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Then Rāma, delighted, O lion among kings, seeing that weapon withdrawn, suddenly exclaimed, 'I have been defeated by Bhīṣma, whose understanding is so feeble.'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.
भीष्मो वसूनामन्यतमो दिष्ट्या जीवसि पुत्रक । गाङ्गेयः शन्तनोः पुत्रो वसुरेष महायशाः
Bhīṣma is one among the Vasus—by fortune you live, dear child; Gāṅgeya, son of Śantanu, is this illustrious Vasu.
कथं शक्यस्त्वया जेतुं निवर्तस्वेह भार्गव । अर्जुनः पाण्डवश्रेष्ठः पुरन्दरसुतो बली
How can you defeat him? Withdraw from here, O Bhārgava; Arjuna, best of the Pāṇḍavas, is the mighty son of Purandara.
नरः प्रजापतिर्वीरः पूर्वदेवः सनातनः। सव्यसाचीति विख्यातस्त्रिषु लोकेषु वीर्यवान्। भीष्ममृत्युर्यथाकालं विहितो वै स्वयंभुवा
That man, the heroic Prajapati, the ancient god, renowned as Savyasachi in the three worlds, possessed of great valor, has a death ordained by the Self-born, just as Bhishma's death was fixed in its proper time.
एवमुक्तः स पितृभिः पितॄन्रामोऽब्रवीदिदम्। नाहं युधि निवर्तेयमिति मे व्रतमाहितम्। न निवर्तितपूर्वश्च कदाचिद्रणमूर्धनि
Thus addressed by his ancestors, Rama spoke these words to them: 'I shall not turn back from battle; such is the vow I have undertaken. Never before have I retreated from the forefront of combat.'
निवर्त्यतामापगेयः कामं युद्धात्पितामहाः। न त्वहं विनिवर्तिष्ये युद्धादस्मात्कथंचन
Let the sons of the river, the grandfathers, withdraw from battle as they wish; but I shall not retreat from this fight under any circumstance.
ततस्ते मुनयो राजन्नृचीकप्रमुखास्तदा । नारदेनैव सहिताः समागम्येदमब्रुवन्
Then, O King, the sages led by R̥cīka, together with Narada, assembled and spoke these words.
निवर्तस्व रणात्तात मानयस्व द्विजोत्तमम् । इत्यवोचमहं तांश्च क्षत्रधर्मव्यपेक्षया
Withdraw from battle, dear one, honor the foremost of Brahmins—thus I spoke to them, considering the duty of a warrior.
मम व्रतमिदं लोके नाहं युद्धात्कदाचन। विमुखो विनिवर्तेयं पृष्ठतोऽभ्याहतः शरैः
This is my vow in the world: I shall never turn away from battle, even if struck from behind by arrows.
नाहं लोभान्न कार्पण्यान्न भयान्नार्थकारणात्। त्यजेयं शाश्वतं धर्ममिति मे निश्चिता मतिः
Neither for greed, nor out of weakness, nor from fear, nor for any personal gain, would I abandon the eternal law; such is my firm resolve.
ततस्ते मुनयः सर्वे नारदप्रमुखा नृप। भागीरथी च मे माता रणमध्यं प्रपेदिरे
Then all the sages, led by Narada, O King, and my mother Bhagirathi, entered the midst of the battle.