Text 47] Bhisma’s Passing Away 505
TRANSLATION
O descendant of Bhrgu [Saunaka], after performing funeral rituals
for the dead body of Bhismadeva, Maharaja Yudhisthira was momentarily
overtaken with grief.
PURPORT
Bhismadeva was not only a great family head of Maharaja Yudhisthira,
but also he was a great philosopher and friend of him, his brothers and his
mother. Since Maharaja Pandu, the father of the five brothers headed by
Maharaja Yudhisthira, died, Bhismadeva was the most affectionate grand-
father of the Pandavas and caretaker of the widow daughter-in-law
Kuntidevi. Although Maharaja Dhrtarastra, the elder uncle of Maharaja
Yudhisthira, was there to look after them, his affection was more on the
side of his hundred sons, headed by Duryodhana. Ultimately a colossal
clique was fabricated to deprive the five fatherless brothers of the rightful
claim of the kingdom of Hastinapura. There was great intrigue, common in
imperial palaces, and the five brothers were exiled into the wilderness. But
Bhismadeva was always a sincerely sympathetic well-wisher, grandfather,
friend and philosopher to Maharaja Yudhisthira, even up to the last moment
of his life. He died very happily by seeing Maharaja Yudhisthira to the
throne, otherwise he would have long ago quitted his material body,
instead of suffering agony over the undue sufferings of the Pandavas. He
was simply waiting for the opportune moment because he was sure and
certain that the sons of Pandu would come out victorious in the Battlefield
of Kuruksetra, as His Lordship Sri Krsna was their protector. As a devotee
of the Lord, he knew that the Lord’s devotee cannot be vanquished at
any rate. Maharaja Yudhisthira was quite aware of all these good wishes
of Bhismadeva, and therefore he must have been feeling the great separa-
tion. He was sorry for the separation of a great soul, and not for the mate-
rial body which Bhismadeva relinquished. The funeral ceremony was a
necessary duty, although Bhismadeva was a liberated soul. Since Bhisma-
deva was without issue, the eldest grandson, namely Maharaja Yudhisthira,
was the rightful person to perform this ceremony. It was a great boon to
Bhismadeva that an equally great son of the family undertook the last
rites of a yreat man.
TEXT 47
qesAT eet: Se TayTATAH: |
TAA SUT: AAA AAT: TA? Vl
