The Passing Away of Bhīṣmadeva in the Presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa

In the ninth chapter Bhīṣma sees Kṛṣṇa, and at his request speaks on dharma. Being praised profusely, filled with devotion, he attains the Lord.

When all present agreed that the correct advice was to ask Bhīṣma - who knew all dharmas - whether Yudhiṣṭhira had lost his sense of judgment, Yudhiṣṭhira went to Kurukṣetra to meet Bhīṣma. Vivitsayā means with a desire to examine. Vinaśanam refers to Kurukṣetra. Devavrataḥ is Bhīṣma.

Kṛṣṇa also followed behind Yudhiṣṭhira.

Renukā-suta is Paraśurāma. Brahma-rāta is Śukadeva. Āḍgirasa is Bṛhaspati.

Vasūttama is Bhīṣma.

Māyayopātta-vigraham can mean Kṛṣṇa who had a conflict (vigraha) with Yudhiṣṭhira by covering up his discrimination with his yoga-māyā. Or it means Kṛṣṇa who brought himself before the eyes of Bhīṣma (upātta) by his mercy (māyayā).

Abhyācaṣta means “he spoke.”

The words “dangerous” (kaṣṭam) and “improper” (anyāyyam) do not really apply to the king. To whom do the words refer? The improper situation has arisen because of Viṣṇu, the mover and maintainer of the whole universe. You should not live your life in suffering (kliṣṭam taken adverbially). If others live like that, that is their concern.

“What was the suffering?” This verse describes it. Being alone with young children causes much suffering. Though you are now grown up, she underwent great suffering with you as a young child.

What is the cause of our suffering? It cannot be said, since I do not see either recent or old karmas as the cause. Therefore Bhīṣma speaks words of the common people.

“But time is simply the substratum of the experience of happiness and distress which are prārabdha-karmas. Thus, when you say that time is the cause, time is acting as an assistant. Why do you not just say clearly that our suffering is our prārabdha-karma resulting from our sins?”

Yudhiṣṭhira is well known as the direct incarnation of dharma. If Dharma (Yudhiṣṭhira) has prārabdha-karmas, how can he have any sense of dharma? The cause is not karma, but time, which cannot be countered and cannot be explained.

“Kapila has said:

na karhicin mat-parāḥ śānta-rūpe naḍkṣyanti no me ’nimiṣo leòhi hetiḥ

yeṣām ahaṁ priya ātmā sutaś ca sakhā guruḥ suhṛdo daivam iṣṭam

The devotees in the spiritual world are deprived of any enjoyment. My wheel of time does not afflict those devotees, for whom I am a lover, the ātmā, son, friend, elder, companion or worshipable deity. SB 3.25.38

How then could time attack the Pāṇòavas who were filled with dāsya, sakhya and vātsalya for Kṛṣṇa? This is most astonishing! Without a cause, time has produced effects, whose cause we must infer, but which looks similar to karma.” That is the intention of this verse.

Kṛsṇa means Arjuna, with his bow (astrī). Though you have strength of piety, strength of body, strength of skill, strength of scriptural knowledge, strength of friends and strength of wealth, still you lament.

“So what should I conclude?” Here is the general conclusion. Everyone agrees that no one can interfere with the plans of the Kṛṣṇa and no one can even understand what his plans are, even today. No person, starting with Brahmā and Śiva, knows the plan of the Lord, what to speak of me!

Maybe no one knows. But inquiry is necessary. Does he want to give us suffering? Does he want to give us joy? Does he want to give us suffering and happiness? It cannot be the first, because then his quality of being affectionate to his devotee would be cancelled. It cannot be the second option, because we have not seen any happiness. It cannot be the third option because that would be a contradiction to his kind nature. It is finally decided that one cannot solve the problem by inquiry. Thus the verse says that even those who use their intelligence to discriminate and those use knowledge of scripture are bewildered by inquiry.

Discern (vyavasya) that this happiness and suffering (idam) is dependent on the lord (daiva-tantram), but understand that the purpose of giving happiness and distress to his devotee is not easily understood, since it has already been said that his plan is hard to comprehend. Having discerned this, follow Kṛṣṇa (tasya anuvihitaḥ) and protect the citizens who are without a guide (anāthāḥ) to lead them to Kṛṣṇa.

“But how can you say that it is all dependent on the Lord and that no one knows the plan of the Lord, when the Lord is at this moment right in front of you? How can you not know his plan when you can ask him?” In reply, Bhīṣma speaks this verse. “He bewilders us with his energy.” Even if asked by Bhīṣma, the Lord will not speak, but instead will evade him by answering, “Am I so intelligent?” Even if he says something, he still bewilders everyone. Therefore his plan is to be followed, but is not subject to inquiry.

Śiva and others knows particular actions of Kṛṣṇa--those actions he chooses to reveal to them (anubhāvam), but not his intentions, his real form or his real powers. The knower of rasa-śāstras knows first of all anubhāvas and sāttvika-bhāvas - paralysis, perspiration, hair standing on end etc. By that he can understand the sthāyi-bhāva. By the particular qualities and intensity of the anubhāvas, he can understand the particular qualities and intensity of the sthāyi-bhāva. The knower of rasa-śāstra knows the anubhāva of Kṛṣṇa being tied by a rope by the gopīs like Yaśodā, and the dependent anubhāva of Kṛṣṇa being the charioteer for Arjuna, Yudhiṣṭhira and Ugrasena. These are anubhāvas of Kṛṣṇa indicating his dependence on others. The knower of rasa then infers that there exists something special in these cases which controls and melts the heart of even the Supreme Lord, the controller of all, the supremely independent entity. That object, which melts the hearts of the viṣaya and āśraya, which has many varieties, and which brings both parties under the control of the other is called prema. It is the crest jewel of all goals for the human being and is described by terms such as bhakti, sneha and anurāga.

Seeing that Kṛṣṇa is controlled more when he sees his devotees, who generate prema in him, the knower of rasa infers that there is intense prema in the siddha and sādhaka devotees. He then concludes that the Kṛṣṇa is cause of difficulties for devotees, in order to increase their devotion to that level. Śiva, Nārada and Kapila know this. One sees an increase in prema in Draupadī and others when their difficulties increase.

yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ

tato ’dhanaṁ tyajanty asya svajanā duḥkha-duḥkhitam

If I especially favor someone, I gradually deprive him of his wealth. Then the relatives and friends of such a poverty-stricken man abandon him. In this way he suffers one distress after another. SB 10.88.8

Thus the difficulties the devotees experience are not prārabdha-karmas since they are given by the Lord alone, who wants to benefit the devotees. However, this is not an inclusive rule. Sometimes the Lord increases his devotee’s bhakti without giving problems to him. Thus it is said that no one knows the plan of the Lord. Śiva and Nārada know the anubhāvas or symptoms in the Lord. Other foolish people do not know the anubhāvas, like Kṛṣṇa allowing himself to be tied up. They explain it as some sort of fake display.

This verse shows Kṛṣṇa’s anubhāvas or actions performed out of deep love. Though Kṛṣṇa is the supreme lord he displays actions indicating that he is under your control by being your counselor and messenger. The verse is actually a continuation of the previous verse: no one knows the actions of Kṛṣṇa whom you consider your cousin and friend.

“Becoming a messenger or charioteer because of being controlled by bhakti is a degradation of his position. If he is like that, how can the Lord’s prema give him real happiness?” This verse answers. Kṛṣṇa is without fault, and possesses faultless prema (niravadyasya). His actions like being a messenger (tat-kṛtam) are not a deviation of his mind, because he is at all times the possessor of great powers which accomplish everything automatically. He is the soul of everyone (sarvātmanaḥ), even of Arjuna, since he acts as his charioteer and also fights in the chariot. Because he is the soul of everyone, he sees everyone as equal to himself (sama-dṛśaḥ). Because he is the soul of everyone, there is no one except him (advayasya). Because there is no one else, he has no pride (anahaḍkṛteḥ). Moreover, even a person without great powers, being filled with prema, does not consider his suffering, caused by sinful acts that he alone has performed, to be suffering, because of his prema. Thus the Lord who is full of all powers and is bliss personified can have no suffering from his actions of prema.

You are special examples of prema because this Lord has become your messenger (tat-kṛtam). He is brought under control by your prema.

Tathāpi here means “though it is not possible for me to be like you.” “Still see his mercy to me, by which that form of brahman which is filled with bliss has come near such a low person like me. This is another of his anubhāvas, for it is actually to show mercy to you that he comes to me.”

May he remain here (pratīkṣatām) until I, after some time, after drinking the sweetness of his beauty with my eyes, after I praise him and reveal what is in my mind, give up my body. May he with four arms, who should at all times be the object of my meditation, since he is my object of worship, with his pleasing form and smile, remain directly in front of my eyes at the time of my passing from the body.

Bhīṣma addressed him as a form with four arms because that was the form of Kṛṣṇa mentioned in the mantra he used during meditation.

Yudhiṣṭhira, anxious about who would free him from delusion, began to ask Bhīṣma, lying on a bed of arrows. Though one should not ask questions when Bhīṣma is in such a situation, because he had no alternative, he asked.

He described the general dharma for humans according to their natures (puruṣa-sva-bhāva-vihitān). Three verses are joined in one sentence. Yathā-varṇam is an indeclinable, meaning “being qualified by varṇa.” Yathāśramam means “being qualified by āśrama.” The āśramas have qualities of renunciation and enjoyment, which are described respectively according to qualification of detachment or attachment. It is a rule that all the āśramas, such as brahmacarī, need not be undertaken one after the other by all brāhmaṇas. If they have constant renunciation they become sannyāsis and if they have constant attachment, they become gṛhasthas.

And within varṇāśrama, more particularly he described dāna or charity, king’s duties and duties for attaining liberation, women’s duties and finally duties to the Lord (bhagavad-dharmān). This refers to the aḍgas of bhakti. It is placed at the end to indicate that it is the best. He described them in brief and in detail (samāsa-vyāsa-yogataḥ).

All the dharmas described can be placed ultimately in four categories of artha, dharma, kāma and mokṣa. He mentions these categories in order to strengthen what has been said. Upāyān means the means of attaining dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa. Yathā means “accurately.” He proved what he said by showing instances in the histories.

Chanda-mṛtyoḥ means “of he who could die when he pleased.”

Sahasraṇīḥ refers to Bhīṣma, who led (nī) or protected a thousand charioteers gathered for battle. Another version has sahasriṇīḥ which means “possessing a thousand treasures.” Withdrawing his words from other subjects (giraḥ upasaṁhṛtya), with eyes completely open without blinking, he completely absorbed his mind in Kṛṣṇa.

Tad-īkṣayā means by the glance of mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Vibhramaḥ means the various wandeings (vividha-bhramaṇa) of the senses. Janyam means the material body, or the material world.

At the end of my life (iti), my thoughts are offered to the Lord. Since my master has come to me at the time of my passing away under the influence of his mercy, I must give him a gift. There is nothing suitable in this abode of possessiveness and ego. Therefore I make a gift of my thoughts alone.

“But in this world we see people who give also desire to take.”

“My thoughts are without desire (vitṛṣṇā). I offer them to bhagavān, who is full of six wondrous qualities.”

“But the Lord is famous as Nārāyaṇa.”

“No, he is famous as the best of the Yadu dynasty.”

“But Nārāyaṇa is greatly famous as bhagavān for all time.”

“There is no greatness superior to his (vibhūmni). He is the source of Nārāyaṇa.”

He attained (gate) profusely (upa) the highest bliss (sukham) with his own Yādavas and Pāṇòavas (sva). The main qualities of the Lord have thus been described.

Next the secondary qualities are described. You contact māyā by glancing for evolving mahattattva from which arises the sequence of material creation. You do this in your forms of the puruṣāvatāras.

“What is the nature of your thoughts?”

Let me have pure prema (ratiḥ) without desire for results, for the friend of Arjuna (vijaya-sakhe), who accepts a body which is desired by all persons in the upper, middle and lower planets, which is clothed in garments golden in the sun’s rays. I saw that intense yellow from his upper and lower cloth sparkling in the sun’s rays as he stood on the chariot of Arjuna. My thoughts take the form of a prayer to have this prema for the most beautiful Kṛṣṇa as the charioteer of Arjuna. In the prayers of following verses also there is no use of the second person, though Kṛṣṇa was present before him This indicates his attraction for the sweetness of the Lord absorbed in vīra-rasa during the battle, and his absorption in relishing it.

Having spoken of Kṛṣṇa’s face surrounded by locks of hair, Bhīṣma cannot give up that sweetness. Again he describes more details. The face is decorated with hair thrown all about because of the speed of the chariot, and colored with the dust raised by the horses. Even in what is not beautiful, beauty can be found.10 The face is decorated with perspiration arising from effort. This indicates Kṛṣṇa’s efforts because of his affection for Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa’s skin was pierced by Bhīṣma’s sharp arrows. Just as the man involved in love derives happiness from the bite marks of a bold lover, Kṛṣṇa, the most courageous warrior, in the mood of fighting, derived pleasure from my strength in the form of the wounds from my arrows. One should not think that I, even overcome by the mood of fighting with Kṛṣṇa, was ever devoid of prema. Similarly the woman who inflicts deep wounds upon her beloved, dearer than a million of her lives, with her nails and teeth during the battle of love, cannot be said to be devoid of love for him. Kṛṣṇa’s skin was not really pierced because he was wearing an armor, which shone brightly. It means that the arrows slightly pierced the armor. Atmā means mind.

And he immediately followed Arjuna’s order.

senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me ’cyuta |

yāvad etān nirīkṣye ’haṁ yoddhukāmān avasthitān ||

O Acyuta please station my chariot between the two armies, so I can view at the commencement of the war those situated with a desire to fight, and can see my companions in battle. BG.1.21

Just by his glance (akṣṇā), showing to Arjuna “This is Bhīṣma, this is Droṇa, this is Karṇa,” he took away their lives. This actually indicates he took away their prārabdha-karma, since it will be said later yam iha nirīkṣya hatā gatāḥ sva-rūpam: those who saw him on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra attained their original forms after death. (SB 1.9.39)

Vyavahita-pṛtanā-mukhaṁ nirīkṣya means “seeing Bhīṣma and others standing in front of the army at a distance.” Arjuna became disinclined to kill his relatives.

evam uktvārjunaḥ saḍkhye rathopastha upāviśat |

visṛjya saśaraṁ cāpaṁ śoka-saṁvigna-mānasaḥ ||

Speaking in this manner, Arjuna, giving up his bow and arrows, mind disturbed with lamentation, sat down on his chariot amidst the warriors assembled for battle. BG 1.46

This is described by the word kumatim. Arjuna’s loss of intelligence was caused by the Lord himself, like Yudhiṣṭhira’s present loss of intelligence, because loss of intelligence is impossible for the eternal associate of the Lord, who is also the avatāra, Nara. Kṛṣṇa did this in order to reveal Bhagavad-gītā, which delivers the whole world by showing the truth about Kṛṣṇa. Ātma-vidyayā means by knowledge fixed in Kṛṣṇa.

“It is said that Kṛṣṇa elevates his devotee to a higher position than his own. I saw that directly.” This is explained in two verses. Kṛṣṇa made a promise (sva-nigamam) that he would not take up weapons, but would only assist Arjuna. I made a promise that I would make him give up that promise and take up weapons. To make sure that this would become true, Kṛṣṇa, situated on the chariot, quickly got down from the chariot in such a manner that no one could see his separation from the chariot. Or Kṛṣṇa, though he got down, remained on the chariot to protect it in another form invisible to others. This pastime was spontaneously carried out, and was not because of my request. He took the wheel of the chariot and ran towards me. The earth trembled because of his great strength exerted through running in excitement. His cloth fell down. Because of his excited running he was not aware whether his cloth had fallen or not. Because Kṛṣṇa cannot give up his quality of affection for his devotee, when Arjuna would be unable to fight, Kṛṣṇa would give up his promise and use weapons to protect Arjuna. It is impossible for others to make Arjuna unable to fight. Thus overpowering Arjuna for a moment, I will see Kṛṣṇa fight as an indication of his affection for his devotee. Bhīṣma made this promise that Kṛṣṇa should take up weapons in order to fulfill this desire. Having seen Kṛṣṇa’s prema for Arjuna when he broke his own promise, and satisfying Bhīṣma, Kṛṣṇa’s excellence became famous in the world. That is the meaning of this incident.

When Kṛṣṇa got down from the chariot he became covered with blood, because the earth was covered with rivers of blood from the slain warriors. How did his armor get pierced? It was struck by my sharp arrows. I fired the arrows to increase the thrill of his anger. In other words, he pierced the armor before Kṛṣṇa got down from the chariot. With force (prasabham) he protected Arjuna and came towards me with the intention “Today I will kill Bhīṣma with my own hands.” The word abhisasāra is used to indicate a hero desiring to meet his lover. In a similar manner I became extraordinarily happy when Kṛṣṇa approached me in anger. May my goal be no one else, only Mukunda, giver of liberation, who acted in this way. O Kṛṣṇa! I have offered only this prayer to you.

Bhīṣma has a desire that even the unrighteous should develop prema for Kṛṣṇa, who is eager to protect his devotees. Kṛṣṇa protected (kuṭumbe) Arjuna (vijaya) from the sinful. He held a whip (totre). He held the reins of the horses. I, and not Arjuna, saw with my eyes, his beauty as he held the reins in his left hand, the whip in his right hand, while saying “Hum, hum” to speed the horses. May I have prema for that Kṛṣṇa. I desire to die now (mumūrṣoḥ), for having died, I will constantly see that sweetness. If I am revived how will I see that, because the Lord has brought about an end to his pastimes on this earth? Bhīṣma does not say “I am dying” but “I want to die.” He could die when he chose, and now he had developed great greed for directly participating in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. From this it is understood that the fighting pastimes are also eternal, what to speak of other pastimes.

“True, you have great attachment to my pastime as a charioteer, and relish that in each of your verses, spout them from your mouth. You pray for prema for me in that pastime. But having died, what is your proof that you will attain that pastime?”

“There is a well known saying maraṇe yā matiḥ sā gatiḥ: whatever you think of when you die, you attain that. Seeing you at present is the highest proof. By seeing you those who die, even being killed by others in this battle, even if they are demons, attain liberation (sva-rūpam) of merging in brahman similar to the jñānīs. But I am a devotee, with thoughts just described, and dying while seeing you personally at the time of death, how can I not attain that pastime? The form of Kṛṣṇa as the charioteer bestowed liberation even to unqualified persons (demons). Simultaneously, at that time the most extraordinary of all the Lord’s forms, full of the greatest sweetness, characterized by no power and great power made its appearance (for the devotees).”

“Though you are omniscient, the prema that you desire in my charioteer pastime is in Arjuna alone. It is understood that among all the associates with prema, he is the chief.” That is not so. Your dear gopīs have the most exalted prema among all devotees. They are superior to Arjuna. No one can dare to pray for their position. Let that be! I will be successful at my death just by indicating their nature. Thus he speaks this verse.

He was expert at physical arts such as dancing in the rāsa-līlā, expert in expressing mental qualities such as dhira-lalita, expert in words with joking, expert with the eyes at glancing to show all aspects of prema. The gopīs were to be worshipped by all these skilful actions of Kṛṣṇa. In order to please them, Kṛṣṇa endowed them with all the best, outstanding qualities of himself. The result of their extreme prema, was that Kṛṣṇa, in giving all his own qualities, attempted to please them with conciliating love. That display of love, which is without restraints for either party, showed extreme control of Kṛṣṇa by the gopīs and was filled with great bliss. Control of the Lord, manifested as a result of Arjuna’s prema, was that Kṛṣṇa became his messenger and charioteer. That role had restraints for both parties. Arjuna could thus not attain intimacy with the Lord.

He became compliant by offering all his qualities to them (gopīs). They had a mutual friendship filled with happiness because of mutual compliance. Then he bestowed an extraordinary fortune—the dancing, songs and speech during the rāsa-līlā. And in response, the gopīs did the same (anukṛta-vatya). In harmony with him, they offered him dancing, songs and speech in the rāsa-līlā. There was no need to teach them anything. They were blinded by the increase of great prema (unmadāndhāḥ). They did not need practice. How astonishing (kila)! They attained all his extraordinary qualities such as skills in dancing and singing. Kṛṣṇa did not give his unique, extraordinary power to Arjuna.

Kṛtam can also refer to Kṛṣṇa’s actions such as lifting Govardhana. They imitated those actions. Instead of unmada sometimes unmāda is seen. This indicates madness in separation. In that extreme state some of them even merged with the Lord. This is the highest level of exalted prema. Since I am situated between the two limits, why can I not attain your pastime as the charioteer, which I desire?

Bhīṣma relates his great fortune which is directly visible now, to the necessity of attaining the Lord. Kṛṣṇa was seen with amazement by the sages exclaiming “O what beauty! What greatness!” In the midst of the gathering composed of the best sages and kings, during the rājasūya sacrifice of Yudhiṣṭhira, he received (upapede) worship. He, my soul, the lord of my life (mama ātmā), is now visible to my eyes. He has fulfilled my request.

Why do you not address the Lord directly but instead address him indirectly with word like vijaya-sakhe vijaya-ratha-kuṭumba me ratir astu and caraṇa-ratiḥ paramasya tasya me ’stu and sa bhavatu me bhagavān gatir.” This verse answers, indicating that Bhīiṣma desires the Lord as a charioteer.

I have attained that Lord (tam) who is the charioteer of Arjuna, holding the whip and bridle in his hands, who is now appearing in my heart (imam). But the charioteer is not the Lord in the heart. Because Kṛṣṇa the charioteer has already entered and pervaded my heart completely by practice, it is not possible for the paramātmā to enter. He does not make his appearance just at this time (ajam). Though he appeared to my eyes in this form at the time of battle, even before the battle he was already in my heart because of my spontaneous desire. He is unborn because he has always been visible to me. There is no fault on my part in this, but the Supreme Lord alone situated in the heart ordains good fortunate or misfortune of the jīvas. He is situated (dhiṣṭhitam) in the hearts of all jīvas (śarīra-bhājām), who create their own bodies. The missing “a” in (dhiṣṭhitam) is for meter. The śruti says yathāgneḥ kṣudrā visphuliḍga vyuccaranti; the souls wander around like small sparks. (Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.1.20)

I know that the charioteer indicated by the word tam and the four-handed form in Dvārakā indicated by the word imam are not different. The one sun in the sky appears to individual seers to be not one but many, above each person’s head. By such distinctive seeing the sun appears to be many. Bhīṣma is free of such illusionary seeing (vidhūta-bheda-moha). Though Kṛṣṇa appears in my heart, and in the hearts of Yudhiṣṭhira, Vasudeva, Uddhava, Nanda and the gopīs with various degrees of prema and type of love, with different pastimes for each, I know that this is one Kṛṣṇa only. I know the various degrees of excellence of their prema and love. But I can never give up my natural attachment to the form of Kṛṣṇa as the charioteer. Even thinking of the four-handed form of Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā is not interesting to me.

He absorbed himself (ātmānam āveśya) in Kṛṣṇa, the charioteer, situated in his heart (ātmani), and stopped his breathing (antaḥśvāsaḥ). Upāramat means he stopped external functioning.

Bhīṣma had attained his cherished form of Kṛṣṇa as the charioteer, but the common people, not knowing this though that he had entered into brahman. That is expressed in this verse. An example of ignorance is given. Birds, thinking that the day has been destroyed at the end of day because they cannot see it, become silent. The day has not actually be destroyed, because one understands that after some time, that day still exists, since after twelve hours daylight appears again. The ignorant think that when Bhīṣma passed away he attained liberation. The intelligent understand that at that very moment in an invisible form Bhīṣma fights on the ground with Kṛṣṇa holding the chariot wheel in his hand, and that in a future appearance of Kṛṣṇa, Bhīṣma will also appear with him. Or brahmaṇi niṣkali can mean “into the brahman Kṛṣṇa, who wears a gold ornament.” One should not explain that Bhīṣma merged into the brahman, since by giving him something devoid of his goal, this would be cheating his eternal associate Bhīṣma of prema, since Bhīṣma did not desire liberation, and since it would be improper for the Lord to give undesired results forcibly.

Sādahavaḥ rājñām means “those who were without hatred among the kings.”

Nirharaṇādīni means saṁskāras. Though Bhīṣma is an eternal associate of the Lord, his aṁśa had entered into Vasu (who then descended from the heavenly planets to earth.) Thus Bhīṣma is shown by the Lord to give up his body. His aṁśa was situated in Vasu, and he himself attained the spiritual world. yāvad adhikāram avasthitir ādhikārikāṇām: those designated by the Lord remain in their posts on earth as long as that Lord chooses. (Vedānta-sūtra 3.3.33) Samparetasya can be analyzed as sam for samyak (completely), para for parameśvara (supreme lord) and itasya for prāptasya (obtained). Thus the word means “of the person who attained the Supreme Lord completely.” This is supported by the śruti explaining the details of liberation. Tasya sarveṣu lokeṣu kāma-caṛo bhavati: the liberated soul is free to travel in all the planets as he pleases. (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 7.25.2) It has been said that Bhīṣma, an eternal associate of the Lord, attained Kṛṣṇa as the charioteer in aprakaṭa-līlā. Thus in the previous description of Bhīṣma stopping his breath and giving up his body, one should say that he simply became detached from (upāramat) his manifested body on earth. One should not say that he gave up a material body and gave up breathing. Yudhiṣṭhira was sad for a short period. This he did to follow the custom of the people (since he understood that Bhīṣma did not have a material body).

Tad-guhya-nāmabhiḥ indicates that they said, “O Kṛṣṇa, affectionate to the devotees, controlled by prema! We offer respects to your affection nature.”

Pitaram means Dhṛtarāṣtṛa.