Text 12] Bhisma’s Passing Away 453

he was the most satisfied man because of Yudhisthira’s being enthroned
in place of Duryodhana, and thus he began to congratulate them.

TEXT 12

o..2 iy ee SS
sad aa fee fasaateaaera: 1220

aho kastam aho ’nyayyam
yad yiiyam dharma-nandanah
jivitum narhatha klistam
vipra-dharmacyutasrayah

aho—oh; kastam—what terrible sufferings; aho—oh; anyayyam—what
terrible injustice; yat—because; yiyam—all of you good souls; dharma-
nandanah—sons of religion personified; jivitum—to remain alive; na—never;
arhatha—deserved; klistam—sufferer; vipra—brahmanas; dharma—piety;
acyuta—God; asrayah—being protected by.

TRANSLATION

Bhismadeva said: Oh, what terrible sufferings and what terrible
injustices you good souls suffer for being the sons of religion personified.
You did not deserve to remain alive under those tribulations, yet you
were protected by the brahmanas, God and religion.

PURPORT

Maharaja Yudhisthira was disturbed due to the great massacre in the
Battle of Kuruksetra. Bhismadeva could understand this, and therefore he
spoke first of the terrible sufferings of Maharaja Yudhisthira. He was put
into difficulty by injustice only, and the Battle of Kuruksetra was fought
just to counteract this injustice. Therefore, he should not regret the great
massacre. He wanted to point out particularly that they were always
protected by the brahmanas, the Lord and religious principles. As long as
they were protected by these three important items, there was no cause of
disappointment. Thus Bhismadeva encouraged Maharaja Yudhisthira to
dissipate his despondency. As long as a person is fully in cooperation with
the wishes of the Lord, guided by the bona fide brahmanas and Vaisnavas
and strictly following religious principles, one has no cause for despondency,
