पाण्डुरैश्चापि व्यजनैर्वीज्यमानो नराधिप । शुक्लवासाः सितोष्णीषः सर्वशुक्लविभूषणः
Fanned by white fans, O king, wearing white garments, a white turban, and all white ornaments.
स्तूयमानो जयाशीर्भिर्निष्क्रम्य गजसाह्वयात्। कुरुक्षेत्रं रणक्षेत्रमुपायां भरतर्षभ
Praised with blessings for victory, I departed from the elephant-gate and approached Kurukshetra, the field of battle, O bull among Bharatas.
ते हयाश्चोदितास्तेन सूतेन परमाहवे । अवहन्मां भृशं राजन्मनोमारुतरंहसः
Those horses, urged by the charioteer in the great contest, carried me swiftly, O king, with the speed of mind and wind.
गत्वाऽहं तत्कुरुक्षेत्रं स च रामः प्रतापवान् । युद्धाय सहसा राजन्पराक्रान्तौ परस्परम्
Having reached Kurukshetra, I and the mighty Rama, O king, both advanced against each other for battle with great valor.
ततः सदर्शनेऽतिष्ठं रामस्यातितपस्विनः । प्रगृह्य शङ्खप्रवरंक ततः प्राधममुत्तमम्
Then I stood before the exceedingly austere Rāma, holding the foremost of conch shells, and sounded it, producing a supreme and excellent note.
ततस्तत्र द्विजा राजंस्तापसाश्च वनौकसः। अपश्यन्त रणं दिव्यं देवाः सेन्द्रगणास्तदा
Thereupon, O King, the twice-born and the ascetics dwelling in the forest, along with the gods and the hosts of Indra, beheld that divine battle.
ततो दिव्यानि माल्यानि प्रादुरासंस्ततस्ततः। वादित्राणि च दिव्यानि मेघवृन्दानि चैव ह
Then, from all sides, divine garlands appeared, as well as celestial instruments and clusters of clouds.
ततस्ते तापसाः सर्वे भार्गवस्यानुयायिनः । प्रेक्षकाः समपद्यन्त परिवार्य रणाजिरम्
All the ascetics who followed Bhārgava gathered as spectators, encircling the field of battle.
ततो मामब्रवीद्देवी सर्वभूतहितैषिणी । माता स्वरूपिणी राजन्किमिदं ते चिकीर्षितम्
Then the goddess, my mother, who desires the welfare of all beings, addressed me: 'O King, what is this that you intend to do?'
गत्वाऽहं जामदग्न्यं तु प्रयाचिष्ये कुरूद्वह । भूष्मेण सह मा योत्सीः शिष्येणेति पुनः पुनः
'I will go to Jāmadagnya and repeatedly entreat him, O joy of the Kurus, not to fight with Bhīṣma, his disciple.'
मा मैवं पुत्र निर्बन्धं कुरु विप्रेण पार्थिव । जामदग्न्येन समरे योद्धुमित्येव भर्त्सयत्
'Do not, my son, persist so stubbornly, O King, in fighting the Brāhmaṇa Jāmadagnya in battle,' she rebuked me.
किं न वै क्षत्रियहणो हरतुल्यपराक्रमः । विदितः पुत्र रामस्ते यतस्तं योद्धुमिच्छसि
'Is it not known, my son, that your Rāma, slayer of Kṣatriyas and equal in prowess to Hari, is the one you wish to fight?'
ततोऽहमब्रवं देवीमभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः। सर्वं तद्भरतश्रेष्ठ यथावृत्तं स्वयंवरे
Then, bowing with joined palms, I addressed the goddess and recounted to her, O best of the Bharatas, all that had transpired at the svayaṃvara.
यथा च रामो राजेन्द्र मया पूर्वं प्रचोदितः । काशिराजसुतायाश्च यथा कर्म पुरातनम्
And how, O king of kings, I had previously incited Rāma, and the ancient deed concerning the daughter of the king of Kāśi.
ततः सा राममभ्येत्य जननी मे महानदी। मदर्थं तमृषिं वीक्ष्य क्षमयामास भार्गवम्
Then my mother, the great river, approached Rāma and, seeing that sage for my sake, sought to appease Bhārgava.
भीष्मेण सह मा योत्सीः शिष्येणेति वचो।़ब्रवीत् । स च तामाह याचन्तीं भीष्ममेव निवर्तय। न च मे कुरुते काममित्यहं तमुपागमम्
She said, 'Do not fight with Bhīṣma, your disciple.' But as she pleaded, he replied, 'Restrain Bhīṣma himself; he does not heed my will.' So I approached him.
ततो गङ्गा सुतस्नोहान्मां सा पुनरुपागमत्। नास्या अकरवं वाक्यं क्रोधपर्याकुलेक्षणः
Then, with eyes reddened by anger, my mother Gaṅgā came to me again, but I did not obey her words.
अथादृश्यत धर्मात्मा भृगुश्रेष्ठो महातपाः। आह्वयामास च तदा युद्धाय द्विजसत्तमः
At that moment, the righteous and great ascetic, foremost of Bhṛgus, appeared and, O best of twice-born, summoned me to battle.
तमहं स्मयन्निव रणे प्रत्यभाषं व्यवस्थितम्। भूमिष्ठं नोत्सहे योद्धुं भवन्तं रथमास्थितः
I, with a slight smile, addressed him as he stood ready for battle: 'I am not able to fight you while you are on the ground and I am on a chariot.'
आरोह स्यन्दनं वीर कवचं च महाभुज । बधान समरे राम यदि योद्धुं मयेच्छसि
'Ascend a chariot, O mighty-armed hero, and put on armor. Bind yourself for battle, Rāma, if you wish to fight me.'
ततो मामब्रवीद्रामः स्मयमानो रणाजिरे । रथो मे मेदिनी भीष्म वाहा वेदाः सदश्ववत्
Then Rāma, smiling in the field of battle, said to me: 'The earth is my chariot, Bhīṣma; the Vedas, like excellent horses, are my steeds.'
सूतश्च मातरिश्वा वै कवचं वेदमातरः । सुसंवीतो रणे ताभिर्योत्स्येऽहं कुरुनन्दन
'The wind is my charioteer, the mothers of the Vedas are my armor. Thus well equipped in battle by these, I will fight you, O joy of the Kurus.'
एवं ब्रुवाणो गान्धारे रामो मां सत्यविक्रमः। शरव्रातेन महता सर्वतः प्रत्यवारयत्
Thus, as Gandhara Rama of true valor spoke to me, he blocked me on all sides with a great shower of arrows.
ततोऽपश्यं जामदग्न्यं रथमध्ये व्यवस्थितम् । सर्वायुधवरे श्रीमत्यद्भुतोपमदर्शने
Then I saw Jamadagni’s son standing in the middle of his chariot, resplendent, wondrous to behold, with every kind of weapon at hand.
मनसा विहिते पुण्ये विस्तीर्णे नगरोपभे । दिव्याश्वयुजि सन्नद्वे काञ्चनेन विभूषिते
His chariot, divinely fashioned in thought, pure and vast as a city’s outskirts, was yoked with celestial horses, armored, and adorned with gold.
कवचेन महाबाहो सोमार्ककृतलक्ष्मणा। धनुर्धरो बद्धतूणो बद्धगोधाङ्गुलित्रवान्
That mighty-armed one wore armor marked with the emblems of the moon and sun, held a bow, had his quiver fastened, and wore gauntlets of lizard skin.
सारथ्यं कृतवांस्तत्र युयुत्सोरकुतव्रणः । सखा वेदविदत्यन्तं दयितो भार्गवस्य ह
There, his charioteer was a fearless, eager friend, deeply learned in the Vedas and dearly loved by Bhargava.
आह्वयानः स मां युद्धे मनो हर्षयतीव मे । पुनः पुनरभिक्रोशन्नभियाहीति भार्गवः
Calling me to battle, Bhargava repeatedly shouted, 'Come, approach!'—his challenge stirred my heart.
तमादित्यमिवोद्यन्तमनाधृष्यं महाबलम् । क्षत्रियान्तकरं राममेकमेकः समासदूम्
I approached Rama, the destroyer of Kshatriyas, alone, like one would approach the rising sun—unassailable and of great might.
ततोऽहं बाणपातेषु त्रिषु वाहान्निगृह्य वै । अवतीर्य धनुर्न्यस्य पदातिर्ऋषिसत्तमम्
Then, after restraining my horses from the shower of arrows, I dismounted, set aside my bow, and approached the best of sages on foot.