यस्मिन्द्वीपे समाश्वस्य युध्यन्ते कुरवः परैः । तं निमग्नं नरव्याघ्रं भीष्मं शंससि सञ्जय
On whose island the Kauravas, having taken refuge, fought the enemy—how did that tiger among men, Bhishma, become submerged, Sanjaya?
यस्य वीर्यं समाश्रित्य मम पुत्रो बृहद्बलः । न पाण्डवानगणयत्कथं स निहतः परैः
Relying on whose strength my son Brihadbala did not regard the Pandavas—how was he slain by the enemy?
यः पुरा विबुधैः सर्वैः सहाये युद्धदुर्मदः । काङ्क्षितो दानवान्ध्नद्भिः पिता मम महाव्रतः
He who once, with all the gods as his allies, was intoxicated by battle and longed for by the Danavas as their slayer—my father, the great vow-holder—
यस्मिज्जाते महावीर्ये शान्तनुर्लोकविश्रुतः । शोकं दैन्यं च दुःस्वं च प्राजहात्स च तत्क्षणे
When that mighty and renowned Shantanu’s son was born, all sorrow, misery, and misfortune vanished at that very moment.
प्रोक्तं परायणं प्राज्ञं स्वधर्मनिरतं शुचिम्। वेदवेदाङ्गतत्वज्ञं कथं शंससि मे हतम्
How can you tell me that he is slain—he who was declared the refuge of the wise, devoted to his own duty, pure, and knower of the Vedas and their branches?
सर्वास्त्रविनयोपेतं शान्तं दान्तं मनस्विनम्। हतं शान्तनवं श्रुत्वा मन्ये शेषं हतं बलम्
Hearing that Shantanu’s son, who was endowed with all the disciplines of weaponry, peaceful, self-controlled, and wise, has been killed, I think the rest of our force is as good as destroyed.
धर्मादधर्मो बलवान्संप्राप्त इति मे मतिः । यत्र वृद्धं गुरुं हत्वा राज्यमिच्छन्ति पाण्डवाः
It is my belief that unrighteousness has now overpowered righteousness, when the Pandavas, desiring the kingdom, have slain their aged teacher.
जामदग्न्यः पुरा रामः सर्वास्त्रविदनुत्तमः । अम्बार्थमुद्यतः सङ्ख्ये भीष्मेण युधि निर्जितः
Once, Rama, son of Jamadagni, supreme among wielders of all weapons, rose up in battle for Amba’s sake, yet was defeated in combat by Bhishma.
तमिन्द्रसमकर्माणं ककुदं सर्वधन्विनाम्। हतं शंससि मे भीष्मं किं नु दुःखमतः परम्
You tell me that Bhishma, whose deeds rival Indra’s, the foremost among all archers, has been slain—what sorrow could be greater than this?
असकृत्क्षत्रियव्राताः सङ्ख्ये येन विनिर्जिताः । जामदग्न्येन वीरेण परवीरनिघातिना। न हतो यो महाबुद्धिः स हतोऽद्य शिखण्डिना
He who, time and again, vanquished hosts of Kshatriyas in battle—Jamadagni’s heroic son, destroyer of enemy warriors—he could not kill Bhishma, the man of great intellect, yet today he has been slain by Shikhandi.
तस्मान्नूनं महावीर्याद्भार्गवाद्युद्धदुर्मदात्। तेजोवीर्यबलैर्यूयाञ्शिखण्डी द्रुपदात्मजः
Therefore, surely, Shikhandi, son of Drupada, must possess the energy, valor, and strength surpassing even that of the mighty Bhargava and the most formidable warriors.
यः शूरं कृतिनं युद्धे सर्वशस्त्रविशारदम्। परमास्त्रविदं वीरं जघान भग्तर्षभम्
He who struck down the bull among men, a hero skilled in every weapon, accomplished, and master of supreme missiles—
के वीरास्तममित्रघ्नमन्वयुः शस्त्रसंसदि । शंस मे तद्यथा चासीद्युद्भं भीष्मस्य पाण्डवैः
Tell me, who were the heroes that followed that slayer of foes into the assembly of weapons? And how did Bhishma’s fall at the hands of the Pandavas come about?
योषेव हतवीरा मे सेन्म पुत्रस्य सञ्जय । अगोपमिव चोद्भ्रान्तं गोकुलं तद्बलं मम
My son’s army, Sanjaya, is now like a woman bereft of her valiant protectors, or like a herd of cows thrown into confusion without a herdsman.
पौरुषं सर्वलोकस्य परं यस्मिन्महाहवे। परासक्ते च वस्तस्मिन्कथमासीन्मनस्तदा
When, in that great battle, the supreme valor of the whole world was concentrated in him, how was the mind then, when all was thus attached to him?
जीवितेऽप्यद्य सामर्थ्यं किमिवास्मासु सञ्जय। घातयित्वा महावीर्यं पितरं लोकधार्मिकम्
What power remains in us now, Sanjaya, even to live, after slaying our father, the mighty and righteous upholder of the world?
अगाधे सलिले मग्नां नावं दृष्ट्वेव पारगाः । भीष्मे हते भृशं दुःखान्मन्ये शोचन्ति पुत्रकाः
Just as those who would cross are left helpless seeing their boat sunk in deep water, so, with Bhishma slain, my sons, I think, are grieving deeply.
अद्रिसारमयं नूनं हृदयं मम सञ्जय। यच्छ्रुत्वा पुरुषव्याघ्रं हतं भीष्मं न दीर्यते
Surely, my heart is made of stone, Sanjaya, for it does not break on hearing that Bhishma, the tiger among men, has been slain.
यस्मिन्नस्त्राणि मेधा च नीतिश्च पुरुषर्षभे। अप्रमेयाणि दुर्धर्षे कथं स निहतो युधि
How could he, in whom were unmatched weapons, intelligence, and policy—an unassailable bull among men—be slain in battle?
न चास्त्रेण न शौर्येण तपसा मेधया न च। न धृत्या न पुनस्त्यागान्मृत्योः कश्चिद्विमुच्यते
No one escapes death by weapons, nor by valor, nor by austerity, intelligence, steadfastness, or even by renunciation.
कालो नूनं महावीर्यः सर्वलोकदुरत्ययः । यत्र शान्तनवं भीष्मं हतं शंससि सञ्जय
Truly, time is of great might and insurmountable for all worlds, Sanjaya, since you tell me that Bhishma, son of Shantanu, has been slain.
पुत्रशोकाभिसंतप्तो महद्दुःखमचिन्तयन् । आशंसेऽहं परं त्राणं भीष्माच्छान्तनुनन्दनात्
Afflicted by grief for my son, weighed down by immense sorrow, I hoped for supreme protection from Bhishma, son of Shantanu.
यदादित्यमिवापश्यत्पतितं भ्रुवि सञ्जय । दुर्योधनः शान्तनवं किं तदा प्रत्यपद्मत
When Duryodhana saw the son of Shantanu fallen, like the sun from the sky, what did he do then, Sanjaya?
नाहं स्वेषां परेषां वा बुद्ध्या सञ्जय चिन्तयन् । शेषं किंचित्प्रपश्यामि प्रत्यनीके महीक्षिताम्
Thinking with my mind, Sanjaya, I do not see any remnant left among my own or the enemy kings on the battlefield.
दारुणः क्षत्रधर्मोऽयमृषिभिः संप्रदर्शितः । यत्र शान्तनवं हत्वा राज्यमिच्छन्ति पाण्डवाः
This harsh duty of the warrior, as shown by the sages, is where the Pandavas seek the kingdom after slaying Bhishma, son of Shantanu.
वयं वा राज्यमिच्छामो घातयित्वा महाव्रतम्। क्षत्रधर्मे स्थिताः पार्था नापराध्यन्ति पुत्रकाः
Or we too desire the kingdom after causing the death of the great-vowed one; yet the sons of Pandu, established in the warrior's code, are not at fault, my son.
एतदार्येण कर्तव्यं कृच्छ्रास्वापत्सु सञ्जय । पराक्रमः पराशक्तिस्तत्तु तस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठितम्
This is what must be done by the noble in times of great crisis, Sanjaya; valor and utmost power are to be established in that.
अनीकानि विनिघ्नन्तं ह्रीमन्तमपराजितम् । कथं शान्तनवं तातं पाण्डुपुत्रा न्यवारयन्
How did the sons of Pandu restrain Bhishma, son of Shantanu, who was destroying the armies, possessed of modesty and undefeated, O Sanjaya?
यथायुक्तान्यनीकानि कथं युद्धं महात्मभिः। कथं वा निहतो भीष्मः पिता सञ्जय मे परैः
How did those great souls, properly arrayed in their divisions, fight in battle? And how was my father Bhishma slain by the enemy, Sanjaya?
दुर्योधनश्च कर्णश्च शकुनिश्चापि सौबलः । दुःशासनश्च कितवो हते भीष्मे किमब्रुवन्
What did Duryodhana, Karna, Shakuni son of Subala, and the deceitful Duhshasana say when Bhishma was slain?