Text 33] Bhisma’s Passing Away 483
TNAIRFMIAAAS A
frre fared AsaTaT 1231
tri-bhuvana-kamanam tamala-varnam
ravi-kara-gaura-varambaram dadhane
vapur alaka-kulavrtdnanabjarit
vijaya-sakhe ratir astu me’navadya
tri-bhuvana—three statuses of planetary systems; kamanam—the most
desirable; tameala-varnam—bluish like the tamala tree; ravi-kara—sun rays;
gaura—golden color; varambaram—dress glittering by; dadhane—one who
wears; vapuh—body; alaka-kulavrta—covered with paintings of sandalwood
pulp: anana-abjam—face like a lotus; vijaya-sakhe—unto the friend of
Arjuna; ratih astu—attraction be reposed upon Him; me—my; anavadya—
without desire for fruitive results.
TRANSLATION
Sri Krsna is the intimate friend of Arjuna. He has appeared on this
earth in His transcendental body which resembles the bluish color of the
tamala tree. His body attracts everyone in the three [upper, middle and
lower] planetary systems. May His glittering yellow dress and His lotus
face, covered with paintings of sandalwood pulp, be the object of my
attraction, and may [ not desire fruitive results.
PURPORT
When Sri Krsna by His own internal pleasure appears on earth, He does
so by the agency of His internal potency. The attractive features of His
transcendental body are desired in all the three worlds, namely the upper,
middle and lower planetary systems. Nowhere in the universe are there
such beautiful bodily features as those of Lord Krsna. Therefore His
transcendental body has nothing to do with anything materially created.
Arjuna is described here as the conquerer, and Krsna is described as his
intimate friend. Bhismadeva on his bed of arrows after the Battle of
Kuruksetra is remembering the particular dress of Lord Krsna which He
put on as the driver of Arjuna’s chariot. While fighting was going on be-
tween Arjuna and Bhisma, Bhisma’s attraction was drawn by the glittering
dress of Krsna, and indirectly he admired his so-called enemy Arjuna for
possessing the Lord as his friend. Arjuna was always a conquerer because
