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.
यादृशे च कुले जन्म सर्वराजाभिपूजिते । बन्धुभिश्च सुहृद्भिश्च भीम त्वमसि तादृशः
Born in a lineage honored by all kings, surrounded by kin and friends, Bhima, you are such as they.
जिज्ञासन्तो हि धर्मस्य सन्दिग्धस्य वृकोदर । पर्यायं नाध्यवस्यन्ति देवमानुषयोर्जनाः
Those who inquire into righteousness when it is uncertain, O Vṛkodara, do not decide between divine and human ways.
स एव हेतुर्भूत्वा हि पुरुषस्यार्थसिद्धिषु। विनाशेऽपि स एवास्य सन्दिग्धं कर्म पौरुषम्
That alone is the cause for a man's attainment of goals; even in destruction, that same cause makes his actions uncertain.
अन्यथा परिदृष्टानि कविभिर्दोवदर्शिभिः । अन्यथा परिवर्तन्ते वेगा इव नभस्वतः
Seen differently by poets and wise observers, things turn out otherwise, like the swift changes of the wind.
सुमन्त्रितं सुनीतं च न्यायतश्चोपपादितम् । कृतं मानुष्यकं कर्म दैनेनापि विरुद्ध्यते
Well-advised, well-governed, and justly accomplished, human action is sometimes opposed even by fate.
दैवमप्यकृतं कर्म पौरुषेण विहन्यते । शीतमुष्णं तथा वर्षं क्षुत्पिपासे च भारत
Even fate, when not accomplished, is overcome by human effort—like cold, heat, rain, hunger, and thirst, O Bharata.
यदन्यद्दिष्टभावस्य पुरुषस्य स्वयं कृतम् । तस्मादनुपरोधश्च विद्यते तत्र लक्षणम्
Whatever else arises from the disposition assigned to a man, if done by himself, then restraint is found there as its mark.
लोकस्य नान्यतो वृत्तिः पाण्डवान्यत्र कर्मणः। एवंबुद्धिः प्रवर्तेत फलं स्यादुभयान्वये
There is no livelihood for people, O Pandava, apart from action; one should act with this understanding, for results come from both sources.
य एवं कृतबुद्धिः स कर्मस्वेव प्रवर्तते । नासिद्धो व्यथते तस्य न सिद्धौ हर्षमश्रुते
He whose mind is thus resolved acts only in deeds; he is not distressed by failure, nor does he rejoice upon hearing of success.
तत्रेयमनुमात्रा मे भीमसेन विवक्षिता। नैकान्तसिद्धिर्वक्तव्या शत्रुभिः सह संयुगे
Here, Bhīmasena, I wish to express only an inference; one should not declare absolute certainty regarding victory in battle with enemies.