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bhishma-stuthi-3

From the Bhakti List Archives

M K Sudarshan • June 4, 1997 


srimathE lakshmi-nrsumha parabrahmaNE namaha
sri vedanta guravE namaha

Dear "bhAgavatOttamA-s", 

Before proceeding to study the "bhishma-stuthi", I thought it would be worth
the trouble to first transliterate the Sanskrit original into English for
your collective benefit. It will make it easy to explain some of the
principal passages in it as we go along. Furthermore, I suppose it will
enable those of you who are unfamiliar with "bhishma-stuthi" to now quickly
acquaint with it.

So given below is the hymn (any transliteration errors may please be forgiven).
  
         Sri-Bhisma-stuthi
         -----------------

             (1)
iti matirupakalpitA vitrishnA
  Bhagavati sAtvata-pUngavE viBhUmni I
svasuKha-mupagatE Kachi-dvihartum
  prakriti-mupEyushi yatBhava-pravAha-ha II

(Meaning: In Him, the Yadava-shrEsta, who is of incomparable splendour and
unlimited bliss, for whom All Creation is mere play-field, in that Lord do I
surrender my entire being !) 

             (2)
triBhuvana-kamanam tamAla-varNam
  ravikara-goura-varAmbaram daDhAnE  I
vapuralaka-kulA-vrtAna-nAbjam
  vijayasaKhE ratirastu mEnavadyA  II

(Meaning : He is the One who was Arjuna's bosom-companion, the same One whom
the three-worlds are in search of; the One of Beauteous Form clothed in
finery whose colour is of sunrise-hue; the One of lustrous looks --- He is
the One I beckon before me, here and now !)

             (3)
yuDhi turagara-jOviDhUmra-vishvak
  kacha-lulita-sramavArya-lamkrtAsyE  I
mama nishita-sharai-hi viBhi~dhya-mAna-
  tvachi vila-satkavachEstu krishna atmA  II

(Meaning: My dying mind does now reside in Him who stands before me --- the
Charioteer with body smeared with battle-dust kicked up by the hoofs of
war-horses He rode into the Kurukshetra-field; One whose lovely locks are
now drenched with the sweat-beads of battle-fatigue; One whose shining
armour bore the brunt of my sharp arrow !)  

             (4)
sapadi saKhivachO nishamya maDhyE
  nijaparayOr~balayO raTham nivEshya  I
stitha~vathi parasai~nikA~yurakshNA
  hritavati pArTha-saKhE ratir~ma-mAstu  II

(Meaning : He is the One dearest to me --- the One who, at Arjuna's bidding,
rode his chariot into Kurukshetra, stood between the two mighty forces and,
by a mere glance of His, sealed the fate, one by one, of those whom Arjuna
would battle !)

             (5)
vyava~hita-prita-nAmuKham nirIkshya
  svajana-vaDhAdvi-muKhasya dhOsha-buDhyA  I
kumathi-mahara~dAtma-vidyA yaha 
  charaNa-rati-hi paramasya tasya mEstu  II

(Meaning : May my heart lose itself unto Him --- the One who dispelled the
fears and confusions that beset Arjuna on the eve of battle and taught him
the lofty essence of "atma-vidyA" !)
  
             (6)
svanigama-mapahAya mat~pratignyAm
  krta-maDhikama-vaplutO raThas-Tha-ha  I
Dhrata-raTha-charaNO~Bhya~yAcchalat-gu-hu
  hari-riva hantumi~Bham gatO~tharIya-ha  II

(Meaning : He is the One --- who alighted from His chariot and advanced
towards me mightily.... like a lion attacking an elephant, His Weapon drawn
in utter disregard of His own resolve to abjure personal involvement in the
Kurukshetra war !)

              (7)
shita~vishiKha~hatO vishIrNa-damsha-ha
  kshata-japa~ripluta Atha~thAyinO mE  I
prasaBha~maBhisa-sAra madva-DhArTham
  sa Bhavatu mE BhagavAn gatir-mukunda-ha  II

(Meaning : He is the One who is my Refuge -- the One who stood between me,
my weapons and the bloodied Arjuna; He is the One, too, who charged to
assault a grievous sinner ("Atha-thA-yI") like myself !)

              (8)
vijaya-raTha-kutum-ba At~tha~tO~trE
  Dhrta-haya-rashmini tachri~yEkshaNI-yE  I
Bhagavati ratirastu mE mumUrshO-ho
  yamiha nirIkshya hata gata-hA svarupam  II

(Meaning : May He ever appear before my eyes in the same form in which He
shows Himself now .... as a charioteer protecting Arjuna's vehicle as if it
were His own family.... with whip and reins firm in His grip... AH ! may
that Glorious Sight remain unfading in my eyes !)

              (9)
lalita-gati-vilAsa-valgu~hAsa-
  praNaya~nirIkshaNa-kalpitO~rUmAnA-ha  I
krta-manu-krta-vatya Unma-dAnDhA-ha
  prakriti-magan kila yasya gOpa~vaDhva-ha  II

(Meaning : It is He, the One of charming gait, of ever-playful mien and of
loving looks whose pranks endeared Him to the "gopikA-s! They showered Him
with their unstinted love and devotion which He too returned in good measure !")
 
              (10)
muni-gaNa-nrupa-varya-samkulEn~ta-ha
  sadasi yuDhishtira-rAja-sUya EshAm  I
arhaNam~mupa~pEda IkshaNIyO
  mama dhrishi gOchara Esha AvirAtmA  II

(Meaning : The One who stands before me here and now...! He is the One who
received the honours and obeisance of hordes of sages and seers that
assembled at Yudhistara's "raja-suya" sacrifice !)
 
              (11)
tami~mamaha~majam sharIra-BhAjAm
  hrdi hrdi Dhishtitam~Atma~kalpitAnAm  I
prati-dhrishAmiva naika~DhArkam-Ekam
  samaDhi-gatOsmi viDhUta-BhEda-mOha-ha  II

(Meaning : AH ! I see Him clearly now within my heart that has delusion and
desire quelled -- I see Him now in this moment, indeed, as the One who
appears as Many !)


         sri sUta-UvAcha
         ---------------
krishna Evam Bhagavati
  manOvAg~dhristi-vrthi~Bhi-hi  I
Atman~yAtmAna-mAvEshya
  sOnta-ha svAsa~mUpAra-math    II

(Meaning : Thus spake Suta : With these words on his lips, the venerable
BhishmAchArya, surrendered his mind, speech, sight, breath and all vital
faculties at the Feet of the Lord and attained eternal Bliss !")


           -----------------------------------------------  

In the next few posts we will proceed to cull out key passages from the
above to try and explain the subject of this series of posts ---
viz."antima-smriti".


srimathE srivan satagopa sri narayana yathindra mahadesikaya namaha
sudarshan