शरव्रातैस्तु भीष्मेण शतशो निचितोऽवशः। द्रोणद्रौणिकृपैश्चैव गन्ता पार्थो यमक्षयम्
Overwhelmed by Bhishma’s countless volleys of arrows, and by Drona, Drona’s son, and Kripa, Partha will go to Yama’s realm.
पितामहोऽपि गाङ्गेयः शान्तनोरधि भारत। ब्रह्मर्पिसदृशो जज्ञे देवैरपि सुदुःसहः
Even the grandsire Bhishma, son of Shantanu, O Bharata, was born with the radiance of Brahma’s missile, and is insurmountable even for the gods.
न हन्ता विद्यते चापि राजन्भीष्मस्य कश्चन। पित्रा ह्युक्तः प्रसन्नेन नाकामस्त्वं मरिष्यसि
There is no one, O king, who can slay Bhishma; for his father, pleased, declared, 'You will not die against your will.'
ब्रह्मर्षेश्च भरद्वाजाद्द्रोणो द्रोण्यामजायत। द्रोणाज्जज्ञे महाराज द्रौणिश्च परमाश्त्रवित्
Drona was born from the sage Bharadvaja, and Drona’s son, the master of supreme weapons, was born from Drona, O great king.
कृपश्चाचार्यमुख्योयं महर्षेर्गौतमादपि । शरस्तम्बोद्भवः श्रीमानवध्य इति मे मतिः
And Kripa, foremost among teachers, was born from the great sage Gautama; sprung from a clump of arrows, he is glorious and, in my view, invincible.
अयोनिजास्त्रयो ह्येते पिता माता च मातुलः । अश्वत्थाम्नो महारात स च शूरः स्थितो मम
These three—father, mother, and maternal uncle—were not born of a woman’s womb; and Ashvatthaman, O great king, that valiant one, stands with me.
सर्व एते महाराज देवकल्पा महारथाः। शक्रस्यापि व्यथां कुर्युः संयुगे भरतर्षभ
All these, O great king, are mighty warriors, equal to the gods; even Indra would be troubled by them in battle, O bull among the Bharatas.
नैतेषामर्जुनः शक्त एकैकं प्रतिवीक्षितुम्। सहितास्तु नरव्याघ्रा हनिष्यन्ति धनञ्जयम्
Arjuna is not able to face any one of these alone; but united, these tigers among men will slay Dhananjaya.
भीष्माद्रोणकृपाणां च तुल्यः कर्णो मतो मम। अनुज्ञातश्च रामेण मत्समोऽसीति भारत
In my view, Karna is equal to Bhishma, Drona, and Kripa; and, having been permitted by Rama, he considers himself my equal, O Bharata.
कुण्डले रुचिरे चास्तां कर्णस्य सहजे शुभे । ते शच्यर्थं महेन्द्रेण याचितः स परन्तपः
Let Karna's radiant, auspicious earrings, which are his by birth, remain; those were requested by mighty Indra for the sake of Shachi, from that subduer of foes.
अमोघया महाराज शक्त्या परमभीमया। तस्य शक्त्योपगूढस्य कस्माज्जीवेद्धनञ्जयः
O great king, with his unfailing and exceedingly dreadful spear, why would Dhananjaya survive when embraced by that weapon?
विजयो मे ध्रुवं राजन्फलं पाणाविवाहितम्। अभिव्यक्तः परेषां च कृत्स्नो भुवि पराजयः
O king, my victory is certain, as is the fruit of my unswerving effort; and the utter defeat of the enemy on earth is manifest.
अह्ना ह्येकेन भीष्मोयं प्रयुतं हन्ति भारत। तत्समाश्च महेष्वासा द्रोणद्रौणिकृपा अपि
For in a single day, this Bhishma can slay ten thousand, O Bharata; and Drona, Drona's son, and Kripa, those great archers, are his equals.
संशप्तकानां वृन्दानि क्षत्रियाणां परन्तप। अर्जुनं वयमस्मान्वा निहन्यात्कपिकेतनः
O subduer of foes, whether Arjuna slays us or we slay him, the hosts of the Saṃśaptakas and the Kshatriyas will be destroyed.
तांश्चालमिति मन्यन्ते सव्यसाचिवधे धृताः। पार्थिवाः स भवांस्तेभ्यो ह्यकस्माद्व्यथते कथम्
The kings, determined on Savyasachi's destruction, consider those warriors to be unshakable; so how is it that you, among them, are suddenly disturbed?
भीमसेने च निहते कोऽन्यो युध्येत भारत। परेषां तन्ममाचक्ष्व यदि वेत्थ परन्तप
O Bharata, if Bhimasena is slain, who else among the enemy would fight? Tell me this, O subduer of foes, if you know.
पञ्च ते भ्रातरः सर्वे धृष्टद्युम्नोऽथ सात्यकिः । परेषां सप्त ये राजन्योधाः सारं बलं मतम्
All five of your brothers, along with Dhrishtadyumna and Satyaki—these seven are considered the chief warriors among the enemy.
अस्माकं तु विशिष्टा ये भीष्मद्रोणकृपादयः । द्रौणिर्विकर्तनः कर्णः सोमदत्तोथ बाह्लिकः
But among us, those who are distinguished are Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Drona's son, Vikartana's son, Karna, Somadatta, and Bahlika.
प्राग्ज्योतिषाधिपः शल्य आवन्त्यौ च जयद्रथः। दुःशासनो दुर्मखश्च दुःसहश्च विशांपते
The ruler of Pragjyotisha, Shalya, the two Avantis, Jayadratha, Duhshasana, Durmukha, and Duhsaha, O lord of the people.
श्रुतायुश्चित्रसेनश्च पुरुमित्रो विविंशतिः। शलो भूरिश्रवाश्चैव विकर्णश्च तवात्मजः
Shrutayush, Citrasena, Purumitra, Vivingshati, Shala, Bhurishrava, and also Vikarṇa, your own son.
अक्षौहिण्यो हि मे राजन्दशैका च समाहृताः। न्यूना परेषां सप्तैव कस्मान्मे स्यात्पराजयः
O king, I have gathered eleven akshauhinis, while the enemy has only seven; so why should I face defeat?
बलं त्रिगुणतो हीनं योध्यं प्राह बृहस्पतिः। परेभ्यस्त्रिगुणा चेयं मम राजन्ननीकिनी
Brihaspati has said that an army three times weaker must be fought; and, O king, my force is three times greater than the enemy's.
गुणहीनं परेषां च बहु पश्यामि भारत। गुणोदयं बहुगुणमात्मनश्च विशांपते
O Bharata, I see many deficiencies in the enemy, but, O lord of the people, I see the rise of many virtues and great qualities in myself.
एतत्सर्वं समाज्ञाय बलाग्र्यं मम भारत । न्यूनतां पाण्डवानां च न मोहं गन्तुमर्हसि
O Bharata, knowing all this—the superiority of my army and the inferiority of the Pandavas—you should not fall into confusion.
इत्युक्त्वा सञ्जयं भूयः पर्यपृच्छत भारत। विवित्सुः प्राप्तकालानि ज्ञात्वा परपुरञ्जयः
Having spoken thus, he again questioned Sanjaya, O Bharata, eager to know what was timely, that conqueror of enemy cities.
अक्षौहिणीः सप्त लब्ध्वा राजभिः सह सञ्जय। किंस्विदिच्छति कौन्तेयो युद्धप्रेप्सुर्युधिष्ठिरः
O Sanjaya, having obtained seven akshauhinis along with the kings, what does the son of Kunti, Yudhishthira, desire, as he seeks battle?
अतीव मुदितो राजन्युद्धप्रेप्युर्युधिष्ठिरः। भीमसेनार्जुनौ चोभौ यमावपि न बिभ्यतः
Yudhishthira was exceedingly joyful at the prospect of battle; Bhimasena and Arjuna, both like Yama, did not feel fear.
रथं तु दिव्यं कौन्तेयः सर्वा विभ्राजयन्दिशः। मन्त्रं जिज्ञासमानः सन्बीभत्सुः समयोजयत्
Kaunteya, shining in all directions with his divine chariot, began to recite mantras, seeking to understand them, and assembled himself, unafraid.
तमपश्याम सन्नद्धं मेघं विद्युद्युतं यथा। समन्तात्समभिध्या हृष्यमाणोऽभ्यभाषत। पूर्वरूपमिदं पश्य वयं जेष्याम सञ्जय
We saw him fully armored, like a cloud flashing with lightning; approaching from all sides, he spoke joyfully: 'Behold this first sign, Sanjaya; we shall be victorious.'
बीभत्सुर्मां यथोवाच तथाऽवैम्यहमप्युत
As Bhībhatsu spoke to me, so I also declare.