Shloka 30
Śiśupāla-vākya: Bhīṣma-nindā and the ‘Haṃsa’ Exemplum (शिशुपालवाक्यम् — भीष्मनिन्दा, हंसदृष्टान्तः)
[भगवान् नारायणकी महिमा और उनके द्वारा मधु-कैटभका वध] (वैशग्पायन उवाच ततो भीष्मस्य तच्छुत्वा वच: काले युधिष्ठिर: । उवाच मतिमान् भीष्म ततः कौरवनन्दन: ।।
bhīṣma uvāca |
vartamānātītāṃ ca śṛṇu rājan yudhiṣṭhira |
īśvarasyottamasyaināṃ karmaṇāṃ gahanāṃ gatim ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai Raja Yudhiṣṭhira, dengarlah perjalanan yang mendalam dan sukar diselami tentang perbuatan-perbuatan Tuhan Yang Maha Tinggi—yang dilakukan pada masa kini dan juga pada masa lampau. Tindakan Tuhan tidak diukur dengan piawaian biasa; ia terbit daripada kedaulatan-Nya dan demi menegakkan tertib dunia.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma emphasizes that the Supreme Lord’s actions are ‘gahanā’—not fully graspable through ordinary human logic. Ethically, this frames divine deeds as oriented toward sustaining dharma and cosmic order, inviting humility and attentive listening rather than quick judgment.
After Yudhiṣṭhira requests a detailed account of Kṛṣṇa/Nārāyaṇa’s incarnations and deeds, Bhīṣma begins his discourse by warning that the Lord’s acts—past and present—have a profound, mysterious trajectory. This verse serves as the opening cue to a long narration of divine exploits.