SB 1.9.39 (1964)

SB (1964) Ninth Chapter - Bhisma's Passing away in the Presence of Lord Krishna

SB 1.9.38 (1964) - SB 1.9.40 (1964)

Compare Versions: SB 1964 with SB 1972-77

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

TEXT No. 39

Vijaya ratha kutumba attatotre Dhritahaya rasmini tachhriyekshniye Bhagwati ratirastu me mumurshor Yam iha nirikshya hata gatah swarupan.

ENGLISH SYNONYMS

Vijaya—Arjuna, Ratha—chariot, Kutumba—object of protection at all risk, Attatotre—with whip on the right hand, Dhritahaya—controlling the horses, Rasmini—ropes, Tachhriya—beautifully standing Ekshaniye—to look at, Bhagwati—unto the Personality of Godhead, Ratirastu—let there be my attraction, Mumurshor—one who is about to die, Yam—unto whom, Iha—in this world, Niriksya—by looking on, Hata—those who died, Gata—attained, Swarupam—original form.

TRANSLATION

Let my ultimate attraction be reposed on Sri Krishna the Personality of Godhead at the point of my death. I concentrate my mind upon the chariot driver of Arjuna who accepted his chariot as the object of protection by all means, who was standing with whip on the right hand and bridle rope on the left; very careful to give protection to Arjuna's chariot by all means He who was seen by the onlookers of the battle field of Kurukshetra and attained their original form after death.

PURPORT

A pure devotee of the Lord does constantly see the presence of the Lord within himself on account of being, transcendentally related by loving service. Such pure devotee cannot forget the Lord for a moment. This is called trance. The mystic (Yogins) tries to concentrate upon the Super Soul by controlling the senses from all other engagements and ultimately attains Samadhi. A devotee more than them attains Samadhi or trance by constantly remembering the Lord's Personal feature along with his holy Name, fame, pastimes, etc, without any break. Therefore, concentration of the mystic yogi and that of the devotee are not on the same level. Concentration of the mystic is something mechanical while that of the pure devotee is natural in pure love and affection spontaneously. Bhismadeva was a pure devotee and as a military marshal he constantly remembered the battlefield feature of the Lord as Parthasarathi, the chariot driver of Arjuna. Therefore, the Lord's pastime as Parthasarathi is also eternal. All the pastimes of the Lord beginning from His birth at the priscn house of Kansa up to the Moushala Leela at the end, all moving one after another in all the universes just like the clock hand moves from one point to another. And in such pastimes His associates like the Pandavas and Bhismas are constant eternal companions. So Bhismadeva never forgot the beautiful feature of the Lord as Parthasarathi which even Arjuna could not see. Arjuna was behind the beautiful Parthasarathi while Bhismadeva was just in front of the Lord. So far the military feature of the Lord is concerned Bhismadeva observed in Him more relishably than Arjuna. All the soldiers and persons attached in the battlefield of Kurukshetra attained their original spiritual form like the Lord after their death; because by the causeless mercy of the Lord they were all able to see Him face to face on that occasion. The conditioned souls rotating in the cycle of evolutionery process of gradual development from the aquatics up to the form of Brahma, all are in the form of Maya or the form obtained by one's own act and awarded by the material nature. The material forms of the conditioned souls are all foreign dresses and when the conditioned soul becomes liberated from the clutches of the material energy he gets or attains his original form. The impersonalist wants to attain to the impersonal Brahman effulgence of the Lord but that is not at all congenial to the living sparks parts and parcels of the Lord. Therefore, the impersonalists do again fall down and get the material forms which are all false to the spirit soul. The spiritual from like the Lord either two-handed or four-handed is attained by the devotees of the Lord either in the Vaikunthas or in the Golaka planets according to the original nature of the soul. This form which is cent percent spiritual is the Swarupa of the living being and all the living beings who participated in the battle field of Kurukshetra on both sides, attained their Swarupa as it is confirmed by Bhismadeva. So Lord Shri Krishna was not only merciful to the Pandavas but also He was merciful to the other parties because all of them attained the same result. Bhismadeva wanted the same facility also and that was his prayer to the Lord although his position as associate of the Lord is assured at all circumstances. The conclusion is that whoever may die by looking on the Personality of Godhead within or without attains his Swarupa which is the highest perfection of life. (B.G. 8/15-16)

(Compare SB 1.9.39 Current Edition)

SB 1.9.38 (1964) - SB 1.9.40 (1964)