Shloka 11
Bhīṣma’s Hymn to Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa’s Criteria for Divine Self-Disclosure
भारत! राजेन्द्र! जो मेरा भक्त नहीं है अथवा भक्त होनेपर भी सरल स्वभावका नहीं है। जिसके मनमें शान्ति नहीं है, उसे मैं अपने स्वरूपका दर्शन नहीं कराता
bhārata! rājendra! yo mama bhakto na bhavati athavā bhakto 'pi san sarala-svabhāvo na bhavati | yasya manasi śāntir na vidyate, tasmai ahaṃ sva-svarūpasya darśanaṃ na karomi |
“Hỡi hậu duệ Bharata, hỡi bậc tối thượng giữa các vua: kẻ nào không sùng kính ta—hoặc dẫu sùng kính mà không có bản tính ngay thẳng, chân thật, không mưu trá—và kẻ nào tâm không an tịnh, đối với người ấy ta không ban cho thấy chân tướng của ta.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Divine realization (the vision of the deity’s true nature) requires not only devotion but also moral-psychological fitness: simplicity/straightforwardness and inner peace. Mere outward devotion without a calm, honest mind is insufficient.
Vāyudeva addresses a royal listener (called Bhārata and Rājendra) and states a criterion for granting spiritual vision: he withholds the revelation of his true form from those who lack devotion, or who, despite devotion, lack simplicity and mental tranquility.