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?
कथं चातिरथस्तेन पाञ्चाल्येन शिखण्डिना। भीष्मो विनिहतो युद्धे देवैरपि दुरासदः
How was Bhishma, unconquerable even by the gods, slain in battle by that great chariot-warrior, the Panchala prince Shikhandin?
यः स्पर्धते रणे नित्यं जामदग्न्यं महाबलम् । अजितं जामदग्न्येन शक्रतुल्यपराक्रमम्
He who always rivaled the mighty son of Jamadagni in battle, who was undefeated even by Parashurama, and whose valor equaled Indra's—
तं हतं समरे भीष्मं महारथकुलोदितम् । सञ्जयाचक्ष्व मे वीरं येन शर्म न विद्महे
Tell me, Sanjaya, how that heroic Bhishma, the foremost of great chariot-warriors, was slain in battle, for we find no peace.
मामकाः के महेष्वासा नाजहुः सञ्जयाच्युतम् । दुर्योधनसमादिष्टाः के वीराः पर्यवारयन्
Which of my great bowmen did not abandon Achyuta, O Sanjaya, and which heroes, commanded by Duryodhana, surrounded him?
यच्छिखण्डिमुखाः सर्वे पाण्डवा भीष्ममभ्ययुः । कच्चित्ते कुरवः सर्वे नाजहुः सञ्जयाच्युतम्
When all the Pandavas, with shattered armor, approached Bhishma, Sanjaya, I ask you: did all the Kauravas not abandon Krishna?
अश्मसारमयं नूनं हृदयं मुदृढं मम। यच्छ्रुत्वा पुरुषव्याघ्रं हतं भीष्मं न दीर्यते
Surely my heart is made of stone, firm and unyielding, for though I hear that the tiger among men, Bhishma, has been slain, it does not break.
यस्मिन्सत्यं च मेधा च नीतिश्च भरतर्षभे । अप्रमेयाणि दुर्धर्षे कथं स निहतो युधि
He in whom truth, wisdom, and policy resided—this bull among the Bharatas, immeasurable and invincible—how was he struck down in battle?
मौर्वीघोषस्तनयुत्नुः पृषत्कपृषतो महान् । धनुर्ह्रादमहाशब्दो महामेघ इवोन्नतः
The great twang of the bowstring, the thunderous clash of arrows upon arrows, the deep sound of the bow—loud as a towering storm cloud—
योऽभ्यवर्षत कौन्तेयान्सपाञ्चालान्ससृञ्जयान्। निघ्नन्परथान्वीरो दानवानिव वज्रभृत्
He who rained arrows upon the sons of Kunti, the Panchalas, and the Srinjayas, striking down enemy chariots like the wielder of the thunderbolt slaying demons—
इष्वस्त्रसागरं घोरं बाणग्रहं दुरासदम् । कार्मुकोर्मिणमक्षय्यमद्वीपं चलमप्लवम्
That ocean of weapons and missiles, dreadful and hard to withstand, whose waves were arrows, unfathomable, without islands, ever-moving, and without refuge—
गदासिमकरावासं हयावर्त्तं गजाकुलम् । पदातिमत्स्यकलिलं शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिःस्वनम्
Whose depths held maces and swords as sea creatures, horses as whirlpools, elephants as herds, foot soldiers as fish in turmoil, with the sound of conches and drums—
हयान्गजपदातींश्च रथांश्च तरसा बहून् । निमञ्जयन्तं समरे परवीरापहारिणम्
Who, with speed, submerged many horses, elephants, foot soldiers, and chariots in battle, seizing the strength of enemy heroes—
विदह्यमानं कोपेन तेजसा च परंतपम् । वेलेव मकरावासं के वीराः पर्यवारयन्
Who, burning with anger and blazing energy, scorched his foes—like the sea with its sea creatures—who were the heroes that surrounded him?
भीष्मो यदकरोत्कर्म समरे सञ्जयारिहा । दुर्योधनहितार्थाय के तस्यास्य पुरोऽभवन्
What deeds did Bhishma perform in battle, O Sanjaya, destroyer of enemies? Who stood before him, striving for Duryodhana’s benefit?
के रक्षन्दक्षिणं चक्रं भीष्मस्यामिततेजसः । पृष्ठतः के परान्वीरानपासेधन्यतव्रताः
Who protected the right wheel of Bhishma, of immeasurable energy? Who, steadfast in their vows, shielded the heroic warriors from behind?
के पुरस्तादवर्तन्त रक्षन्तो भीष्ममन्तिके। के रक्षन्नुत्तरं चक्रं वीरा वीरकस्य युध्यतः
Who stood in front, guarding Bhishma closely? Who protected the northern wheel as the hero fought?
वामे चक्रे वर्तमानाः केऽघ्नन्सञ्जय सृञ्जयान्। अग्नतोऽग्न्यमनीकेषु केऽभ्यरक्षन्दुरासदम्
Who, positioned on the left wheel, struck the Srinjayas, Sanjaya? Who, in the forward and rear divisions, guarded that unassailable one?
पार्श्वतः केऽभ्यरक्षन्त गच्छन्तो दुर्गमां गतिम्। समूहे के परान्वीरान्प्रत्ययुध्यन्त सञ्जय
Who protected his flanks as he advanced along a difficult path? In the midst of the host, who opposed the enemy heroes, Sanjaya?
रक्ष्यमाणः कथं वीरैर्गोप्यमानाश्च तेन ते। दुर्जयानामनीकानि नाजयंस्तरसा युधि
Though guarded by heroes and concealed by him, how did your invincible divisions fail to conquer swiftly in battle?
सर्वलोकेश्वरस्येव परमस्य प्रजापतेः। कथं प्रहर्तुमपि ते शेकुः सञ्जय पाण्डवाः
Like the supreme lord of all worlds, the highest progenitor—how did the Pandavas even manage to strike at him, Sanjaya?