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.
भीष्म कां बुद्धिमास्थाय काशिराजसुता तदा। अकामेन त्वया नीता पुनश्चैव विसर्जिता
O Bhishma, having acted with such resolve, you took the daughter of the King of Kashi against her will, and then you released her again.
विभ्रंशिता त्वया हीयं धर्मादास्ते यशस्विनी । परामृष्टां त्वया हीमां को हि गन्तुमिहार्हति
By you, this illustrious woman was deprived of her rightful path; who indeed would accept her, having been touched by you and then abandoned?
प्रत्याख्याता हि साल्वेन त्वया नीतेति भारत। तस्मादिमां मन्नियोगात्प्रतिगृह्णीष्व भारत
She was rejected by Salva, O Bharata, because you had taken her; therefore, at my command, accept her, O Bharata.
स्वधर्मं पुरुषव्याघ्र राजपुत्री लभत्वियम्। न युक्तस्त्ववमानोऽयं राज्ञां कर्तुं त्वयाऽनघ
Let this princess obtain her proper duty, O tiger among men; it is not right for you, O faultless one, to bring dishonor upon kings.
ततस्तं वै विमनसमुदीक्ष्याहमथाब्रुवम्। नाहमेनां पुनर्दद्यां ब्रह्मन्भ्रात्रे कथञ्चन
Then, seeing him dejected, I spoke: 'O Brahman, I would never give her again to my brother under any circumstance.'
साल्वस्याहमिति प्राह पुरा मामेव भार्गव। मया चैवाभ्यनुज्ञाता गतेयं नगरं प्रति
Before, O descendant of Bhrigu, she herself declared, 'I belong to Salva,' and with my consent, she departed for his city.
न भयान्नाप्यनुक्रोशान्नार्थलोभान्न काम्यया। क्षात्रं धर्ममहं जह्यमिति मे व्रतमाहितम्
Not out of fear, nor pity, nor greed for wealth, nor desire, would I abandon the Kshatriya code; such is the vow I have undertaken.
अथ मामब्रवीद्रामः क्रोधपर्याकुलेक्षणः। न करिष्यसि चेदेतद्वाक्यं मे नरपुङ्गव
Then Rama, his eyes red with anger, said to me: 'If you do not obey my words, O best of men, I will slay you today along with your counselors.'
हनिष्यामि सहामात्यं त्वामद्येति पुनः पुनः । संरम्भादब्रवीद्रामः क्रोधपर्याकुलेक्षणः
Again and again, Rama, his eyes inflamed with wrath, declared in his fury, 'I will kill you today together with your ministers.'
तमहं गीर्भिरिष्टाभि पुनः पुनररिन्दम। अयाचं भृगुशार्दूलं न चैव प्रशशाम सः
But I, O subduer of foes, repeatedly pleaded with the tiger among the Bhrigus with gentle words, yet he was not appeased.
प्रणम्य तमहं मूर्ध्ना भूयो ब्राह्मणसत्तमम् । अब्रुवं कारणं किं तद्यत्त्वं युद्धं मयेच्छसि
Bowing my head to him, the foremost of Brahmins, I asked again: 'What is the reason, O Brahman, that you desire battle with me?'
इष्वस्त्रं मम बालस्य भवतैव चतुर्विधम्। उपदिष्टं महाबाहो शिष्योऽस्मि तव भार्गव
O mighty-armed one, it was you alone who taught me, while still a boy, the fourfold science of archery; I am your disciple, O descendant of Bhrigu.
ततो मामब्रवीद्रामः क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः । जानीषे मां गुरुं भीष्म गृह्णासीमां न चैव ह
Then Rama, his eyes bloodshot with anger, said to me: 'You know me as your teacher, Bhishma, yet you do not accept her.'
सुतां काश्यस्य कौरव्य मत्प्रियार्थं महामते। न हि मे विद्यते शान्तिरन्यथा कुरुनन्दन
O Kaurava, for my sake, O wise one, accept the daughter of Kashi; otherwise, O joy of the Kurus, I will find no peace.
गृहाणेमां महाबाहो रक्षस्व कुलमात्मनः। त्वया विभ्रंशिता हीयं भर्तारं नाधिगच्छति
Take her, O mighty-armed one, and protect your lineage; because of you, she has been deprived and cannot obtain a husband.
तथा ब्रुवन्तं तमहं रामं परपुरंयम्। नैतदेवं पुनर्भावि ब्रह्मर्षे किं श्रमेण ते
To Rama, who spoke thus, O conqueror of cities, I replied: 'It shall not be so again, O Brahmarshi; why do you labor in vain?'
गुरुत्वं त्वयि संप्रेक्ष्य जामदग्न्य पुरातनम् । प्रसादये त्वां भगवंस्त्यक्तैषा तु पुरा मया
Recognizing your ancient status as my teacher, O son of Jamadagni, I beseech you, O blessed one; but she was already renounced by me before.
को जातु परभावां हि नारीं व्यालीमिव स्थिताम् । वासयेत गृहे जानन्स्त्रीणां दोषो महात्ययः
Who would ever knowingly keep in his house a woman who has been rejected by another, like a serpent, knowing well the great danger in women?
न भयाद्वासवस्यापि धर्मं जह्यां महाव्रत । प्रसीद मा वा यद्वा ते कार्यं तत्कुरु मा चिरम्
Even out of fear of Indra, I would not abandon righteousness, O great vow-holder; be gracious, or not, as you wish—do what you must without delay.
अयं चापि विशुद्धात्मन्पुराणे श्रूयते विभो। मरुत्तेन महाबुद्धे गीतः श्लोको महात्मना
And, O mighty one, this verse sung by the great-souled Marutta, of pure mind, is heard in the ancient tradition.