एष योत्स्यति सङ्ग्रामे गजस्कन्धविशारदः । ऐरावतगतो राजा देवानामिव वासवः
This king, skilled in fighting from an elephant's back, will do battle, mounted on Airavata, like Indra among the gods.
अचलो वृषकश्चैव सहितौ भ्रातरावुभौ । रथौ तव दुराधर्षौ शत्रून्विध्वंसयिष्यतः
Achala and Vrishaka, two brothers together, are your chariot-warriors, difficult to defeat, who will destroy your enemies.
बलवन्तौ नरव्याघ्रौ दृढक्रोधौ प्रहारिणौ। गान्धारमुख्यौ तरुणौ दर्शनीयौ महाबलौ
Strong as tigers among men, powerful, fierce in anger, skilled in combat, chief among the Gandharas, youthful, handsome, and mighty.
सखा ते दयितो नित्यं य एष रणकर्कशः । उत्साहयति राजंस्त्वां विग्रहे पाण्डवैः सह
This one, your dear friend, always harsh in battle, encourages you, O King, in your conflict with the Pandavas.
परुषः कत्थनो नीचः कर्णो वैकर्तनस्त्रव । मन्त्री नेता च बन्धुश्च मानी चात्यन्तमुच्छ्रितः
Karna, son of Vikartana, is harsh, boastful, base, yet your counselor, leader, kinsman, and exceedingly proud.
एष नैव रथः पूर्णो न चाप्यतिरथो रणे । वियुक्तः कवचेनैष सहजेन विचेतनः
He is not a full chariot-warrior, nor even a great chariot-warrior in battle; deprived of his natural armor, he is unsteady in mind.
कुण्डलाभ्यां च दिव्याभ्यां वियुक्तः सततं घृणी । अभिशापाच्च रामस्य ब्राह्मणस्य च भाषणात्
Constantly deprived of his divine earrings, compassionate, by the curse of Rama and the words of a Brahmin.
करणानां वियोगाच्च तेन मेऽर्थरथो मतः। नैष फाल्गुनमासाद्य पुनर्जीवन्विमोक्ष्यते
Because of the loss of his means, I consider him only a half-chariot-warrior; encountering Phalguna, he will not escape with his life.
ततोऽब्रवीत्पुनर्द्रोणः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः। एवमेतद्यथाऽऽत्थ त्वं न मिथ्यास्ति कदाचन
Then Drona, the foremost of all wielders of weapons, spoke again: 'It is just as you have said; there is never any falsehood in you.'
रणेरणेऽभिमानी च विमुखश्चापि दृश्यते। घृणी कर्णः प्रमादी च तेन मेऽर्धरथो मतः
In battle after battle, Karna is seen as proud yet turns away; he is compassionate and careless, so I consider him a half-chariot-warrior.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु राधेयः क्रोधादुल्फाल्य लोचने । उवाच भीष्मं राधेयस्तुदन्वाग्भिः प्रतोदवत्
Hearing this, Karna, son of Radha, eyes reddened with anger, spoke to Bhishma, lashing him with words like a whip.
पितामह यथेष्टं मां वाक्शरैरुपकृन्तसि । अनागसं सदा द्वेषादेवमेव पदेपदे
Grandfather, you cut me down with your words as you wish, always hating me without cause, at every step.
मर्षयामि च तत्सर्वं दुर्योधनकृतेन वै । त्वं तुं मां मान्यसे मन्दं यथा कापुरुषं तथा
I endure all this for Duryodhana's sake; but you regard me as worthless, as if I were a coward.
भवानर्धरथो मह्यं मतो वै नात्र संशयः । सर्वस्य जगतश्चैव गाङ्गेयो न मृषा वदेत्
To me, you are a half-chariot-warrior, of this there is no doubt; and Gangeya would never speak falsely to the whole world.
कुरूणामहितो नित्यं न च राजाऽवबुध्यते । को हि नाम समानेषु राजसूदारकर्मसु
He is always devoted to the Kurus, but the king does not understand; for who would wish to destroy the valor of equals in royal sacrifice?
तेजोवधमिमं कुर्याद्विभेदयिषुराहवे । यथा त्वं गुणविद्वेषादपरागं चिकीर्षसि
Who, wishing to sow division in battle, would do as you do, seeking to diminish another's merit out of envy?
न हायनैर्न पलितैर्न वित्तैर्न च बन्धुभिः । महारयत्वं संख्यातुं शक्यं क्षत्रस्य कौरव
O Kaurava, the greatness of a kshatriya king cannot be measured by years, gray hairs, wealth, or relatives.
बलज्येष्ठं स्मृतं क्षत्रं मन्त्रज्येष्ठा द्विजातयः । धनज्येष्ठाः स्मृता वैश्याः शूद्रास्तु वयसाऽधिकाः
Kshatriyas are considered superior by strength, twice-born by counsel, vaishyas by wealth, and shudras by age.
यथेच्छकं स्वयं ब्रूया रथानतिरथांस्तथा। कामद्वेषसमायुक्तो मोहात्प्रकुरुते भवान्
You speak of chariot-warriors and atirathas as you wish, moved by desire or aversion, and act out of delusion.
दुर्योधन महाबाहो साधु सम्यगवेक्ष्यताम्। त्यज्यतां दुष्टभावोऽयं भीष्मः किल्बिषकृत्तव
O mighty-armed Duryodhana, let things be rightly examined; abandon this wicked attitude—Bhishma has become a source of sin for you.
भिन्ना हि सेना नृपते दुःसन्धेया भवत्युत। मौला हि पुरुषव्याघ्र किमु नानासमुत्थिताः
O king, a divided army is indeed hard to unite; if even those born to the crown are split, how much more so those gathered from many places, O tiger among men.
एषां द्वैधं समुत्पन्नं योधानां युधि भारत। तेजोवधो नः क्रियते प्रत्यक्षेण विशेषतः
O Bharata, this division has arisen among the warriors in battle; our spirit is being destroyed, especially right before our eyes.
रथानां क्वच विज्ञानं क्वच भीष्मोऽल्पचेतनः । अहमावारयिष्यामि पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम्
Where is the discernment of chariot-warriors, and where is Bhishma, whose mind is feeble? I myself will block the Pandava army.
आसाद्य माममोघेषुं गमिष्यन्ति दिशो दश। पाण्डवाः सहपञ्चालाः शार्दूलं वृषभा इव
When they encounter me, whose arrows do not fail, the Pandavas and Panchalas will scatter in all directions like bulls before a tiger.
क्वच युद्धं विमर्दो वा मन्त्रे सुव्याहृतानि च। क्वचभीष्मो गतवयामन्दात्मा कालचोदितः
Where is battle or contest, or well-spoken counsel? And where is Bhishma, aged and weak in spirit, driven by time?
एकाकी स्पर्धति नित्यं सर्वेण रमता सह । न चान्यं पुरुषं कंचिन्मन्यते मोघदर्शनः
He always contends alone, taking pleasure with all, and, with futile vision, considers no other man at all.
श्रोतव्यं खलु वृद्धानमिति शास्त्रनिदर्शनम् । न त्वेव ह्यतिवृद्धानां पुनर्बालाहि ते मताः
It is said in the scriptures that the words of elders should be heard; but you consider those who are too old as children again.
अहमेको हनिष्यामि पाण्डवानानीकिनीम् । सुयुद्धे राज्यशार्दूल यशो भीष्मं गमिष्यति
Alone, I will destroy the Pandava army; in fair battle, O tiger among kings, the glory will go to Bhishma.
कृतः सेनापतिस्त्वेष त्वया भीष्मो नराधिप। सेनापतौ यशो गन्ता न तु योधान्कथञ्चन
This Bhishma has been made commander by you, O king of men; glory will go to the general, not to the warriors in any way.
नाहं जीवति गाङ्गेये योत्स्ये राजन्कथञ्चन। हते भीष्मे तु योद्धाऽस्मि सर्वैरेव महारथैः
O king, as long as the son of Ganga lives, I will not fight; but when Bhishma is slain, I will battle with all the great chariot-warriors.