ery
gods. Among men on earth, O foremost of men, we have never seen nor heard
of any one possessed of such attributes as thee. O thou of the royal
order, thou surpassest the gods themselves in respect of every attribute.
By thy ascetic power thou canst create a universe of mobile and immobile
creatures. What need then be said of thy having acquired many blessed
regions by means of thy foremost of virtues? Dispel now the grief of the
eldest son of Panda who is burning with sorrow on account of the
slaughter of his kinsmen. All the duties that have been declared in
respect of the four orders about the four modes of life are well known to
thee. Everything again that is indicated in the four branches of
knowledge, in the four Hotras, O Bharata, as also those eternal duties
that are laid down in Yoga and Sankhya philosophy, the duties too of the
four orders and these duties that are not inconsistent with their
declared practices,--all these, along with their interpretations, O son
of Ganga, are known to thee. The duties that have been laid down for
those sprang from an intermixture of the four orders and those laid down
for particular countries and tribes and families, and those declared by
the Vedas and by men of wisdom, are all well known to thee. The subjects
of histories and the Puranas are all known to thee. All the scriptures
treating of duty and practice dwell in thy mind. Save thee, O bull among
men, there is no other person that can remove the doubts that may arise
in respect of those subjects of knowledge that are studied in the world.
With the aid of thy intelligence, do thou, O prince of men, drive the
sorrow felt by the son of Pandu. Persons possessed of so great and such
varied knowledge live only for comforting men whose minds have been
stupefied."'

"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing those words of Vasudeva of great
intelligence, Bhishma, raising his head a little, said these words with
joined hands.'

"'Bhishma said, "Salutations to thee, O divine Krishna! Thou art the
origin and thou art the dissolution of all the worlds. Thou art the
Creator and thou art the Destroyer. Thou, O Hrishikesa, art incapable of
being vanquished by any one. The universe is thy handiwork. Thou art the
soul of the universe and the universe hath sprung from thee. Salutations
to thee! Thou art the end of all created things. Thou art above the five
elements. Salutations to thee that art the three worlds and that art
again above the three