Shloka 243
भीष्मदर्शनार्थं प्रस्थानम्
Departure to Behold Bhīṣma
आस्ते महर्षिभि: सार्ध ब्रह्मा देवगणैर्यथा । तदनन्तर वे सब लोग उस स्थानपर गये जहाँपर प्रभावशाली भीष्मजी बाणशय्यापर सो रहे थे। जैसे देवताओंसे घिरे हुए ब्रह्माजी शोभा पाते हैं
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: āste maharṣibhiḥ sārdhaṁ brahmā devagaṇair yathā | tadanantaraṁ te sarve lokāḥ tasmin sthāne gatāḥ yatra prabhāvaśālī bhīṣmaḥ bāṇaśayyāyāṁ suptaḥ | yathā devatābhiḥ parivṛto brahmā śobhate tathā maharṣibhiḥ sārdhaṁ bhīṣmaḥ suśobhate |
毗湿摩波耶那说道：毗湿摩与诸大圣仙同在，光辉灿然，如梵天为众天神所环绕。随后，众人前往那处——威德赫赫的毗湿摩正卧于箭床之上安息。正如梵天在诸神簇拥中显得庄严辉耀，毗湿摩亦在诸摩诃仙的侍从下熠熠生辉——人们敬仰他，并非因战场胜利，而是因其对达摩的坚守，以及其临终训诲所具的道德分量。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames Bhīṣma’s authority as moral and spiritual: even while wounded and near death, he is honoured like a cosmic teacher, surrounded by sages. The ethical point is that dharma and wisdom command reverence beyond battlefield outcomes.
After preceding events, the assembled people go to the spot where Bhīṣma lies on his bed of arrows. He is depicted as resplendent in the company of maharṣis, compared to Brahmā encircled by the gods—setting the scene for Bhīṣma’s instruction in Śānti Parva.