सञ्जयोऽहं महाराज नमस्ते भरतर्षभ। हतो भीष्मः शान्तनवो भरतानां पितामहः
O great king, I am Sañjaya. Salutations to you, bull among the Bhāratas. Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu and grandsire of the Bhāratas, has been killed.
ककुदं सर्वयोधानां धाम सर्वधनुष्मताम्। शरतल्पगतः सोऽद्य शेते कुरुपितामहः
The foremost among all warriors, the refuge of all archers, the grandsire of the Kurus, now lies upon a bed of arrows.
यस्य वीर्यं समाश्रित्य द्यूतं पुत्रस्तवाकरोत्। स शेते निहतो राजन्संख्ये भीष्मः शिखण्डिना
Relying on whose strength your son gambled, that Bhīṣma now lies slain in battle by Śikhaṇḍin, O king.
यः सर्वान्पृथिवीपालान्समवेतान्महामृधे । जिगायैकरथेनैव काशिपुर्यां महारथः
He who, alone in his chariot, defeated all the assembled kings of the earth in the great battle at Kāśī, that mighty car-warrior—
जामदग्न्यं रणे रामं योऽयुध्यदपसंभ्रमः । न हतो जामदग्न्येन स हतोऽद्य शिखण्डिना
He who fought fearlessly with Rāma, son of Jamadagni, in battle and was not slain by him, has today been killed by Śikhaṇḍin.
महेन्द्रसदृशः शौर्ये स्थैर्ये च हिमवानिव । समुद्र इव गाम्भीर्यो सहिष्णुत्वे धरासमः
In valor he was like Indra, in steadfastness like the Himalaya, in depth like the ocean, and in forbearance equal to the earth.
शरदंष्ट्रो धनुर्वक्रः खङ्गिजिह्वो दुरासदः। नरसिंहः पिता तेऽद्य पाञ्चाल्येन निपातितः
With teeth like autumn, a bow curved like a crescent, a sword for a tongue, and unconquerable, your father, the lion among men, has today been brought down by the son of Drupada.
पाण्डवानां महासैन्यं यं दृष्ट्वोद्यतमाहवे। प्रावेपत भयोद्विग्नं सिंह दृष्ट्वेव गोगणः
Seeing him rise in battle, the great army of the Pāṇḍavas trembled in fear, like a herd of cattle seeing a lion.
परिरक्ष्य स सेनां ते दशरात्रमनीकहा । जगामास्तमिवादित्यः कृत्वा कर्म सुदुष्करम्
Protecting your army for ten days, destroying hosts, he performed a most difficult deed and set like the sun.
यः स शक्र इवाक्षोभ्यो वर्षन्बाणान्सहस्रशः। जघान युधि योधानामर्बुदं दशभिर्दिनैः
Unshakable like Indra, showering thousands of arrows, he slew a crore of warriors in ten days of battle.
स शेते निहतो भूमौ वातभग्न इव द्रुमः। तव दुर्मन्त्रिते राजन्यथा नार्हः स भारत
He now lies slain on the ground, like a tree broken by the wind, O king, due to your misguided counsel, though he did not deserve such an end.
कथं कुरूणामृषभो हतो भीष्मः शिखण्डिना। कथं रथार्त्स न्यपतित्पिता मे वासवोपमः
How was Bhīṣma, the bull among the Kurus, slain by Śikhaṇḍin? How did my father, equal to Indra, fall from his chariot?
कथमाचक्ष्व मे योधा हीना भीष्मेण संजय । बलिना देवकल्पेन गुर्वर्थे ब्रह्मचारिणा
Tell me, Sañjaya, how the warriors, deprived of mighty Bhīṣma—who was like a god, powerful, and a celibate for the sake of his elders—fared.
तस्मिन्हते महाप्राज्ञे महेष्वासे महाबले । महासत्वे नरव्याघ्रे किमु आसीन्मनस्तव
When that great, wise, mighty-armed, powerful, steadfast, tiger among men was slain, what was your state of mind?
आर्तिं परामाविशति मनः शंससि मे हतम् । कुरूणामृषभं वीरमकम्पं पुरुषर्षभम्
You tell me that the bull among the Kurus, the steadfast, heroic, unshakable best of men, has been slain, and my mind is seized by the utmost anguish.
के तं यान्तमनुप्राप्ताः के वास्यसन्पुरोगमाः। केऽतिष्ठन्के न्यवर्तन्त केऽन्ववर्तन्त सञ्जय
Who approached him as he departed? Who went before him? Who stood still, who turned back, and who followed after, O Sañjaya?
के शूरा रथशार्दूलमद्भुतं क्षत्रियर्षभम् । तथाऽनीकं गाहमानं सहसा पृष्ठतोऽन्वयुः
Which heroes, O tiger among charioteers, followed from behind that wondrous bull among Kshatriyas, as he swiftly penetrated the array?
यस्तमोर्क इवापोहन्परसैन्यममित्रहा । सहस्ररश्मिप्रतिमः परेषां भयमादधत्
Who was that slayer of foes, who, like the sun dispelling darkness, struck terror into the enemy, his brilliance like a thousand rays?
अकरोद्दुष्करं कर्म रणे पाण्डुसुतेषु यः । ग्रसमानमनीकानि य एनं पर्यवारयन्
Who performed a deed difficult to accomplish in battle among the sons of Pandu, devouring the divisions, and whom did they surround to check him?
कृतिनं तं दुराधर्षं सञ्जयास्य त्वमन्तिके । कथं शान्तनवं युद्धे पाण्डवाः प्रत्यवारयन्
How did the Pandavas restrain in battle that accomplished and unassailable son of Shantanu, O Sanjaya, when he was near you?
निकृन्तन्तमनीकानि शरदंष्ट्रं मनस्विनम् । चापव्यात्ताननं घोरमसिजिह्वं दुरासदम्
How did they withstand him, fierce-minded, with arrows for teeth, dreadful as a devouring tongue, his face opened wide with the bow, cutting down the ranks?
अनर्हं पुरुषव्याघ्रं ह्रीमन्तमपराजितम् । पातयामास कौन्तेयः कथं तमजितं युधि
How did the son of Kunti bring down in battle that undefeated, modest, and worthy tiger among men, who was not fit to fall?
उग्रधन्वानमुग्रेषुं वर्तमानं रथोत्तमे । परेषामुत्तमाङ्गानि प्रचिन्वन्तमथेषुभिः
How did they confront him, wielding a mighty bow and fierce arrows, standing on a superb chariot, striking the heads of the foremost among the enemy with his shafts?
पाण्डवानां महत्सैन्यं यं दृष्ट्वोद्यतमाहवे । कालाग्निमिव दुर्धर्षं समचेष्टत नित्यशः
Seeing that great army of the Pandavas raised for battle, he moved among them constantly, like irresistible death-fire.
परिकृष्य स सेनां तु दशरात्रमनीकहा । दगामास्तमिवादित्यः कृत्वा कर्म सुदुष्करम्
Having drawn the army for ten nights, that destroyer of divisions performed a most difficult deed, burning like the sun at day's end.
यः स शक्र इवाक्षय्यं वर्षं शरमयं क्षिपन् । जघान युधि योधानामर्बुदं दशभिर्दिनैः
Who, like Indra, showered an inexhaustible rain of arrows, and in ten days struck down a crore of warriors in battle?
स शेते निहतो भूमौ वातभुग्न इव द्रुमः । मम दुर्मन्त्रितेनाजौ यथा नार्हति भारतः
He now lies slain on the earth, like a tree broken by the wind, because of my misguided counsel, O Bharata, as he did not deserve.
कथं शान्तनवं दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवानामनीकिनी । प्रहर्तुमशकत्तत्र भीष्मं भीमपराक्रमम्
How, seeing Shantanu's son, did the Pandava army there fail to strike Bhishma, whose valor was like that of Bhima?
कथं भीष्मेण संग्रामं प्राकुर्वन्पाण्डुनन्दनाः। कथं च नाजयद्भीष्मो द्रोणे जीवति सञ्जय
How did the sons of Pandu wage battle with Bhishma, and how did Bhishma not achieve victory while Drona was still alive, O Sanjaya?
कृपे सन्निहिते तत्र भरद्वाजात्मजे तथा। भीष्मः प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठः कथं स निधनं गतः
With Kripa present there, and the son of Bharadvaja as well, how did Bhishma, the foremost of warriors, meet his end?