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 you 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 you as the Past, the Present, and the Future, and
the sacrifice of sacrifices, and the austerity of austerities. The
illustrious Bhrigu said of you that you are the God of the gods, that
thine is the ancient form of Vishnu. Dwaipayana said of you 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 you as Daksha, the Father of creation.
Angiras said that you are the creator of all beings. Devala said of thee
that the unmanifest all is your body, and the manifest is in your mind, and
that the gods are all the result of your breath.[389] With your heads is
pervaded the heavens, and your two arms support the Earth. In your stomach
are three worlds and you are the Eternal Being. Even thus do men exalted
by asceticism know thee. Thou are 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 your heart in love to
Kesava.'"
Sanjaya continued, "Hearing this sacred story, your 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 your son, saying, 'Thou hast now heard truly, O king, about the
glory of the high-souled Kesava and of Nara about which you had 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 your passions enjoy
thou the Earth with your mighty brothers (around thee). By disregarding
the divine Nara and Narayana, you shalt certainly be destroyed. Having
said these words, your 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."
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 68 ---------------------
