Bhīṣma’s Śara-śayyā Stuti to Vāsudeva and Yogic Preparation for Dehotsarga
Body-Relinquishment
श्रद्धादमशमोपेतैर्वतश्वन्द्र इव ग्रहै: । वेदोंके ज्ञाता व्यास
śraddhā-dama-śamopetair vataś candram ivagrahaiḥ | vedāṅga-jñātā vyāsaḥ, devarṣi-nāradaḥ, devasthānaḥ, vātsyaḥ, aśmakaḥ, sumantuḥ, jaiminiḥ, mahātmā pailaḥ, śāṇḍilyaḥ, devalaḥ, buddhimān maitreyaḥ, asitaḥ, vasiṣṭhaḥ, mahātmā kauśikaḥ (viśvāmitraḥ), hārītaḥ, lomaśaḥ, buddhimān dattatreyah, bṛhaspatiḥ, śukraḥ, mahāmuniś cyavanaḥ, sanatkumāraḥ, kapilaḥ, vālmīkiḥ, tumburuḥ, kuruḥ, maudgalyaḥ, bhṛguvaṃśī paraśurāmaḥ, mahāmunis tṛṇabinduḥ, pippalādaḥ, vāyuḥ, saṃvartaḥ, pulahaḥ, kacaḥ, kaśyapaḥ, pulastyaḥ, kratuḥ, dakṣaḥ, parāśaraḥ, marīciḥ, aṅgirāḥ, kāśyaḥ, gautamaḥ, gālava-muniḥ, dhaumyaḥ, vibhāṇḍaḥ, māṇḍavyaḥ, dhaumraḥ, kṛṣṇānubhāutikaḥ, śreṣṭha-brāhmaṇa ulūkaḥ, mahāmuni mārkaṇḍeyaḥ, bhāskariḥ, pūraṇaḥ, kṛṣṇaḥ, parama-dhārmikaḥ sūtaś ca—ete tathā anye bahavo bhāgyavanto mahātmānaḥ munayaḥ, ye śraddhā-śama-damādi-guṇaiḥ sampannāḥ, bhīṣmaṃ parivārya tiṣṭhanti sma | teṣāṃ madhye bhīṣmaḥ graha-parivṛta-candra iva śriyā virājate sma ||
Dijo Vaiśampāyana: Dotados de fe, autodominio y serenidad, muchos sabios afortunados y magnánimos rodeaban a Bhīṣma—Vyāsa, Nārada y una larga estirpe de venerables videntes y maestros. En medio de aquellos ascetas, ricos en virtudes como śraddhā, śama y dama, Bhīṣma resplandecía como la luna ceñida por los planetas.
वैशग्पायन उवाच
The verse highlights the ethical foundation of spiritual authority: faith (śraddhā), mental tranquility (śama), and sense-restraint (dama) are the marks of true sages, and their presence validates Bhīṣma’s role as a luminous teacher of dharma.
During the Śānti Parva setting—Bhīṣma lying on his bed of arrows and instructing on dharma—numerous renowned sages gather around him. Bhīṣma is portrayed as radiant among them, like the moon amid the planets.