Shloka 21
Kurukṣetra–Sarasvatī Tīrtha-Māhātmya
Pilgrimage Merits and Sacred Geography
'सुवत्रत! आपका भला हो, मैं आपका दास भीष्म हूँ। आपके दर्शनमात्रसे मैं सब पापोंसे मुक्त हो गया” ।। एवमुक्त्वा महाराज भीष्मो धर्मभूतां वर: । वाग्यत: प्राउ्जलिर्भूत्वा तृष्णीमासीदू युधिष्ठिर,महाराज युधिष्छिर! धनुर्धारियोंमें श्रेष्ठ एवं वाणीको संयममें रखनेवाले भीष्म ऐसा कहकर हाथ जोड़े चुप हो गये
suvrata! āpaka bhala ho, ahaṃ āpaka dāsa bhīṣma hūṃ. āpake darśanamātrase ahaṃ sarva-pāpebhyaḥ muktaḥ abhavam. evam uktvā mahārāja bhīṣmo dharmabhūtāṃ varaḥ, vāg-yataḥ prāñjalir bhūtvā tūṣṇīm āsīd. yudhiṣṭhira, mahārāja yudhiṣṭhira! dhanurdhāriṇāṃ śreṣṭha evaṃ vāṇī-saṃyama-yuktaḥ bhīṣmaḥ iti uktvā hastaṃ yoḍe (yoḍe = yojayitvā) cup ho gaye.
“O Suvrata, nawa’y mapasa iyo ang kabutihan. Ako si Bhīṣma, iyong lingkod. Sa pagtanaw ko lamang sa iyo, napalaya na ako sa lahat ng kasalanan.” Pagkasabi nito, si Haring Bhīṣma—pinakamataas sa mga matuwid—ay nagtimpi ng pananalita, nag-anjali ng mga palad, at nanahimik. O Haring Yudhiṣṭhira, pinakamahusay sa mga mamamana, matapos sabihin iyon ni Bhīṣma ay pinagtagpo niya ang mga palad at tumahimik.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights ethical humility and self-restraint: a great warrior like Bhishma models dharma by speaking with reverence, attributing moral purification to the sight of a virtuous person, and then practicing control of speech by falling silent with folded hands.
Nārada reports Bhishma’s words addressed to a virtuous person (“Suvrata”). Bhishma declares himself a servant, says that merely seeing the person has freed him from sins, and then—described for Yudhishthira—joins his palms and becomes silent.