bhishma-stuthi-3

[Guest guest]

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