Section LXVIII Bhagavat-Gita Parva

Section LXVIII Bhagavat-Gita Parva

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[Sanjaya continued,]

"Bhishma said,

'Hear from me, O king, this hymn that was uttered by Brahman himself. This hymn was in days of old communicated by regenerate Rishis and the gods (to men) on Earth-Narada described you as the Master and the Lord of the god of gods and all the Sadhyas and the celestials, and as one acquainted with the nature of the Creator of the worlds. Markandeya spoke of you as the Past, the Present, and the Future, and the sacrifice of sacrifices, and the austerity of austerities.

The illustrious Bhrigu said of you that you are the God of the gods, that thine is the ancient form of Vishnu. Dvaipayana said of you that you are Vasudeva of the Vasus, the establisher of Sakra, and the God of gods and all creatures. In days of old on the occasion of procreating creatures, the sages spoke of you as Daksha, the Father of creation. Angiras said that you are the creator of all beings. Devala said of you that the unmanifest all is your body, and the manifest is in your mind, and that the gods are all the result of your breath.[1]

With your heads is pervaded the heavens, and your two arms support the Earth. In your stomach are three worlds and you are the Eternal Being. Even thus do men exalted by asceticism know you. You are the Sat of Sat, with Rishis gratified with sight of Self.

With royal sages of liberal minds, never retreating from battle and having morality for their highest end, you, O slayer of Madhu, art, the sole refuse. Even thus is that illustrious and Supreme Being, viz., Hari, adored and worshipped by Sanatkumar and other ascetics endued with Yoga. The truth about Kesava, O sire, is now narrated to you, both in brief and detail. Turn your heart in love to Kesava.'"

Sanjaya continued,

"Hearing this sacred story, your son, O great king, began to regard highly both Kesava and these mighty car-warriors, viz., the sons of Pandu.

Then, O monarch, Bhishma the son of Santanu once more addressed your son, saying,

'You have now heard truly, O king, about the glory of the high-souled Kesava and of Nara about which you had asked me. You have also heard about the object for which both Nara and Narayana have taken their births among men. You have also been told the reason why those heroes are invincible and have never been vanquished in battle, and why also, O king, the sons of Pandu are incapable of being slain in battle, by anybody. Krishna bears great love for the illustrious sons of Pandu. It is for this, O king of kings, that I say, 'Let peace be made with the Pandavas.' Restraining your passions enjoy you the Earth with your mighty brothers (around you). By disregarding the divine Nara and Narayana, you shalt certainly be destroyed.

Having said these words, your sire, became silent, O monarch, and dismissing the king, entered his tent. And the king also came back to his (own) tent, having worshipped the illustrious grandsire. And then, O bull of Bharata’s race, he laid himself down on his white bed for passing the night in sleep."

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Word of command.

[2]:

i.e., really existent among all things.