Mahabharata 12.47: sapta catvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

12.47.1

janamejaya uvāca |
śaratalpe śayānastu bharatānāṃ pitāmahaḥ |
kathamutsṛṣṭavāndehaṃ kaṃ ca yogamadhārayat || 1 ||

"Janamejaya said, 'How did the grandsire of the Bharatas, who lay on a bed of arrows, cast off his body and what kind of Yoga did he adopt?'

12.47.2

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
śṛṇuṣvāvahito rājañśucirbhūtvā samāhitaḥ |
bhīṣmasya kuruśārdūla dehotsargaṃ mahātmanaḥ || 2 ||

"Vaisampayana said, 'Listen, O king, with pure heart and concentrated attention, as to how, O tiger among the Kurus, the high-souled Bhishma cast off his body. As soon as the Sun, passing the solstitial point, entered in his northerly course, Bhishma, with concentrated attention, caused his soul (as connected with and independent of the body) to enter his soul (in its independent and absolute state). Surrounded by many foremost of Brahmanas, that hero, his body pierced with innumerable arrows, blazed forth in great beauty like Surya himself with his innumerable rays. Surrounded by Vyasa conversant with the Vedas by the celestial Rishi Narada, by Devasthana, by Asmaka Sumantu, by Jaimini, by the high-souled Paila, by Sandilya, by Devarata, by Maitreya of great intelligence, by Asita and Vasishtha and the high-souled Kausika, by Harita and Lomasa and Atri's son of great intelligence, by Vrihaspati and Sukra and the great sage Chyavana, by Sanatkumara and Kapila and Valmiki and Tumvuru and Kuru, by Maudgalya and Rama of Bhrigu's race, and the great sage Trinavindu, by Pippalada and Vayu and Samvarta and Pulaha and Katha, by Kasyapa and Pulastya and Kratu and Daksha and Parasara, by Marichi and Angiras and Kasmya and Gautama and the sage Galava, by Dhaumya and Vibhanda and Mandavya and Dhaumra and Krishnanubhautika, by Uluka, that foremost of Brahmanas and the great sage Markandeya, by Bhaskari and Purana and Krishna and Suta,--that foremost of virtuous persons, surrounded by these and many other highly-blessed sages of great souls and possessed of faith and self-restraint and tranquillity of mind, the Kuru hero looked like the Moon in the midst of the planets and the stars. Stretched on his bed of arrows, that tiger among men, Bhishma, with pure heart and joined palms, thought of Krishna in mind, word, and act. With a cheerful and strong voice he hymned the praise of the slayer of Madhu, that master of yoga, with the lotus in his navel, that lord of the universe, called Vishnu and Jishnu. With joined hands, that foremost of eloquent men, that puissant one, viz., Bhishma of highly virtuous soul, thus praised Vasudeva.

12.47.3

nivṛttamātre tvayana uttare vai divākare |
samāveśayadātmānamātmanyeva samāhitaḥ || 3 ||

12.47.4

vikīrṇāṃśurivādityo bhīṣmaḥ śaraśataiścitaḥ |
śiśye paramayā lakṣmyā vṛto brāhmaṇasattamaiḥ || 4 ||

12.47.5

vyāsena vedaśravasā nāradena surarṣiṇā |
devasthānena vātsyena tathāśmakasumantunā || 5 ||

12.47.6

etaiścānyairmunigaṇairmahābhāgairmahātmabhiḥ |
śraddhādamapuraskārairvṛtaścandra iva grahaiḥ || 6 ||

12.47.7

bhīṣmastu puruṣavyāghraḥ karmaṇā manasā girā |
śaratalpagataḥ kṛṣṇaṃ pradadhyau prāñjaliḥ sthitaḥ || 7 ||

12.47.8

svareṇa puṣṭanādena tuṣṭāva madhusūdanam |
yogeśvaraṃ padmanābhaṃ viṣṇuṃ jiṣṇuṃ jagatpatim || 8 ||

12.47.9

kṛtāñjaliḥ śucirbhūtvā vāgvidāṃ pravaraḥ prabhum |
bhīṣmaḥ paramadharmātmā vāsudevamathāstuvat || 9 ||

12.47.10

ārirādhayiṣuḥ kṛṣṇaṃ vācaṃ jigamiṣāmi yām |
tayā vyāsasamāsinyā prīyatāṃ puruṣottamaḥ || 10 ||

"Bhishma said, 'O Krishna, O foremost of Beings, be thou pleased with these words which I utter, in brief and in detail, from desire of hymning thy praises. Thou art pure and purity's self. Thou transcendest all. Thou art what people say to be THAT. Thou art the Supreme Lord. With my whole heart I seek thy refuge, O universal Soul and Lord of all creatures! Thou art without beginning and without end. Thou art the highest of the high and Brahma. Neither the gods nor the Rishis know thee. The divine Creator, called Narayana or Hari, alone knows thee. Through Narayana, the Rishis, the Siddhas, the great Nagas, the gods, and the celestial Rishis know a little of thee. Thou art the highest of the high and knowest no deterioration. The gods, the Danavas, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Pannagas, do not know who thou art and whence art thou. All the worlds and all created things live in thee, and enter thee (when the dissolution comes). Like gems strung together in a thread, all things that have attributes reside in thee, the Supreme Lord.' Having the universe for thy work and the universe for thy limbs, this universe consisting of mind and matter resides in thy eternal and all-pervading soul like a number of flowers strung together in a strong thread. Thou art called Hari, of a thousand heads, a thousand feet, a thousand eyes, a thousand arms, a thousand crowns, and a thousand faces of great splendour. Thou art called Narayana, divinity, and the refuge of the universe. Thou art the subtlest of the subtle, grossest of the gross, the heaviest of the heavy and the highest of the high. In the Vaks, the Anuvaks, the Nishads, and Upanishads, thou art regarded as the Supreme Being of irresistible force. In the Samans also, whose declarations are always true, thou art regarded as Truth's self! Thou art of quadruple soul. Thou art displayed in only the understanding (of all creatures). Thou art the Lord of those that are bound to thee in faith. O God, thou art adored (by the faithful) under four excellent, high, and secret names. Penances are ever present in thee. Performed (by other creatures for gratifying thee), penances live in thy form. Thou art the Universal Soul. Thou art of universal knowledge. Thou art the universe. Thou art omniscient.

12.47.11

śuciḥ śuciṣadaṃ haṃsaṃ tatparaḥ parameṣṭhinam |
yuktvā sarvātmanātmānaṃ taṃ prapadye prajāpatim || 11 ||

12.47.12

yasminviśvāni bhūtāni tiṣṭhanti ca viśanti ca |
guṇabhūtāni bhūteśe sūtre maṇigaṇā iva || 12 ||

12.47.13

yasminnitye tate tantau dṛḍhe sragiva tiṣṭhati |
sadasadgrathitaṃ viśvaṃ viśvāṅge viśvakarmaṇi || 13 ||

12.47.14

hariṃ sahasraśirasaṃ sahasracaraṇekṣaṇam |
prāhurnārāyaṇaṃ devaṃ yaṃ viśvasya parāyaṇam || 14 ||

12.47.15

aṇīyasāmaṇīyāṃsaṃ sthaviṣṭhaṃ ca sthavīyasām |
garīyasāṃ gariṣṭhaṃ ca śreṣṭhaṃ ca śreyasāmapi || 15 ||

12.47.16

yaṃ vākeṣvanuvākeṣu niṣatsūpaniṣatsu ca |
gṛṇanti satyakarmāṇaṃ satyaṃ satyeṣu sāmasu || 16 ||

12.47.17

caturbhiścaturātmānaṃ sattvasthaṃ sātvatāṃ patim |
yaṃ divyairdevamarcanti guhyaiḥ paramanāmabhiḥ || 17 ||

12.47.18

yaṃ devaṃ devakī devī vasudevādajījanat |
bhaumasya brahmaṇo guptyai dīptamagnimivāraṇiḥ || 18 ||

[paragraph continues] Thou art the creator of everything in the universe. Like a couple of sticks generating a blazing fire, thou hast been born of the divine Devaki and Vasudeva for the protection of Brahma on earth. For this eternal salvation, the devout worshipper, with mind withdrawn from everything else and casting off all desires, beholds thee, O Govinda, that art the pure Soul, in his own soul. Thou transcendest Surya in glory. Thou art beyond the ken of the senses and the understanding. O Lord of all creatures, I place myself in thy hands. In the Puranas thou hast been spoken as Purusha (all-pervading spirit). On occasions of the commencement of the Yugas, thou art said to be Brahma, while on occasions of universal dissolution thou art spoken of as Sankarshana. Adorable thou art, and therefore I adore thee. Though one, thou hast yet been born in innumerable forms. Thou hast thy passions under complete control. Thy devout worshippers, faithfully performing the rites laid down in the scriptures, sacrifice to thee, O giver of every wish! Thou art called the sheath within which the universe lies. All created things live in thee. Like swans and ducks swimming on the water, all the worlds that we see float in thee. Thou art Truth. Thou art One and undeteriorating. Thou art Brahma, Thou art That which is beyond Mind and Matter. Thou art without beginning, middle, and end. Neither the gods nor the Rishis know thee.

12.47.19

yamananyo vyapetāśīrātmānaṃ vītakalmaṣam |
iṣṭvānantyāya govindaṃ paśyatyātmanyavasthitam || 19 ||

12.47.20

purāṇe puruṣaḥ prokto brahmā prokto yugādiṣu |
kṣaye saṃkarṣaṇaḥ proktastamupāsyamupāsmahe || 20 ||

12.47.21

ativāyvindrakarmāṇamatisūryāgnitejasam |
atibuddhīndriyātmānaṃ taṃ prapadye prajāpatim || 21 ||

The gods, the Asuras, the Gandharvas, the Siddhas, the Rishis, and the great Uragas with concentrated souls, always adore thee. Thou art the great panacea for all sorrow. Thou art without birth and death. Thou art Divine. Thou art self-created. Thou art eternal. Thou art invisible and beyond ken. Thou art called Hari and Narayana, O puissant one. The Vedas declare thee to be the Creator of the universe and the Lord of everything existing in the universe. Thou art the Supreme protector of the universe. Thou knowest no deterioration and thou art that which is called the highest. Thou art of the complexion of gold. Thou art the slayer of Asuras. Though One, Aditi brought thee forth in twelve forms. Salutations to thee that art the soul of the Sun. Salutations to thee in thy form of Soma that is spoken of as the chief of all the regenerate ones and that gratifies with nectar the gods in the lighted fortnight and the Pitris in the dark fortnight. Thou art the One Being of transcendent effulgence dwelling on the other side of thick darkness. Knowing thee one ceases to have any fear of death. Salutations to thee in that form which is an object of knowledge. In the grand Uktha sacrifice, the Brahmanas adore thee as the great Rich. In the great fire-sacrifice, they sing thee as the chief Adhyaryu (priest). Thou art the soul of the Vedas. Salutations to thee. The Richs, the Yajus, and the Samans are thy abode. Thou art the five kinds of sanctified libations (used in sacrifices).

12.47.22

yaṃ vai viśvasya kartāraṃ jagatastasthuṣāṃ patim |
vadanti jagato'dhyakṣamakṣaraṃ paramaṃ padam || 22 ||

12.47.23

hiraṇyavarṇaṃ yaṃ garbhamaditirdaityanāśanam |
ekaṃ dvādaśadhā jajñe tasmai sūryātmane namaḥ || 23 ||

12.47.24

śukle devānpitṝnkṛṣṇe tarpayatyamṛtena yaḥ |
yaśca rājā dvijātīnāṃ tasmai somātmane namaḥ || 24 ||

12.47.25

mahatastamasaḥ pāre puruṣaṃ jvalanadyutim |
yaṃ jñātvā mṛtyumatyeti tasmai jñeyātmane namaḥ || 25 ||

12.47.26

yaṃ bṛhantaṃ bṛhatyukthe yamagnau yaṃ mahādhvare |
yaṃ viprasaṃghā gāyanti tasmai vedātmane namaḥ || 26 ||

12.47.27

ṛgyajuḥsāmadhāmānaṃ daśārdhahavirākṛtim |
yaṃ saptatantuṃ tanvanti tasmai yajñātmane namaḥ || 27 ||

Thou art the seven woofs used in the Vedas. Salutations to thee in thy form of Sacrifice. Libations are poured on the Homa fire in accompaniment with the seventeen monosyllabic sounds. Thou art the soul of the Homa. Salutations to thee! Thou art that Purusha whom the Vedas sing. Thy name is Yajus. The Vedic metres are thy limbs. The sacrifices laid down in the three Vedas are thy three heads. The great sacrifice called Rathantara is thy voice expressive of gratification. Salutation to thee in thy form of sacred hymns! Thou art the Rishi that hadst appeared in the great sacrifice extending for a thousand years performed by the creators of the universe. Thou art the great swan with wings of gold. Salutations to thee in thy form of a swan. Roots with all kinds of affixes and suffixes are thy limbs. The Sandhis are thy joints. The consonants and the vowels are thy ornaments. The Vedas have declared thee to be the divine word. Salutations to thee in thy form as the word! Assuming the form of a boar whose limbs were constituted by sacrifice, thou hadst raised the submerged earth for the benefit of the three worlds. Salutations to thee in thy form of infinite prowess! Thou sleepest in Yoga on thy snake-decked sofa constituted by the thousand hoods (of the Naga). Salutations to thee in thy form of sleep!

12.47.28

yaḥ suparṇo yajurnāma chandogātrastrivṛcchirāḥ |
rathaṃtarabṛhatyakṣastasmai stotrātmane namaḥ || 28 ||

12.47.29

yaḥ sahasrasave satre jajñe viśvasṛjāmṛṣiḥ |
hiraṇyavarṇaḥ śakunistasmai haṃsātmane namaḥ || 29 ||

12.47.30

padāṅgaṃ saṃdhiparvāṇaṃ svaravyañjanalakṣaṇam |
yamāhurakṣaraṃ nityaṃ tasmai vāgātmane namaḥ || 30 ||

12.47.31

yaścinoti satāṃ setumṛtenāmṛtayoninā |
dharmārthavyavahārāṅgaistasmai satyātmane namaḥ || 31 ||

Thou buildest the bridge for the good (to cross the sea of life) with Truth, with those means by which emancipation may be obtained, and with the means by which the senses may be controlled. Salutations to thee in thy form of Truth! Men practising diverse creeds, actuated by desire of diverse fruits worship thee with diverse rites. Salutations to thee in thy form of Creed! From thee have all things sprung. It is thou that excitest all creatures having physical frames containing the principle of desire. Salutations to thee in thy form of Excitement. The great Rishis seek thy unmanifest self within the manifest. Called Kshetrajna, thou sittest in Kshetra. Salutations to thee in thy form of Kshetra! Thou always conscious and present in self, the Sankhyas still describe thee as existing in the three states of wakefulness, dream, and sound sleep. They further speak of thee as possessed of sixteen attributes and representing the number seventeen. Salutations to thy form as conceived by the Sankhyas! Casting off sleep, restraining breath, withdrawn into their own selves, Yogins of restrained senses behold thee as eternal light. Salutations to thee in thy Yoga form! Peaceful Sannyasins, freed from fear of rebirth in consequence of the destruction of all their sins and merits, obtain thee. Salutations to thee in thy form of emancipation! At the end of a thousand Yugas, thou assumest the form of a fire with blazing flames and consumest all creatures.

12.47.32

yaṃ pṛthagdharmacaraṇāḥ pṛthagdharmaphalaiṣiṇaḥ |
pṛthagdharmaiḥ samarcanti tasmai dharmātmane namaḥ || 32 ||

12.47.33

yaṃ taṃ vyaktasthamavyaktaṃ vicinvanti maharṣayaḥ |
kṣetre kṣetrajñamāsīnaṃ tasmai kṣetrātmane namaḥ || 33 ||

12.47.34

yaṃ dṛgātmānamātmasthaṃ vṛtaṃ ṣoḍaśabhirguṇaiḥ |
prāhuḥ saptadaśaṃ sāṃkhyāstasmai sāṃkhyātmane namaḥ || 34 ||

12.47.35

yaṃ vinidrā jitaśvāsāḥ sattvasthāḥ saṃyatendriyāḥ |
jyotiḥ paśyanti yuñjānāstasmai yogātmane namaḥ || 35 ||

12.47.36

apuṇyapuṇyoparame yaṃ punarbhavanirbhayāḥ |
śāntāḥ saṃnyāsino yānti tasmai mokṣātmane namaḥ || 36 ||

12.47.37

yo'sau yugasahasrānte pradīptārcirvibhāvasuḥ |
saṃbhakṣayati bhūtāni tasmai ghorātmane namaḥ || 37 ||

12.47.38

saṃbhakṣya sarvabhūtāni kṛtvā caikārṇavaṃ jagat |
bālaḥ svapiti yaścaikastasmai māyātmane namaḥ || 38 ||

Salutations to thee in thy form of fierceness! Having consumed all creatures and making the universe one vast expanse of water, thou sleepest on the waters in the form of a child. Salutations to thee in thy form as Maya (illusion)! From the navel of the Self-born of eyes like lotus leaves, sprang a lotus. On that lotus is established this universe. Salutations to thee in thy form as lotus! Thou hast a thousand heads. Thou pervadest everything. Thou art of immeasurable soul. Thou hast subjugated the four kinds of desire that are as vast as the four oceans. Salutations to thee in thy form of Yoga-sleep! The clouds are in the hair of thy head. The rivers are in the several joints of thy limbs. The four oceans are in thy stomach. Salutations to thee in thy form as water! Birth and the change represented by death spring from thee. All things, again, at the universal dissolution dissolve away in thee. Salutations to thy form as cause! Thou sleepest not in the night. Thou art occupied in day time also. Thou observest the good and the bad actions (of all). Salutations to thee in thy form of (universal) observer! There is no act which thou canst not do. Thou art, again, ever ready to accomplish acts that are righteous. Salutations to thee in thy form of Work, the form, viz., which is called Vaikuntha! In wrath thou hadst, in battle, exterminated thrice seven times the Kshatriyas who had trampled virtue and authority under their feet. Salutations to thee in thy form of Cruelty!

12.47.39

sahasraśirase tasmai puruṣāyāmitātmane |
catuḥsamudraparyāyayoganidrātmane namaḥ || 39 ||

12.47.40

ajasya nābhāvadhyekaṃ yasminviśvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam |
puṣkaraṃ puṣkarākṣasya tasmai padmātmane namaḥ || 40 ||

12.47.41

yasya keśeṣu jīmūtā nadyaḥ sarvāṅgasaṃdhiṣu |
kukṣau samudrāścatvārastasmai toyātmane namaḥ || 41 ||

12.47.42

yugeṣvāvartate yoṃ'śairdinartvayanahāyanaiḥ |
sargapralayayoḥ kartā tasmai kālātmane namaḥ || 42 ||

Dividing thyself into five portions thou hast become the five vital breaths that act within everybody and cause every living creature to move. Salutations to thee in thy form of air! Thou appearest in every Yuga in the form called month and season and half-year and year, and art the cause of both creation and dissolution. Salutations to thee in thy form of Time! Brahmanas are thy mouth, Kshatriyas are thy two arms, Vaisyas are thy stomach and thighs, and Sudras live in thy feet. Salutations to thee in thy form of caste! Fire constitute thy mouth. The heavens are the crown of thy head. The sky is thy navel. The earth is thy feet. The Sun is thy eye. The points of the compass are thy ears. Salutations to thee in thy form as the (three) worlds! Thou art superior to Time. Thou art superior to Sacrifice. Thou art higher than the highest. Thyself without origin, thou art the origin of the universe. Salutations to thee in thy form as Universe! Men of the world, according to the attributes ascribed to thee by the Vaiseshika theory, regard thee as the Protector of the world. Salutations to thee in thy form of Protector! Assuming the forms of food, drink, and fuel, thou increasest the humours and the life-breaths of creatures and upholdest their existence. Salutations to thee in thy form of life! For supporting the life-breaths thou eatest the four kinds of food. Assuming also the form of Agni within the stomach, thou digestest that food.

12.47.43

brahma vaktraṃ bhujau kṣatraṃ kṛtsnamūrūdaraṃ viśaḥ |
pādau yasyāśritāḥ śūdrāstasmai varṇātmane namaḥ || 43 ||

12.47.44

yasyāgnirāsyaṃ dyaurmūrdhā khaṃ nābhiścaraṇau kṣitiḥ |
sūryaścakṣurdiśaḥ śrotre tasmai lokātmane namaḥ || 44 ||

12.47.45

viṣaye vartamānānāṃ yaṃ taṃ vaiśeṣikairguṇaiḥ |
prāhurviṣayagoptāraṃ tasmai goptrātmane namaḥ || 45 ||

12.47.46

annapānendhanamayo rasaprāṇavivardhanaḥ |
yo dhārayati bhūtāni tasmai prāṇātmane namaḥ || 46 ||

12.47.47

paraḥ kālātparo yajñātparaḥ sadasatośca yaḥ |
anādirādirviśvasya tasmai viśvātmane namaḥ || 47 ||

12.47.48

yo mohayati bhūtāni sneharāgānubandhanaiḥ |
sargasya rakṣaṇārthāya tasmai mohātmane namaḥ || 48 ||

Salutations to thee in the form of digesting heat! Assuming the form of half-man and half-lion, with tawny eyes and tawny manes, with teeth and claws for thy weapons, thou hadst taken the life of the chief of the Asuras. Salutations to thee in thy form of swelling might! Neither the gods, nor the Gandharvas, nor the Daityas, nor the Danavas, know thee truly. Salutations to thy form of exceeding subtility! Assuming the form of the handsome, illustrious, and puissant Ananta in the nether region, thou upholdest the world. Salutations to thy form of Might! Thou stupefiest all creatures by the bonds of affection and love for the continuance of the creation. Salutations to thee in thy form of stupefaction. Regarding that knowledge which is conversant with the five elements to be the true Self-knowledge (for which yogins strive), people approach thee by knowledge! Salutations to thee in thy form of Knowledge! Thy body is immeasurable. Thy understanding and eyes are devoted to everything. Thou art infinite, being beyond all measures. Salutations to thee in thy form of vastness! Thou hadst assumed the form of a recluse with matted locks on head, staff in hand, a long stomach, and having thy begging bowl for thy quiver. Salutations to thee in thy form of Brahma. Thou bearest the trident, thou art the lord of the celestials, thou hast three eyes, and thou art high-souled. Thy body is always besmeared with ashes, and thy phallic emblem is always turned upwards.

12.47.49

ātmajñānamidaṃ jñānaṃ jñātvā pañcasvavasthitam |
yaṃ jñānino'dhigacchanti tasmai jñānātmane namaḥ || 49 ||

12.47.50

aprameyaśarīrāya sarvato'nantacakṣuṣe |
apāraparimeyāya tasmai cintyātmane namaḥ || 50 ||

12.47.51

jaṭine daṇḍine nityaṃ lambodaraśarīriṇe |
kamaṇḍaluniṣaṅgāya tasmai brahmātmane namaḥ || 51 ||

12.47.52

śūline tridaśeśāya tryambakāya mahātmane |
bhasmadigdhordhvaliṅgāya tasmai rudrātmane namaḥ || 52 ||

Salutations to thee in thy form of Rudra! The half-moon forms the ornament of thy forehead. Thou hast snakes for the holy thread circling thy neck. Thou art armed with Pinaka and trident. Salutations to thy form of Fierceness! Thou art the soul of all creatures. Thou art the Creator and the Destroyer of all creatures. Thou art without wrath, without enmity, without affection. Salutations to thee in thy form of Peace! Everything is in thee. Everything is from thee. Thyself art Everything. Everywhere art thou. Thou art always the All. Salutations to thee in thy form as Everything! Salutations to thee whose work is the universe, to thee that art the soul of the universe, to thee from whom hath sprung the universe, to thee that art the dissolution of all things, to thee that are beyond the five (elements that constitute all things)! Salutations to thee that art the three worlds, to thee that art above the three worlds! Salutations to thee that art all the directions! Thou art all and thou art the one receptacle of All. Salutations to thee, O divine Lord, O Vishnu, and O eternal origin of all the worlds! Thou, O Hrishikesa, art the Creator, thou art the Destroyer, and thou art invincible. I cannot behold that heavenly form in which thou art displayed in the Past, Present, and the Future. I can, however, behold truly thy eternal form (as manifest in thy works). Thou hast filled heaven with thy head, and the earth with thy feet: with thy prowess thou hast filled the three worlds.

12.47.53

pañcabhūtātmabhūtāya bhūtādinidhanātmane |
akrodhadrohamohāya tasmai śāntātmane namaḥ || 53 ||

12.47.54

yasminsarvaṃ yataḥ sarvaṃ yaḥ sarvaṃ sarvataśca yaḥ |
yaśca sarvamayo nityaṃ tasmai sarvātmane namaḥ || 54 ||

12.47.55

viśvakarmannamaste'stu viśvātmanviśvasaṃbhava |
apavargo'si bhūtānāṃ pañcānāṃ parataḥ sthitaḥ || 55 ||

12.47.56

namaste triṣu lokeṣu namaste paratastriṣu |
namaste dikṣu sarvāsu tvaṃ hi sarvaparāyaṇam || 56 ||

12.47.57

namaste bhagavanviṣṇo lokānāṃ prabhavāpyaya |
tvaṃ hi kartā hṛṣīkeśa saṃhartā cāparājitaḥ || 57 ||

12.47.58

tena paśyāmi te divyānbhāvānhi triṣu vartmasu |
tacca paśyāmi tattvena yatte rūpaṃ sanātanam || 58 ||

12.47.59

divaṃ te śirasā vyāptaṃ padbhyāṃ devī vasuṃdharā |
vikrameṇa trayo lokāḥ puruṣo'si sanātanaḥ || 59 ||

Thou art Eternal and thou pervadest everything in the universe. The directions are thy arms, the Sun is thy eye, and prowess is thy vital fluid. Thou art the lord of all creatures. Thou standest, shutting up the seven paths of the Wind whose energy is immeasurable. They are freed from all feats that worship thee, O Govinda of unfading prowess, thee that art attired in yellow robes of the colour of the Atasi flower. Even one bending of the head unto thee, O Krishna, is equal to the completion of ten Horse-sacrifices. The man that has performed ten Horse-sacrifices is not freed from the obligation of rebirth. The man, however, that bows to Krishna escapes rebirth. They that have Krishna for their vow, they that think of Krishna in the night, and upon rising from sleep, may be said to have Krishna for their body. Those people (after death) enter Krishna's self even as libations of clarified butter sanctified with mantras enter the blazing fire. Salutations to thee that dispellest the fear of hell, to thee, O Vishnu, that art a boat unto them that are plunged amid the eddies of the ocean represented by worldly life! Salutations to thee, O God, that art the Brahmana's self, to thee that art the benefactor of Brahmanas and kine, to thee that art the benefactor of the universe, to thee that art Krishna and Govinda!

12.47.60

atasīpuṣpasaṃkāśaṃ pītavāsasamacyutam |
ye namasyanti govindaṃ na teṣāṃ vidyate bhayam || 60 ||

12.47.61

yathā viṣṇumayaṃ satyaṃ yathā viṣṇumayaṃ haviḥ |
yathā viṣṇumayaṃ sarvaṃ pāpmā me naśyatāṃ tathā || 61 ||

The two syllables Hari constitute the pecuniary stock of those that sojourn through the wilderness of life and the medicine that effectually cures all worldly, predilections, besides being the means that alleviate sorrow and grief. As truth is full of Vishnu, as the universe is full of Vishnu, as everything is full of Vishnu, so let my soul be full of Vishnu and my sins be destroyed! I seek thy protection and am devoted to thee, desirous of obtaining a happy end O thou of eyes like lotus petals, O best of gods, do thou think of what will be for my good! Thyself without origin, O Vishnu, thou art the origin of Knowledge and Penances. Thus art thou praised! O Janardana, thus worshipped by me in the Sacrifice constituted by speech (alone), be, O god, gratified with me! The Vedas are devoted to Narayana. Penances are devoted to Narayana. The gods are devoted to Narayana. Everything is always Narayana!'"

12.47.62

tvāṃ prapannāya bhaktāya gatimiṣṭāṃ jigīṣave |
yacchreyaḥ puṇḍarīkākṣa taddhyāyasva surottama || 62 ||

12.47.63

iti vidyātapoyonirayonirviṣṇurīḍitaḥ |
vāgyajñenārcito devaḥ prīyatāṃ me janārdanaḥ || 63 ||

12.47.64

etāvaduktvā vacanaṃ bhīṣmastadgatamānasaḥ |
nama ityeva kṛṣṇāya praṇāmamakarottadā || 64 ||

Vaisampayana continued, "Having uttered these words, Bhishma, with mind concentrated upon Krishna, said, 'Salutations to Krishna!' and bowed unto him. Learning by his Yoga prowess of the devotion of Bhishma, Madhava, otherwise called Hari, (entering his body) bestowed upon him heavenly knowledge compassing the Past, the Present, and the Future, and went away. When Bhishma became silent, those utterers of Brahma (that sat around him), with voices choked in tears, adored that high-souled chief of the Kurus in excellent words. Those foremost of Brahmanas uttered the praises of Krishna also, that first of Beings, and then continued in soft voices to commend Bhishma repeatedly. Learning (by his Yoga powers) of the devotion of Bhishma towards him, that foremost of Beings, viz., Madhava, suddenly rose from his seat and ascended on his car, Kesava and Satyaki proceeded on one car. On another proceeded those two illustrious princes, viz., Yudhishthira and Dhananjaya. Bhimasena and the twins rode on a third; while those bulls among men, Kripa and Yuyutsu, and that scorcher of foes, Sanjaya of the Suta caste, proceeded on their respective cars, each of which looked like a town. And all of them proceeded, causing the earth to tremble with the rattle of their chariot-wheels. That foremost of men, as he proceeded, cheerfully listened to the speeches, fraught with his praise, that were uttered by the Brahmanas. The slayer of Kesi, with gladdened heart, saluted the people that waited (along the streets) with joined hands and bent heads."

12.47.65

abhigamya tu yogena bhaktiṃ bhīṣmasya mādhavaḥ |
traikālyadarśanaṃ jñānaṃ divyaṃ dātuṃ yayau hariḥ || 65 ||

12.47.66

tasminnuparate śabde tataste brahmavādinaḥ |
bhīṣmaṃ vāgbhirbāṣpakaṇṭhāstamānarcurmahāmatim || 66 ||

12.47.67

te stuvantaśca viprāgryāḥ keśavaṃ puruṣottamam |
bhīṣmaṃ ca śanakaiḥ sarve praśaśaṃsuḥ punaḥ punaḥ || 67 ||

12.47.68

viditvā bhaktiyogaṃ tu bhīṣmasya puruṣottamaḥ |
sahasotthāya saṃhṛṣṭo yānamevānvapadyata || 68 ||

12.47.69

keśavaḥ sātyakiścaiva rathenaikena jagmatuḥ |
apareṇa mahātmānau yudhiṣṭhiradhanaṃjayau || 69 ||

12.47.70

bhīmaseno yamau cobhau rathamekaṃ samāsthitau |
kṛpo yuyutsuḥ sūtaśca saṃjayaścāparaṃ ratham || 70 ||

12.47.71

te rathairnagarākāraiḥ prayātāḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ |
nemighoṣeṇa mahatā kampayanto vasuṃdharām || 71 ||

12.47.72

tato giraḥ puruṣavarastavānvitā dvijeritāḥ pathi sumanāḥ sa śuśruve |
kṛtāñjaliṃ praṇatamathāparaṃ janaṃ sa keśihā muditamanābhyanandata || 72 ||