SB 1.9.46 (1964)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 46
Tasya nirharanadini samparetasya bhargava Yudhisthira karaitwa muhurtam dukhito abhabat.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Tasya—his, Nirharanadini—funeral ceremonies, Samparetasya—of the dead body, Bhargava—oh the descendant of Bhrigu, Yudhisthira—Maharaj Yudhisthira, Karaitwa—having performed it, Muhurtam—for a moment, Dukhito—sorry, Abhabat—became.
TRANSLATION
Oh the descendant of Bhrigu, (Sounaka) Moharaj Yudhisthir after having performed the funeral rituals of the dead body of him (Bhishma) became overtaken with grief for a moment.
PURPORT
Bhismadeva was not only a great family head of Maharaj Yudhisthir but also he was a great philosopher and friend of him, his brothers and his mother. Since Maharaj Pandu the father of the five brothers headed by Maharaj Yudhisthir, died Bhismadeva was the most affectionate Grand Father of the Pandavs and caretaker of the widow daughter-in-law Kunti Devi. Although Maharaj Dhritarastra the elder uncle of Maharaj Yudhisthir was there to look after them, his affection was more on the side of his 100 sons headed by Duryodhone and ultimately a colossal clique was fabricated to bereft the five fatherless brothers from the rightful claim of the Kingdom of Hasthinapur. There was great intrigue, as it is generally done in the imperial palaces, done and the five brothers were put into the wilderness. But Bhismadeva was always sincerely sympathetic and well wisher grand-father, friend and philosopher of Maharaj Yudhisthir even up to the last moment of Bhimadeva's life. He died very happily by seeing Maharaj Yudhishir on the throne, otherwise, he would have long ago quited up his material body instead of suffering the agony on account of undue sufferings of the Pandavas. He was simply waiting for the opportune moment because he was sure and certain that the sons of Pandu would come out victorious in the battlefield of Kurukshetra as His Lordship Shri Krishna was their Protector. As devotee of the Lord he knew it certainly that a Lord's devotee cannot be vanquished at any rate. Maharaj Yudhisthir was quite aware of all these good wishes of Bhismadeva upon them and, therefore, he must have been feeling the great separation. He was sorry for the separation of a great soul and not for the material body which Bhismadeva relenquished. The funeral ceremony was a necessary duty although Bhismadeva was a liberated soul and Bhismadeva being without any issue the eldest grandson namely Maharaj Yudhisthir was the rightful person to perform this ceremony. It was a great boon for Bhismadeva that an equally great son of the family undertook this last rites of a great man.