Srimad Bhagavatam — Prathama Skandha, Shloka 30

Bhīṣmadeva’s Passing Away in the Presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa

Devanagari script

तदोपसंहृत्य गिर: सहस्रणी- र्विमुक्तसङ्गं मन आदिपूरुषे । कृष्णे लसत्पीतपटे चतुर्भुजे पुर:स्थितेऽमीलितद‍ृग्व्यधारयत् ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

tadopasaṁhṛtya giraḥ sahasraṇīr vimukta-saṅgaṁ mana ādi-pūruṣe kṛṣṇe lasat-pīta-paṭe catur-bhuje puraḥ sthite ’mīlita-dṛg vyadhārayat

Translation

Thereupon that man who spoke on different subjects with thousands of meanings, and who fought on thousands of battlefields and protected thousands of men, stopped speaking and, being completely freed from all bondage, withdrew his mind from everything else and fixed his wide-open eyes upon the original Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who stood before him, four-handed, dressed in yellow garments that glittered and shined.

Synonyms

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय — temporal adverb

• उपसंहृत्य: having withdrawn
• उपसंहृत्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + सम् + हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having withdrawn/collected’

• गिरः: words; speech
• गिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• सहस्रणीः: O commander (Bhīṣma)
• सहस्रणीः: Sambodhana/Alambana (आलम्बन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्रणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular; epithet ‘leader (of thousands)’

• विमुक्त-सङ्गम्: free from attachment
• विमुक्त-सङ्गम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifying ‘मनः’

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आदि-पूरुषे: in the primeval Person
• आदि-पूरुषे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular

• कृष्णे: in/unto Krishna
• कृष्णे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular

• लसत्-पीत-पटे: in (him) wearing a shining yellow garment
• लसत्-पीत-पटे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लसत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + पीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + पट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (विशेषणसमास); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular; qualifying ‘कृष्णे’

• चतुर्भुजे: four-armed
• चतुर्भुजे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular; ‘having four arms’

• पुरः: in front
• पुरः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय — adverb ‘in front’

• स्थिते: standing
• स्थिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Past participle used adjectivally, Locative, Singular; ‘when (he) was standing’

• अमीलित-दृक्: unblinking gaze
• अमीलित-दृक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमीलित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + दृश्/दृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular; ‘unblinking gaze/eye’ (as subject of holding)

• व्यधारयत्: he fixed/held (his mind)
• व्यधारयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतन-भूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन — Imperfect, Active, 3rd person singular

Purport

In the momentous hour of leaving his material body, Bhīṣmadeva set the glorious example concerning the important function of the human form of life. The subject matter which attracts the dying man becomes the beginning of his next life. Therefore, if one is absorbed in thoughts of the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, he is sure to go back to Godhead without any doubt. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (8.5-15):

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣmadeva
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

How did Bhishmadeva remember Krishna at the time of death in Srimad Bhagavatam?

This verse states that after finishing his teachings, Bhīṣma withdrew his mind from all attachment and fixed it steadily on Lord Kṛṣṇa standing before him, focusing with half-closed eyes on the Lord’s four-armed, yellow-clad form.

Why is Krishna described as four-armed in Bhishma’s final moments?

The verse emphasizes Kṛṣṇa as the ādi-pūruṣa (primeval Supreme Person) revealing a majestic, Viṣṇu-like four-armed form, highlighting His supreme divinity as Bhīṣma fixes his consciousness for liberation.

What is the practical lesson of Bhishma’s final meditation for modern life?

Practice detachment from distractions and cultivate steady remembrance of God through daily devotion, so that at crucial moments—especially death—the mind naturally turns toward the Lord.