Bhishma Stuti — Complete Lyrics
भीष्म स्तुति
Sanskrit text with English transliteration and translation
Verse 1
इति मतिरुपकल्पिता वितृष्णा
भगवति सात्वतपुङ्गवे विभूम्नि ।
स्वसुखमुपगते क्वचिद्विहर्तुं
प्रकृतिमुपेयुषि यद्भवप्रवाहः ॥
iti matir-upakalpitā vitṛṣṇā
bhagavati sātvata-puṅgave vibhūmni |
sva-sukham-upagate kvacid-vihartuṃ
prakṛtim-upeyuṣi yad-bhava-pravāhaḥ ||
Thus, free of all craving, I fix my mind upon the all-pervading Lord, the foremost of the Satvatas, who, ever absorbed in His own bliss, occasionally descends to sport and assumes a form, and from whom the whole stream of existence flows.
Verse 2
त्रिभुवनकमनं तमालवर्णं
रविकरगौरवराम्बरं दधाने ।
वपुरलककुलावृताननाब्जं
विजयसखे रतिरस्तु मेऽनवद्या ॥
tri-bhuvana-kamanaṃ tamāla-varṇaṃ
ravi-kara-gaura-varāmbaraṃ dadhāne |
vapur-alaka-kulāvṛtānanābjaṃ
vijaya-sakhe ratir-astu me'navadyā ||
May my pure, flawless love rest upon Him, the friend of Arjuna — the most beautiful of all the three worlds, dark-hued like the tamala tree, wearing yellow robes radiant as the sun's rays, His lotus face framed by curling locks.
Verse 3
युधि तुरगरजोविधूम्रविष्वक्-
कचलुलितश्रमवार्यलङ्कृतास्ये ।
मम निशितशरैर्विभिद्यमान-
त्वचि विलसत्कवचेऽस्तु कृष्ण आत्मा ॥
yudhi turaga-rajo-vidhūmra-viṣvak-
kaca-lulita-śrama-vāry-alaṅkṛtāsye |
mama niśita-śarair-vibhidyamāna-
tvaci vilasat-kavace'stu kṛṣṇa ātmā ||
Upon the battlefield, His face greyed by the dust of the horses' hooves and beautified by drops of perspiration, His skin pierced by my sharp arrows, His armour glittering — may my soul rest upon that Krishna.
Verse 4
सपदि सखिवचो निशम्य मध्ये
निजपरयोर्बलयो रथं निवेश्य ।
स्थितवति परसैनिकायुरक्ष्णा
हृतवति पार्थसखे रतिर्ममास्तु ॥
sapadi sakhi-vaco niśamya madhye
nija-parayor-balayo rathaṃ niveśya |
sthitavati para-sainikāyur-akṣṇā
hṛtavati pārtha-sakhe ratir-mamāstu ||
At once, on hearing the words of His friend, He drove the chariot into the midst of both armies, and there, by His mere glance, He shortened the lifespan of the opposing soldiers — may my love be fixed upon that friend of Partha.
Verse 5
व्यवहितपृतनामुखं निरीक्ष्य
स्वजनवधाद्विमुखस्य दोषबुद्ध्या ।
कुमतिमहरदात्मविद्यया यश्-
चरणरतिः परमस्य तस्य मेऽस्तु ॥
vyavahita-pṛtanā-mukhaṃ nirīkṣya
sva-jana-vadhād-vimukhasya doṣa-buddhyā |
kumatim-aharad-ātma-vidyayā yaś-
caraṇa-ratiḥ paramasya tasya me'stu ||
When, seeing me at the head of the army, Arjuna drew back from killing his kinsmen, thinking it a sin, the Lord dispelled his confusion by imparting spiritual knowledge — may I be devoted to the feet of that Supreme One.
Verse 6
स्वनिगममपहाय मत्प्रतिज्ञा-
मृतमधिकर्तुमवप्लुतो रथस्थः ।
धृतरथचरणोऽभ्ययाच्चलद्गु-
र्हरिरिव हन्तुमिभं गतोत्तरीयः ॥
sva-nigamam-apahāya mat-pratijñām-
ṛtam-adhi-kartum-avapluto ratha-sthaḥ |
dhṛta-ratha-caraṇo'bhyayāc-calad-gur-
harir-iva hantum-ibhaṃ gatottarīyaḥ ||
To make my vow come true, He broke His own promise (not to fight): leaping down from the chariot, seizing its wheel, His upper garment falling, He rushed at me as a lion charges an elephant, the earth trembling beneath His feet.
Verse 7
शितविशिखहतो विशीर्णदंशः
क्षतजपरिप्लुत आततायिनो मे ।
प्रसभमभिससार मद्वधार्थं
स भवतु मे भगवान्गतिर्मुकुन्दः ॥
śita-viśikha-hato viśīrṇa-daṃśaḥ
kṣataja-paripluta ātatāyino me |
prasabham-abhisasāra mad-vadhārthaṃ
sa bhavatu me bhagavān-gatir-mukundaḥ ||
Struck by my sharp arrows, His shield shattered, His body smeared with blood, He furiously charged forward to slay me, the aggressor — may that Lord Mukunda be my goal.
Verse 8
विजयरथकुटुम्ब आत्ततोत्रे
धृतहयरश्मिनि तच्छ्रियेक्षणीये ।
भगवति रतिरस्तु मे मुमूर्षो-
र्यमिह निरीक्ष्य हता गताः स्वरूपम् ॥
vijaya-ratha-kuṭumba ātta-totre
dhṛta-haya-raśmini tac-chriyekṣaṇīye |
bhagavati ratir-astu me mumūrṣor-
yam-iha nirīkṣya hatā gatāḥ sva-rūpam ||
May my love at this moment of death rest upon the Lord, holding the whip and the reins of the horses of Arjuna's chariot, His beauty matchless to behold — those who gazed upon Him here on the field and fell attained a form like His own.
Verse 9
ललितगतिविलासवल्गुहास-
प्रणयनिरीक्षणकल्पितोरुमानाः ।
कृतमनुकृतवत्य उन्मदान्धाः
प्रकृतिमगन्किल यस्य गोपवध्वः ॥
lalita-gati-vilāsa-valgu-hāsa-
praṇaya-nirīkṣaṇa-kalpitoru-mānāḥ |
kṛtam-anu-kṛtavatya unmadāndhāḥ
prakṛtim-agan-kila yasya gopa-vadhvaḥ ||
He by whose graceful movements, charming smiles and loving glances the cowherd women of Vraja were filled with pride, who in their madness of love imitated His every gesture and thereby attained His very nature — may my mind dwell on Him.
Verse 10
मुनिगणनृपवर्यसङ्कुलेऽन्तः
सदसि युधिष्ठिरराजसूय एषाम् ।
अर्हणमुपपेद ईक्षणीयो
मम दृशिगोचर एष आविरात्मा ॥
muni-gaṇa-nṛpa-varya-saṅkule'ntaḥ
sadasi yudhiṣṭhira-rāja-sūya eṣām |
arhaṇam-upapeda īkṣaṇīyo
mama dṛśi-gocara eṣa āvir-ātmā ||
In the great assembly of King Yudhishthira's Rajasuya sacrifice, thronged with sages and the greatest of kings, He was chosen to receive the foremost worship of all — and now that same Lord, the Supreme Soul, has appeared before my very eyes.
Verse 11
तमिममहमजं शरीरभाजां
हृदि हृदि धिष्ठितमात्मकल्पितानाम् ।
प्रतिदृशमिव नैकधार्कमेकं
समधिगतोऽस्मि विधूतभेदमोहः ॥
tam-imam-aham-ajaṃ śarīra-bhājāṃ
hṛdi hṛdi dhiṣṭhitam-ātma-kalpitānām |
prati-dṛśam-iva naikadhārkam-ekaṃ
samadhigato'smi vidhūta-bheda-mohaḥ ||
He is the unborn one, seated within the heart of every embodied being as their inmost Self, appearing as one yet seemingly many — like the single sun reflected in many eyes. Freed now of the delusion of all difference, I have attained Him.
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