bhishma-stuthi-2

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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