SB 1.9.7 (1964)

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

SB 1.9.6 (1964) - SB 1.9.8 (1964)

Compare Versions: SB 1964 with SB 1972-77

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

TEXT No. 7

Vasista indrapramda trito gritsamada asita Kakshivan goutama atri koushika atha Sudarsana

PURPORT

Vasista. The great celebrated sage among the Brahmins and is well known as the Brahmarshi Vasistadeva. He is prominent figure both in the Ramayana and Mahabharata periods. He celebrated the coronation ceremony of the Personality of Godhead Sri Rama. He was present also in the battlefield of Kurukshetra. He could approach all the planets up and down and his name is found in connection with the history of Hiranyakashipu also. There was a great tension between him and Biswamitra who wanted his Kam Dhenu. Vasista Muni refused to spare his Kamdhenu and on this Viswamitra killed his one hundred sons. As a perfect Brahmin he tolerated all teasings of Viswamitra upon him. Once he tried to commit suicide on account of Viswamitra's torture upon him but all his attempts were unsuccessful in the matter of committing suicide. He fell down from the hill but the stones on which he fell down, became a stack of cotton and thus he was saved. He fell down on the ocean but the waves of the ocean got him on the shore. He fell down in the river but the river also got him on the shore. Thus all his attempts for suicide were unsuccessful. He is also one of the seven Rishis and husband of Arundhati the famous star.

Indrapramad. Another celebrated Rishi. Trita. One of the three sons of Prajapati Goutam. He was the third son and his other two brothers were known as Ekat and Dwita. All the brothers were great sages and strict followers of the principles of religiosity. By dint of severe penances they were promoted to the residence at Brahmaloka (the planet where Brahmaji lives). Sometimes Trita Muni fell in a well. He was organising worker of many sacrifices and as one of the great sages he also came to show respect to Bhismaji at his death bed. He was one of the seven sages in the Varunloka. He hailed from the Western countries of the world. As such most probably he belonged to the European countries. At that time the whole world was under one Vedic culture.

Gritsamad. One of the sages of the heavenly kingdom. He was fast friend of Indra the King of heaven and was as great as Brihaspati. He used to visit the royal assembly of Maharaj Yudhisthir and he also visited the place where Bhismadeva breathed his last. Sometimes he explained the glories of Lord Shiva before Maharaj Yudhisthir. He was the son of Vitahavya and he resembled in features of the body like Indra. Sometimes the enemies of Indra mistook him as Indra and took him arrested. He was a great scholar in the Rigveda and as such he was highly respected by the Brahmin-community. He lived a life of celibacy and was powerful in every respect.

Asita. There was a king of the name but herein the Asita mentioned is the Asita Deval Rishi a great powerful sage of the time. He explained to his father fifteen lakhs of verses from the Mahabharata. He was one of the members in the snake sacrifice of Maharaj Janmenjaya. He was also present during the coronation ceremony of Maharaj Yudhisthir along with other great Rishis. He also gave him instructions while Maharaj Yudhisthir was on the Anjana Hill. He was also one of the devotees of Lord Shiva.

Kakshivan. One of the sons of Goutam Muni and the father of the great sage known as Chandakousik. He was one of the members of Parliament of Maharaj Yudhisthir.

Atri. Atri Muni was a great Brahmin sage and was one of the mental sons of the Brahmaji. Brahmaji is so powerful that simply by thinking of a son he can have it. These sons are known as Manasa Putras. Atri was one of the Manasa Putras of Brahmaji. Out of such seven Manasa Putras of Brahmaji and out of the seven great Brahmin sages, Atri was one. In his family the great Prachetas were also born. Atri Muni had two kshatriya sons who became kings. King Arthama is one of them. He is counted one of the twenty one Prajapatis. His wife's name was Anusua and he helped Maharaj Parikshit in his great sacrifices.

Kaushika. One of the permanent Rishi members in the Royal assembly of Maharaj Yudhisthir. He met sometimes Lord Krishna. There are several other sages of the same name but they are different persons from the one mentioned herein.

Sudarsana. The wheel which is accepted by the Personality of Godhead (Vishnu or Krishna) as His personal weapon is the greatest powerful weapon more than the Brahmastras or similar other disasterous weapons. In some of the Vedic literatures it is said that Agnideva the fire-God presented this weapon to Lord Sri Krishna but factually this weapon is eternally carried by the Lord. Agnideva presented this weapon to Krishna is as much true as Rukmani was given by Maharaj Rukma to the Lord. The Lord accepts such presentations from His devotees even though such presentations are also eternally His property. There is elaborate description of this weapon in the Adiparva of Mahabharata and Lord Sri Krishna used this weapon while killing Sisupala a false rival of the Lord. He also killed Salya by this weapon and sometimes he wanted it to be used by His friend Arjuna for killing his enemies. (Maha. Virat. 56.3)

(Compare SB 1.9.7 Current Edition)

SB 1.9.6 (1964) - SB 1.9.8 (1964)