When the fifth month had come, the young prince, steadfast in his discipline, had mastered his breath and stood firmly on a single leg. He became utterly still, unmoving like a pillar, and fixed his mind in deep meditation upon the Absolute. Withdrawing his awareness from all distractions, he centered his consciousness within his heart—the seat of the elements and the senses—seeing nothing but the form of the Lord. As he thus sustained in his meditation the Supreme Lord, the master of primordial matter and the great elements, the very support of all existence, a tremor ran through the three worlds. The earth itself, pressed by the weight of his big toe as he stood on one foot, bent beneath him, much like the platform of an elephant sags under its massive weight. With unwavering concentration, he closed the doors of his senses and meditated upon the Self of the universe. The intensity of his practice grew so great that the worlds and their guardians felt oppressed and breathless, and in their distress, they sought refuge in Lord Hari. The gods cried out, “O Lord, never have we seen such restraint of life-breath among all beings, moving or unmoving, whose very abode is in You. Please, grant us relief from this suffering; we have come to You, our ultimate refuge.” The Blessed Lord replied, “Do not fear. I shall cause the boy to desist from this arduous austerity. Return to your own realms. It was because of his union with Me that your breath was restrained, O sons of Uttānapāda.” In the aftermath of these events, Sūta continued the tale: Out of concern for the well-being of his subjects and eager to understand the full measure of righteousness, King Yudhiṣṭhira set out for the place where the mighty Devavrata, known as Bhīṣma, lay upon his bed of arrows. He was accompanied by all his brothers, riding in chariots with horses adorned in gold, as well as by the sages Vyāsa, Dhaumya, and others. The Blessed Lord Kṛṣṇa, too, joined them, riding in a chariot with Dhanañjaya (Arjuna). Amidst this august company, the king shone resplendent, like Kubera among the Yakṣas. When the Pāṇḍavas and their companions, along with the wielder of the discus, beheld Bhīṣma fallen upon the ground—like a god cast down from heaven—they bowed low in reverence before him. There, assembled to honor the chief of the Bharatas, were all the great sages among the Brāhmaṇas, the foremost of divine and royal sages. Parvata, Nārada, Dhaumya, the venerable Bādarāyaṇa, Brihadasva, Bharadvāja with his disciples, and the son of Reṇukā were present. Vasishtha, Indrapramada, Trita, Gritsamada, Asita, Kakṣīvan, Gautama, Atri, Kauśika, and Sudarshana were there as well. Other pure-hearted sages, such as Brahmarata, Kaśyapa, Angiras, and their followers, also arrived. Perceiving all these most fortunate souls gathered, Bhīṣma—the best of the Vasus, well-versed in righteousness and the distinctions of place and time—honored them all. He also worshipped Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the universe, who knows His own majesty and, by His own māyā, assumes a form visible to the world while dwelling in the heart of all. Bhīṣma then addressed the sons of Pāṇḍu, who sat before him with humility and affection, their eyes blinded by tears of deep attachment. He spoke with compassion, “Alas, how grievous, how unjust it is that you, O sons of Dharma—so afflicted, so devoted to the Brāhmaṇas, to righteousness, and to Acyuta—should suffer or live in distress. With the mighty Pandu gone, Kunti, left a widow with young children, has endured countless hardships for your sake, time and again, like a mother with a helpless child. “All that is unpleasant in your lives, I see as caused by time; the entire world, with its rulers, is subject to its sway, just as clouds are driven by the wind. Where the son of Dharma is king, Bhīma wields the mace, Arjuna holds the Gandiva bow, and Kṛṣṇa is your friend—how can adversity exist? “O King, no one knows His intention; even the wise, endowed with inquiry, are bewildered by it. Therefore, O best of the Bharatas, know this to be the arrangement of destiny. Since it is thus ordained, protect your people as their lord, even though you feel bereft of protectors. “Behold, this is Bhagavān Himself, the original Nārāyaṇa, who, hidden among the Vrishnis, moves about the world, bewildering all by His māyā. His most secret power is known only by Bhagavān Śiva, the divine sage Nārada, and Bhagavān Kapila. He whom you regard as your maternal cousin, dear friend, and best well-wisher—whom you made your minister, messenger, and charioteer out of affection—He is the very soul of all, seeing all equally, nondual and free from ego. There is never any fault in the differences He causes in people’s minds. “Yet, O King, see His compassion for those with exclusive devotion: as I prepare to leave this world, Kṛṣṇa Himself stands before me. The yogi who, with devotion, fixes his mind upon Him and utters His name at the time of death is freed from desires and actions. “May that Lord of gods, Bhagavān, remain until I relinquish this body—He who stands before me, smiling, with reddish eyes, a radiant lotus-like face, and four arms, resplendent as the path of my meditation.” Sūta resumed: Hearing these words, Yudhiṣṭhira questioned Bhīṣma, who lay upon the bed of arrows, about the various duties prescribed for people according to their nature, class, and stage of life. The sages listened attentively as he inquired about the characteristics of both detachment and attachment, as taught in the scriptures. He asked, both in summary and in detail, about the duties of charity, kingship, liberation, women, and devotion to God, as well as their divisions and yogic aspects. The sage, knowing the truth, described to him the aims of dharma, wealth, desire, and liberation, along with their means, drawing upon stories and histories. As Bhīṣma expounded on dharma, the auspicious moment arrived—the time longed for by yogis who wish to depart at will, the northern course. Then, withdrawing his speech, which had flowed like a thousand streams, he fixed his mind—free from all attachments—upon the Primeval Person: upon Kṛṣṇa, shining in yellow garments, four-armed, standing before him, with eyes unblinking. With pure concentration, all inauspiciousness destroyed, and the fatigue of battle gone just by beholding Him, with all the activities of his senses ceased, Bhīṣma praised Janārdana, the creator, as he prepared to depart from this world. Bhīṣma prayed: “Thus, my mind, freed from thirst, is established in the Lord, the foremost of the Sātvatas, the all-pervading one, who, having attained His own bliss, sometimes enters into the world of nature, from which the flow of birth arises. May my pure love remain fixed upon Him—the delight of the three worlds, dark as a tamāla tree, adorned in garments shining like the rays of the sun, his form encircled by curling locks, and his lotus face the dear friend of Arjuna.