भीष्मं जहि महाबाहो यत्कृते दुःखमीदृशम् । प्राप्ताहं भृगुशार्दूल चराम्यप्रियमुत्तमम्
Slay Bhishma, O mighty-armed one, for whose sake I have encountered such sorrow, O tiger among the Bhrigus, and wander in utmost distress.
स हि लुब्धश्च नीचश्च जितकाशी च भार्गव । तस्मात्प्रतिक्रिया कर्तुं युक्ता तस्मै त्वयाऽनघ
For he is greedy, base, and has conquered the Kashi kingdom, O descendant of Bhrigu; therefore, it is fitting that you take action against him, O sinless one.
एष मे ह्रियमाणाया भारतेन तदा विभो। अभवद्धृदि संकल्पो घातयेदं महाव्रतम्
When I was being carried away by the Bharata, O lord, this resolve arose in my heart: to destroy this great vow-holder.
तस्मात्कामं ममाद्येमं राम संपादयानघ। जहि भीष्मं महाबाहो यथा वृत्रं पुरन्दरः
Therefore, O Rama, fulfill my desire today, O sinless one; slay Bhishma, O mighty-armed, as Indra slew Vritra.
एवमुक्तस्तदा रामो जहि भीष्ममिति प्रभो। उवाच रुदतीं कन्यां चोदयन्तीं पुनः पुनः
Thus addressed at that time, Rama, urged again and again by the weeping maiden to slay Bhishma, spoke to her.
काश्ये न कामं गृह्णामि शस्त्रं वै वरवर्णिनि। ऋते ब्रह्मविदां हेतोः किमन्यत्करवाणि ते
O fair-complexioned one, I do not willingly take up weapons in Kashi, except for the sake of Brahmins; what else can I do for you?
वाचा भीष्मश्च साल्वश्च मम राज्ञि वशानुगौ। भविष्यतोऽनवद्याङ्गि तत्करिष्यामि मा शुचः
By word, both Bhishma and Salva are subject to me, O flawless-limbed one, and will obey the king; I shall do this, do not grieve.
न तु शस्त्रं ग्रहीष्यामि कथंचिदपि भामिनि । ऋते नियोगाद्विप्राणामेष मे समयः कृतः
But I shall not take up weapons in any way, O beautiful one, except by the command of Brahmins; this is the vow I have made.
मम दुःखं भगवता व्यपनेयं यतस्ततः। तच्च भीष्मप्रसूतं मे तं जहीश्वर मा चिरम्
My sorrow should be removed by the blessed one, for it arises from Bhishma; slay him, O lord, without delay.
काशिकन्ये पुनर्ब्रूहि भीष्मस्ते चरणावुभौ। शिरसा वन्दनार्होऽपि ग्रहीष्यति गिरा मम
O maiden of Kashi, say again: Bhishma should take both your feet, though he is worthy of being saluted with the head, he will accept my words.
जहि भीष्मं रणे राम मम चेदिच्छसि प्रियम्। प्रतिश्रुतं च यदपि तत्सत्यं कर्तुमर्हसि
Slay Bhishma in battle, O Rama, if you desire my favor; and whatever you have promised, you should fulfill it truly.
तयोः संवदतोरेवं राजन्रामाम्बयोस्तदा । अकृतव्रणो जामदग्न्यमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
While the two, Rama and Ambā, were thus conversing, O king, the unscarred Bhishma spoke these words to Jamadagni's son.
शरणागतां महाबाहो कन्यां न त्यक्तुमर्हसि । यदि भीष्मो रणे राम समाहूतस्त्वया मृधे
O mighty-armed one, you should not abandon the maiden who has sought refuge. If Bhishma is summoned by you, Rama, to battle,
निर्जितोऽस्मीति वा ब्रूयात्कुर्याद्वा वचनं तव । कृतमस्या भवेत्कार्यं कन्याया भृगुनन्दन ।। वाक्यं सत्यं च ते वीर भविष्यति कृतं विभो । इयं चापि प्रतिज्ञा ते तदा राम महामुने
If he declares himself defeated or acts according to your word, then the task for this maiden will be accomplished, O descendant of Bhrigu. Your promise, O hero, will be fulfilled and true, O lord, and this vow of yours, O Rama, great sage, will then be kept.
जित्वा वै क्षत्रियान्सर्वान्ब्रह्मणेषु प्रतिश्रुता । ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो वैश्यः शूद्रश्चैव रणे यदि
Having conquered all the Kshatriyas, as pledged among the Brahmanas, whether Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, or Shudra in battle,
ब्रह्मद्विङ्भविता तं वै हनिष्यामीति भार्गव । शरणार्थे प्रपन्नानां भीतानां शरणार्थिनाम्
If one becomes a hater of Brahmanas, I will slay him, O descendant of Bhrigu. For those who have come seeking refuge, who are fearful and seeking shelter,
न शक्ष्यामि परित्यागं कर्तुं जीवन्कथंचन । यश्च कृत्स्नं रणे क्षत्रं विजेष्यति समागतम्
I will not be able to abandon them while living, under any circumstance. And whoever defeats all assembled Kshatriyas in battle,
दीप्तात्मानमहं तं च हनिष्यामीति भार्गव । स एवं विजयी राम भीष्मः कुरुकुलोद्वहः । तेन युध्यस्व सङ्ग्रमे समेत्य भृगुनन्दन
I will slay that one whose spirit blazes, O descendant of Bhrigu. Thus victorious is Bhishma, the foremost of the Kuru lineage, O Rama. Therefore, confront him in battle, O son of Bhrigu.
स्मराम्यहं पूर्वकृतां प्रतिज्ञामृषिसत्तम। तथैव त्त करिष्यामि यथा साम्नैव लप्स्यते
I remember the vow I made before, O best of sages. I will act just as I promised, so that it may be attained by peaceful means.
कार्यमेतन्महद्ब्रह्मन्काशिकान्यामनोगतम्। गमिष्यामि स्वयं कन्यामादाय यत्र सः
This is a great task, O Brahman, concerning the maiden of Kashi. I will go myself, taking the maiden to where he is.
यदि भीष्मो रणश्लाघी न करिष्यति मे वचः। हनिष्याम्येनमुद्रिक्तमिति मे निश्चिता मतिः
If Bhishma, proud of battle, does not obey my word, I will slay him, who is arrogant—this is my firm resolve.
न हि बाणा मयोत्सृष्टाः सज्जन्तीह शरीरिणाम्। कायेषु विदितं तुभ्यं पुरा क्षत्रियसंगरे
For arrows released by me do not lodge in the bodies of living beings; you know this from previous battles among Kshatriyas.
एवमुक्त्वा ततो रामः सह तैर्ब्रह्मवादिभिः। प्रयाणाय मतिं कृत्वा समुत्तस्थौ महातपाः
Having spoken thus, Rama, together with those versed in Brahman, made up his mind to depart and rose up, possessed of great austerity.
ततस्ते तामुषित्वा तु रजनीं तत्र तापसाः । हुताग्नयो जप्तजप्याः प्रतस्थुर्मञ्जिघांसया
Then, after spending the night there, those ascetics, having offered oblations to fire and recited their prayers, arose with the desire to depart.
अभ्यगच्छत्ततो रामः सह तैर्ब्रह्मवादिभिः । कुरुक्षेत्रं महाराज कन्यया सह भारत
Then Rama, together with those versed in Brahman, approached Kurukshetra, O great king, accompanied by the maiden, O Bharata.
न्यविशन्त ततः सर्वे परिगृह्य सरस्वतीम् । तापसास्ते महात्मानो भृगुश्रेष्ठपुरस्कृताः
Then all of them settled, having encircled the Sarasvati; those ascetics, great-souled, led by the foremost of the Bhrigus.
ततस्तृतीये दिवसे समे देशे व्यवस्थितः । प्रेषयामास मे राजन्प्राप्तोऽस्मीति महाव्रतः
Then, on the third day, having arrived at the same place, the great vow-holder sent word to me, O king, saying, 'I have arrived.'
तमागतमहं श्रुत्वा विषयान्तं महाबलम् । अभ्यगच्छं जवेनाशु प्रीत्या तेजोनिधिं प्रभुम्
Hearing that he, of great strength, had arrived at the border of my domain, I quickly went to him with joy, to that lord, the treasury of energy.
गां पुरस्कृत्य राजेन्द्र ब्राह्मणैः परिवारितः। ऋत्विग्भिर्देवकल्पैश्च तथैव च पुरोहितैः
Placing the cow in front, O king, surrounded by Brahmanas, by priests resembling gods, and likewise by officiating priests,
स मामभिगतं दृष्ट्वा जामदग्न्यः प्रतापवान् । प्रतिजग्राह तां पूजां वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्
When the powerful Jamadagni saw me approaching, he accepted my homage and spoke these words.