ज्येष्ठा काशिपतेः कन्या अम्बा नामेति विश्रुता । द्रुपदस्य कुले जाता शिखण्डी भरतर्षभ
The eldest daughter of the king of Kāśī, renowned as Ambā, was born in the house of Drupada as Śikhaṇḍin, O bull among the Bharatas.
नाहमेनं धनुष्पाणिं युयुत्सुं समुपस्थितम् । मुहूर्तमपि पश्येयं प्रहरेयं न चाप्युत
I could not bear to look, even for a moment, upon this wielder of the bow, ready for battle; nor, indeed, could I strike him.
व्रतमेतन्मम सदा पृथिव्यामपि विश्रुतम् । स्त्रियां स्त्रीपूर्वके चैव स्त्रीनाम्नि स्त्रीसरूपिणि
This is my vow, well-known throughout the earth: against a woman, one who was formerly a woman, one named as a woman, or one appearing as a woman—
न मुञ्चेयमहं बाणमिति कौरवनन्दन । न हन्यामहमेतेन कारणेन शिखण्डिनम्
I would not release an arrow, O joy of the Kurus; for this reason, I would not slay Śikhaṇḍin.
एतत्तत्त्वमहं वेद जन्म तात शिखण्डिनः । ततो नैनं हनिष्यामि समरेष्वाततायिनम्
I know this truth, O father, regarding the birth of Śikhaṇḍin; therefore, even if he attacks me in battle, I will not kill him.
यदि भीष्मः स्त्रियं हन्यात्सन्तः कुर्युर्विगर्हणम् । नैनं तस्माद्धनिष्यामि दृष्ट्वापि समरे स्थितम्
If Bhīṣma were to kill a woman, the virtuous would censure him; therefore, even seeing him standing in battle, I will not slay him.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु करव्यो राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा। मुहूर्तमिव स ध्यात्वा भीष्मे युक्तममन्यत
Hearing this, King Duryodhana then, after pondering for a moment, considered Bhīṣma’s words to be appropriate.
प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां पुनरेव सुतस्तव। मध्ये सर्वस्य सैन्यस्य पितामहमपृच्छत
When night had passed and morning came, your son again, in the midst of the entire army, questioned the grandsire.
पाण्डवेयस्य गाङ्गेय यदेतत्सैन्यमुद्यतम्। प्रभूतनरनागाश्वं महारथसमाकुलम्
O son of Ganga, this army of the Pāṇḍavas, vast with men, elephants, and horses, and crowded with great chariot-warriors, is arrayed for battle.
भीमार्जुनप्रभृतिभिर्महेष्वासैर्महाबलैः । लोकपालसमैर्गुप्तं धृष्टद्युम्नपुरोगमैः
It is protected by mighty archers like Bhīma and Arjuna, equal to the guardians of the world, with Dhṛṣṭadyumna at their head.
अप्रधृष्यमनावार्यमुद्धूतमिव सागरम् । सेनासागरमक्षोभ्यमपि देवार्महाहवे
This ocean-like army, impossible to assault or withstand, surges like the sea; even the gods could not shake this host in a great battle.
केन कालेन गाङ्गेय क्षपयेथा महाद्युते । आचार्यो वा महेष्वासः कृपो वाऽऽशु महाबलः
O son of Ganga, with what means and in how much time could you, or the mighty preceptor, or the powerful Kṛpa, destroy it?
कर्णो वा समरश्लाघी द्रौणिर्वा द्विजसत्तमः । दिव्यास्त्रविदुषः सर्वे भवन्तो हि बले मम
Or Karṇa, famed in battle, or Droṇa’s son, the best of Brahmins—since all of you in my army are skilled in divine weapons.
एतदिच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं परं कौतूहलं हि मे। हृदि नित्यं महाबाहो वक्तुमर्हसि तन्मम
This I wish to know; for I am greatly curious, O mighty-armed one. It is ever in my heart—please tell me this.
अनुरूपं कुरुश्रेष्ठ त्वय्येतत्पृथिवीपते। बलाबलममित्राणां तेषां यदिह पृच्छसि
O foremost of the Kurus, O lord of the earth, you ask here about the relative strength and weakness of the enemies; this is appropriate.
श्रृणु राजन्मम रणे या शक्तिः परमा भवेत् । शस्त्रवीर्ये रणे यच्च भुजयोश्च महाभुज
Hear, O king, what supreme power I possess in battle, and the prowess in weapons and in combat that resides in my arms, O mighty-armed one.
आर्जवेनैव युद्धेन योद्धव्य इतरो जनः। मायायुद्धेन मायावी इत्येतद्धर्मनिश्चयः
Ordinary people must fight with straightforwardness alone, but one skilled in illusion should fight with illusion; this is the established rule of dharma.
हन्यामहं महाभाग पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम् । दिवसे दिवसे कृत्वा भागान्भागान्निजान्मम
O greatly fortunate one, I could destroy the army of the Pandavas day by day, dividing it into portions according to my own share.
योधानां दशसाहस्रं कृत्वा भागं महाद्युते । सहस्रं रथिनामेकमेष भागो मतो मम
O illustrious one, my share is reckoned as ten thousand warriors, and among chariot-fighters, a thousand is considered my portion.
अनेनाहं विधानेन सन्नद्धः सततोत्थितः । क्षपयेयं महत्सैन्यं कालेनानेन भारत
By this method, being always armed and ever ready, I could annihilate the great army in this manner, O Bharata, over time.
मुञ्चेयं यदि वास्त्राणि महान्ति समरे स्थितः । शतसाहस्रघातीनि हन्यां मासेन भारत
If I were to release mighty weapons while standing in battle, O Bharata, I could slay a hundred thousand in a month.
श्रुत्वा भीष्मस्य तद्वाक्यं राजा दुर्योधनस्ततः । पर्यपृच्छत राजेन्द्र द्रोणमङ्गिरसां वरम्
Hearing these words of Bhishma, King Duryodhana then questioned King Drupada, the foremost among the descendants of Angiras.
आचार्य केन कालेन पाण्डुपुत्रस्य सैनिकान् । निहन्या इति तं द्रोणः प्रत्युवाच हसन्निव
O teacher, in what time could you destroy the army of the sons of Pandu? To this, Drona replied, smiling.
स्थविरोऽस्मि महाबाहो मन्दप्राणविचेष्टितः । शस्त्राग्निना निर्दहेयं पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम्
I am old, O mighty-armed one, and my breath and actions are slow; yet with the fire of weapons, I could burn up the army of the Pandavas.
यथा भीष्मः शान्तनवो मासेनेति मतिर्मम । एषा मे परमा शक्तिरेतन्मे परमं बलम्
Just as Bhishma, son of Shantanu, says a month, so is my opinion; this is my utmost power, this is my supreme strength.
द्वाभ्यामेव तु मासाभ्यां कृपः शारद्वतोऽब्रवीत्। द्रौणिस्तु दशरात्रेण प्रतिजज्ञे बलक्षयम्। कर्णस्तु पञ्चरात्रेण प्रतिजज्ञे महास्त्रवित्
Kripa, son of Sharadvat, said two months; Drona's son pledged to destroy the army in ten nights; Karna, skilled in mighty weapons, vowed to do so in five nights.
तच्छ्रुत्वा सूतपुत्रस्य वाक्यं सागरगासुतः। जहास सस्वनं हासं वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह
Hearing the words of the son of the charioteer, the son of the ocean laughed aloud and spoke these words.
न हि यावद्रणे पार्थं बाणशङ्खधनुर्धरम्। वासुदेवसमायुक्तं रथेनायान्तमाहवे
For as long as Arjuna, armed with bow, arrows, and conch, rides into battle with Vasudeva as his charioteer, O Radheya, you will not encounter him.
समागच्छसि राधेय तेनैवमभिमन्यसे । शक्यमेवं च भूयश्च त्वया वक्तुं यथेष्टतः
When you meet him, O Radheya, then you may think so; and you may speak as you wish, imagining it possible.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु कौन्तेयः सर्वान्भ्रातॄनुपह्वरे। आहूय भरतश्रेष्ठ इदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Hearing this, Kunti's son called all his brothers together in a secluded place, O best of Bharatas, and spoke these words.