Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
विजिततश्न त्वया मृत्युर्यो5यं त्वामनुगच्छति । रन्ध्रान्वेषी तव सदा त्वया धृत्या वशी कृत:
vijita-tṛṣṇā tvayā mṛtyur yo ’yaṁ tvām anugacchati | randhrānveṣī tava sadā tvayā dhṛtyā vaśī kṛtaḥ ||
‘যি মৃত্যু সদায় তোমাৰ পিছে পিছে লাগে আৰু তোমাৰ ভিতৰত ফাঁক বিচাৰে, সেই মৃত্যুক তুমি জয় কৰিছা। তোমাৰ ধৈৰ্য্যৰে তুমি মৃত্যুকেই বশ কৰিছা।’
भीष्म उवाच
Freedom from craving (tṛṣṇā) and unwavering endurance (dhṛti) remove the ‘openings’ through which fear and mortality dominate the mind; thus even Death is portrayed as being subdued by inner mastery.
Bhishma praises the addressed person’s spiritual and moral strength, describing Death as a constant pursuer looking for vulnerabilities, and declares that through steadfast resolve the person has effectively ‘conquered’ Death.