मा भैस्त्वं कुरुशार्दूल श्वा सिंहं हन्तुमर्हति। शिवः पन्थाः सुनीतोऽत्र मया पूर्वतरं वृतः
Do not fear, tiger among the Kurus; a dog may wish to kill a lion. The path here is auspicious and well chosen, and I have taken it before.
प्रसुप्ते हि यथा सिंहे श्वानस्तात समागताः। भषेयुः सहिताः सर्वे तथेमे वसुधाधिपाः
Just as, when the lion is asleep, dogs may gather together and all bark at once, so are these lords of the earth.
वृष्णिसिंहस्य सुप्तस्य तथाऽमी प्रमुके स्थिताः। भषन्ते तात सङ्क्रुद्धाः श्वानः सिंहस्य सन्निधौ
Just as these angry dogs bark in the presence of a sleeping lion, so too do they stand before the lion of the Vrishni clan as he sleeps.
न हि सम्बुध्यते यावत्सुप्तः सिंह इवाच्युतः। ` तदिदं ज्ञातपूर्वं हि तव संस्तोतुमिच्छसि'। तेन सिंहीकरोत्येतानसिंहश्चेदिपुङ्गवः
For, O Achyuta, like a lion asleep, he does not awaken; and you, knowing this from before, wish to praise him. Therefore, if the best of men, the lion, should awaken, he would make these men into lions as well.
पार्थिवान्पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ शिशुपालोऽल्पचेतनः। सर्वान्सर्वात्मना तात नेतुकामो यमक्षयम्
O best of kings, the weak-minded Shishupala desires with all his being to lead all these kings to the abode of Yama.
नूनमेतत्समादातुं पुनरिच्छत्यधोक्षजः। यदस्य शिशुपालस्य तेजस्तिष्ठति भारत
Surely, O Bharata, the Unmanifest One wishes again to take away the energy that remains in this Shishupala.
विप्लुता चास्य भद्रं ते बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतां वर। चेदिराजस्य कौन्तेय सर्वेषां च महीक्षितम्
The wisdom of the Chedi king, O best of the wise, and of all these rulers of the earth, has indeed been overthrown, O son of Kunti.
आदातुं च नरव्याघ्रो यं यमिच्छत्ययं तदा। तस्य विप्लवते बुद्धिरेवं चेदिपतेर्यथा
Whenever this tiger among men desires to take someone, then that person's understanding is confounded, just as it has been for the king of Chedi.
चतुर्विधानां भूतानां त्रिषु लोकेषु माधवः। प्रभवश्चैव सर्वेषां निधनं च युधिष्ठिर
O Yudhishthira, Madhava is the origin and end of all beings of four kinds in the three worlds.
इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ततश्चेदिपतिर्नृपः। भीष्मं रूक्षाक्षरा वाचः श्रावयामास भारत
Hearing these words, O Bharata, the king of Chedi then addressed Bhishma with harsh and cutting speech.
बिभीषिकाभिर्बह्वीभिर्भीषयन्भीष्म पार्थिवान्। न व्यपत्रपसे कस्माद्वृद्धः सन्कुलपांसनः
O Bhishma, you frighten the kings with many terrifying threats; why do you, old and destroyer of your lineage, not feel shame?
युक्तमेतत्तृतीयायां प्रकृतौ वर्तता त्वया। वक्तुं धर्मादपेतार्थं त्वं हि सर्वकुरूत्तमः
It is fitting for you, who act according to a third nature, to speak words that are contrary to righteousness, for you are the foremost of all the Kurus.
नावि नौरिव सम्बद्धा यथान्धो वान्धमन्वियात्। तथाभूता हि कौरव्या येषां भीष्म त्वमग्रणीः
Just as a blind man follows another blind man, or as a boat is tied to another boat, so too are the Kauravas, for whom you, Bhishma, are the leader.
पूतनाघातपूर्वाणि कर्माण्यस्य विशेषतः। त्वया कीर्तयताऽस्माकं भूयः प्रव्यथितं मनः
By recounting his deeds—especially those performed before slaying Putana—you have further disturbed our minds.
अवलिप्तस्य मूर्शस्य केशवं स्तोतुमिच्छतः। कथं भीष्म न ते जिह्वा शतधेयं विदीर्यते
How is it, Bhishma, that your tongue does not split into a hundred pieces when you, proud and deluded, wish to praise Keshava?
यत्र कुत्सा प्रयोक्तव्या भीष्म बालतरैर्नरैः। तमिमं ज्ञानवृद्धः सन्गोपं संस्तोतुमिच्छसि
Where insults should be spoken by the youngest and most foolish, you, wise and cautious, wish to praise this man.
यद्यनेन हता बाल्ये शकुनिश्चित्रमत्र किम्। तौ वाऽश्ववृषभौ भीष्ण यौ न युद्धविशारदौ
If he killed Shakuni in his childhood, what is remarkable in that? Or those two horses, Bhishma, who were not skilled in battle?
चेतनारहितं काष्ठं यद्यनेन निपातितम्। पादेन शकटं भीष्ण तत्र किं कृतमद्भुतम्
If he struck down a senseless log, or overturned a cart with his foot, Bhishma, what is wonderful or extraordinary in that?
अर्कप्रमाणौ तौ वृक्षौ यद्यनेन निपातितौ। ' नागश्च दमितोऽनेन तत्र को विस्मयः कृतः
If he felled two trees the size of the sun, or subdued an elephant, what cause for amazement is there in that?
वल्मीकमात्रः सप्ताहं यद्यनेन धृतोऽचलः। तदा गोवर्धनो भीष्म न तच्चित्रं मतं मम
If he held up a mountain the size of an anthill for seven days, Bhishma, even Govardhana, I do not consider that to be remarkable.
भुक्तमेतेन बह्वन्नं क्रीडता नगमूर्धनि। इति ते भीष्ण शृण्वानाः परे विस्मयमागताः
This one has eaten much food while playing on the summit of the mountain—so they say, Bhishma; and others, hearing this, were struck with wonder.
यस्य चानेन धर्मज्ञ भुक्तमन्नं बलीयसः। स चानेन हतः कंस इत्येतत्तु बलीयसः
And, O knower of righteousness, whoever has eaten food with him, the mighty one, he too has been slain by him—thus it is said of the mighty one.
स चानेन हतः कंस इत्येतत्तु महाद्भुतम्।। न ते श्रुतमिदं भीष्म नूनं कथयतां सताम्
He too was slain by him—thus is the wondrous tale; surely, Bhishma, you have not heard this among the stories told by the virtuous.
यद्वक्ष्ये त्वामधर्मज्ञं वाक्यं कुरुकुलाधम।। स्त्रीषु गोषु न शस्त्राणि पातयेद्ब्राह्मणेषु च
What I will say to you, O knower of unrighteousness, O disgrace of the Kuru line, is this: one must not cast weapons upon women, cows, or Brahmins.
इति सन्तोऽनुशासन्ति सञ्जना धर्मिणः सदा। भीष्म लोके हि तत्सर्वं वितथं त्वयि दृश्यते
Thus the virtuous always instruct, O Bhishma, and the righteous speak accordingly; yet, in you, all this is seen to be false in the world.
ज्ञानवृद्धं च वृद्धं च भूयांसं केशवं मम। अजानत इवाख्यासि संस्तुवन्कौरवाधम
You speak of Keshava, who is both wise and aged, and greater than all, as if you did not know him, praising him, O disgrace of the Kauravas.
गोघ्रः स्त्रीघ्नश्च सन्भीष्म त्वद्वाक्याद्यदि पूज्यते। एवम्भूतश्च यो भीष्म कथं संस्तवमर्हति
If, Bhishma, a killer of cows and women is to be honored because of your words, then how can such a one, Bhishma, deserve praise?
असौ मतिमतां श्रेष्ठो य एष जगतः प्रभुः। सम्भावयति चाप्येवं त्वद्वाक्याच्च जनार्दनः। एवमेतत्सर्वमिति तत्सर्वं वितथं ध्रुवम्
This one, the best among the wise, the lord of the world, is thus regarded—even so, Janardana, because of your words; yet all this is certainly false.
आत्मानमात्मनाऽऽधातुं यदि शक्तो जनार्दनः। अकामयन्तं तं भीष्म कथं साध्विव पश्यसि
If Janardana is able to establish himself by his own self, Bhishma, how do you see him as virtuous, when he does not desire it?
न गाथा गाथिनं शास्ति बहुचेदपि गायति। प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि कुलिङ्गशकुनिर्यथा
A song does not instruct the singer, even if he sings many songs; beings follow their own nature, just as a bird follows its kind.