Shloka 13

Bhīṣma’s Hymn to Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa’s Criteria for Divine Self-Disclosure

Devanagari script

न हाभक्ताय राजेन्द्र भक्तायानृजवे न च । दर्शयाम्यहमात्मानं न चाशान्ताय भारत

Transliteration

na hābhaktāya rājendra bhaktāyānṛjave na ca | darśayāmy aham ātmānaṁ na cāśāntāya bhārata | arhastvaṁ bhīṣma māṁ draṣṭuṁ tapasā svena pārthiva | tava hy upasthitā lokā yebhyo nāvartate punaḥ ||

Translation

قال فايُو: «يا أيها الملك، لا أُظهر نفسي لمن لا إخلاص له، ولا لمن كان مُخلصًا غيرَ مستقيم؛ ولا أُري نفسي لغير الساكن النفس، يا بهاراتا. أمّا أنتَ يا بهيشما فجديرٌ بأن تُبصرني بقوة نسكك وزهدك (التَّبَس) أنتَ، أيها الحاكم. وقد أُعِدَّت لك العوالم سلفًا—تلك الديار الإلهية التي إذا بُلِغَتْ لا عودة بعدها إلى هذا العالم.»

Word by Word

• {'abhakta': 'one without devotion

• irreverent', 'bhakta': 'devoted

• faithful', 'anṛju / anṛjava': 'not straight

• lacking rectitude', 'darśayāmi': 'I cause to be seen

• I reveal', 'ātmānam': 'myself

• my own form/essence', 'aśānta': 'unpeaceful

• not tranquil', 'arhasi / arhastvam': 'you are worthy

• you deserve', 'draṣṭum': 'to see

• to behold', 'tapasā': 'by austerity

• by ascetic power', 'pārthiva': 'earthly ruler

• king', 'lokāḥ': 'worlds

• realms of existence', 'upasthitāḥ': 'present

• at hand', 'nāvartate punaḥ': 'does not return again'}

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Bhīṣma
• Bhārata (address to Bhīṣma as descendant of Bharata)
• Rājendra / Pārthiva (kingly addressee)
• Divine worlds (lokāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Divine revelation is conditioned by inner qualifications: devotion must be joined with straightforward integrity (ārjava) and peace of mind (śānti). Austerity (tapas) grounded in these virtues makes one fit for higher realization and the attainment of realms described as ‘non-returning’ (apunarāvṛtti).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses Bhīṣma, stating that he does not manifest to those lacking devotion, lacking rectitude, or lacking inner peace. He then affirms Bhīṣma’s eligibility—earned through his own tapas—and declares that exalted worlds are already prepared for him, from which one does not return to mortal existence.