions; prāptā — underwent; toka-vatī — in spite of having grown-up boys; muhuḥ — constantly.
TRANSLATION
As far as my daughter-in-law Kuntī is concerned, upon the great General Pāṇḍu’s death, she became a widow with many children, and therefore she suffered greatly. And when you were grown up she suffered a great deal also because of your actions.
VERSE 1.9.14
sarvaṁ kāla-kṛtaṁ manye
bhavatāṁ ca yad-apriyam
sapālo yad-vaśe loko
vāyor iva ghanāvaliḥ
SYNONYMS
sarvam — all this; kāla-kṛtam — done by inevitable time; manye — I think; bhavatām ca — for you also; yat — whatever; apriyam — detestable; sa-pālaḥ — with the rulers; yat-vaśe — under the control of that time; lokaḥ — everyone in every planet; vāyoḥ — the wind carries; iva — as; ghana-āvaliḥ — a line of clouds.
TRANSLATION
In my opinion, this is all due to inevitable time, under whose control everyone in every planet is carried, just as the clouds are carried by the wind.
VERSE 1.9.15
yatra dharma-suto rājā
gadā-pāṇir vṛkodaraḥ
kṛṣṇo ’strī gāṇḍivaṁ cāpaṁ
suhṛt kṛṣṇas tato vipat
SYNONYMS
yatra — where there is; dharma-sutaḥ — the son of Dharmarāja; rājā — the King; gadā-pāṇiḥ — with his mighty club in hand; vṛkodaraḥ — Bhīma; kṛṣṇaḥ — Arjuna; astrī — carrier of the weapon; gāṇḍivam — Gāṇḍīva; cāpam — bow; suhṛt — well-wisher; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead; tataḥ — thereof; vipat — reverse.
TRANSLATION
Oh, how wonderful is the influence of inevitable time! It is irreversible — otherwise, how can there be reverses in the presence of King Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of the demigod controlling religion; Bhīma, the great fighter with a club; the great bowman Arjuna with his mighty weapon Gāṇḍīva; and above all, the Lord, the direct well-wisher of the Pāṇḍavas?
VERSE 1.9.16
na hy asya karhicid rājan
pumān veda vidhitsitam
yad vijijñāsayā yuktā
muhyanti kavayo ’pi hi
SYNONYMS
na — never; hi — certainly; asya — His; karhicit — whatsoever; rājan — O King; pumān — anyone; veda — knows; vidhitsitam — plan; yat — which; vijijñāsayā — with exhaustive inquiries; yuktāḥ — being engaged; muhyanti — bewildered; kavayaḥ — great philosophers; api — even; hi — certainly.
TRANSLATION
O King, no one can know the plan of the Lord [Śrī Kṛṣṇa]. Even though great philosophers inquire exhaustively, they are bewildered.
VERSE 1.9.17
tasmād idaṁ daiva-tantraṁ
vyavasya bharatarṣabha
tasyānuvihito ’nāthā
nātha pāhi prajāḥ prabho
SYNONYMS
tasmāt — therefore; idam — this; daiva-tantram — enchantment of providence only; vyavasya — ascertaining; bharata-ṛṣabha — O best among the descendants of Bharata; tasya — by Him; anuvihitaḥ — as desired; anāthāḥ — helpless; nātha — O master; pāhi — just take care of; prajāḥ — of the subjects; prabho — O Lord.
TRANSLATION
O best among the descendants of Bharata [Yudhiṣṭhira], I maintain, therefore, that all this is within the plan of the Lord. Accepting the inconceivable plan of the Lord, you must follow it. You are now the appointed administrative head, and, my lord, you should now take care of those subjects who are now rendered helpless.
VERSE 1.9.18
eṣa vai bhagavān sākṣād
ādyo nārāyaṇaḥ pumān
mohayan māyayā lokaṁ
gūḍhaś carati vṛṣṇiṣu
SYNONYMS
eṣaḥ — this; vai — positively; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; sākṣāt — original; ādyaḥ — the first; nārāyaṇaḥ — the Supreme Lord (who lies down on the water); pumān — the supreme enjoyer; mohayan — bewildering; māyayā — by His self-created energy; lokam — the planets; gūḍhaḥ — who is inconceivable; carati — moves; vṛṣṇiṣu — among the Vṛṣṇi family.
TRANSLATION
This Śrī Kṛṣṇa is no other than the inconceivable, original Personality of Godhead. He is the first Nārāyaṇa, the supreme enjoyer. But He is moving amongst the descendants of King Vṛṣṇi just like one of us, and He is bewildering us with His self-created energy.
VERSE 1.9.19
asyānubhāvaṁ bhagavān
veda guhyatamaṁ śivaḥ
devarṣir nāradaḥ sākṣād
bhagavān kapilo nṛpa
SYNONYMS
asya — of Him; anubhāvam — glories; bhagavān — the most powerful; veda — knows; guhya-tamam — very confidentially; śivaḥ — Lord Śiva; deva-ṛṣiḥ — the great sage among the demigods; nāradaḥ — Nārada; sākṣāt — directly; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; kapilaḥ — Kapila; nṛpa — O King.
TRANSLATION
O King, Lord Śiva, Nārada the sage amongst the demigods, and Kapila, the incarnation of Godhead, all know very confidentially about His glories through direct contact.
VERSE 1.9.20
yaṁ manyase mātuleyaṁ
priyaṁ mitraṁ suhṛttamam
akaroḥ sacivaṁ dūtaṁ
sauhṛdād atha sārathim
SYNONYMS
yam — the person; manyase — you think; mātuleyam — maternal cousin; priyam — very dear; mitram — friend; suhṛt-tamam — ardent well-wisher; akaroḥ — executed; sacivam — counsel; dūtam — messenger; sauhṛdāt — by good will; atha — thereupon; sārathim — charioteer.
TRANSLATION
O King, that personality whom, out of ignorance only, you thought to be your maternal cousin, your very dear friend, well-wisher, counselor, messenger, benefactor, etc., is that very Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
VERSE 1.9.21
sarvātmanaḥ sama-dṛśo
hy advayasyānahaṅkṛteḥ
tat-kṛtaṁ mati-vaiṣamyaṁ
niravadyasya na kvacit
SYNONYMS
sarva-ātmanaḥ — of one who is present in everyone’s heart; sama-dṛśaḥ — of one who is equally kind to one and all; hi — certainly; advayasya — of the Absolute; anahaṅkṛteḥ — free from all material identity of false ego; tat-kṛtam — everything done by Him; mati — consciousness; vaiṣamyam — differentiation; niravadyasya — freed from all attachment; na — never; kvacit — at any stage.
TRANSLATION
Being the Absolute Personality of Godhead, He is present in everyone’s heart. He is equally kind to everyone, and He is free from the false ego of differentiation. Therefore whatever He does is free from material inebriety. He is equibalanced.
VERSE 1.9.22
tathāpy ekānta-bhakteṣu
paśya bhūpānukampitam
yan me ’sūṁs tyajataḥ sākṣāt
kṛṣṇo darśanam āgataḥ
SYNONYMS
tathāpi — still; ekānta — unflinching; bhakteṣu — unto the devotees; paśya — see here; bhū-pa — O King; anukampitam — how sympathetic; yat — for which; me — my; asūn — life; tyajataḥ — ending; sākṣāt — directly; kṛṣṇaḥ — the Personality of Godhead; darśanam — in my view; āgataḥ — has kindly come.
TRANSLATION
Yet, despite His being equally kind to everyone, He has graciously come before me while I am ending my life, for I am His unflinching servitor.
VERSE 1.9.23
bhaktyāveśya mano yasmin
vācā yan-nāma kīrtayan
tyajan kalevaraṁ yogī
mucyate kāma-karmabhiḥ
SYNONYMS
bhaktyā — with devout attention; āveśya — meditating; manaḥ — mind; yasmin — in whose; vācā — by words; yat — Kṛṣṇa; nāma — holy name; kīrtayan — by chanting; tyajan — quitting; kalevaram — this material body; yogī — the devotee; mucyate — gets release; kāma-karmabhiḥ — from fruitive activities.
TRANSLATION
The Personality of Godhead, who appears in the mind of the devotee by attentive devotion and meditation and by chanting of the holy name, releases the devotee from the bondage of fruitive activities at the time of his quitting the material body.
VERSE 1.9.24
sa deva-devo bhagavān pratīkṣatāṁ
kalevaraṁ yāvad idaṁ hinomy aham
prasanna-hāsāruṇa-locanollasan-
mukhāmbujo dhyāna-pathaś catur-bhujaḥ
SYNONYMS
saḥ — He; deva-devaḥ — the Supreme Lord of the lords; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; pratīkṣatām — may kindly wait; kalevaram — body; yāvat — as long as; idam — this (material body); hinomi — may quit; aham — I; prasanna — cheerful; hāsa — smiling; aruṇa-locana — eyes red like the morning sun; ullasat — beautifully decorated; mukha-ambujaḥ — the lotus flower of His face; dhyāna-pathaḥ — in the path of my meditation; catur-bhujaḥ — the four-handed form of Nārāyaṇa (the worshipable Deity of Bhīṣmadeva).
TRANSLATION
May my Lord, who is four-handed and whose beautifully decorated lotus face, with eyes as red as the rising sun, is smiling, kindly await me at that moment when I quit this material body.
VERSE 1.9.25
sūta uvāca
yudhiṣṭhiras tad ākarṇya
śayānaṁ śara-pañjare
apṛcchad vividhān dharmān
ṛṣīṇāṁ cānuśṛṇvatām
SYNONYMS
sūtaḥ uvāca — Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said; yudhiṣṭhiraḥ — King Yudhiṣṭhira; tat — that; ākarṇya — hearing; śayānam — lying down; śara-pañjare — on the bed of arrows; apṛcchat — asked; vividhān — multifarious; dharmān — duties; ṛṣīṇām — of the ṛṣis; ca — and; anuśṛṇvatām — hearing after.
TRANSLATION
Sūta Gosvāmī said: Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, after hearing Bhīṣmadeva speak in that appealing tone, asked him, in the presence of all the great ṛṣis, about the essential principles of various religious duties.
VERSE 1.9.26
puruṣa-sva-bhāva-vihitān
yathā-varṇaṁ yathāśramam
vairāgya-rāgopādhibhyām
āmnātobhaya-lakṣaṇān
SYNONYMS
puruṣa — the human being; sva-bhāva — by his own acquired qualities; vihitān — prescribed; yathā — according to; varṇam — classification of castes; yathā — according to; āśramam — orders of life; vairāgya — detachment; rāga — attachment; upādhibhyām — out of such designations; āmnāta — systematically; ubhaya — both; lakṣaṇān — symptoms.
TRANSLATION
At Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry, Bhīṣmadeva first defined all the classifications of castes and orders of life in terms of the individual’s qualifications. Then he systematically, in twofold divisions, described counteraction by detachment and interaction by attachment.
VERSE 1.9.27
dāna-dharmān rāja-dharmān
mokṣa-dharmān vibhāgaśaḥ
strī-dharmān bhagavad-dharmān
samāsa-vyāsa-yogataḥ
SYNONYMS
dāna-dharmān — the acts of charity; rāja-dharmān — pragmatic activities of the kings; mokṣa-dharmān — the acts for salvation; vibhāgaśaḥ — by divisions; strī-dharmān — duties of women; bhagavat-dharmān — the acts of the devotees; samāsa — generally; vyāsa — explicitly; yogataḥ — by means of.
TRANSLATION
He then explained, by divisions, acts of charity, the pragmatic activities of a king and activities for salvation. Then he described the duties of women and devotees, both briefly and extensively.
VERSE 1.9.28
dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣāṁś ca
sahopāyān yathā mune
nānākhyānetihāseṣu
varṇayām āsa tattvavit
SYNONYMS
dharma — occupational duties; artha — economic development; kāma — fulfillment of desires; mokṣān — ultimate salvation; ca — and; saha — along with; upāyān — means; yathā — as it is; mune — O sage; nānā — various; ākhyāna — by recitation of historical narrations; itihāseṣu — in the histories; varṇayām āsa — described; tattva-vit — one who knows the truth.
TRANSLATION
Then he described the occupational duties of different orders and statuses of life, citing instances from history, for he was himself well acquainted with the truth.
VERSE 1.9.29
dharmaṁ pravadatas tasya
sa kālaḥ pratyupasthitaḥ
yo yoginaś chanda-mṛtyor
vāñchitas tūttarāyaṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
dharmam — occupational duties; pravadataḥ — while describing; tasya — his; saḥ — that; kālaḥ — time; pratyupasthitaḥ — exactly appeared; yaḥ — that is; yoginaḥ — for the mystics; chanda-mṛtyoḥ — of one who dies according to one’s own selection of time; vāñchitaḥ — is desired by; tu — but; uttarāyaṇaḥ — the period when the sun runs on the northern horizon.
TRANSLATION
While Bhīṣmadeva was describing occupational duties, the sun’s course ran into the northern hemisphere. This period is desired by mystics who die at their will.
VERSE 1.9.30
tadopasaṁhṛtya giraḥ sahasraṇīr
vimukta-saṅgaṁ mana ādi-pūruṣe
kṛṣṇe lasat-pīta-paṭe catur-bhuje
puraḥ sthite ’mīlita-dṛg vyadhārayat
SYNONYMS
tadā — at that time; upasaṁhṛtya — withdrawing; giraḥ — speech; sahasraṇīḥ — Bhīṣmadeva (who was expert in thousands of sciences and arts); vimukta-saṅgam — completely freed from everything else; manaḥ — mind; ādi-pūruṣe — unto the original Personality of Godhead; kṛṣṇe — unto Kṛṣṇa; lasat-pīta-paṭe — decorated with yellow garments; catur-bhuje — unto the four-handed original Nārāyaṇa; puraḥ — just before; sthite — standing; amīlita — widespread; dṛk — vision; vyadhārayat — fixed.
TRANSLATION
Thereupon that man who spoke on different subjects with thousands of meanings, and who fought on thousands of battlefields and protected thousands of men, stopped speaking and, being completely freed from all bondage, withdrew his mind from everything else and fixed his wide-open eyes upon the original Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who stood before him, four-handed, dressed in yellow garments that glittered and shined.
VERSE 1.9.31
viśuddhayā dhāraṇayā hatāśubhas
tad-īkṣayaivāśu gatā-yudha-śramaḥ
nivṛtta-sarvendriya-vṛtti-vibhramas
tuṣṭāva janyaṁ visṛjañ janārdanam
SYNONYMS
viśuddhayā — by purified; dhāraṇayā — meditation; hata-aśubhaḥ — one who has minimized the inauspicious qualities of material existence; tat — Him; īkṣayā — by looking on; eva — simply; āśu — immediately; gatā — having gone away; yudha — from the arrows; śramaḥ — fatigue; nivṛtta — being stopped; sarva — all; indriya — senses; vṛtti — activities; vibhramaḥ — being widely engaged; tuṣṭāva — he prayed; janyam — the material tabernacle; visṛjan — while quitting; janārdanam — to the controller of the living beings.
TRANSLATION
By pure meditation, looking at Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, he at once was freed from all material inauspiciousness and was relieved of all bodily pains caused by the arrow wounds. Thus all the external activities of his senses at once stopped, and he prayed transcendentally to the controller of all living beings while quitting his material body.
VERSE 1.9.32
śrī-bhīṣma uvāca
iti matir upakalpitā vitṛṣṇā
bhagavati sātvata-puṅgave vibhūmni
sva-sukham upagate kvacid vihartuṁ
prakṛtim upeyuṣi yad-bhava-pravāhaḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-bhīṣmaḥ uvāca — Śrī Bhīṣmadeva said; iti — thus; matiḥ — thinking, feeling and willing; upakalpitā — invested; vitṛṣṇā — freed from all sense desires; bhagavati — unto the Personality of Godhead; sātvata-puṅgave — unto the leader of the devotees; vibhūmni — unto the great; sva-sukham — self-satisfaction; upagate — unto He who has attained it; kvacit — sometimes; vihartum — out of transcendental pleasure; prakṛtim — in the material world; upeyuṣi — do accept it; yat-bhava — from whom the creation; pravāhaḥ — is made and annihilated.
TRANSLATION
Bhīṣmadeva said: Let me now invest my thinking, feeling and willing, which were so long engaged in different subjects and occupational duties, in the all-powerful Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He is always self-satisfied, but sometimes, being the leader of the devotees, He enjoys transcendental pleasure by descending to the material world, although from Him only the material world is created.
VERSE 1.9.33
tri-bhuvana-kamanaṁ tamāla-varṇaṁ
ravi-kara-gaura-vara-ambaraṁ dadhāne
vapur alaka-kulāvṛtānanābjaṁ
vijaya-sakhe ratir astu me ’navadyā
SYNONYMS
tri-bhuvana — three statuses of planetary systems; kamanam — the most desirable; tamāla-varṇam — bluish like the tamāla tree; ravi-kara — sun rays; gaura — golden color; varāmbaram — glittering dress; dadhāne — one who wears; vapuḥ — body; alaka-kula-āvṛta — covered with paintings of sandalwood pulp; anana-abjam — face like a lotus; vijaya-sakhe — unto the friend of Arjuna; ratiḥ astu — may attraction be reposed upon Him; me — my; anavadyā — without desire for fruitive results.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the intimate friend of Arjuna. He has appeared on this earth in His transcendental body, which resembles the bluish color of the tamāla tree. His body attracts everyone in the three planetary systems [upper, middle and lower]. May His glittering yellow dress and His lotus face, covered with paintings of sandalwood pulp, be the object of my attraction, and may I not desire fruitive results.
VERSE 1.9.34
yudhi turaga-rajo-vidhūmra-viṣvak-
kaca-lulita-śramavāry-alaṅkṛtāsye
mama niśita-śarair vibhidyamāna-
tvaci vilasat-kavace ’stu kṛṣṇa ātmā
SYNONYMS
yudhi — on the battlefield; turaga — horses; rajaḥ — dust; vidhūmra — turned an ashen color; viṣvak — waving; kaca — hair; lulita — scattered; śramavāri — perspiration; alaṅkṛta — decorated with; āsye — unto the face; mama — my; niśita — sharp; śaraiḥ — by the arrows; vibhidyamāna — pierced by; tvaci — in the skin; vilasat — enjoying pleasure; kavace — protecting armor; astu — let there be; kṛṣṇe — unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa; ātmā — mind.
TRANSLATION
On the battlefield [where Śrī Kṛṣṇa attended Arjuna out of friendship], the flowing hair of Lord Kṛṣṇa turned ashen due to the dust raised by the hoofs of the horses. And because of His labor, beads of sweat wetted His face. All these decorations, intensified by the wounds dealt by my sharp arrows, were enjoyed by Him. Let my mind thus go unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
VERSE 1.9.35
sapadi sakhi-vaco niśamya madhye
nija-parayor balayo rathaṁ niveśya
sthitavati para-sainikāyur akṣṇā
hṛtavati pārtha-sakhe ratir mamāstu
SYNONYMS
sapadi — on the battlefield; sakhi-vacaḥ — command of the friend; niśamya — after hearing; madhye — in the midst; nija — His own; parayoḥ — and the opposite party; balayoḥ — strength; ratham — chariot; niveśya — having entered; sthitavati — while staying there; para-sainika — of the soldiers on the opposite side; āyuḥ — duration of life; akṣṇā — by looking over; hṛtavati — act of diminishing; pārtha — of Arjuna, son of Pṛthā (Kuntī); sakhe — unto the friend; ratiḥ — intimate relation; mama — my; astu — let there be.
TRANSLATION
In obedience to the command of His friend, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa entered the arena of the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra between the soldiers of Arjuna and Duryodhana, and while there He shortened the life spans of the opposite party by His merciful glance. This was done simply by His looking at the enemy. Let my mind be fixed upon that Kṛṣṇa.
VERSE 1.9.36
vyavahita-pṛtanā-mukhaṁ nirīkṣya
sva-jana-vadhād vimukhasya doṣa-buddhyā
kumatim aharad ātma-vidyayā yaś
caraṇa-ratiḥ paramasya tasya me ’stu
SYNONYMS
vyavahita — standing at a distance; pṛtanā — soldiers; mukham — faces; nirīkṣya — by looking upon; sva-jana — kinsmen; vadhāt — from the act of killing; vimukhasya — one who is reluctant; doṣa-buddhyā — by polluted intelligence; kumatim — poor fund of knowledge; aharat — eradicated; ātma-vidyayā — by transcendental knowledge; yaḥ — He who; caraṇa — to the feet; ratiḥ — attraction; paramasya — of the Supreme; tasya — for Him; me — my; astu — let there be.
TRANSLATION
When Arjuna was seemingly polluted by ignorance upon observing the soldiers and commanders before him on the battlefield, the Lord eradicated his ignorance by delivering transcendental knowledge. May His lotus feet always remain the object of my attraction.
VERSE 1.9.37
sva-nigamam apahāya mat-pratijñām
ṛtam adhikartum avapluto rathasthaḥ
dhṛta-ratha-caraṇo ’bhyayāc caladgur
harir iva hantum ibhaṁ gatottarīyaḥ
SYNONYMS
sva-nigamam — own truthfulness; apahāya — for nullifying; mat-pratijñām — my own promise; ṛtam — factual; adhi — more; kartum — for doing it; avaplutaḥ — getting down; ratha-sthaḥ — from the chariot; dhṛta — taking up; ratha — chariot; caraṇaḥ — wheel; abhyayāt — went hurriedly; caladguḥ — trampling the earth; hariḥ — lion; iva — like; hantum — to kill; ibham — elephant; gata — leaving aside; uttarīyaḥ — covering cloth.
TRANSLATION
Fulfilling my vow and sacrificing His own promise, He got down from the chariot, took up its wheel, and ran towards me hurriedly, just as a lion goes to kill an elephant. He even dropped His outer garment on the way.
VERSE 1.9.38
śita-viśikha-hato viśīrṇa-daṁśaḥ
kṣataja-paripluta ātatāyino me
prasabham abhisasāra mad-vadhārthaṁ
sa bhavatu me bhagavān gatir mukundaḥ
SYNONYMS
śita — sharp; viśikha — arrows; hataḥ — wounded by; viśīrṇa-daṁśaḥ — scattered shield; kṣataja — by wounds; pariplutaḥ — smeared with blood; ātatāyinaḥ — the great aggressor; me — my; prasabham — in an angry mood; abhisasāra — began to move on; mat-vadha-artham — for the purpose of killing me; saḥ — He; bhavatu — may become; me — my; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; gatiḥ — destination; mukundaḥ — who awards salvation.
TRANSLATION
May He, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, who awards salvation, be my ultimate destination. On the battlefield He charged me, as if angry because of the wounds dealt by my sharp arrows. His shield was scattered, and His body was smeared with blood due to the wounds.
VERSE 1.9.39
vijaya-ratha-kuṭumbha ātta-totre
dhṛta-haya-raśmini tac-chriyekṣaṇīye
bhagavati ratir astu me mumūrṣor
yam iha nirīkṣya hatā gatāḥ sva-rūpam
SYNONYMS
vijaya — Arjuna; ratha — chariot; kuṭumbe — the object of protection at all risk; ātta-totre — with a whip in the right hand; dhṛta-haya — controlling the horses; raśmini — ropes; tat-śriyā — beautifully standing; īkṣaṇīye — to look at; bhagavati — unto the Personality of Godhead; ratiḥ astu — let my attraction be; me — my; mumūrṣoḥ — one who is about to die; yam — upon whom; iha — in this world; nirīkṣya — by looking; hatāḥ — those who died; gatāḥ — attained; sva-rūpam — original form.
TRANSLATION
At the moment of death, let my ultimate attraction be to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. I concentrate my mind upon the chariot driver of Arjuna who stood with a whip in His right hand and a bridle rope in His left, who was very careful to give protection to Arjuna’s chariot by all means. Those who saw Him on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra attained their original forms after death.
VERSE 1.9.40
lalita-gati-vilāsa-valguhāsa-
praṇaya-nirīkṣaṇa-kalpitorumānāḥ
kṛtam anukṛtavatya unmadāndhāḥ
prakṛtim agan kila yasya gopa-vadhvaḥ
SYNONYMS
lalita — attractive; gati — movements; vilāsa — fascinating acts; valgu-hāsa — sweet smiling; praṇaya — loving; nirīkṣaṇa — looking upon; kalpita — mentality; urumānāḥ — highly glorified; kṛtam anukṛtavatyaḥ — in the act of copying the movements; unmada-andhāḥ — gone mad in ecstasy; prakṛtim — characteristics; agan — underwent; kila — certainly; yasya — whose; gopa-vadhvaḥ — the cowherd damsels.
TRANSLATION
Let my mind be fixed upon Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose motions and smiles of love attracted the damsels of Vrajadhāma [the gopīs]. The damsels imitated the characteristic movements of the Lord [after His disappearance from the rāsa dance].
VERSE 1.9.41
muni-gaṇa-nṛpa-varya-saṅkule ’ntaḥ-
sadasi yudhiṣṭhira-rājasūya eṣām
arhaṇam upapeda īkṣaṇīyo
mama dṛśi-gocara eṣa āvir ātmā
SYNONYMS
muni-gaṇa — the great learned sages; nṛpa-varya — the great ruling kings; saṅkule — in the great assembly of; antaḥ-sadasi — conference; yudhiṣṭhira — of Emperor Yudhiṣṭhira; rāja-sūye — a royal performance of sacrifice; eṣām — of all the great elites; arhaṇam — respectful worship; upapeda — received; īkṣaṇīyaḥ — the object of attraction; mama — my; dṛśi — sight; gocaraḥ — within the view of; eṣaḥ āviḥ — personally present; ātmā — the soul.
TRANSLATION
At the Rājasūya-yajña [sacrifice] performed by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, there was the greatest assembly of all the elite men of the world, the royal and learned orders, and in that great assembly Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was worshiped by one and all as the most exalted Personality of Godhead. This happened during my presence, and I remembered the incident in order to keep my mind upon the Lord.
VERSE 1.9.42
tam imam aham ajaṁ śarīra-bhājāṁ
hṛdi hṛdi dhiṣṭhitam ātma-kalpitānām
pratidṛśam iva naikadhārkam ekaṁ
samadhi-gato ’smi vidhūta-bheda-mohaḥ
SYNONYMS
tam — that Personality of Godhead; imam — now present before me; aham — I; ajam — the unborn; śarīra-bhājām — of the conditioned soul; hṛdi — in the heart; hṛdi — in the heart; dhiṣṭhitam — situated; ātma — the Supersoul; kalpitānām — of the speculators; pratidṛśam — in every direction; iva — like; na ekadhā — not one; arkam — the sun; ekam — one only; samadhigataḥ asmi — I have undergone trance in meditation; vidhūta — being freed from; bheda-mohaḥ — misconception of duality.
TRANSLATION
Now I can meditate with full concentration upon that one Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, now present before me because now I have transcended the misconceptions of duality in regard to His presence in everyone’s heart, even in the hearts of the mental speculators. He is in everyone’s heart. The sun may be perceived differently, but the sun is one.
VERSE 1.9.43
sūta uvāca
kṛṣṇa evaṁ bhagavati
mano-vāg-dṛṣṭi-vṛttibhiḥ
ātmany ātmānam āveśya
so ’ntaḥśvāsa upāramat
SYNONYMS
sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; kṛṣṇe — Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; evam — only; bhagavati — unto Him; manaḥ — with mind; vāk — speech; dṛṣṭi — sight; vṛttibhiḥ — activities; ātmani — unto the Supersoul; ātmānam — the living being; āveśya — having merged in; saḥ — he; antaḥ-śvāsaḥ — inhaling; upāramat — became silent.
TRANSLATION
Sūta Gosvāmī said: Thus Bhīṣmadeva merged himself in the Supersoul, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, with his mind, speech, sight and actions, and thus he became silent, and his breathing stopped.
VERSE 1.9.44
sampadyamānam ājñāya
bhīṣmaṁ brahmaṇi niṣkale
sarve babhūvus te tūṣṇīṁ
vayāṁsīva dinātyaye
SYNONYMS
sampadyamānam — having merged into; ājñāya — after knowing this; bhīṣmam — about Śrī Bhīṣmadeva; brahmaṇi — into the Supreme Absolute; niṣkale — unlimited; sarve — all present; babhūvuḥ te — all of them became; tūṣṇīm — silent; vayāṁsi iva — like birds; dina-atyaye — at the end of the day.
TRANSLATION
Knowing that Bhīṣmadeva had merged into the unlimited eternity of the Supreme Absolute, all present there became silent like birds at the end of the day.
VERSE 1.9.45
tatra dundubhayo nedur
deva-mānava-vāditāḥ
śaśaṁsuḥ sādhavo rājñāṁ
khāt petuḥ puṣpa-vṛṣṭayaḥ
SYNONYMS
tatra — thereafter; dundubhayaḥ — drums; neduḥ — were sounded; deva — the demigods from other planets; mānava — men from all countries; vāditāḥ — beaten by; śaśaṁsuḥ — praised; sādhavaḥ — honest; rājñām — by the royal order; khāt — from the sky; petuḥ — began to fall; puṣpa-vṛṣṭayaḥ — showers of flowers.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, both men and demigods sounded drums in honor, and the honest royal order commenced demonstrations of honor and respect. And from the sky fell showers of flowers.
VERSE 1.9.46
tasya nirharaṇādīni
samparetasya bhārgava
yudhiṣṭhiraḥ kārayitvā
muhūrtaṁ duḥkhito ’bhavat
SYNONYMS
tasya — his; nirharaṇa-ādīni — funeral ceremony; samparetasya — of the dead body; bhārgava — O descendant of Bhṛgu; yudhiṣṭhiraḥ — Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira; kārayitvā — having performed it; muhūrtam — for a moment; duḥkhitaḥ — sorry; abhavat — became.
TRANSLATION
O descendant of Bhṛgu [Śaunaka], after performing funeral rituals for the dead body of Bhīṣmadeva, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was momentarily overtaken with grief.
VERSE 1.9.47
tuṣṭuvur munayo hṛṣṭāḥ
kṛṣṇaṁ tad-guhya-nāmabhiḥ
tatas te kṛṣṇa-hṛdayāḥ
svāśramān prayayuḥ punaḥ
SYNONYMS
tuṣṭuvuḥ — satisfied; munayaḥ — the great sages, headed by Vyāsadeva, etc; hṛṣṭāḥ — all in a happy mood; kṛṣṇam — unto Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead; tat — His; guhya — confidential; nāmabhiḥ — by His holy name, etc; tataḥ — thereafter; te — they; kṛṣṇa-hṛdayāḥ — persons who always bear Lord Kṛṣṇa in their hearts; sva-āśramān — to their respective hermitages; prayayuḥ — returned; punaḥ — again.
TRANSLATION
All the great sages then glorified Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who was present there, by confidential Vedic hymns. Then all of them returned to their respective hermitages, bearing always Lord Kṛṣṇa within their hearts.
VERSE 1.9.48
tato yudhiṣṭhiro gatvā
saha-kṛṣṇo gajāhvayam
pitaraṁ sāntvayām āsa
gāndhārīṁ ca tapasvinīm
SYNONYMS
tataḥ — thereafter; yudhiṣṭhiraḥ — Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira; gatvā — going there; saha — with; kṛṣṇaḥ — the Lord; gajāhvayam — in the capital named Gajāhvaya Hastināpura; pitaram — unto his uncle (Dhṛtarāṣṭra); sāntvayām āsa — consoled; gāndhārīm — the wife of Dhṛtarāṣṭra; ca — and; tapasvinīm — an ascetic lady.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira at once went to his capital, Hastināpura, accompanied by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and there he consoled his uncle and aunt Gāndhārī, who was an ascetic.
VERSE 1.9.49
pitrā cānumato rājā
vāsudevānumoditaḥ
cakāra rājyaṁ dharmeṇa
pitṛ-paitāmahaṁ vibhuḥ
SYNONYMS
pitrā — by his uncle, Dhṛtarāṣṭra; ca — and; anumataḥ — with his approval; rājā — King Yudhiṣṭhira; vāsudeva-anumoditaḥ — confirmed by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; cakāra — executed; rājyam — the kingdom; dharmeṇa — in compliance with the codes of royal principles; pitṛ — father; paitāmaham — forefather; vibhuḥ — as great as.
TRANSLATION
After this, the great religious King, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, executed the royal power in the kingdom strictly according to the codes of royal principles approved by his uncle and confirmed by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.