स चापरिमितप्रज्ञस्तच्छ्रुत्वा पार्थभाषितम् । किमुक्तवान्महेष्वासो भीष्मः प्रहरतां वरः
And what did Bhishma, of boundless wisdom and foremost among warriors, say upon hearing Arjuna’s words?
सैनापत्यं च संप्राप्य कौरवाणां धुरंधरः । किमचेष्टत गाङ्गेयो महाबुद्धिपराक्रमः
Having attained the command of the Kaurava army, what did Bhishma, the son of Ganga, mighty in intellect and valor, do?
ततस्तत्सञ्जयस्तस्मै सर्वमेव न्यवेदयत्। यथोक्तं कुरुवृद्धेन भीष्मेणामिततेजसा
Then Sanjaya reported everything to him exactly as spoken by the venerable Bhishma of immeasurable energy.
सैनापत्यमनुप्राप्य भीष्मः शान्तनवो नृप। दुर्योधनमुवाचेदं वचनं हर्षयन्निव
Having obtained the generalship, Bhishma, son of Shantanu, addressed these words to Duryodhana, as if to gladden him.
नमस्कृत्य कुमाराय सेनान्ये शक्तिपाणये । अहं सेनापतिस्तेऽद्य भविष्यामि न संशयः
Saluting the prince, the commander holding his weapon, he said: 'Today, I shall be your general, without doubt.'
सेनाकर्मण्यिज्ञोऽस्मि व्यूहेषु विविधेषु च। कर्म कारयितुं चैव भृतानप्यभृतांस्तथा
I am skilled in the duties of a commander and in various battle formations, and in employing both paid and unpaid warriors.
यात्रायाने च युद्धे च तथा प्रशमनेषु च । भृशं वेद महाराज यथा वेद बृहस्पतिः
In marches, in battles, and in pacifications as well, I know thoroughly, O great king, just as Brihaspati knows.
व्यूहानां च समारम्भान्दैवगान्धर्वमानुषान्। तैरहं मोहयिष्यामि पाण्डवान्व्येतु ते ज्वरः
The arrangements of battle formations—divine, Gandharva, and human—I shall use to bewilder the Pandavas; let your anxiety cease.
सोऽहं योत्स्यामि तत्त्वेन पालयंस्तव वाहिनीम् । यथावच्छास्त्रतो राजन्व्येतु ते मानसो ज्वरः
Therefore, I will fight earnestly, protecting your army according to the scriptures, O king; let your mental distress subside.
विद्यते मे न गाङ्गेय भयं देवासुरेष्वपि । समस्तेषु महाबाहो सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
O mighty-armed one, I, the son of Ganga, have no fear even among gods or demons; this is the truth I tell you.
किं पुनस्त्वयि दुर्धर्पे सैनापत्ये व्यवस्थिते। द्रोणे च पुरुषव्याघ्रे स्थिते युद्धाभिनन्दिनि
What then, when you, resolute in command, and Drona, tiger among men, eager for battle, are present?
भवद्र्यां पुरुषाग्र्याभ्यां स्थिताभ्यां विजयो मम। न दुर्लभं कुरुश्रेष्ठ देवराज्यमपि ध्रुवम्
With you and Drona, both foremost of men, standing by me, O best of Kurus, even the kingdom of the gods is surely not hard to win.
रथसङ्ख्यां तु कार्त्स्न्येन परेषामात्मनस्तथा । तथैवातिरथानां च वेत्तुमिच्छामि कौरव
But, Kaurava, I wish to know in detail the number of chariots on both sides, as well as the count of the great chariot-warriors.
पितामहो हि कुशलः परेषामात्मनस्तथा । श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं सर्वैः सहैभिर्वसुधाधिपैः
For the grandsire is skilled in the forces of both sides; I wish to hear, along with all these kings.
गान्धारे श्रृणु राजेन्द्र रथसंख्यां स्वके बले। ये रथाः पृथिवीपाल तथैवातिरथाश्च ये
Hear now, O king of Gandhara, the number of chariots in your army, and likewise those who are great chariot-warriors, O ruler of the earth.
बहूनीह सहस्राणि प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च। रथानां तव सेनायां यथामुख्यं तु मे श्रुणु
There are many thousands, tens of thousands, and hundreds of thousands of chariots in your army; listen to me as I recount the principal ones.
भवानग्रे रथोदारः सह सर्वैः सहोदरैः । दुःशासनप्रभृतिभिर्भ्रातृभिः शतसंमितैः
You, at the forefront, with your splendid chariot, together with all your brothers—Duhshasana and the others, equal to a hundred in strength—
सर्वे कृतप्रहरणाश्छेदभेदविशारदाः । रथोपस्थे गजस्कन्धे गदाप्रासासिचर्मणि
All are fully armed, skilled in breaking and piercing formations, standing on chariots, elephant backs, wielding maces, spears, and shields.
संयन्तारः प्रहर्तारः कृतास्त्रा भारसाधनाः । इष्वस्त्रे द्रोणशिष्याश्च कृपस्य च शरद्वतः
They are able charioteers and fierce fighters, trained in weapons, bearers of heavy arms, disciples of Drona, Kripa, and Sharadvata in archery.
एते हनिष्यन्ति रणे पाञ्चालान्युद्धदुर्मदान् । कृतकिल्बिषाः पाण्डवेयैर्धार्तराष्ट्रा मनस्विनः
These resolute sons of Dhritarashtra, having committed wrongs against the Pandavas, will slay in battle the Panchalas, proud and fierce in war.
तथाऽहं भरतश्रेष्ठ सर्वसेनापतिस्तव। शत्रून्विध्वंसयिष्यामि कदर्थीकृत्य पाण्डवान्
So too, O best of Bharatas, I, your commander of all the armies, will utterly destroy your enemies, subduing the Pandavas.
न त्वात्मनो गुणान्वक्तुमर्हामि विदितोऽस्मि ते। कृतवर्मा त्वयिरथो भोजः शस्त्रभृतां वरः
But I need not speak of my own virtues, for you know me well; Krtavarma, the Bhoja, foremost among warriors, is also with you.
अर्थसिद्धिं तव रणे करिष्यति न संशयः। शस्त्रविद्भिरनाधृष्यो दूरपाती दृढायुधः
He will surely secure your victory in battle, without doubt; skilled in weapons, unassailable, striking from afar, and firm in arms.
हनिष्यति चमूं तेषां महेन्द्रो दानवानिव । मद्रराजो महेष्वासः शल्यो मेऽतिरथो मतः
He will destroy their army as Mahendra destroyed the Danavas; the king of Madra, Shalya, is esteemed by me as a great chariot-warrior.
स्पर्धते वासुदेवेन नित्यं यो वै रणेरणे। भागिनेयान्निजांस्त्यक्त्वा शल्यस्तेऽतिरथो मतः। एष योत्स्यति संग्रामे पाण्डवांश्च महारथान्
He, who always rivals Vasudeva in battle, abandoning his own kin for your sake, is considered an atiratha; he will fight in the war against the mighty Pandava warriors.
सागरोर्मिसमैर्बाणैः प्लावयन्निव शातवान् । भूरिश्रवाः कृतास्रश्च तव चापि हितः सुहृत्
With arrows surging like ocean waves, he will flood and shatter the enemy; Bhurishravas, skilled in weapons and your devoted friend, too.
सौमदत्तिर्महेष्वासो रथयूथपयूथपः। वलक्षयममित्राणां सुमहान्तं करिष्यति
Saumadatti, the great archer and leader of chariot-warriors, will inflict immense destruction upon your enemies.
सिन्धुराजो महाराज मतो मे द्विगुणो रथाः। योत्स्यते समरे राजन्विक्रान्तो रथसत्तमः
The king of Sindhu, O great king, is reckoned by me as equal to two chariot-warriors; he will fight valiantly in battle, a foremost charioteer.
द्रौपदीहरणे राजन्परिक्लिष्टश्च पाण्डवैः । संस्मरंस्तं परिक्लेशं योत्स्यते परवीरहा
Afflicted by the Pandavas during the abduction of Draupadi, remembering that hardship, he will fight, slayer of enemy heroes.
एतेन हि तदा राजंस्तप आस्थाय दारुणम् । सुदुर्लभो वरो लब्धः पाण्डवान्योद्ध्रुमाहवे
For then, O king, undertaking severe austerity, he obtained a rare boon—to challenge the Pandavas in battle.