Shloka 70
भीष्मस्य भीमसेन-निरोधः
Bhīṣma checks Bhīmasena; matched engagements intensify
सृष्टवा संकर्षणं देवं स्वयमात्मानमात्मना । कृष्ण त्वमात्मनासाक्षी: प्रद्मुम्नं चात्मसम्भवम्,श्रीकृष्ण! आपने आत्माद्वारा स्वयं अपने-आपको ही संकर्षणदेवके रूपमें प्रकट करके अपने ही द्वारा आत्मजस्वरूप प्रद्युम्नकी सृष्टि की है
sṛṣṭvā saṅkarṣaṇaṃ devaṃ svayam ātmānam ātmanā | kṛṣṇa tvam ātmanā sākṣīḥ pradyumnaṃ cātma-sambhavam ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Ô Kṛṣṇa, par ton propre Soi tu as manifesté ton Soi même sous la forme du divin Saṅkarṣaṇa ; puis, de toi encore, tu as fait naître Pradyumna, issu de ta propre essence. Ainsi demeures-tu le témoin intérieur — cause de toi-même, révélation de toi-même, et source de tes propres émanations.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents Kṛṣṇa as the self-existent inner witness (sākṣī) who manifests divine forms from his own essence. Ethically and devotionally, it grounds reverence in the idea that the supreme source is self-caused and sustains order (dharma) through purposeful self-manifestation.
Bhīṣma addresses Kṛṣṇa with theological praise, describing how Kṛṣṇa manifests Saṅkarṣaṇa and brings forth Pradyumna from himself. The statement functions as a recognition of Kṛṣṇa’s supreme status and his role as the underlying witness amid the war narrative.