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.
धार्तराष्ट्रस्य सैन्येषु ये चारपुरुषा मम। ते प्रवृत्तिं प्रयच्छन्ति ममेमां व्युषितां निशाम्
Among the army of Dhritarashtra, those who are my spies have given me information about what transpired during the night.
दुर्योधनः किलापृच्छदापगेयं महाव्रतम् । केन कालेन पाण्डूनां हन्याः सैन्यमिति प्रभो
It is said that Duryodhana questioned the great vow-holder at the river, asking, 'By what time could you destroy the army of the Pandavas, O lord?'
मासेनेति च तेनोक्तो धार्तराष्ट्रः सुदुर्मतिः। तावता चापि कालेन द्रोणोपि प्रतिजज्ञिवान्
That exceedingly ill-intentioned son of Dhritarashtra was told, 'In a month,' and within that time Drona too made his vow.
गौतमो द्विगुणं कालमुक्तवानिति नः श्रुतम् । द्रौणिस्तु दशरात्रेण प्रतिजज्ञे महास्त्रवित्
We have heard that Gautama declared twice that period, and Drona's son, master of mighty weapons, vowed to do so in ten nights.
तथा दिव्यास्त्रवित्कर्णः संपृष्टः कुरुसंसदि । पञ्चभिर्दिवसैर्हन्तुं ससैन्यं प्रतिजज्ञिवान्
Similarly, Karna, master of celestial weapons, when questioned in the Kuru assembly, vowed to destroy the enemy with their army in five days.
तस्मादहमपीच्छामि श्रोतुमर्जुन ते वचः। कालेन कियता शत्रून्क्षपयेरिति फाल्गुन
Therefore, I too wish to hear your words, Arjuna: in how much time would you annihilate the foes, O Phalguna?
एवमुक्तो गुडाकेशः पार्थिवेन धनञ्जयः । वासुदेवं समीक्ष्येदं वचनं प्रत्यभाषत
Thus addressed by the king, Dhananjaya, glancing at Vasudeva, replied with these words.
सर्व एते महात्मानः कृतास्त्राश्चित्रयोधिनः । असंशयं महाराज हन्युरेव न संशयः
All these are great souls, accomplished in weapons and wondrous warriors; without doubt, O king, they would indeed slay, there is no doubt.
अपैतु ते मनस्तापो यथा सत्यं ब्रवीम्यहम् । हन्यामेकरथेनैव वासुदेवसहायवान्
Let your mind's distress depart; as truly as I speak, with Vasudeva as my ally, I would slay them all alone with a single chariot.
सामरानपि लोकांस्त्रीन्सर्वान्स्थावरजङ्गमान् । भूतं भव्यं भविष्यं च निमेषादिति मे मतिः
With all the armies of the three worlds, all beings—moving and unmoving, past, present, and future—I could destroy them in a moment, so I believe.
यावदिच्छेद्धरिरयं तावदस्ति न चान्यथा।' यत्तद्धोरं पशुपतिः प्रादादस्त्रं महन्मम। कैराते द्वन्द्वयुद्धे तु तदिदं मयि वर्तते
As long as this Hari wishes, so long is it possible, and not otherwise; that dreadful weapon which Pashupati gave me in the duel with the Kirata, that abides with me.
यद्युगान्ते पशुपतिः सर्वभूतानि संहरन् । प्रयुङ्क्ते पुरुषव्याघ्र तदिदं मयि वर्तते
If, at the end of an age, Pashupati destroys all beings, O tiger among men, that very weapon abides with me.
तन्न जानाति गाङ्गेयो न द्रोणो न च गौतमः । न च द्रोणसुतो राजन्कुत एव तु सूतजः
Neither Bhishma, nor Drona, nor Gautama knows this, nor Drona's son, O king—how much less the son of a charioteer.
न तु युक्तं रणे हन्तुं दिव्यैरस्त्रैः पृथग्जनम् । आर्जवेनैव युद्धेन विजेष्यामो वयं परान्
But it is not right to slay ordinary men in battle with celestial weapons; by straightforward battle alone shall we conquer the foes.
तथेमे पुरुषव्याघ्राः सहायास्तव पार्थिव । सर्वे दिव्यास्त्रविद्वांसः सर्वे युद्धाभिकाङ्क्षिणः
Therefore, O king, these tigers among men are your allies—all skilled in celestial weapons, all eager for battle.
वेदान्तावभृथस्नाताः सर्व एतेऽपराजिताः । निहन्युः समरे सेनां देवानामपि पाण्डव
All these, having bathed at the conclusion of the Vedas, are undefeated; even the armies of the gods, O Pandava, they would slay in battle.
शिखण्डी युयुधानश्च धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः । भीमसेनो यमौ चोभौ युधामन्यूत्तमौजसौ
Shikhandi, Yuyudhana, Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata, Bhimasena, the two sons of Yama, Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas—
विराटद्रुपदौ चोभौ भीष्मद्रोणसमौ युधि। शङ्खश्चैव महाबाहुर्हैडिम्बश्च महाबलः
Virata and Drupada, both equal to Bhishma and Drona in battle; Shankha, mighty-armed, and Haidimba, of great strength—
पुत्रोऽस्याञ्जनपर्वा तु महाबलपराक्रमः । शैनेयश्च महाबाहुः सहायो रणकेविदः
His son, Anjanaparva, of great might and valor; Saineya, mighty-armed, an expert in battle, as an ally—
अभिमन्युश्च बलवान्द्रौपद्याः पञ्च चात्मजाः । स्वयं चापि समर्थोसि त्रेलोक्योत्सादनेपि च
Abhimanyu, strong, and the five sons of Draupadi; and you yourself are capable even of destroying the three worlds.