The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section 103

Section CIII. *( Sambhava Parva continued. )* Vaisampayana said, "The unfortunate Satyavati then became plunged in grief on account of her son. And after performing with her daughters-in-law the obsequial rites of the deceased, consoled as best she could her weeping daughters-in-law and Bhisma that foremost of all wielders of weapons. And turning her eyes on religion, and on the paternal and maternal lines (of the Kurus,) she addressed Bhisma and said, 'The funeral cake, the achievements, and the perpetuation of the line of the virtuous and celebrated Shantanu of the Kuru dynasty, all now depend on thee! As the attainment of heaven is inseparable from good deeds, as longevity of life is inseparable from truth and faith, so is virtue inseparable from thee! O thou virtuous one, thou art well acquainted, in detail and in abstract, with the dictates of virtue, with various *Srutis*, and with all branches of the Vedas. I know very well that thou art equal unto Sukra and Angira as regards firmness in virtue, knowledge of the particular customs of families, and readiness of invention under difficulties. Therefore, O thou foremost of virtuous men, relying on thee greatly I shall appoint thee in a certain matter. Hearing me, it behoveth thee to do my bidding. O thou bull among men, my son and thy brother, endued with energy and dear unto thee, hath gone childless to heaven while still a boy. These wives of thy brother, the amiable daughters of the ruler of Kashi, possessing both beauty and youth, have become desirous of children, Therefore, O thou of mighty arms, at my command raise up offspring in them for the perpetuation of our line. It behoveth thee to guard virtue from loss. Install thyself on the throne and rule the kingdom of the Bharatas. Wed thou duly a wife. Sink not thy ancestors in hell.'" Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by his mother and friends and relatives, that oppressor of all foes, the virtuous Bhisma gave this reply conformable to the dictates of virtue, 'O mother, what thou sayest is certainly sanctioned by virtue. But thou knowest what my vow is in the matter of begetting children. Thou knowest also all that transpired in connection with thy dower. O Satyavati, I repeat the pledge I once gave,—I would renounce the three worlds, the empire of heaven, or anything that may be greater than that, but truth I would never renounce. Earth may renounce its scent, water may renounce its moisture, light may renounce its attribute of exhibitting forms, the atmosphere may renounce its attribute of being perceivable by the touch, the Sun may renounce his glory, the commet its heat, the Moon his cool rays, space its capacity of generating sound, the slayer of Vitra his prowess, the god of justice his impartiality, but I cannot renounce truth.' Thus addressed by her son endued with wealth of energy, Satyavati then said unto Bhisma, 'O thou whose prowess is truth, I know thy firmness in truth. Thou canst, if so minded, create, by help of thy energy, three worlds other than those that exist. I know what thy vow was on my account. But considering this emergency, bear thou the burden of duty that one oweth to his ancestors. O thou oppressor of the foe, act in such a way that the lineal string may not be broken and our friends and relatives may not grieve!' Thus urged by the miserable and weeping Satyavati speaking such words inconsistent with virtue from grief at the loss of her son, Bhisma addressed her again and said, 'O Queen, take not thy eyes away from virtue! O destroy us not! Breach of truth in a Kshatria is never applauded in our treatises on religion. I shall soon tell thee, O Queen, what the established Kshatria usage is to which recourse may be had to prevent Shantanu's line becoming extinct on earth. Hearing me, reflect on what should be done, in consultation with learned priests and those that are acquainted with practices allowable in times of emergency and distress, forgetting not at the same time what the ordinary course of social conduct is.'" And so ends the hundred and third Section in the Sambhava of the Adi Parva.