वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः सत्यवती दीना कृपणा पुत्रगृद्धिनी। पुत्रस्य कृत्वा कार्याणि स्नुषाभ्यां सह भारत॥ समाश्वास्य स्नुषे ते च भीष्मं शस्त्रभृतां वरम्। धर्मं च पितृवंशं च मातृवंशं च भाविनी। प्रसमीक्ष्य महाभागा गाङ्गेयं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥ शान्तनोधर्मनित्यस्य कौरव्यस्य यशस्विनः। त्वयि पिण्डश्च कीर्तिश्च संतानं च प्रतिष्ठितम्॥
Vaishampayana said : The unfortunate and miserable Satyavati, plunged in grief for her son, performed with her daughters-in-law the obsequial rites of her son. The amiable lady then consoled her two daughters-in-law and the foremost of all wielders of arms Bhishma; Then turning her mind on virtue and on the paternal and maternal lines, the illustrious lady thus addressed the son of Ganga. "The funeral cake, the achievements and the perpetuation of the Kuru dynasty and of the line of the illustrious and virtuous Shantanu all depend upon you.
यथा कर्म शुभं कृत्वा स्वर्गोपगमनं ध्रुवम्। यथा चायुर्बुवं सत्ये त्वयि धर्मस्तथा ध्रुवः॥
As the attainment of heaven is certain from good deeds, as long life is certain from truth, so virtue is certainly inseparable from you.
वेत्थ धर्मांश्च धर्मज्ञ समासेनेतरेण च। विविधास्त्वं श्रुतीर्वेत्थ वेदाङ्गानि च सर्वशः॥
O virtuous man, you are well acquainted with the precepts of virtue, both in abstract and in detail. You are learned in the various Shrutis and in all the branches of the Vedas.
व्यवस्थानं च ते धर्मे कुलाचारं च लक्षये। प्रतिपत्तिं च कृच्छ्रेषु शुक्राङ्गिरसयोरिव॥
I know you are like Indra and Angiras in firmness, in virtuous, in preserving familycustoms and in the presence of mind.
तस्मात् सुभृशमाश्वस्य त्वयि धर्मभृतां वर। कार्ये त्वां विनियोक्ष्यामि तच्छुत्वा कर्तुमर्हसि॥
Therefore, O best of virtuous men, greatly relying on you, I shall appoint you to do a certain act. Hearing it, you should do it.
मम पुत्रस्तव भ्राता वीर्यवान् सुप्रियश्च ते। बाल एव गतः स्वर्गमपुत्रः पुरुषर्षभ॥ इमे महिष्यौ भ्रातुस्ते काशिराजसुते शुभे। रूपयौवनसम्पन्ने पुत्रकामे च भारत॥ तयोरुत्पादयापत्यं संतानाय कुलस्य नः। मन्नियोगान्महाबाहो धर्मं कर्तुमिहार्हसि॥
O descendant of Bharata race, the wives of your brother, the beautiful daughters of the king of Kashi, both possessing beauty and youth, are desirous of offspring. O best of men, my son and your brother, endued with great prowess and dear to you, has gone to heaven when he was a boy. O mighty-armed hero, therefore, beget at my perpetuation of our dynasty. You should perform this virtuous act.
राज्ये चैवाभिषिच्यस्व भारताननुशाधि च। दारांश्च कुरु धर्मेण मा धर्मेण मा निमन्जी: पितामहान्॥
"Install yourself on the throne of the kingdom and rule the domain of the Bharatas. Marry wife according to the rites. Do not sink your ancestors in hell."
वैशम्पायन उवाच तथोच्यमानो मात्रा स सुहृद्धिश्च परंतपः। इत्युवाचाथ धर्मात्मा धर्म्यमेवोत्तरं वचः॥
Vaishampayana said : Thus addressed by his mother, relatives and friends, the chastiser of foes, the virtuousminded (Bhishma) said the following comfortable to the dictates of virtues.
असंशयं परो धर्मस्त्वया मातरुदाहृतः। राज्यार्थे नाभिषिञ्चयं नोपेयां जातु मैथुनम्। त्वमपत्यं प्रति च मे प्रतिज्ञां वेत्थ वै पराम्॥ जानासि च यथावृत्तं शुल्कहेतोस्त्वदन्तरे। स सत्यवति सत्यं ते प्रतिजानाम्यहं पुनः॥
"O mother, what you say is certainly sanctioned by religion. But you know my vow as regards begetting children. () mother Satyavati, you know also what took place in connection with thy bestowal. I now repeat the pledge I once gave.
परित्यजेयं त्रैलोक्यं राज्यं देवेषु वा पुनः। यद् वाप्यधिकमेताभ्यां न तु सत्यं कथंचन॥
I can renounce the three worlds, I can renounce the kingdom of heaven or anything that may be greater than the both, but I can never renounce truth.
त्यजेच पृथिवी गन्धमापश्च रसमात्मनः। ज्योतिस्तथा त्यजेद् रूपं वायुः स्पर्शगुणं त्यजेत्॥ प्रभां समुत्सृजेदर्को धूमकेतुस्तथोप्मताम्। त्यजेच्छब्दं तथाऽऽकाशं सोमः शीतांशुतां त्यजेत्॥१७।
Earth may renounce her scent, water may renounce its moisture, light may renounce its attribute of exhibiting forms, the wind may renounce its attribute of being perceivable by the touch. The sun may renounce its glory, comet its heat, the sky its sound, moon its cool rays.
विक्रमं वृत्रहा जह्याद् धर्मं जह्याच धर्मराट्। न त्वहं सत्यमुत्स्स्रष्टुं व्यवसेयं कथंचन॥
The slayer of Vitra (Indra) may renounce his prowess and the king of justice his impartiality, but I cannot renounce truth.”
माता सत्यवती भीष्ममुवाच तदनन्तरम्॥ जानामि ते स्थितिं सत्ये परां सत्यपराक्रमा इच्छन् सृजेथास्त्रील्लोकानन्यांस्त्वं स्वेन तेजसा॥ जानामि चैवं सत्यं तन्मदर्थे यच्च भाषितम्। आपद्धर्मं त्वमावेक्ष्य वह पैतामही धुरम्॥
Having been thus addressed by her son, endued with great effulgence, mother Satyavati, then replied to Bhishma, "O hero whose strength is truth, I know you are devoted to truth. If you like, you can create another three worlds out of your great energy. I know what was your vow on my account. But taking into your consideration the emergency, bear the burden of duty you own towards your ancestors.
यथा ते कुलतन्तुश्च धर्मश्च न पराभवेत्। सुहृदश्च प्रहष्येरंस्तथा कुरु परंतप॥
"O chastiser of foes, act in a way so that virtue is not destroyed and so that the thread of our race is not broken and our friends and relatives may not grieve.”
लालप्यमानां तामेवं कृपणां पुत्रगृद्धिनीम्। धर्मादपेतं ब्रुवतीं भीष्मो भूयोऽब्रवीदिदम्॥
Having been thus again and again urged by his miserable and son-bereaved mother (Satyavati), with words inconsistent with virtue, Bhishma said-
राज्ञि धर्मानवेक्षस्व मा नः सर्वान् व्यनीनशः। सत्याच्च्युतिः क्षत्रियस्य न धर्मेषु प्रशस्यते॥
“O queen, turn your eyes on virtue. Do not destroy us all. The violation of truth in Kshatriyas is never praised in the scriptures.
शान्तनोरपि संतानं यथा स्यादक्षयं भुवि। तत् ते धर्मं प्रवक्ष्यामि क्षात्रं राज्ञि सनातनम्॥
O queen, I shall tell you the everlasting usage of the Kshatriyas, to which recourse may be had in order to prevent the line of Shantanu being extinct.
श्रुत्वा तं प्रतिपद्यस्व प्राज्ञैः सह पुरोहितैः। आपद्धर्मार्थकुशलैर्लोकतन्त्रमवेक्ष्य च॥
Hearing it, consider what should be done, in consultation with the priests and those wise men who know what practices are allowable in the time of emergency and distress. Forget not the ordinary course of social conduct."