भीष्म-वध पर्व — कृष्ण की महिमा

Bhishma said Hear, O monarch, from me this hymn, chanted by Brahma himself, and recounted in the days of yore to men on earth by the Brahmanical sages and the celestial.

“You are the Master of the Sadhyas and the celestial and are the Lord of the god of gods, the Protector of people and the Knower of all hearts. Thus has the sage Narada sung of you.

Markandeya has spoken of you as the Past, the Present, and the Future, the sacrifice of all sacrifices and the Austerity of all austerities.

The almighty Bhrigu has sang of you that you are the God of all gods, and you are the ancient and excellent semblance that is ascribed to Vishnu.

Dvaipayana spoke of you that you are the Vasudeva among the Vasu, the consolidator of the sway of Shakra (Indra) and the God of gods and of all created beings.

In the days of yore, on the occasion of the creation of creatures, you have been called Daksha, the Lord of creation. Angiras has spoken of you as the creator of all corporeal beings.

Devala has sung of you that the Unmanifest All is in your form and the Manifest is in your mind, and that the celestial have all sprung from your speech (breath).

The heavens are pervaded with your head; you does sustain the Earth with your two arms the triune world is inside your abdomen you are the Eternal Male being.

Persons purified by the performance of austerities, know your divine self even to be such, To the sages gratified with a knowledge of the self, you are the foremost of all true existent entities.

O Slayer of Madhu, you are the sole refuge of the royal sages, who are of illustrious nature, who never turn back from the fight and who are devoted to all their duties.

Even thus is that almighty and excellent Being Hari always adored and eulogised by sages conversant with the Yoga who are headed by Sanatkumara".

Thus, O Sire, has been described to you, in detail and in brief, the real nature of Keshava. Now turn you heart in love to Keshava.

Sanjaya said Your son, O mighty monarch, listening to this sacred story, began to regard highly Keshava and those mighty car-warriors, the sons Pandu.

Thereafter, O monarch, Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, again addressed him saying-"You have now heard, o monarch, the true description of the glory of the high-souled Keshava and of Nara, about which you asked me. You have also heard of the purpose for which both Nara and Narayana have taken their births among men.

You have also learnt why those two heroes are invincible and why they have not been ever vanquished in battle; as also why the sons of Pandu, O king, are unslayable in battle by anybody.

Towards the Pandavas endued with fame, Krishna bears an unshaken affection. Therefore it is, O foremost of sovereigns, that I advice that peace be concluded with the Pandavas.

Controlling your passions do you rule this earth with your powerful brothers around you. You shall surely reap destruction if you disregard the divine Nara and Narayana”.

Having spoken thus, O ruler of men, your father became silent; and dismissing the king, he entered his own tent.

The king also retired to his own tent having bowed down to that one of illustrious soul. Then, O foremost of the Bharatas, he slept away that night on a (milk) white bed.