भीष्म-वध पर्व — विष्णु-स्तुति

Dhritarashtra said Hearing of those feats achieved by the sons of Pandu-feats which are difficult of being achieved even by the celestial themselves, O Sanjaya, I have been filled with apprehension and amazement.

Hearing also of the humiliation of my sons in every way. O Sanjaya, I have been seized by a burning anxiety as to what the finale (of this war) will be.

The prophecy of Vidura does consume my heart; and, O Sanjaya, I see that through the influence of (adverse) destiny every thing is happening even as he had said.

The smiters of the Pandava hosts are battling with those foremost of warriors headed by Bhishma, who are endued with heroism and accomplished in (the use of) all weapons.

What asceticism those high-souled and greatly powerful sons of Pandu have observed, what boon, O child, have they secured, what knowledge have they cultivated,

In consequences of which they suffer no reduction, like the stars in the firmament? I can not bear the repeated slaughter of my warriors by the sons of Pandu.

Through the disposal of Destiny, a highly severe chastisement has overtaken me alone. Tell me truly, O Sanjaya, every thing, about why my sons have become liable to slaughter and why the sons of Pandus have been exempted from it. I can not discern, O afflicter of your enemies, the termination of this ocean of distress.

Like a man desirous of swimming over the vast sea with his two arms. I now certainly see that a terrible calamity has overtaken my sons.

No doubt, Bhima will slay all my sons. I do not find that hero who can protect my sons in battle.

The destruction of my sons in battle is certain, O Sanjaya. Therefore, O Suta, it behaves you to tell me who am questioning you, in detail and truly, the real cause of these events, as also, what Duryodhana did, seeing his own troops turn their face away from the field of battle.

Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and the son of Subala, and Jayadratha, and the mighty bowman the son of Drona, and the mighty Vikarna, what did all these warriors do?

What, O highly wise one, the resolution of these high-souled warriors, when, O Sanjaya, my sons turned away their faces from the field? was

Sanjaya said Hear, O king, with perfect attention and hearing do you understand what you hear. There was nothing the result of incantation and nothing the production of illusion.

Neither, O monarch, did the sons of Pandu create any new source of apprehension. Those warriors endued with strength are fighting their battles according to the rules of fair combat.

The sons of Pritha, O Bharata, desirous of securing illustrious fame, ever perform all acts, even the maintenance of their lives, in perfect accordance with the rulers of morality.

Attended by excellent prosperity and endued with great strength and conforming to all morality, they never turn back from the fight. Victory ever attends righteousness.

For this reason, O ruler of earth, the sons of Pritha are unslayable in battle and are ever courted by victory. Your sons are of wicked intentions and are intent on perpetrating sin;

And are cruel and of low deeds; therefore are they always worsted in the battle. O ruler of men, various heartless injuries were done to the Pandavas by your sons, like men of low extraction. Disregarding all those offences of your sons.

O elder brother of Pandu, the sons of Pandu tried always to keep them 'hidden and unknown. O ruler of men your sons do not pay them proper respect.

Let your sons now reap the fruit that resembles the poisonous fruit of the Kimpaka tree, of that their persistent course of sinful actions.

Now, O mighty monarch, do you with your sons and relatives, taste that mortal fruit, in as much as, O king, you did not seem to be awakened though always warned by your wellwishers.

Always forbidden by Vidura, Bhishma, Drona of high soul, his son, as also by me, you did not pay any regard.

To our words, salutary and intended for your good though they were even as a sick man rejects wholesome medicines Accepting the views of your sons, you expected to see the Pandavas vanquished.

Hear again the true reason, about which you had asked me, for the victory of the sons of Pandu, O foremost of the Bharatas.

I shall exactly tell you, O subjugator of your foes, as I myself have heard it. The grandsire himself was questioned, on this point by king Duryodhana.

Beholding his brothers, all accomplished car-warriors, worsted in battle, your son Duryodhana, O Kaurava, with his heart overwhelmed with sorrow, asked this question to the grandsire, approaching him with humility, on the advent of night. O ruler of men, hear from me what your son did say at the time.

Duryodhana said Drona, yourself, Shalya, Kripa, the son of Drona, Kritavarma, the son of Hridika, and Sudakshina the ruler of the Kambojas.

Bhurishravas, Vikarna and Bhagadatta endued with prowess, these heroes are all regarded as mighty car-warriors; all these men are the sons of illustrious dynasties and are ever ready to shuffle off their mortal coil.

I consider these to be a match for the three world united together. The whole Pandava army can not withstand your prowess.

Regarding these things, a doubt has arisen in my mind. Tell me, who am asking you, of him, relying on whom the sons of Kunti are gaining victory over us at each step.

Bhishma said Hear, O king, the words that I am going to say to you, O you of the Kuru race. I did frequently address you to the same effect, urging you to conclude peace with the sons of Pandu. I consider this to be profitable both to you and to the earth, O lord.

Do you, O king, enjoy the blessings of this earth with your brothers, with a contented heart, and enhancing the delight of your relatives and gratifying every one else.

O sire, you paid no heed to my words before, though I cried myself hoarse. Now this evil has overtaken you, in as much as you have ever despised the sons of Pandu.

Hear from me as I speak, O king, O lord, the reason why those sons of Pandu who are never tired in the performance of pious acts, are unslayable.

There was not, is not, or will not be a person, who would have been, is or will be able to conquer the Pandavas, protected as they are by the wielder of the Sharnga bow.

Hear from me, you who are versed in morality, the ancient history that was related to me, O sire, by the sages of tranquil souls.

In the days of yore, all the celestial and sages, assembled together, danced attendance upon the grandsire (Brahma) on the mountain Gandhamadana.

Seated at his ease in their midst, the lord of people, saw an excellent chariot burning with effulgence, stationed in the firmament.

Having ascertained everything about the chariot by means of his contemplation and folding his palms together, Brahma, with his soul filled with delight bowed down his head to the Purusha, the highest of all Divinities.

Also the sages and the celestial beholding the figure thus revealed in the heavens stood with hands folded and with their gaze fixed on the marvel of marvels.

Then Brahma best conversant with morality, the foremost of those versed in the Vedas and the creator of the worlds, having worshipped that from duly, chanted this hymn of praise.

You are the glory of the universe, and have the universe as your form. You are the lord of the universe; you are the protector of it; you have your senses under your thorough control. You are the lord paramount of this universe, you are the Vasudeva; I seek refuge in your divine self that are the soul of Yoga.

Victory unto you that are the divine and paramount Lord of this universe; victory unto you, who are ever anxious for the worlds welfare. Victory unto you the lord and the master of the Yogins; victory unto you that are identified with the ocean of yoga energy.

Victory unto you the Lord of the lords of the universe, that have the lotus springing from the navel and that have expanded eyes. Victory unto you that are the incarnation of gentleness, you that are the son of sons, O you, the Lord of the past, the present, and the future.

O you, the receptacle of innumerable qualities victory be unto you, the refuge of all things; O you that are Narayana and that are incomprehensible, victory be unto you, the wielder of the Sharnga bow.

Victory be unto you, O you that have the universe for your from that are free from the influence of all maladies. O Lord of the universe, O you of long arms, victory be unto you who are devoted to further the welfare of the worlds.

0 great Serpent, O huge Boar, O Lord, O you possessed of the lion's manes, victory be unto you. O you whose raiment's are yellow, O Lord of the several points of the compass. O you that are like the abode of the universe, O infinite one, O you that dose suffer no deterioration.

O you that are the Manifest, O you that are the Unmanifested. O you of senses thoroughly controlled. O you that are like the infinite space. O you that ever achieve the acts beneficial to the worlds, O you that are beyond all measurement, O you that alone are conversant with your nature, O you that are deep and the fulfiller of desires victory be upto you.

O you that have no end, O you that are known as Brahma, O you that are eternal, and are the protector of all creatures, O you that are ever successful, O you whose understanding is accomplished in all things. O you that are conversant with all righteousness. O you that are ever attended with victory.

O you of mysterious self, O you that are the soul of all Yoga, O you that are the origin of every thing that has sprung into existence, O you that are the knowledge of the souls of every being, O master of the universe, victory be unto you that are the creator of all beings.

O you that are self-create, O you of eminent parts, O you that are ever active for bringing about the destruction of all beings, O you that are the inspirer of all thoughts in the mind, victory be unto you, the beloved of those that are conversant with Brahma.

O you that are ever engaged in the acts of creation and destruction, Orepressor of all desires, O most exalted Divinity, O you the origin of Amrita, O you whose existence only is a reality, O you that are the Fire that do appear at the end of a Yoga, O you that are the bestower of victory.

O you that are the Lord of lords of men, O Divine one, O you that have the lotus growing from your navel, O you endued with great might, O you that are self-create, O you that are of elements in their nascent condition, O you that are the soul of all performance, victory be unto you, the giver of all things.

The goddess of earth constitutes your feet, the cardinal and subsidiary points of the compass represent your arms; the celestial regions constitute your head; your from is composed of myself; the celestials compose your limbs, and the sun and the moon your two eyes.

Asceticism and truth born of acts of piety constitute your strength. Your energy is fire, your breath the wind. And waters have been created from your perspiration.

The twin Ashvins ever constitute your ears, the goddess of leading is your tongue, the Vedas are your knowledge and in you is this world stationed.

O you that are the Lord of Yoga and the Yogins, we know neither your extent nor your measure, neither your energy nor your prowess, nor your strength, nor your origin.

O god, cherishing reverence for you and betaking to your ways by the performance of vows and &c., we do ever worship Vishnu, the Supreme Lord, the God of gods.

The sages, the celestials, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Rakshasas, the Pannagas, the Pishachas, and men, and the animals, and birds and men and reptiles.

All these have been created by me in the first instance, on earth, through your grace. O you that have the lotus springing from your navel, O you of expanded eyes, O Krishna,O soother of all afflictions.

You are the refuge of all created beings and you are their bodies! You have the universe for your mouth; O you that are the Lord of the celestials, the gods are ever happy through your grace only.

O god, through your grace the earth have ever been freed from all her apprehensions. So, O you of expanded eyes, be you the propagator of the Yadu race.

Gratify my solicitation O Lord, for the sake of establishing righteousness, for slaying the sons of Diti and for upholding the universe.

0 Vasudeva all that is supremely mysterious regarding you, O Lord, all that have been exactly sung by me, through your grace.

Having created the divine Sankarshana your self out of your own self, you did then, O Krishna create yourself as Pradyuman, born out of your own self.

From Pradyumana you did then create Anirudha known as the undetiorating Vishnu. And it was Anirudha who did create me Brahman as the supporter of the universe.

Thus created by the essence of Vamdeva. I have been created by yourself Dividing yourself into portions, O Lord create yourself among humanity.

There, for the well being of the world slaughtering the Asuras, and establishing righteousness and winning glory, you shall again attain to the best Yoga.

O you of immeasurable prowess, the regenerate sages and the celestials sing of your wonderful self out of devotion for you, under those various appellations that are ascribed to you.

O you of excellent arms, all the host of beings find their support in you, having sought shelter in you, the giver of boons. The Vipras eulogise you as the bridge of the universe, having no beginning, middle or end, and as possessed of infinite Yoga prowess.