Chapter 81

Vaisampayana said, “Hearing these words of his brothers as also ofKrishna, all of whom were anxious on account of Dhananjaya, kingYudhishthira, the just, became melancholy. And at that time he saw(before him) the celestial Rishi Narada blazing with Brahmi beauty andlike unto a fire flaming up in consequence of sacrificial libation. Andbeholding him come, king Yudhishthira with his brothers stood up and dulyworshipped the illustrious one. And endued with blazing energy, thehandsome chief of the Kuru race, surrounded by his brothers, shone likethe god of a hundred sacrifices encircled by the celestials. AndYajnaseni in obedience to the dictates of morality adhered to her lords,the sons of Pritha, like Savitri to the Vedas or the rays of the Sun tothe peak of Meru. And the illustrious Rishi Narada, accepting thatworship, comforted the son of Dharma in proper terms. And, O sinless one,addressing the high-souled king Yudhishthira, the just, the Rishi said,’Tell me, O foremost of virtuous men, what it is that thou seekest andwhat I can do for thee. At this, the royal son of Dharma bowing with hisbrothers unto Narada, who was the revered of the celestials, told himwith joined hands, ‘O thou that art highly blessed and worshipped by allthe worlds when thou art gratified with me, I regard all my wishes inconsequence of thy grace, as already fulfilled, O thou of excellent vows!If, O sinless one, I with my brothers deserve thy favour, it behoveththee, O best of Munis, to dispel the doubt that is in my mind. Itbehoveth thee to tell me in detail what merit is his that goeth round theworlds, desirous of beholding the sacred waters and shrines that are onit.'”

“Narada said, ‘Listen, O king, with attention, to what the intelligentBhishma had heard before from Pulastya! Once, O blessed one, thatforemost of virtuous men, Bhishma, while in the observance of the Pitryavow, lived, O king, in the company of Munis in a delightful and sacredregion, near the source of the Ganga, that is resorted to by thecelestial Rishis and Gandharvas and the celestials themselves. And whileliving there, the resplendent one gratified with his oblations thePitris, the gods and the Rishis, according to the rites inculcated in thescriptures. And once on a time while the illustrious one was engaged inhis silent recitations, he beheld Pulastya–that best of Rishis, ofwonderful appearance. And beholding that austere ascetic blazing withbeauty, he was filled with great delight and exceeding wonder. And, OBharata, that foremost of virtuous men, Bhishma, then worshipped thatblessed Rishi according to the rites of the ordinance. And purifyinghimself and with rapt attention, he approached that best of Brahmarshis,with the Arghya on his head. And uttering aloud his name, he said, ‘Othou of excellent vow, blessed be thou, I am Bhishma, thy slave. At sightof thee, I am freed from all my sins.’ And saying this, that foremost ofvirtuous men, Bhishma, restraining speeches stood, O Yudhishthira, insilence and with joined hands. And beholding Bhishma that foremost of theKurus, reduced and emaciated by the observance of vows and the study ofthe Vedas, the Muni became filled with joy.”