Shloka 31

Bhīṣmadeva’s Passing Away in the Presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa

Devanagari script

विशुद्धया धारणया हताशुभ- स्तदीक्षयैवाशु गतायुधश्रम: । निवृत्तसर्वेन्द्रियवृत्तिविभ्रम- स्तुष्टाव जन्यं विसृजञ्जनार्दनम् ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

viśuddhayā dhāraṇayā hatāśubhas tad-īkṣayaivāśu gatā-yudha-śramaḥ nivṛtta-sarvendriya-vṛtti-vibhramas tuṣṭāva janyaṁ visṛjañ janārdanam

Translation

ด้วยสมาธิอันบริสุทธิ์ เมื่อเพ่งพระศรีกฤษณะ เขาก็พ้นจากอัปมงคลทางวัตถุทันที และความเจ็บปวดจากบาดแผลลูกศรก็คลายลง ครั้นกิจภายนอกของอินทรีย์ทั้งปวงสงบ เขาจึงสรรเสริญพระชนารทนะ ผู้ทรงควบคุมสรรพชีวิต ขณะละทิ้งกายวัตถุ

Synonyms

• विशुद्धया: by pure
• विशुद्धया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Instrumental, Singular; qualifying ‘धारणया’

• धारणया: by concentration; by dhāraṇā
• धारणया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• हत-अशुभः: with sins destroyed
• हत-अशुभः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + अशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘whose inauspiciousness is destroyed’

• तत्: of him; his
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सम्बन्धे) — Neuter, Genitive, Singular; ‘of him/that’ (referring to the Lord)

• ईक्षया: by (his) glance
• ईक्षया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय — emphatic particle

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: शीघ्रार्थक-अव्यय — adverb ‘quickly’

• गत-आयुध-श्रमः: whose battle-weariness had vanished
• गत-आयुध-श्रमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘whose fatigue from weapons/battle has gone’

• निवृत्त-सर्व-इन्द्रिय-वृत्ति-विभ्रमः: with all sensory distractions stilled
• निवृत्त-सर्व-इन्द्रिय-वृत्ति-विभ्रमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निवृत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + विभ्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘whose distraction of the activities of all senses had ceased’

• तुष्टाव: he praised
• तुष्टाव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्ष-भूत/Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect, Active, 3rd person singular

• जन्यम्: the one to be praised/celebrated
• जन्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifying ‘जनार्दनम्’

• विसृजन्: releasing; giving up
• विसृजन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + सृज् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘releasing/letting go’

• जनार्दनम्: Janārdana (Krishna)
• जनार्दनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Purport

The material body is a gift of the material energy, technically called illusion. Identification with the material body is due to forgetfulness of our eternal relationship with the Lord. For a pure devotee of the Lord like Bhīṣmadeva, this illusion was at once removed as soon as the Lord arrived. Lord Kṛṣṇa is like the sun, and the illusory, external material energy is like darkness. In the presence of the sun there is no possibility that darkness can stand. Therefore, just on the arrival of Lord Kṛṣṇa, all material contamination was completely removed, and Bhīṣmadeva was thus able to be transcendentally situated by stopping the activities of the impure senses in collaboration with matter. The soul is originally pure and so also the senses. By material contamination the senses assume the role of imperfection and impurity. By revival of contact with the Supreme Pure, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the senses again become freed from material contaminations. Bhīṣmadeva attained all these transcendental conditions prior to his leaving the material body because of the Lord’s presence. The Lord is the controller and benefactor of all living beings. That is the verdict of all Vedas. He is the supreme eternity and living entity amongst all the eternal living beings.* And He alone provides all the necessities for all kinds of living beings. Thus He provided all facilities to fulfill the transcendental desires of His great devotee Bhīṣmadeva, who prayed as follows.

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Janardana (Krishna)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about remembering Krishna at the time of death?

This verse shows Bhīṣma fixing his mind with purified concentration, withdrawing the senses, and praying to Janārdana while giving up life—illustrating that God-remembrance and devotion at the final moment destroys inauspiciousness.

Why did Bhishma offer prayers to Janardana while leaving his body?

Because Kṛṣṇa personally stood before him, Bhīṣma used that divine audience to withdraw from bodily distraction and dedicate his last breath to devotional glorification of the Lord, making his departure a conscious act of bhakti.

Practical application of sense withdrawal and devotion in modern life?

Practice daily focused remembrance—japa, prayer, and hearing about Kṛṣṇa—so the mind becomes steady; in stressful moments, return attention to the Lord, reducing distraction and cultivating a devotional “final-time” readiness.