Vaishampayana said: -
1. The unfortunate and miserable Satyavati, plunged in grief for her son, performed with her daughters-in-law the obsequial rites of her son.
2. The amiable lady then consoled her two daughters-in-law and the foremost of all wielders of arms Bhisma; Then turning her mind on virtue and on the paternal and maternal lines, the illustrious lady thus addressed the son of Ganga.
3. “The funeral cake, the achievements and the perpetuation of the Kura dynasty and of the line of the illustrious and virtuous Santanu all depend upon you.
4. As the attainment of heaven is certain from good deeds, as long life is certain from truth, so virtue is certainly inseparable from you.
5. O virtuous man, you are well acquainted with the precepts of virtue, both in abstract and in detail. You are learned in the various Shratis and in all the branches of the Vedas.
6. I know you are like Indra and Angiras in firmness, in virtuous, in preserving familycustoms and in the presence of mind.
7. Therefore, O best of virtuous men, greatly relying on you, I shall appoint you to do a certain act. Hearing it, you should do it.
8. O descendant of Bharata race, the wives of your brother, the beautiful daughters of the king of Kashi, both possessing beauty and youth, are desirous of offspring.
9. O best of men, my son and your brother, endued with great prowess and dear to you, has gone to heaven when he was a boy.
10. O mighty-armed hero, therefore, beget at my command, offspring on them for the perpetuation of our dynasty. You should perform this virtuous act.
11. Install yourself on the throne of the kingdom and rale the domain of the Bharatas. Marry wife according to the rites. Do not sink your ancestors in hell.”
Vaishampayana said: -
12. Thus addressed by his mother, relatives and friends, the chastiser of foes, the virtuous- minded (Bhisma) said the following comfortable to the dictates of virtues.
13. “O mother, what you say is certainly sanctioned by religion. But you know my vow as regards begetting children.
14. O mother Satyavati, you know also what took place in connection with thy bestowal. I now repeat the pledge I once gave.
15. I can renounce the three worlds, I can renounce the kingdom of heaven or anything that may be greater than the both, but I can never renounce truth.
16. Earth may renounce her scent, water may renounce its moisture, light may renounce its attribute of exhibiting forms, the wind may renounce its attribute of being perceivable by the touch.
17. The sun may renounce its glory, comet its heat, the sky its sound, moon its cool rays.
18. The slayer of Vitra (Indra) may renounce his prowess and the king of justice his impartiality, but I cannot renounce truth.”
19. Having been thus addressed by her son, endued with great effulgence, mother Satyavati, then replied to Bhisma.
20. “O hero whose strength is truth, I know you are devoted to truth. If you like, you can create another three worlds out of your great energy.
21. I know what was your vow on my account. But taking into your consideration the emergency, bear the burden of duty you own towards your ancestors.
22. O chastiser of foes, act in a way so that virtue is not destroyed and so that the thread of our race is not broken and our friends and relatives may not grieve.”
23. Having been thus again and again urged by his miserable and son-bereaved mother (Satyavati), with words inconsistent with virtue, Bhisma said.
24. “O queen, turn your eyes on virtue. Do not destroy us all. The violation of truth in Kshatryas is never praised in the scriptures.
25. O queen, I shall tell you the everlasting usage of the Kshatryas, to which recourse may be had in order to prevent the line of Santanu from being extinct.
26. Hearing it, consider what should be done, in consultation with the priests and those wise men who know what practices are allowable in the time of emergency and distress. Forget not the ordinary course of social conduct.”
Thus ends the hundred and third chapter, the colloquy between Bhishma and Satyavati, in the Sambhava of the Adi Parva.