Shloka 11
Bhīṣma’s Hymn to Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa’s Criteria for Divine Self-Disclosure
भारत! राजेन्द्र! जो मेरा भक्त नहीं है अथवा भक्त होनेपर भी सरल स्वभावका नहीं है। जिसके मनमें शान्ति नहीं है, उसे मैं अपने स्वरूपका दर्शन नहीं कराता
bhārata! rājendra! yo mama bhakto na bhavati athavā bhakto 'pi san sarala-svabhāvo na bhavati | yasya manasi śāntir na vidyate, tasmai ahaṃ sva-svarūpasya darśanaṃ na karomi |
«Oh descendiente de Bharata, oh el mejor de los reyes: a quien no me es devoto —o, aun si lo es, carece de una naturaleza recta, sencilla y sin engaño— y a quien no tiene la mente en paz, a ese no le concedo la visión de mi verdadera forma.»
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Divine realization (the vision of the deity’s true nature) requires not only devotion but also moral-psychological fitness: simplicity/straightforwardness and inner peace. Mere outward devotion without a calm, honest mind is insufficient.
Vāyudeva addresses a royal listener (called Bhārata and Rājendra) and states a criterion for granting spiritual vision: he withholds the revelation of his true form from those who lack devotion, or who, despite devotion, lack simplicity and mental tranquility.