ŚrīmadBhāgavatam | Parāyaṇam
Canto 01 | Chapter 09
Bhīṣma’s Final Instructions
(Bhīṣma instructing Dharmarāja on dharma, praising Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Self, and giving up his body while fixing his mind upon Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who was directly present before him.)
Chapter introduction
In the Ninth Chapter, after the Kurukṣetra war, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Dharmarāja, the Pāṇḍavas, and the great sages arrive at Kurukṣetra to see Bhīṣma Pitāmaha, who is lying on the bed of arrows awaiting the arrival of Uttarāyaṇa. Bhīṣma offers heartfelt prayers glorifying Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Self and then instructs Dharmarāja on many principles of dharma, including rāja dharma, varṇāśrama dharma, mokṣa dharma, and bhagavad dharma. Finally, fixing his mind with one-pointed concentration upon Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is standing before him, he gives up his body and attains the supreme destination. In this way, through the glorious final moments of Bhīṣma Pitāmaha’s life, this chapter establishes how steadfastness in dharma, exclusive devotion, and remembrance of Bhagavān at the final moment lead the jīva to the supreme destination.
Ślokapāṭham
atha śrīmadbhāgavatam parāyaṇam
prathama skandhe navamo’dhyāyaḥ
prathama skandhe navamo’dhyāyaḥ
(sūta uvāca)
iti bhītaḥ prajādrohāt sarvadharmavivitsayā ।
tato vinaśanaṁ prāgāt yatra devavrato’patat ॥
॥ 01.09.01 ॥
iti bhītaḥ prajādrohāt sarvadharmavivitsayā ।
tato vinaśanaṁ prāgāt yatra devavrato’patat ॥
॥ 01.09.01 ॥
tadā te bhrātaraḥ sarve sadaśvaiḥ svarṇabhūṣitaiḥ ।
anvagacchan rathairviprā vyāsadhaumyādayastathā ॥
॥ 01.09.02 ॥
anvagacchan rathairviprā vyāsadhaumyādayastathā ॥
॥ 01.09.02 ॥
bhagavānapi viprarṣe rathena sadhanañjayaḥ ।
sa tairvyarocata nṛpaḥ kubera iva guhyakaiḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.03 ॥
sa tairvyarocata nṛpaḥ kubera iva guhyakaiḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.03 ॥
dṛṣṭvā nipatitaṁ bhūmau divaścyutamivāmaram ।
praṇemuḥ pāṇḍavā bhīṣmam sānugāḥ saha cakriṇā ॥
॥ 01.09.04 ॥
praṇemuḥ pāṇḍavā bhīṣmam sānugāḥ saha cakriṇā ॥
॥ 01.09.04 ॥
tatra brahmarṣayaḥ sarve devarṣayaśca sattama ।
rājarṣayaśca tatrāsan draṣṭuṁ bharatapuṅgavam ॥
॥ 01.09.05 ॥
rājarṣayaśca tatrāsan draṣṭuṁ bharatapuṅgavam ॥
॥ 01.09.05 ॥
parvato nārado dhaumyo bhagavān bādarāyaṇaḥ ।
bṛhadaśvo bharadvājaḥ saśiṣyo reṇukāsutaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.06 ॥
bṛhadaśvo bharadvājaḥ saśiṣyo reṇukāsutaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.06 ॥
vaśiṣṭha indrapramadaḥ trito gṛtsamado’sitaḥ ।
kakṣīvān gautamo’triśca kauśiko’tha sudarśanaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.07 ॥
kakṣīvān gautamo’triśca kauśiko’tha sudarśanaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.07 ॥
anye ca munayo brahman brahmarātādayo’malāḥ ।
śiṣyairupetā ājagmuḥ kaśyapāṅgirasādayaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.08 ॥
śiṣyairupetā ājagmuḥ kaśyapāṅgirasādayaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.08 ॥
tān sametānmahābhāgān upalabhya vasūttamaḥ ।
pūjayāmāsa dharmajñaḥ deśakālavibhāgavit ॥
॥ 01.09.09 ॥
pūjayāmāsa dharmajñaḥ deśakālavibhāgavit ॥
॥ 01.09.09 ॥
kṛṣṇaṁ ca tatprabhāvajña āsīnaṁ jagadīśvaram ।
hṛdisthaṁ pūjayāmāsa māyayopāttavigraham ॥
॥ 01.09.10 ॥
hṛdisthaṁ pūjayāmāsa māyayopāttavigraham ॥
॥ 01.09.10 ॥
pāṇḍuputrānupāsīnān praśraya premasaṅgatān ।
abhyācaṣṭānurāgāsraiḥ andhībhūtena cakṣuṣā ॥
॥ 01.09.11 ॥
abhyācaṣṭānurāgāsraiḥ andhībhūtena cakṣuṣā ॥
॥ 01.09.11 ॥
aho kaṣṭamaho’nyāyyaṁ yadyūyaṁ dharmanandanāḥ ।
jīvituṁ nārhatha kliṣṭaṁ vipradharmācyutāśrayāḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.12 ॥
jīvituṁ nārhatha kliṣṭaṁ vipradharmācyutāśrayāḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.12 ॥
saṁsthite’tirathe pāṇḍau pṛthā bālaprajāvadhū ।
yuṣmatkṛte bahūnkleśān prāptā tokavatī muhuḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.13 ॥
yuṣmatkṛte bahūnkleśān prāptā tokavatī muhuḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.13 ॥
sarvaṁ kālakṛtaṁ manye bhavatāṁ ca yadapriyam ।
sapālo yadvaśe lokaḥ vāyoriva ghanāvaliḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.14 ॥
sapālo yadvaśe lokaḥ vāyoriva ghanāvaliḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.14 ॥
yatra dharmasuto rājā gadāpāṇirvṛkodaraḥ ।
kṛṣṇo’strī gāṇḍīvaṁ cāpam suhṛtkṛṣṇastato vipat ॥
॥ 01.09.15 ॥
kṛṣṇo’strī gāṇḍīvaṁ cāpam suhṛtkṛṣṇastato vipat ॥
॥ 01.09.15 ॥
na hyasya karhicidrājan pumān veda vidhitsitam ।
yadvijijñāsayā yuktā muhyanti kavayo’pi hi ॥
॥ 01.09.16 ॥
yadvijijñāsayā yuktā muhyanti kavayo’pi hi ॥
॥ 01.09.16 ॥
tasmādidaṁ daivatantram vyavasya bharatarṣabha ।
tasyānuvihito’nāthā nātha pāhi prajāḥ prabho ॥
॥ 01.09.17 ॥
tasyānuvihito’nāthā nātha pāhi prajāḥ prabho ॥
॥ 01.09.17 ॥
eṣa vai bhagavān sākṣāt ādyo nārāyaṇaḥ pumān ।
mohayan māyayā lokam gūḍhaścarati vṛṣṇiṣu ॥
॥ 01.09.18 ॥
mohayan māyayā lokam gūḍhaścarati vṛṣṇiṣu ॥
॥ 01.09.18 ॥
asyānubhāvaṁ bhagavān veda guhyatamaṁ śivaḥ ।
devarṣirnāradaḥ sākṣāt bhagavān kapilo nṛpa ॥
॥ 01.09.19 ॥
devarṣirnāradaḥ sākṣāt bhagavān kapilo nṛpa ॥
॥ 01.09.19 ॥
yaṁ manyase mātuleyam priyaṁ mitraṁ suhṛttamam ।
akaroḥ sacivaṁ dūtam sauhṛdādatha sārathim ॥
॥ 01.09.20 ॥
akaroḥ sacivaṁ dūtam sauhṛdādatha sārathim ॥
॥ 01.09.20 ॥
sarvātmanaḥ samadṛśo hyadvayasyānahaṅkṛteḥ ।
tatkṛtaṁ mativaiṣamyam niravadyasya na kvacit ॥
॥ 01.09.21 ॥
tatkṛtaṁ mativaiṣamyam niravadyasya na kvacit ॥
॥ 01.09.21 ॥
tathāpyekāntabhakteṣu paśya bhūpānukampitam ।
yanme’sūṁstyajataḥ sākṣāt kṛṣṇo darśanamāgataḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.22 ॥
yanme’sūṁstyajataḥ sākṣāt kṛṣṇo darśanamāgataḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.22 ॥
bhaktyā’veśya mano yasmin vācā yannāma kīrtayan ।
tyajan kalevaraṁ yogī mucyate kāmakarmabhiḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.23 ॥
tyajan kalevaraṁ yogī mucyate kāmakarmabhiḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.23 ॥
sa devadevo bhagavān pratīkṣatām
kalevaraṁ yāvadidaṁ hinomyaham ।
prasannahāsāruṇalocanollasan
mukhāmbujo dhyānapathaścaturbhujaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.24 ॥
kalevaraṁ yāvadidaṁ hinomyaham ।
prasannahāsāruṇalocanollasan
mukhāmbujo dhyānapathaścaturbhujaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.24 ॥
(sūta uvāca)
yudhiṣṭhirastadākarṇya śayānaṁ śarapañjare ।
apṛcchadvividhān dharmān ṛṣīṇāmanuśṛṇvatām ॥
॥ 01.09.25 ॥
yudhiṣṭhirastadākarṇya śayānaṁ śarapañjare ।
apṛcchadvividhān dharmān ṛṣīṇāmanuśṛṇvatām ॥
॥ 01.09.25 ॥
puruṣasvabhāvavihitān yathāvarṇaṁ yathāśramam ।
vairāgyarāgopādhibhyām āmnātobhayalakṣaṇān ॥
॥ 01.09.26 ॥
vairāgyarāgopādhibhyām āmnātobhayalakṣaṇān ॥
॥ 01.09.26 ॥
dānadharmān rājadharmān mokṣadharmān vibhāgaśaḥ ।
strīdharmān bhagavaddharmān samāsavyāsayogataḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.27 ॥
strīdharmān bhagavaddharmān samāsavyāsayogataḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.27 ॥
dharmārthakāmamokṣāṁśca sahopāyān yathā mune ।
nānākhyānetihāseṣu varṇayāmāsa tattvavit ॥
॥ 01.09.28 ॥
nānākhyānetihāseṣu varṇayāmāsa tattvavit ॥
॥ 01.09.28 ॥
dharmaṁ pravadatastasya sa kālaḥ pratyupasthitaḥ ।
yo yoginaśchandamṛtyoḥ vāñchitastūttarāyaṇaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.29 ॥
yo yoginaśchandamṛtyoḥ vāñchitastūttarāyaṇaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.29 ॥
tadopasaṁhṛtya giraḥ sahasraṇīḥ
vimuktasaṅgaṁ mana ādipūruṣe ।
kṛṣṇe lasatpītapaṭe caturbhuje
puraḥsthite’mīlitadṛgvyadhārayat ॥
॥ 01.09.30 ॥
vimuktasaṅgaṁ mana ādipūruṣe ।
kṛṣṇe lasatpītapaṭe caturbhuje
puraḥsthite’mīlitadṛgvyadhārayat ॥
॥ 01.09.30 ॥
viśuddhayā dhāraṇayā hatāśubhaḥ
tadīkṣayaivāśu gatāyudhavyathaḥ ।
nivṛttasarvendriyavṛttivibhramaḥ
tuṣṭāva janyaṁ visṛjan janārdanam ॥
॥ 01.09.31 ॥
tadīkṣayaivāśu gatāyudhavyathaḥ ।
nivṛttasarvendriyavṛttivibhramaḥ
tuṣṭāva janyaṁ visṛjan janārdanam ॥
॥ 01.09.31 ॥
(śrī bhīṣma uvāca)
iti matirupakalpitā vitṛṣṇā
bhagavati sātvatapuṅgave vibhūmni ।
svasukhamupagate kvacidvihartuṁ
prakṛtimupeyuṣi yadbhavapravāhaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.32 ॥
iti matirupakalpitā vitṛṣṇā
bhagavati sātvatapuṅgave vibhūmni ।
svasukhamupagate kvacidvihartuṁ
prakṛtimupeyuṣi yadbhavapravāhaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.32 ॥
tribhuvanakamanaṁ tamālavarṇam
ravikaragauravarāmbaraṁ dadhāne ।
vapuralakakulāvṛtānanābjam
vijayasakhe ratirastu me’navadyā ॥
॥ 01.09.33 ॥
ravikaragauravarāmbaraṁ dadhāne ।
vapuralakakulāvṛtānanābjam
vijayasakhe ratirastu me’navadyā ॥
॥ 01.09.33 ॥
yudhi turagarajo vidhūmraviṣvak
kacalulitaśramavāryalaṅkṛtāsye ।
mama niśitaśarairvibhidyamāna
tvaci vilasatkavace’stu kṛṣṇa ātmā ॥
॥ 01.09.34 ॥
kacalulitaśramavāryalaṅkṛtāsye ।
mama niśitaśarairvibhidyamāna
tvaci vilasatkavace’stu kṛṣṇa ātmā ॥
॥ 01.09.34 ॥
sapadi sakhivaco niśamya madhye
nijaparayorbalayo rathaṁ niveśya ।
sthitavati parasainikāyurakṣṇā
hṛtavati pārthasakhe ratirmamāstu ॥
॥ 01.09.35 ॥
nijaparayorbalayo rathaṁ niveśya ।
sthitavati parasainikāyurakṣṇā
hṛtavati pārthasakhe ratirmamāstu ॥
॥ 01.09.35 ॥
vyavahitapṛtanāmukhaṁ nirīkṣya
svajanavadhādvimukhasya doṣabuddhyā ।
kumatimaharadātmavidyayā yaḥ
caraṇaratiḥ paramasya tasya me’stu ॥
॥ 01.09.36 ॥
svajanavadhādvimukhasya doṣabuddhyā ।
kumatimaharadātmavidyayā yaḥ
caraṇaratiḥ paramasya tasya me’stu ॥
॥ 01.09.36 ॥
svanigamamapahāya matpratijñām
ṛtamadhikartumavapluto rathasthaḥ ।
dhṛtarathacaraṇo’bhyayāccaladguḥ
haririva hantumibhaṁ gatottarīyaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.37 ॥
ṛtamadhikartumavapluto rathasthaḥ ।
dhṛtarathacaraṇo’bhyayāccaladguḥ
haririva hantumibhaṁ gatottarīyaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.37 ॥
śitaviśikhahato viśīrṇadaṁśaḥ
kṣatajaparipluta ātatāyino me ।
prasabhamabhisasāra madvadhārthaṁ
sa bhavatu me bhagavān gatirmukundaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.38 ॥
kṣatajaparipluta ātatāyino me ।
prasabhamabhisasāra madvadhārthaṁ
sa bhavatu me bhagavān gatirmukundaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.38 ॥
vijayarathakuṭumba āttatotre
dhṛtahayaraśmini tacchriyekṣaṇīye ।
bhagavati ratirastu me mumūrṣoḥ
yam iha nirīkṣya hatā gatāḥ sarūpam ॥
॥ 01.09.39 ॥
dhṛtahayaraśmini tacchriyekṣaṇīye ।
bhagavati ratirastu me mumūrṣoḥ
yam iha nirīkṣya hatā gatāḥ sarūpam ॥
॥ 01.09.39 ॥
lalitagativilāsavalguhāsa
praṇayanirīkṣaṇakalpitorumānaḥ ।
kṛtamanukṛtavatya unmadāndhāḥ
prakṛtimagan kila yasya gopavadhvaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.40 ॥
praṇayanirīkṣaṇakalpitorumānaḥ ।
kṛtamanukṛtavatya unmadāndhāḥ
prakṛtimagan kila yasya gopavadhvaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.40 ॥
munigaṇa nṛpavarya saṅkule’ntaḥ
sadasi yudhiṣṭhirarājasūya eṣām ।
arhaṇamupapeda īkṣaṇīyo
mama dṛśi gocara eṣa āvirātmā ॥
॥ 01.09.41 ॥
sadasi yudhiṣṭhirarājasūya eṣām ।
arhaṇamupapeda īkṣaṇīyo
mama dṛśi gocara eṣa āvirātmā ॥
॥ 01.09.41 ॥
tamimamahamajaṁ śarīrabhājām
hṛdi hṛdi dhiṣṭhitamātmakalpitānām ।
pratidṛśamiva naikadhārkamekam
samadhigato’smi vidhūtabhedamohaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.42 ॥
hṛdi hṛdi dhiṣṭhitamātmakalpitānām ।
pratidṛśamiva naikadhārkamekam
samadhigato’smi vidhūtabhedamohaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.42 ॥
(sūta uvāca)
kṛṣṇa evaṁ bhagavati manovāgdṛṣṭivṛttibhiḥ ।
ātmanyātmānamāveśya so’ntaḥśvāsa upāramat ॥
॥ 01.09.43 ॥
kṛṣṇa evaṁ bhagavati manovāgdṛṣṭivṛttibhiḥ ।
ātmanyātmānamāveśya so’ntaḥśvāsa upāramat ॥
॥ 01.09.43 ॥
sampadyamānamājñāya bhīṣmaṁ brahmaṇi niṣkale ।
sarve babhūvuste tūṣṇīm vayāṁsīva dinātyaye ॥
॥ 01.09.44 ॥
sarve babhūvuste tūṣṇīm vayāṁsīva dinātyaye ॥
॥ 01.09.44 ॥
tatra dundubhayo neduḥ devamānavavāditāḥ ।
śaśaṁsuḥ sādhavo rājñāṁ khātpetuḥ puṣpavṛṣṭayaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.45 ॥
śaśaṁsuḥ sādhavo rājñāṁ khātpetuḥ puṣpavṛṣṭayaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.45 ॥
tasya nirharaṇādīni samparetasya bhārgava ।
yudhiṣṭhiraḥ kārayitvā muhūrtaṁ duḥkhito’bhavat ॥
॥ 01.09.46 ॥
yudhiṣṭhiraḥ kārayitvā muhūrtaṁ duḥkhito’bhavat ॥
॥ 01.09.46 ॥
tuṣṭuvurmunayo hṛṣṭāḥ kṛṣṇaṁ tadguhyanāmabhiḥ ।
tataste kṛṣṇahṛdayāḥ svāśramān prayayuḥ punaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.47 ॥
tataste kṛṣṇahṛdayāḥ svāśramān prayayuḥ punaḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.47 ॥
tato yudhiṣṭhiro gatvā sahakṛṣṇo gajāhvayam ।
pitaraṁ sāntvayāmāsa gāndhārīṁ ca tapasvinīm ॥
॥ 01.09.48 ॥
pitaraṁ sāntvayāmāsa gāndhārīṁ ca tapasvinīm ॥
॥ 01.09.48 ॥
pitrā cānumato rājā vāsudevānumoditaḥ ।
cakāra rājyaṁ dharmeṇa pitṛpaitāmahaṁ vibhuḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.49 ॥
cakāra rājyaṁ dharmeṇa pitṛpaitāmahaṁ vibhuḥ ॥
॥ 01.09.49 ॥
iti śrīmadbhāgavate mahāpurāṇe pāramahaṁsyāṁ saṁhitāyām ।
prathama skandhe navamo’dhyāyaḥ ॥
prathama skandhe navamo’dhyāyaḥ ॥
Other Study Paths | Canto 01 | Chapter 09
Adhyayanam | Bhāvārtham | Sāram | Sārāmśam
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