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.
समुद्यतोयं भारो मे सुमहान्सागरोपमः। धार्तराष्ट्रस्य संग्रामे वर्षपूगाभिचिन्तितः
This burden before me, vast as the ocean, has arisen in the battle of the Dhartarashtras, long pondered over many years.
तस्मिन्नभ्यागते काले प्रतप्ते रोमहर्षणे । मिथो भेदो न मे कार्यस्तेन जीवसि सूतज
When that time comes, heated and hair-raising, I must not cause division among us; for that reason, you live, O son of a charioteer.
न ह्यहं त्वद्य विक्रम्य स्थविरोऽपि शिशोस्तव। युद्धश्रद्धामहं छिन्द्यां जीवितस्य च सूतज
For even if I am old, I would not, by overpowering you, O son, destroy your faith in battle or your life.
जामदग्र्येन रामेण महास्त्राणि विमुञ्चता। न मे व्यथा कृता काचित्त्वं तु मे कि करिष्यसि
When Rama, son of Jamadagni, released mighty weapons, I felt no fear at all; what could you possibly do to me?
कामं नैतत्प्रशंसन्ति सन्तः स्वबलसंस्तवम्। वक्ष्यामि तु त्वां सन्तप्तो निहीन कुलपांसन
Truly, the virtuous do not praise boasting of one's own strength; yet, tormented as I am, I will speak to you, defiler of your lineage.
समेतं पार्थिवं क्षत्रं काशिराजस्वयंवरे । निर्जित्यैकरथेनैव याः कन्यास्तरसाहृताः
At the self-choice of the King of Kashi, all the assembled kings and warriors were overcome by me alone in a single chariot, and the maidens were swiftly carried away.
ईदृशानां सहस्राणि विशिष्टानामथो पुनः । मयैकेन निरस्तानि ससैन्यानि रणाजिरे
Thousands of such distinguished warriors, along with their armies, have been defeated by me alone on the battlefield.
त्वां प्राप्य वैरपुरुषं कुरूणामनयो महान्। उपस्थितो विनाशाय यतस्व पुरुषो भव
Now, having encountered you, an enemy of the Kurus, this great calamity has arisen for them; strive, be a man.
युध्यस्व समरे पार्थं येन विस्पर्धसे सह । द्रक्ष्यामि त्वां विनिर्मुक्तमस्माद्युद्धात्सुदुर्मते
Fight in battle with Partha, with whom you contend; I shall see you freed from this war, O wicked-minded one.
तमुवाच ततो राजा धार्तराष्ट्रः प्रतापवान् । मां समीक्षस्व गाङ्गेय कार्यं हि महदुद्यतम्
Then the mighty king Dhritarashtra's son spoke to him: 'Look upon me, O son of Ganga, for a great task is at hand.'