भीष्मो द्रोणोऽम्बिकापुत्रो गान्धारी ससुता तथा ।
सदारा: पाण्डवा: कुन्ती सञ्जयो विदुर: कृप: ॥ २३ ॥
कुन्तीभोजो विराटश्च भीष्मको नग्नजिन्महान् ।
पुरुजिद्द्रुपद: शल्यो धृष्टकेतु: सकाशिराट् ॥ २४ ॥
दमघोषो विशालाक्षो मैथिलो मद्रकेकयौ ।
युधामन्यु: सुशर्मा च ससुता बाह्लिकादय: ॥ २५ ॥
राजानो ये च राजेन्द्र युधिष्ठिरमनुव्रता: ।
श्रीनिकेतं वपु: शौरे: सस्त्रीकं वीक्ष्य विस्मिता: ॥ २६ ॥
bhīṣmo droṇo ’mbikā-putro
[bheeshmo drono ’mbikaa-putro]
gāndhārī sa-sutā tathā
[gaandhaaree sa-sutaa tathaa]
sa-dārāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ kuntī
[sa-daaraah paandavaah kuntee]
sañjayo viduraḥ kṛpaḥ
[sanjayo vidurah kripah]
kuntībhojo virāṭaś ca
[kunteebhojo viraatash cha]
bhīṣmako nagnajin mahān
[bheeshmako nagnajin mahaan]
purujid drupadaḥ śalyo
[purujid drupadah shalyo]
dhṛṣṭaketuḥ sa kāśi-rāṭ
[dhrishtaketuh sa kaashi-raat]
damaghoṣo viśālākṣo
[damaghosho vishaalaaksho]
maithilo madra-kekayau
[maithilo madra-kekayau]
yudhāmanyuḥ suśarmā ca
[yudhaamanyuh susharmaa cha]
sa-sutā bāhlikādayaḥ
[sa-sutaa baahlikaadayah]
rājāno ye ca rājendra
[raajaano ye cha raajendra]
yudhiṣṭhiram anuvratāḥ
[yudhishthiram anuvrataah]
śrī-niketaṁ vapuḥ śaureḥ
[shree-niketam vapuh shaureh]
sa-strīkaṁ vīkṣya vismitāḥ
[sa-streekam veekshya vismitaah]
Word-for-word
bhīṣmaḥ droṇaḥ ambikā - putraḥ—Bhīsma, Droṇa and the son of Ambikā (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)gāndhārī—Gāndhārīsa—together withsutāḥ—her sonstathā—alsosa - dārāḥ—with their wivespāṇḍavāḥ—the sons of Pāṇḍukuntī—Kuntīsañjayaḥ viduraḥ kṛpaḥ—Sañjaya, Vidura and Kṛpakuntībhojaḥ virāṭaḥ ca—Kuntībhoja and Virāṭabhīṣmakaḥ—Bhīṣmakanagnajit—Nagnajitmahān—the greatpurujit drupadaḥ śalyaḥ—Purujit, Drupada and Śalyadhṛṣṭaketuḥ—Dhṛṣṭaketusaḥ—hekāśi - rāṭ—the King of Kāsidamaghoṣaḥ viśālākṣaḥ—Damaghoṣa and Viśālākṣamaithilaḥ—the King of Mithilāmadra - kekayau—the kings of Madra and Kekayayudhāmanyuḥ suśarmā ca—Yudhāmanyu and Suśarmāsa - sutāḥ—with their sonsbāhlika - ādayaḥ—Bāhlika and othersrājānaḥ—kingsye—whoca—andrāja - indra—O best of kings (Parīkṣit)yudhiṣṭhiram—Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhiraanuvratāḥ—followingśrī—of opulence and beautyniketam—the abodevapuḥ—the personal formśaureḥ—of Lord Kṛṣṇasa - stṛīkam—along with His wivesvīkṣya—seeingvismitāḥ—amazed .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
bhīṣmo droṇo ’mbikā-putro
bhīṣmaḥ droṇaḥ ambikā - putraḥ
Bhīsma, Droṇa and the son of Ambikā (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
gāndhārī sa-sutā tathā
gāndhārī
Gāndhārī
sa
together with
sutāḥ
her sons
tathā
also
sa-dārāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ kuntī
sa - dārāḥ
with their wives
pāṇḍavāḥ
the sons of Pāṇḍu
kuntī
Kuntī
sañjayo viduraḥ kṛpaḥ
sañjayaḥ viduraḥ kṛpaḥ
Sañjaya, Vidura and Kṛpa
kuntībhojo virāṭaś ca
kuntībhojaḥ virāṭaḥ ca
Kuntībhoja and Virāṭa
bhīṣmako nagnajin mahān
bhīṣmakaḥ
Bhīṣmaka
nagnajit
Nagnajit
mahān
the great
purujid drupadaḥ śalyo
purujit drupadaḥ śalyaḥ
Purujit, Drupada and Śalya
dhṛṣṭaketuḥ sa kāśi-rāṭ
dhṛṣṭaketuḥ
Dhṛṣṭaketu
saḥ
he
kāśi - rāṭ
the King of Kāsi
damaghoṣo viśālākṣo
damaghoṣaḥ viśālākṣaḥ
Damaghoṣa and Viśālākṣa
maithilo madra-kekayau
maithilaḥ
the King of Mithilā
madra - kekayau
the kings of Madra and Kekaya
yudhāmanyuḥ suśarmā ca
yudhāmanyuḥ suśarmā ca
Yudhāmanyu and Suśarmā
sa - sutāḥ
with their sons
sa-sutā bāhlikādayaḥ
bāhlika - ādayaḥ
Bāhlika and others
rājāno ye ca rājendra
rājānaḥ
kings
ye
who
ca
and
rāja - indra
O best of kings (Parīkṣit)
yudhiṣṭhiram anuvratāḥ
yudhiṣṭhiram
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira
anuvratāḥ
following
śrī-niketaṁ vapuḥ śaureḥ
śrī
of opulence and beauty
niketam
the abode
vapuḥ
the personal form
śaureḥ
of Lord Kṛṣṇa
sa-strīkaṁ vīkṣya vismitāḥ
sa - stṛīkam
along with His wives
vīkṣya
seeing
vismitāḥ
amazed .
Important Words
śrī-niketam vapuḥ—the form which is the abode of opulence
Compound: śrī (opulence, beauty, Lakṣmī) + niketam (abode) + vapuḥ (form). Kṛṣṇa's body is itself the residence of Śrī — Lakṣmī never leaves Him. Gauḍīyas note: this aiśvarya is what the kings see; the gopīs later in this chapter will see mādhurya, which exceeds it.
śaureḥ—of Kṛṣṇa
Genitive of Śauri — descendant of Śūrasena, son of Vasudeva. The kṣatriya-name of Kṛṣṇa, fitting for this assembly of kings. The same Bhagavān is named differently by different rasas — Śauri here, Govinda there, Mukunda elsewhere.
sa-stṛīkam—along with His wives
Compound: sa (with) + stṛīkam (with women, wives; source spelling). The Dvārakā-Kṛṣṇa appears with His sixteen-thousand-and-eight queens — full mādhurya in its aiśvarya register. Distinct from the Vraja-līlā the gopīs will reclaim below.
vismitāḥ—amazed
Past participle of vi-√smi — to be astonished. Vismaya is one of the rasas; here the kings' rasa toward Kṛṣṇa is precisely vismaya — the awed wonder appropriate to aiśvarya-darśana, in contrast to the gopīs' mādhurya.
yudhiṣṭhiram anuvratāḥ—following Yudhiṣṭhira
Compound phrase: yudhiṣṭhiram (accusative) + anuvratāḥ (devoted to, following). Yudhiṣṭhira, the dharma-rāja, leads the kings — but he himself bows to Kṛṣṇa. Gauḍīyas honour the pattern: even the foremost dhārmika is a servant of the Lord.
All the royalty present, including Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī and her sons, the Pāṇḍavas and their wives, Kuntī, Sañjaya, Vidura, Kṛpācārya, Kuntībhoja, Virāṭa, Bhīṣmaka, the great Nagnajit, Purujit, Drupada, Śalya, Dhṛṣṭaketu, Kāśirāja, Damaghoṣa, Viśālākṣa, Maithila, Madra, Kekaya, Yudhāmanyu, Suśarmā, Bāhlika with his associates and their sons, and the many other kings subservient to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira — all of them, O best of kings, were simply amazed to see the transcendental form of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the abode of all opulence and beauty, standing before them with His consorts.
Purport
According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, all these kings were now followers of Yudhiṣṭhira because he had subjugated each of them to earn the privilege of performing the Rājasūya sacrifice. The Vedic injunctions state that a kṣatriya who wants to execute the Rājasūya for elevation to heaven must first send out a “victory horse” to roam freely; any other king whose territory this horse enters must either voluntarily submit or face the kṣatriya or his representatives in battle.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
All the royalty present, including Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī and her sons, the Pāṇḍavas and their wives, Kuntī, Sañjaya, Vidura, Kṛpācārya, Kuntībhoja, Virāṭa, Bhīṣmaka, the great Nagnajit, Purujit, Drupada, Śalya, Dhṛṣṭaketu, Kāśirāja, Damaghoṣa, Viśālākṣa, Maithila, Madra, Kekaya, Yudhāmanyu, Suśarmā, Bāhlika with his associates and their sons, and the many other kings subservient to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira—all of them, O best of kings, were simply amazed to see the transcendental form of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the abode of all opulence and beauty, standing before them with His consorts.
Commentary
At this time Yudhisthira had been given half the kingdom. Therefore he is described as having following of kings (anuvratah).
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
The names of the Kings are listed to show the excellence of Kṛṣṇa as the cause their experiencing great bliss. Ambikā putra indicates Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s blindness (since Ambikā closed her eyes on seeing Vyāsa). Gandharī’s sons included Duryodhana. Tathā means “all.” The wives of the Pāṇḍavas included Draupadī. Nagnajit is called great (mahān) because he gave his daughter to Kṛṣṇa. Thus he was considered the best among the kings. Purujit or Śaibya was the father of Mitrāvindā. The king of Kāśī was the brother of Sudakṣiṇa, or another person who lived with him out of great affection. Viśālākṣa-maithila means Bahulāśva or another king of that province. The word ādayaḥ indicates all their followers. Jarāsandha and Śiśupāla are not mentioned because they did not come out of hatred, understanding that Kṛṣṇa was there. Those who were dedicated to Yudhiṣṭhira, along with their wives, were amazed at directly seeing (vi—īkṣya) Kṛṣṇa, the abode of all beauty (śrīniketam). This means that at this time Yudhiṣṭhira had obtained half the kingdom. The wives were especially amazed because they were naturally soft with prema. Or the women and the men equally were amazed.
Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī, the Pāṇḍavas, Vidura, Drupada, Śalya, and many others gathered to glorify Kṛṣṇa. The largest gathering of dharma figures, drawn by Him. He is the great attractor.
Reflection Questions
Who in my life draws the most diverse community around themselves, and why?
What about Kṛṣṇa makes Him this kind of magnet?
Analogy
A great assembly hall is built of many pillars — kings, ṛṣis, foster-parents, friends — but every pillar inclines toward the central figure. The Mahābhārata's whole cast gathers here, and every eye is on one Person.
Stories
Bhīṣma's recognition of Kṛṣṇa as svayaṁ-bhagavān
Of all who saw Kṛṣṇa at Kurukṣetra, Bhīṣma had seen Him most fully — as friend, as charioteer, as the Person who refused to fight yet ruled the battle. In SB 1.9, on his bed of arrows, Bhīṣma identifies Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Person whose three-bending form alone he wished to see.
Gauḍīyas regard Bhīṣma as one of the twelve mahājanas (SB 6.3.20). His presence in this verse — sitting amazed beside Droṇa and Dhṛtarāṣṭra — is the assembly's silent vote: even those who hesitated through the Mahābhārata know now whom they are seeing.