Bhīṣma’s Śara-śayyā Stuti to Vāsudeva and Yogic Preparation for Dehotsarga
Body-Relinquishment
त्रि:सप्तकृत्वो य:ः क्षत्रं धर्मव्युत्क्रान्तगौरवम् । क्रुद्धो निजघ्ने समरे तस्मै क्रौर्यात्मने नम:
triḥ-saptakṛtvo yaḥ kṣatraṁ dharma-vyutkrānta-gauravam | kruddho nijaghne samare tasmai krauryātmane namaḥ ||
毗湿摩曰:礼敬帕拉修罗摩(Paraśurāma)——志决而严厉者;彼虽奉持法,却因忿怒,在战场上二十一度诛灭刹帝利之族,当其越犯法之尊严与界限之时。
भीष्म उवाच
The verse highlights a dharmic ideal of restoring moral order when a ruling/warrior class becomes corrupt, while also underscoring the ethical danger of acting from anger: even a righteous aim can be morally fraught if driven by wrath.
Bhishma offers homage to Parashurama, recalling the traditional account that Parashurama repeatedly annihilated the Kshatriyas in battle—twenty-one times—as punishment for their deviation from dharma and loss of rightful honor.