ed Devavrata or Bhishma
of unfading glory, lay on a hero's bed with the sons of Pandu sitting
around him, tell me, O great sage, what converse ensued in that meeting
of heroes after the slaughter of the troops.'

"Vaisampayana said, 'When Bhishma that chief of the Kurus, lay on his bed
of arrows, many Rishis and Siddhas, O king, headed by Narada, came to
that spot. The unslain remnant of the (assembled) kings with Yudhishthira
at their head, and Dhritarashtra and Krishna and Bhima and Arjuna and the
twins also came there. Those high-souled persons, approaching the
grandsire of the Bharatas who looked like the Sun himself dropped from
the firmament, indulged in lamentations for him. Then Narada of godlike
features reflecting for a short while, addressed all the Pandavas and the
unslain remnant of the kings saying, "The time, I think, has come for you
to question Bhishma (on subject of morality and religion), for Ganga's
son is about to expire like the Sun that is on the point of setting. He
is about to cast off his life-breaths. Do you all, therefore, solicit him
to discourse to you? He is acquainted with the varied duties of all the
four orders. Old in years, after abandoning his body he will obtain high
regions of bliss. Solicit him, therefore, without delay, to clear the
doubts that exist in your minds." Thus addressed by Narada, those
princes approached Bhishma, but unable to ask him anything, looked at one
another. Then Yudhishthira the son of Pandu, addressing Hrishikesa said,
"There is no one else than Devaki's son that can question the grandsire.
O foremost one of Yadu's race, do thou, therefore, O slayer of Madhu,
speak first. Thou, O sire, art the foremost of us all and thou art
conversant with every duty and practice." Thus addressed by the son of
Pandu, the illustrious Kesava of unfading glory, approaching the
unconquerable Bhishma, spoke unto him as follows.'

"'Vasudeva said, "Hast thou, O best of kings, passed the night happily?
Has thy understanding become unclouded? Does thy knowledge, O sinless
one, shine in thee by inward light? I hope thy heart no longer feels pain
and thy mind is no longer agitated."

"'Bhishma said, "Burning, stupefaction, fatigue, exhaustion, illness, and
pain, through thy grace, O thou of Vrishni's race, have all left me in a
single day. O thou of incomparable splendour, all that is past, all that
is future, and all that is present, I behold as clearly as a fruit placed
in my ha