लोहाभिसारो निर्वृत्तः कुरुक्षेत्रमकर्दमम्। पुष्टास्तेऽश्वा भृता योधाः श्वो युद्ध्यस्व सकेशवः
The iron armor is ready, Kurukshetra is cleansed; your horses are nourished, your warriors are paid. Tomorrow, fight with Kesava at your side.
असमागम्य भीष्मेण संयुगे किं विकत्थसे। आरुरुक्षुर्यथा मन्दः पर्वतं गन्धमादनम्
Without meeting Bhishma in battle, why do you boast? It is like a fool wishing to climb Mount Gandhamadana.
एवं कत्थसि कौन्तेय अकत्थन्पुरुषो भव। सूतपुत्रं सुदुर्धर्षं शल्यं च बलिनां वरम्
Thus you boast, O son of Kunti; be a man who does not boast. Face the son of the charioteer, the formidable Shalya, the foremost among the strong.
द्रोणं च बलिनां श्रेष्ठं शचीपतिसमं युधि । अजित्वा संयुगे पार्थ राज्यं कथमिहेच्छसि
And face Drona, the best among the strong, equal to the lord of Shachi in battle. Without conquering them in combat, O Partha, how do you wish for the kingdom here?
ब्राह्मे धनुषि चाचार्यं वेदयोरन्तगं द्वयोः। युधि धुर्यमविक्षोभ्यमनीकचरमच्युतम्
The teacher is skilled in the Brahma bow, master of both Vedas, the leader in battle, unshaken, moving among the troops, and accompanied by Acyuta.
द्रोणं महाद्युतिं पार्थ जेतुमिच्छसि तन्मृषा । न हि शुश्रुम वातेन मेरुमुन्मथितं गिरिम्
You wish to defeat Drona, of great brilliance, O Partha; that is vain. We have never heard of Mount Meru being shattered by the wind.
अनिलो वा वहेन्मेरुं द्यौर्वापि निपतेन्महीम्। युगं वा रिवर्तेत यद्येवं स्याद्यथात्थ माम्
The wind might carry Mount Meru, or the sky might fall to earth, or the age might turn back—if what you say about me were to happen.
को ह्यस्ति जीविताकाङ्क्षी पराप्येममरिमर्दनम् । पार्थो वा इतरो वापि कोन्यः स्वस्ति गृहान्व्रजेत्
Who, desiring life, would face this crushing of enemies? Whether it is Partha or another, who else would return home safely?
कथमाभ्यामभिध्यातः संस्पृष्टो दारुणेन वा। रणे जीवन्प्रमुच्येत पदा भूमिपुमस्पृशन्
How could one, struck or touched by these two in battle, escape alive, setting foot on the earth?
किं दर्दुरः कूपशयो यथेमां न बुध्यसे राजचमूं समेताम्। दुराधर्षां देवचमूप्रकाशां गुप्तां नरेन्द्रैस्त्रिदशैरिव द्याम्
Why, like a frog dwelling in a well, do you not perceive this royal army assembled—difficult to overcome, shining like the army of the gods, guarded by kings as heaven is by the immortals?
प्राच्यैः प्रतीच्यैरथ दाक्षिणात्यै- रुदीच्यकाम्भोजशकैः खशैश्च । साल्वैः समत्स्यैः कुरुमध्यदेश्यै- र्म्लेच्छैः पुलिन्दैर्द्रविडान्ध्रकाञ्च्यैः
With the peoples of the east and west, the southerners and northerners, Kambojas, Shakas, Khasas, Salvas, Matsyas, those from the central land of the Kurus, Mlecchas, Pulindas, Dravidas, Andhras, and Kanchis—
नानाजनौघं युधि संप्रवृद्धं गाङ्गं यथा वेगमपारणीयम्। मां च स्थितं नानाबलस्य मध्ये युयुत्ससे मन्द किमल्पबुद्धे
A multitude of various peoples has gathered for battle, surging like the unstoppable current of the Ganges; and you see me standing amidst these diverse forces, wishing to fight—what folly is this, you of little understanding?
अक्षय्याविषुधी चैव अग्निदत्तं च ते रथम्। जानीमो हि रणे पार्थ केतुं दिव्यं च भारत
We know your inexhaustible and pure chariot, given by Agni; we recognize, O Partha, your divine banner, O descendant of Bharata, in battle.
अकत्थमानो युद्ध्यस्व कत्थसेऽर्जुन किं बहु । पर्यायात्सिद्धिरेतस्य नैतत्सिध्याति कत्थनात्
Fight without boasting; why do you, Arjuna, speak so much? Success comes by effort in turn, not by empty boasting.
यदीदं कत्थनाल्लोके सिध्येत्कर्म धनञ्जय। सर्वे भवेयुः सिद्धार्थाः कत्थने को हि दुर्गतः
If, Dhananjaya, deeds in this world could succeed by boasting, then all would achieve their aims—who, by boasting, has ever met with misfortune?
जनामि ते वासुदेवं सहायं जानामि ते गाण्डिवं तालमात्रम् । जानाम्यहं त्वादृशो नास्ति योद्धा जानानस्ते राज्यमेतद्धरामि
I know you have Vasudeva as your ally; I know your Gandiva bow, its measure and power; I know there is no warrior like you; I know you desire this kingdom.
न तु पर्यायधर्मेम सिद्धिं प्राप्नोति मानवः। मनसैवानुकूलानि धातैव कुरुते वशे
Yet, by the proper course of duty, a person does not attain success; the creator brings about favorable things only according to the mind's inclination.
त्रयोदशसमा भुक्तं राज्यं विलपतस्तव। भूयश्चैव प्रशासिष्ये त्वां निहत्य सबान्धवम्
For thirteen years you lamented, deprived of your kingdom; and again, I shall rule over you, having slain you and your kin.
क्व तदा गाण्डिवं तेऽभूद्यत्त्वं दासपणैर्जितः। क्व तदा भीमसेनस्य बलमासीच्च फाल्गुन
Where was your Gandiva then, when you were defeated by a wager of servitude? Where was Bhimasena's strength, O Phalguna, at that time?
सगदाद्भीमसेनाद्वा फाल्गुनाद्वा सगाण्डिवात्। न वै मोक्षस्तदा यो भूद्विना कृष्णमनिन्दितां
Neither from Bhimasena with his mace, nor from Phalguna with his Gandiva, was there any deliverance then, except through Krishna, the blameless one.
सा वो दास्ये समापन्नान्मोचयामास पार्षती। अमानुष्यं समापन्नान्दासकर्मण्यवस्थितान्
It was your wife, the daughter of Prishata, who freed you all when you had fallen into servitude, having assumed an inhuman state and engaged in the work of slaves.
अवोचं यत्षण्डतिलानहं वस्तथयमेव तत्। धृता हि वेमी पार्थेन विराटनगरे तदा
What I said about the sesame seeds, that was indeed true; for then, in the city of Virata, you were held by Partha.
सूदकर्मणि च श्रान्तं विराटस्य महानसे । भीमसेनेन कौन्तेय यत्तु तन्मम पौरुषम्
And when Bhimasena, son of Kunti, was exhausted by the work of a cook in Virata's kitchen, that was my own prowess.
एवमेव सदा दण्डं क्षत्रियाः क्षत्रिये दधुः। वेणीं कृत्वा षण्डवेषः कन्यां नर्तितवानसि
Thus, always, Kshatriyas impose punishment upon Kshatriyas; you made a braid and, dressed as a eunuch, danced as a maiden.
न भयाद्वासुदेवस्य न चापि तव फल्गुन । राज्यं प्रतिप्रदास्यामि युध्यस्व सहकेशवः
Not out of fear of Vasudeva, nor of you, O Phalguna, will I restore the kingdom; fight, together with Kesava.
न माया हीन्द्रजालं वा कुहका वापि भीषणा । आत्तशस्त्रस्य सङ्ग्रामे वहन्ति प्रतिगर्जनाः
Neither magic, nor illusion, nor terrifying tricks prevail in battle against one who has taken up arms and stands firm.
वासुदेवसहस्रं वा फाल्गुनानां शतानि वा। आसाद्य माममोघेषुं द्रविष्यन्ति दिशो दश
Whether a thousand Vasudevas or hundreds of Phalgunas confront me, they will flee in all directions, unable to defeat me.
संयुगं गच्छ भीष्मेण भिन्धि वा शिरसा गिरिम् । तरस्व वा महागाधं बाहुभ्यां पुरुषोदधिम्
Go to battle with Bhishma, or split a mountain with your head, or cross the vast ocean of men with your arms, if you can.
शारद्वतमहामीनं विविंशतिमहोरगम् । बृहद्बलमहोद्वेलं सौमदत्तितिमिङ्गिलम्
Śāradvatā is the great fish, Viviṃśati the mighty serpent, Bṛhadbala the powerful surge, and Saumadatti the monstrous shark.
भीष्मवेगमपर्यन्तं द्रोणग्राहदुरसदम् । कर्णशल्यझषावर्तं काम्भोजबडबामुखम्
The force of Bhīṣma is boundless, the grasp of Droṇa is perilous, Karṇa and Śalya are the whirlpools of great fish, and the Kāmboja is the gaping mouth of a sea-monster.