स वक्षसि पापतोग्रः शरो व्याल इव श्वसन् । महीं राजंस्ततश्चाहमगमं रुधिराविलः
That dreadful arrow, like a serpent hissing, struck me in the chest, O King, and I fell to the earth, covered in blood.
संप्राप्य तु पुनः संज्ञां जामदघ्न्याय धीमते । प्राहिण्वं विमलां शक्तिं ज्वलन्तीमशनीमिव
Regaining consciousness, I, discerning, sent at Jamadagni's son a spotless spear, blazing like a thunderbolt.
सा तस्य द्विजमुख्यस्य निपपात भुजान्तरे । विह्वलश्चाभवद्राजन्वेपथुश्चैनमाविशत्
That weapon fell between the arms of the foremost Brahmin; he became bewildered, O King, and trembling seized him.
तत एनं परिष्वज्य सखा विप्रो महातपाः । अकृतव्रणः शुभैर्वाक्यैराश्वासयदनेकधा
Then his friend, the great ascetic Brahmin, embraced him and, though himself unwounded, comforted him with many auspicious words.
समाश्वस्तस्ततो रामः क्रोधामर्षसमन्वितः । प्रादुश्चक्रे तदा ब्राह्मं परमास्त्रं महाव्रतः
Thus reassured, Rama, filled with wrath and indignation, then revealed the supreme Brahma weapon, he of great vows.
ततस्तत्प्रतिघातार्थं ब्राह्ममेवास्त्रमुत्तमम् । मया प्रयुक्तं जज्वाल युगान्तमिव दर्शयत्
Then, to counter that, I too released the supreme Brahma weapon, which blazed forth as if displaying the end of the world.
तयोर्ब्रह्मास्त्रयोरासीदन्तरा वै समागमः । असंप्राप्यैव रामं च मां च भारतसत्तम
Between those two Brahma weapons, there was a meeting in the space between, O best of Bharatas, yet neither reached Rama nor me.
ततो व्योम्नि प्रादुरभूत्तेज एव हि केवलम् । भूतानि चैव सर्वाणि जग्मुरार्तिं विशांपते
Then, only radiance appeared in the sky, O lord of men, and all beings were seized with distress.
ऋषयश्च सगन्धर्वा देवताश्चैव भारत। संतापं परमं जग्मुरस्त्रतेजोभिपीडिताः
The sages, Gandharvas, and gods, O Bharata, were all afflicted with intense suffering, oppressed by the energy of those weapons.
ततश्चचाल पृथिवी सपर्वतवनद्रुमा। संतप्तानि च भूतानि विषादंक जग्मुरुत्तमम्
Then the earth trembled, with her mountains, forests, and trees; all beings, scorched, fell into utter despair.
प्रजज्वाल नभो राजन्धूमायन्ते दिशो दश। न स्थातुमन्तरिक्षे च शेकुराकाशगास्तदा
The sky blazed, O King, and the ten directions were filled with smoke; the beings of the air could not remain in the heavens.
ततो हाहाकृते लोके सदेवासुरराक्षसे । इदमन्तरमित्येवं मोक्तुकामोऽस्मि भारत
Then, as the world cried out in terror, with gods, asuras, and rakshasas, I wished, O Bharata, to withdraw those weapons.
प्रस्वापमस्त्रं त्वरितो वचनाद्ब्रह्मवादिनाम् । चिन्तितं च तदस्त्रं मे मनसि प्रत्यभात्तदा
At the urging of the Brahmanas, I swiftly recalled the weapon of sleep, and that weapon, remembered in my mind, appeared before me.
ततो हलहलाशब्दो दिवि राजन्महानभूत्। प्रस्वापं भीष्म मा स्राक्षीरिति कौरवनन्दन
Then a great tumult arose in the heavens, O King, as the cry was heard: 'Bhishma has invoked the weapon of sleep!'
अयुञ्जमेव चैवाहं तदस्त्रं भृगुनन्दने । प्रस्वापं मां प्रयुज्जानं नारदो वाकयमब्रवीत्
As I was about to employ that weapon, O descendant of Bhrigu, and was invoking the sleep-inducing missile, Nārada spoke these words to me.
एते वियति करव्य दिवि देवगणाः स्थिताः। ते त्वां निवारयन्त्यद्य प्रस्वापं मा प्रयोजय
These hosts of gods are stationed in the sky above; today, they are restraining you—do not unleash the sleep-inducing weapon.
रामस्तपस्वी ब्रह्मण्यो ब्राह्मणश्च गुरुश्च ते। तस्यवमानं कौरव्य मास्म कार्षीः कथञ्चन
Rāma is an ascetic, devoted to Brahman, a Brāhmaṇa, and your teacher; O Kaurava, never show him disrespect in any way.
ततोऽपश्यं दिविष्ठान्वै तानष्टौ ब्रह्मवादिनः । ते मां स्मयन्तो राजेन्द्र शनकैरिदमब्रुवन्
Then I saw those eight sages, knowers of Brahman, dwelling in the heavens; O king, smiling, they slowly spoke these words to me.
यथाऽऽह भरतश्रेष्ठ नारदस्तत्तथा कुरु । एतद्धि परमं श्रेयो लोकानां भरतर्षभ
O best of the Bharatas, do as Nārada has said; this is truly the highest good for all worlds, O bull among the Bharatas.
ततश्च प्रतिसंहृत्य तदस्त्रं स्वापनं महत्। ब्रह्मास्त्रं दीपयाञ्चक्रे तस्मिन्युधि यथाविधि
Then, withdrawing that great sleep-inducing weapon, I readied the Brahmāstra in that battle, according to the proper procedure.
ततो रामो हृषितो राजसिंह दृष्ट्वा तदस्त्रं विनिवर्तितं वै। जितोऽस्मि भीष्मेण सुमन्दबुद्धि- रित्येव वाक्यं सहसा व्यमुञ्चत्
Then Rāma, delighted, O lion among kings, seeing that weapon withdrawn, suddenly exclaimed, 'I have been defeated by Bhīṣma, whose understanding is so feeble.'
ततोऽपश्यत्पितरं जामदग्न्यः पितुस्तथा पितरं चास्य मान्यम्। ते तत्र चैनं परिवार्य तस्थु- रूचुश्चैनं सान्त्वपूर्वं तदनीम्
Then the son of Jamadagni saw his father, and his father’s revered father as well; they surrounded him there and stood, and at that moment addressed him with gentle words.
मा स्मैवं साहसं तात पुनः कार्षीः कथञ्चन । भीष्मेण संयुगं गन्तुं क्षत्रियेण विशेषतः
Dearest, never again commit such a rash act, especially to engage in battle with Bhīṣma, a Kṣatriya.
क्षत्रियस्य तु धर्मोऽयं यद्युद्धं भृगुनन्दन । स्वाध्यायो व्रतचर्याऽथ ब्राह्मणानां परं धनम्
O descendant of Bhrigu, this is the duty of a Kṣatriya—to fight; for Brāhmaṇas, the highest wealth is study and observance of vows.
इदं निमित्ते कस्मिंश्चिदस्माभिः प्रागुदाहृतम् । शस्त्रधारणमत्युग्रं तच्चाकार्यं कृतं त्वया
On some occasion, we previously mentioned this: bearing arms is extremely severe, and you have wrongly done so.
वत्स पर्याप्तमेतावद्भीष्मेण सह संयुगे । विमर्दस्ते महाबाहो व्यपयाहि रणादितः
Child, enough of this contest with Bhīṣma in battle; O mighty-armed one, withdraw from the field of war.
पर्याप्तमेतद्भद्रं ते तव कार्मुकधारणम् । विसर्जयैतद्दुर्धर्ष तपस्तप्यस्व भार्गव
This is enough, blessed one, of bearing your bow; set aside this unconquerable weapon, O Bhārgava, and practice austerity.
एष भीष्मः शान्तनवो देवैः सर्वैर्निवारितः। निवर्तस्व रणादस्मादिति चैव प्रसादितः
This Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu, has been restrained by all the gods; be pleased, withdraw from this battle.
रामेण सह मायोत्सीर्गुरुणेति पुनः पुनः । न हि रामो रणे जेतुं त्वया न्याय्यः कुरूद्वह
Do not again contend with your teacher, Rāma, again and again; O best of the Kurus, it is not proper for you to defeat Rāma in battle.
मानं कुरुष्व गाङ्गेय ब्राह्मणस्य रणाजिरे। वयं तु गुरवस्तुभ्यं तस्मात्त्वां वारयामहे
Show respect, O son of Gaṅgā, to the Brāhmaṇa on the battlefield; we, your elders, therefore restrain you.