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bhishma-stuthi-2

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M K Sudarshan • June 4, 1997 


srimathE lakshmi-nrsumha parabrahmaNE namaha
sri vedanta guravE namaha

Dear "bhAgavatOttamA-s",

The "bhishma-stuthi" is a 11-verse offering in praise of Lord Krishna
uttered by Bhishma in his last moments on earth. The event of the
"pitaAmahar's" final release from mortal coils is described in the 9th
"adhyAya" of the first "skandam".

If you go to the epic Mahabharatha itself, you can see it graphically
recounting the scene of Bhishma, the venerable warrior, lying mortally
wounded on the Kurukshetra battle-field, his life-breath draining away
little by little. By a supreme effort of sheer will the
"uttama-brahmhachAri", the "agrEsarar" among "gnyAni-s" and the foremost of
"dharmAdhikAri-s" is said to have held on to his life waiting for the
outbreak of "uttarAyana" (the day when the sun begins its journey towards
the summer solstice) and for an auspicious moment to finally depart into the
other world.

It is in those last few moments of his life that Bhishma is said to have had
the precious "antima-smriti" of Lord Krishna, the "para-brahmham" Himself .

By his own account in the "bhisma-stuthi", Bhishma had a grand vision of
Truth ..."mOkshAnandam" ... an experience rarely granted, if ever at all, in
the mortal world. And it happened in a crowning, climactic moment when
Spirit takes leave of its tenancy in the material state and relapses into
its natural home in a place of eternal bliss.... in the embrace of the Lord
.... an experience called "parama-padam".

In all of "vEdic" literature, "pUrANA-s" and "itihAsA-s", there are only two
great souls which have had the privilege of experiencing "mOkshA" in the
temporal world. One was AnjanEya who is reported to have been "embraced" by
Lord Rama on the former's return to Kishkinda with news of Sita's
whereabouts in Lanka. The other one was Bhishma who experienced
"antima-smriti" and ineffable "mOkshAnandam" Lord Krishna blessed him with
on his death-bed.  

Indeed, for the wise and wizened "pitAmahar", it was a moment of terminal
consummation. It was the moment he'd looked forward to all his life as the
culmination of all that he'd struggled and worked for in life as an elder-
statesman of Hastinapura and as the foremost well-wisher of its subjects
ruled by the Kaurava-dynasty. It was the moment when the many "dharmA-s"
that Bhishma had stood for, fought for ... and eventually died for.... were
all affirmed by the "para-brahmham" Himself.

It was a sort of epochal moment ... and Swami Desikan, in his
"gOpAla-vimshati", we saw, captured its essence as only the
"kavi-tArkika-simham" can --- in a single, elegant and revealing 'bon-mot' :
"pratibhA-santu mamAntima-prayANE" .... "revelation for the soul at
journey's end". 

The 'stuthi' itself is a very simple one in terms of poetic construction or
substance. It's 11 endearing stanzas appear fractional in comparison to
Bhishma's other magnificent offering --- the immortal 1000-versed
"VishnuSahasranAmam".

The reason, however, why "bhishma-stuthi" has traditionally been held in
extremely high esteem by SriVaishnava "AchAryA-s" --- as highly as the
"sahasranAmama", in fact --- is because it contains, within its deep kernel,
the very quintessence of many 'vEdAntic' themes with a distinctly
VisishtAdvaitic flavour. Every phrase in the "bhishma-stuthi", scholars have
commented, seems to be shorthand for the vast saga of lofty wisdom that
Vyasa's "Mahabharatha", verily, is.

A unique feature of the 10 verses of this "stUthi" is the way they sound to
one's ears. Vowel and consonant, rhyme and syntax in this Sanskrit poem are
sweetly evocative of the distant echoes of many subtle themes, scenes and
plots in the Mahabharatha.

The "stuthi" when recited, therefore, creates a mood of grave reflection and
repose in the mind of the reader/reciter even if he/she were to possess only
a smattering of the Sanskrit language and/or the skimpiest acquaintance with
the great message of the Mahabharatha.

Listening to the soft sounds of this "stuthi" is, indeed, like listening to
a philharmonic representation of a simple folk tune. It sounds like a
simple, uncomplicated refrain but you sense, as you read or recite it
repeatedly, that many grand operas lie latent between its lines.

The venerable 42nd pontiff of the Ahobila Mutt, His Holiness Srimad
'InjimEdu' Azhagiyasingar was an exceptionally astute "AchArya" under whose
tenure the Mutt made vast strides in its religious mission. He was known to
have been an extremely rare blend of saint, philosopher and administrator
'par excellence'.

Now, that great "AchAryA" was reportedly an inveterate lover of the
"bhishma- stUthi". It is said that he made this hymn part of his
"nityA-pArAyaNam" or the daily litany of worship to the Lord. In the late
evenings before retiring for the day, it is said, Srimad InjimEdu Swami used
to assemble all Mutt acolytes in a central hall and instruct them to recite
aloud this "stuthi". The practice, it is reported, became an unfailing Mutt
practice in those days.

The 42nd Azhagiyasingar set such great store by this rare "stUthi" that he
was known to readily recommend it for deep study and reflection to anyone
who came to him inquiring about the possiblities of "bhagavad-guNAnubhavam"
during the twilight hours of one's life ..... the "antima-prayANa-kAlE"
Swami Desikan speaks of .... or the "antima-smriti" the ancient Upanishad
describes as a great "brahmha-vidyA".  

For all the above reasons, therefore, it is extremely important that we make
a serious effort to study and understand, to the best of our limited
abilities, this awe-inspiring hymn sung by the dying Bhishma on the
Kurukshetra battle-field.

I shall try and essay in the following few posts a reproduction of
Sri.Mukkur Swamy's "anubhavam" of the "bhisma-stuthi" in as faithful a
manner as my meagre skills in paraphrasing or summarising Sanskrit passages
into simple contemporary English language allow. Anything imperfect in the
essays must be rejected as a sign of my own incompetence in understanding or
presenting the lofty subject-matter of the "bhishma-stUthi". 

Anything worthy of praise may please be attributed to Sri.Mukkur Swamy only. 

srimathE srivan satagopa sri narayana yathindra mahadesikaya namaha
sudarshan