अहो युद्धाभिकाङ्क्षाणां युद्धकाल उपस्थिते । चेतांसि विप्रतीपानि यत्त्वां भीभीम विन्दति
Ah, when the time for battle has come for those who long for war, how strange that your mind, O Bhima, is seized by hesitation.
अहो पार्थ निमित्तानि विपरीतानि पश्यसि। स्वप्नान्ते जागरान्ते च तस्मात्प्रशममिच्छसि
Ah, Partha, you see omens reversed; at the end of dreams and at the end of wakefulness, therefore you desire peace.
अहो नाशंससे किंचित्पुंस्त्वं क्लीब इवात्मनि । कश्मलेनाभिपन्नोऽसि तेन ते विकृतं मनः
Alas, you show only a trace of manliness, like a eunuch within yourself; you are overcome by weakness, and so your mind is disturbed.
उद्वेपते ते हृदयं मनस्ते प्रतिसीदति । ऊरुस्तम्भगृहीतोऽसि तस्मात्प्रशममिच्छसि
Your heart trembles, your mind sinks; your thighs are seized by stiffness, and thus you desire peace.
अनित्यं किल मर्त्यस्य पार्थ चित्तं चलाचलम् । वातवेगप्रचलिता अष्ठीला शाल्मलेरिव
Indeed, O Partha, the mind of mortals is unstable and inconstant, like the cottony silk of the śālmalī tree tossed by a gust of wind.
तवैषा विकृता बुद्धिर्गवां वागिव मानुषी । मनांसि पाण्डुपुत्राणां मञ्जयत्यप्लवानिव
This distorted understanding of yours is like the speech of cows among men; it unsettles the minds of the sons of Pāṇḍu, as a boat is rocked by waves.
इदं मे महादाश्चर्यं पर्वतस्येव सर्पणम्। यदीदृशं प्रभाषेथा भीमसेनासमं वचः
This is a great wonder to me, like a serpent on a mountain, that you would speak such words, equal to Bhīmasena.
स दृष्ट्वा स्वानि कर्माणि कुले जन्म च भारत । उत्तिष्ठस्व विषादं मा कृथा वीर स्थिरो भव
Seeing your deeds and your noble birth, O Bhārata, rise up! Do not give in to despair; be firm, O hero.
न चैतदनुरूपं ते यत्ते ग्लानिररिन्दम। यदोजसा न लभते क्षत्रियो न तदश्रुते
This faintheartedness does not befit you, O subduer of enemies; that which a kṣatriya does not attain by strength is not to be heard of.
तथोक्तो वासुदेवेन नित्यमन्युरमर्षणः। सदश्ववत्समाधावद्बभाषे तदनन्तरम्
Thus addressed by Vāsudeva, Bhīmasena, ever wrathful and unyielding, leapt up like a spirited horse and then spoke.
अन्यथा मां चिकीर्षन्तमन्यथा मन्यसेऽच्युत। प्रणीतभावमत्यर्थं युधि सत्यपराक्रमम्
You think of me, O Acyuta, as intending otherwise than I do; my mind is firmly set, and in battle my valor is true.
वेत्सि दाशार्ह सत्यं मे दीर्घकालं सहोषितः। उत वा मां न जानासि प्लवन्हृद इवाप्लवे
You know the truth about me, O Dāśārha, having lived with me for a long time; or perhaps you do not know me, as one afloat does not know the depth of water.
तस्मादनभिरुपाभिर्वाग्भिर्मां त्वं समर्च्छसि । कथं हि भीमसेनं मां जानन्कश्चन माधव
Therefore, you honor me with words that are not fitting; for how could anyone, knowing me—Bhīmasena—O Mādhava, speak otherwise?
ब्रूयादप्रतिरूपाणि यथा मां वक्तमर्हसि । तस्मादिदं प्रवक्ष्यामि वचनं वृष्णिनन्दन
Who would speak unfitting words to me, as you ought to address me? Therefore, O delight of the Vṛṣṇis, I will now speak these words.
आत्मनः पौरुषं चैव बलं च न समं परैः । सर्वथाऽनार्यकर्मैतत्प्रशंसा स्वयमात्मनः
My own manliness and strength are not equal to others; in every way, self-praise is an unworthy act.
अतिवादापविद्धस्तु वक्ष्यामि बलमात्मनः । पश्येमे रोदसी कृष्ण ययोरासन्निमाः प्रजाः
But, stung by your harsh words, I will declare my strength; behold, O Kṛṣṇa, these heavens and earth, within which all creatures dwell.
अचले चाप्रतिष्ठे चाप्यनन्ते सर्वमातरौ । यदीमे सहसा क्रुद्धे समेयातां शिले इव
If these two, the unshakable and the unstable, the infinite mothers of all, were to come together in sudden wrath, like rocks—
अहमेते निगृह्णीयां बाहुभ्यां सचसाचरे । पश्यैतदन्तरं बाह्वोर्महापरिघयोरिव
I would restrain them both with my arms, moving and unmoving; see this space between my arms, like two great iron bars.
य एतत्प्राय मुच्येत न तं पश्यामि पुरूषम्। हिमवांश्च समुद्रश्च वज्री वा बलमित्स्वयम्
I do not see any man who could escape from this grip—not even the Himālaya, the ocean, or Indra with his thunderbolt, if they sought to test their strength.
मयाभिपन्नं त्रायेरन्बलमास्थाय न त्रयः । युद्धार्हान्क्षत्रियान्सर्वान्पाण्डवेष्वाततायिनः
If I seize someone, not even those three, relying on their strength, could rescue him; I am ready to fight all kṣatriyas who are enemies of the Pāṇḍavas.
अधः पादतलेनैतानधिष्ठास्यामि भूतले । न हि त्वं नाभिजानासि मम विक्रममच्युत
With the sole of my foot, I will press these down upon the earth. You do not recognize my prowess, O Acyuta.
यथा मया विनिर्जित्य राजानो वशगाः कृताः । अथ चेन्मां न जानासि सूर्यस्येवोद्यतः प्रभाम्
Just as I have subdued kings and made them subject to me, if you do not know me, it is like not seeing the radiance of the sun when it rises.
विगाढे युधि संबाधे वेत्स्यसे मां जनार्दन । परुषैराक्षिपसि किं व्रणं सूच्येव चानघ
When battle grows fierce and crowded, you will know me, O Janardana. Why do you hurl harsh words, O faultless one, as if pricking a wound with a needle?
यथामति ब्रवीम्येतद्विद्धि मामधिकं ततः । द्रष्टासि युधि संबाधे प्रवृत्ते वैशसेऽहनि
I speak this as I think fit; know me as superior in this matter. You will see me when the battle is close and the day of slaughter has begun.
मया प्रणुन्नान्मातङ्गात्नथिनः सादनस्तथा । तथा नरानभिक्रुद्धं निघ्नन्तं क्षत्रियर्षभान्
By me, elephants have been struck down and their riders felled; likewise, I have slain men, unprovoked, destroying the foremost among warriors.
द्रष्टा मां त्वं च लोकश्च विकर्षन्तं वरान्वरान् । न मे सीदन्ति गात्राणि न ममोद्वेपते मनः
You and the world will see me dragging the best of the best. My limbs do not falter, nor does my mind tremble.
सर्वलोकादभिक्रुद्धान्न भयं विद्यते मम। किं तु सौहृदमेवैतत्कृपया मधुसूदन । सर्वांस्तितिक्षे संक्लेशान्मा स्म नो भरता नशन्
Even when attacked by all the worlds, I feel no fear. Yet, O Madhusudana, this is only friendship and compassion; I endure all hardships—let not the Bharatas perish.
भावं जिज्ञासमानोऽहं प्रणयादिदमब्रवम् । न चाक्षेपान्न पाण्डित्यान्न क्रोधान्न विवक्षया
Desiring to know your disposition, I spoke this out of affection—not out of reproach, nor out of cleverness, nor anger, nor intent to debate.
वेदाहं तव माहात्म्यसुत ते वेद यद्बलम्। उत ते वेद कर्माणि न त्वां परिभवाम्यहम्
I know your greatness, your strength, and your deeds, O son; I do not belittle you.
यथा चात्मनि कल्याणं संभावयसि पाण्डव । सहस्रगुणमप्येतत्त्वयि संभावयाम्यहम्
Just as you regard your own welfare, O Pandava, I regard yours a thousandfold.