SECTION LXVIII

“Bhishma said, ’Hear from me, O king, this hymn that was uttered by Brahman himself.  This hymn was in days of old communicated by regenerate Rishis and the gods (to men) on Earth-Narada described thee as the Master and the Lord of the god of gods and all the Sadhyas and the celestials, and as one acquainted with the nature of the Creator of the worlds.  Markandeya spoke of thee as the Past, the Present, and the Future, and the sacrifice of sacrifices, and the austerity of austerities.  The illustrious Bhrigu said of thee that thou art the God of the gods, that thine is the ancient form of Vishnu.  Dwaipayana said of thee that thou art Vasudeva of the Vasus, the establisher of Sakra, and the God of gods and all creatures.  In days of old on the occasion of procreating creatures, the sages spoke of thee as Daksha, the Father of creation.  Angiras said that thou art the creator of all beings.  Devala said of thee that the unmanifest all is thy body, and the manifest is in thy mind, and that the gods are all the result of thy breath.[389] With thy heads is pervaded the heavens, and thy two arms support the Earth.  In thy stomach are three worlds and thou art the Eternal Being.  Even thus do men exalted by asceticism know thee.  Thou art the Sat of Sat, with Rishis gratified with sight of Self.[390] With royal sages of liberal minds, never retreating from battle and having morality for their highest end, thou, O slayer of Madhu, art, the sole refuse.  Even thus is that illustrious and Supreme Being, viz., Hari, adored and worshipped by Sanatkumar and other ascetics endued with Yoga.  The truth about Kesava, O sire, is now narrated to thee, both in brief and detail.  Turn thy heart in love to Kesava.’”

Sanjaya continued, “Hearing this sacred story, thy son, O great king, began to regard highly both Kesava and these mighty car-warriors, viz., the sons of Pandu.  Then, O monarch, Bhishma the son of Santanu once more addressed thy son, saying, ’Thou hast now heard truly, O king, about the glory of the high-souled Kesava and of Nara about which thou hadst asked me.  Thou hast also heard about the object for which both Nara and Narayana have taken their births among men.  Thou hast also been told the reason why those heroes are invincible and have never been vanquished in battle, and why also, O king, the sons of Pandu are incapable of being slain in battle, by anybody.  Krishna beareth great love for the illustrious sons of Pandu.  It is for this, O king of kings, that I say, ‘Let peace be made with the Pandavas.’  Restraining thy passions enjoy thou the Earth with thy mighty brothers (around thee).  By disregarding the divine Nara and Narayana, thou shalt certainly be destroyed.  Having said these words, thy sire, became silent, O monarch, and dismissing the king, entered his tent.  And the king also came back to his (own) tent, having worshipped the illustrious grandsire.  And then, O bull of Bharata’s race, he laid himself down on his white bed for passing the night in sleep.”