Shloka 13

Bhīṣma’s Hymn to Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa’s Criteria for Divine Self-Disclosure

Devanagari script

न हाभक्ताय राजेन्द्र भक्तायानृजवे न च । दर्शयाम्यहमात्मानं न चाशान्ताय भारत

Transliteration

na hābhaktāya rājendra bhaktāyānṛjave na ca | darśayāmy aham ātmānaṁ na cāśāntāya bhārata | arhastvaṁ bhīṣma māṁ draṣṭuṁ tapasā svena pārthiva | tava hy upasthitā lokā yebhyo nāvartate punaḥ ||

Translation

伐由说道：“大王啊，我不向无信敬者显现；也不向虽有信敬却不坦直者显现；亦不向心不安宁者显现，婆罗多啊。然而你——毗湿摩——凭你自身苦行（tapas）之力，足以见我，国主啊。为你，诸世界早已备妥——那等天界，一旦到达，便不再回返此世。”

Word by Word

• {'abhakta': 'one without devotion

• irreverent', 'bhakta': 'devoted

• faithful', 'anṛju / anṛjava': 'not straight

• lacking rectitude', 'darśayāmi': 'I cause to be seen

• I reveal', 'ātmānam': 'myself

• my own form/essence', 'aśānta': 'unpeaceful

• not tranquil', 'arhasi / arhastvam': 'you are worthy

• you deserve', 'draṣṭum': 'to see

• to behold', 'tapasā': 'by austerity

• by ascetic power', 'pārthiva': 'earthly ruler

• king', 'lokāḥ': 'worlds

• realms of existence', 'upasthitāḥ': 'present

• at hand', 'nāvartate punaḥ': 'does not return again'}

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Bhīṣma
• Bhārata (address to Bhīṣma as descendant of Bharata)
• Rājendra / Pārthiva (kingly addressee)
• Divine worlds (lokāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Divine revelation is conditioned by inner qualifications: devotion must be joined with straightforward integrity (ārjava) and peace of mind (śānti). Austerity (tapas) grounded in these virtues makes one fit for higher realization and the attainment of realms described as ‘non-returning’ (apunarāvṛtti).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses Bhīṣma, stating that he does not manifest to those lacking devotion, lacking rectitude, or lacking inner peace. He then affirms Bhīṣma’s eligibility—earned through his own tapas—and declares that exalted worlds are already prepared for him, from which one does not return to mortal existence.