Shloka 7
Kṛṣṇa’s Dhyāna and the Prompt to Question Bhīṣma (कृष्णध्यानं भीष्मप्रश्नप्रेरणा च)
भगवन्! देवदेव! जैसे वायुशून्य स्थानमें रखे हुए दीपककी लौ काँपती नहीं, एकतार जलती रहती है, उसी तरह आप भी स्थिर हैं मानो पाषाणकी मूर्ति हों ।।
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
bhagavan devadeva yathā vāyuśūnye sthāne sthāpitasya dīpasya śikhā na kampate ekatārā jvalaty eva, tathā tvam api sthiraḥ, pāṣāṇamūrti iva |
yadi śrotum ihāham arhāmi na rahasyaṃ ca te yadi |
chindhi me saṃśayaṃ deva prapannāya abhiyācate ||
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Wahai Tuhan Yang Mulia, wahai Dewa segala dewa! Seperti nyala pelita yang diletakkan di tempat tanpa angin tidak bergetar, tetapi menyala lurus dan tetap, demikian juga engkau teguh—seakan arca batu dalam keheningan. Jika aku layak mendengarnya di sini, dan jika hal ini bukan rahsia milikmu, maka putuskanlah keraguanku, wahai Tuhan. Aku telah berlindung padamu dan berulang kali memohon.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse models the ethics of inquiry: a seeker approaches a stable, self-possessed teacher with reverence, asks permission to hear what may be confidential, and requests that doubt be decisively removed. The lamp-in-windless-place simile highlights inner steadiness as a mark of spiritual authority.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue setting, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses the revered divine teacher as ‘Devadeva,’ praises his unshakable composure, and then—having taken refuge—asks him to clarify a troubling doubt, provided the teaching is appropriate to disclose.