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.
नूनं प्रकृतिरेषा ते जघन्या नात्र संशयटः। `नदीसुतत्वात्ते चित्तं चञ्चलं न स्थिरं स्मृतम्
Surely, this is your lowly nature—there is no doubt of it; because you are the son of a river, your mind is restless and not steady, it is said.
अतः पापीयसी चैषां पाण्डवानामपीष्यते। येषामर्च्यतमः कृष्णस्त्वं च येषां प्रदर्शकः
Therefore, a greater sin is also attributed to these Pandavas, for whom Krishna is most revered, and you are their guide.
धर्मवांस्त्वमधर्मज्ञः सतां मार्गादवप्लुतः। को हि धर्मिणमात्मानं जानञ्ज्ञानविदां वरः
You, knower of unrighteousness, are called righteous, but you have deviated from the path of the virtuous; for who, knowing himself to be righteous and wise, would act as you have done?
कुर्याद्यथा त्वया भीषम कृतं धर्ममवेक्षता। चेत्त्वं धर्मं विजानासि यदि प्राज्ञा मतिस्तव
Who would act as you have done, Bhishma, while considering righteousness, if you truly know righteousness and possess wisdom and understanding?
अन्यकामा हि धर्मज्ञा कन्यका प्राज्ञमानिना। अम्बा नामेति भद्रं ते कथं साऽपहृता त्वया
For the maiden, knowing righteousness, desired another, and you, thinking yourself wise, Bhishma, took Amba—how could you have done so?
तां त्वयाऽपहृतां भीष्म कन्यां नैषितवान्नृपः। भ्राता विचित्रवीर्यस्ते सतां मार्गमनुस्मरन्
The maiden whom you took, Bhishma, was not sought by the king, your brother Vichitravirya, who remembered the path of the virtuous.
भार्ययोर्यस्य चान्येन मिषतः प्राज्ञमानिनः। तव जातान्यपत्यानि सज्जनाचरिते पथि
And the children born to another's wives, while you, thinking yourself wise, looked on—these are your offspring, on the path practiced by the virtuous.
को हि धर्मोऽस्ति ते भीषम ब्रह्मचर्यमिदं वृथा। यद्धारयसि मोहाद्वा क्लीबत्वाद्वा न संशयः
What righteousness is there for you, Bhishma? This vow of celibacy is in vain, whether you maintain it out of delusion or out of impotence—there is no doubt.
न त्वं तव धर्मज्ञ पश्याम्युपचरं क्वचित्। न हि ते सेविता वृद्धा य एवं धर्ममब्रवीः
I do not see you, O knower of righteousness, ever practicing it anywhere; nor have you served the elders, as you speak of dharma thus.
इष्टं दत्तमधीतं च यज्ञाश्च बहुदक्षिणाः। सर्वमेतदपत्यस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम्
Worship, gifts, study, and sacrifices with abundant offerings—all these do not equal even a sixteenth part of having offspring.