प्रीतोऽहं पुत्र युध्यस्व जयमाप्नुहि पाण्डव । यत्तेऽभिलषितं चान्यत्तदवाप्नुहि संयुगे
I am pleased, my son; fight and win victory, O Pandava. And whatever else you desire, may you obtain that in battle.
व्रियतां च वरः पार्थ किमस्मत्तोऽभिकाङ्क्षसि । एवं गते महाराज न तवास्ति पराजयः
Choose a boon, O Partha; what do you wish from me? With things thus, O great king, defeat is not yours.
अर्थस्य पुरुषो दासो दासस्त्वर्थो न कस्यचित्। इति सत्यं महाराज बद्धोऽस्म्यर्थेन कौरवैः
A man is the servant of wealth; wealth is servant to none. This is the truth, O great king; I am bound to the Kauravas by wealth.
अतस्त्वां क्लीबवद्वाक्यं ब्रवीमि कुरुनन्दन । भृतोऽस्त्म्यर्थेन कौरव्य युद्धादन्यत्किमिच्छसि
Therefore, O joy of the Kurus, I speak to you words as if unmanly; I am maintained by the Kauravas for wealth—what do you desire from me besides battle?
मन्त्रयस्व महाबाहो हितैषी मम नित्यशः। युध्यस्व कौरवस्यार्थे ममैष सततं वरः
Advise me, mighty-armed one, for you always seek my welfare; fight for the sake of the Kaurava, for this is the boon I have ever granted.
राजन्किमत्र साह्यं ते करोमि कुरुनन्दन। कामं योत्स्ये परस्यार्थे ब्रूहि यत्ते विवक्षितम्
O king, son of the Kurus, what assistance can I render you here? I will certainly fight for another's cause; speak what you desire.
कथं जयेयं संग्रामे भवन्तमपराजितम्। एतन्मे मन्त्रय हितं यदि श्रेयः प्रपश्यसि
How might I conquer you, undefeated in battle? Advise me in this, if you see any good or benefit for me.
नैनं पश्यामि कौन्तेय यो मां युध्यन्तमाहवे। विजयेत पुमान्कश्तित्साक्षादपि शतक्रतुः
O son of Kunti, I do not see anyone who, seeing me fighting in battle, could defeat me—not even the mighty Indra himself.
हन्त पृच्छामि तस्मात्त्वां पितामह नमोस्तु ते। वधोपायं ब्रवीहि त्वमात्मनः समरे परैः
Therefore, I ask you, grandsire—salutations to you—tell me the means of your death at the hands of the enemy in battle.
न स्म तं तात पश्यामि समरे यो जयेत माम्। न तावन्मृत्युकालोऽपि पुनरागमनं कुरु
My child, I do not see anyone in battle who could defeat me; not even the time of death itself would bring my return.
ततो युधिष्ठिरो वाक्यं भीष्मस्य कुरुनन्दन। शिरसा प्रतिजग्राह भूयस्तमभिवाद्य च
Then Yudhishthira, descendant of the Kurus, accepted Bhishma’s words with bowed head, and again offered him reverence.
प्रायात्पुनर्महाबाहुराचार्यस्य रथं प्रति। पश्यतां सर्वसैन्यानां मध्येन भ्रातृभिः सह
After that, the mighty-armed one departed again, together with his brothers, toward the teacher’s chariot, in the sight of all the armies.
स द्रोणमभिवाद्याथ कृत्वं चाभिप्रदक्षिणम् । उवाच राजा दुर्धर्षमात्मनिःश्रेयसं वचः
He then saluted Drona, circumambulated him, and spoke words seeking his own highest good to the unconquerable king.
आमन्त्रये त्वां भगवन्योत्स्ये विगितकल्मषः । कथं जये रिपून्सर्वाननुज्ञातस्त्वया द्विज
I take leave of you, revered one; I will fight, my sins dispelled. Tell me, O twice-born, how I may conquer all my foes with your permission.
यदि मां नाभिगच्छेथा युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः। शपेयं त्वां महाराज परीभावाय सर्वशः
If you do not approach me, resolved for battle, I would curse you, O great king, to utter disgrace.
तद्युधिष्ठिर तुष्टोऽस्मि पूजितश्च त्वयाऽनघ। अनुजानामि युध्यस्व विजयं समवाप्नुहि
Then, Yudhishthira, I am pleased and honored by you, O faultless one; I permit you—fight and attain victory.
करवाणि च ते कामं ब्रूहि त्वमभिकाङ्क्षितम् । एवं गते महाराज युद्धादन्यत्किमिच्छसि
I will do whatever you wish; speak what you desire. In this situation, great king, what do you seek besides battle?
अर्थस्य पुरुषो दासो दासस्त्वर्थो न कस्यचित्। इति सत्यं महाराज बद्धोऽस्म्यर्थेन कौरवैःक
A man is the servant of wealth; wealth is not the servant of anyone. This is the truth, great king—I am bound by wealth to the Kauravas.
ब्रवीम्येतत्क्लीबवत्त्वां युद्धादन्यत्किमिच्छसि। योत्स्येऽहं कौरवस्यार्थे तवाशास्यो जयो मया
I say this to you, though it may seem unmanly—what do you desire besides battle? I will fight for the Kaurava’s cause; victory by me is not to be hoped for by you.
जयमाशास्स्व मे ब्रह्मन्मन्त्रयस्व च मद्धितम्। युध्यस्व कौरवस्यार्थे वर एष वृतो मया
Hope for victory from me, O Brahman, and advise me for my good; fight for the Kaurava’s cause, for this is the boon I have chosen.
ध्रुवस्ते विजयो राजन्यस्य मन्त्री हरिस्तव । अहं त्वामभिजानामि रणे शत्रून्विजेष्यसि
Your victory is certain, O king, for your counselor is Krishna; I know you—you will conquer your enemies in battle.
यतो धर्मस्ततः कृष्णो यतः कृष्णस्ततो जयः। युध्यस्व गच्छ कौन्तेय पृच्छ मां किं ब्रवीमि ते
Where there is dharma, there is Krishna; where there is Krishna, there is victory. Fight, go forth, son of Kunti—ask me, what shall I say to you?
पृच्छामि त्वां द्विजश्रेष्ठ श्रृणु यन्मेऽभिकाङ्क्षितम्। कथं जयेयं संग्रामे भवन्तमपराजितम्
I ask you, best of twice-born, listen to what I desire: how might I conquer you in battle, you who are unconquered?
न तेऽस्ति विजयस्तावद्यावद्युद्ध्याम्यहं रणे। ममाशु निधने राजन्यतस्व सह सदरैः
You shall not be victorious as long as I fight in the field; only upon my swift death, O king, may you take the kingdom with your allies.
हन्त तस्मान्महाबाहो वधोपायं वदात्मनः। आचार्य प्रणिपत्यैष पृच्छामि त्वां नमोऽस्तु ते
Therefore, mighty-armed one, tell me the means of your own death; O teacher, bowing to you, I ask—salutations to you.
न शत्रुं तात पश्यामि यो मां हन्याद्रथे स्थितम्। युध्यमानं सुसंरब्धं शरवर्षौघवर्षिणम्
Father, I see no enemy who could slay me while I stand on my chariot, fighting fiercely, showering torrents of arrows.
ऋते प्रायगतं रजन्न्यस्तशस्त्रमचेतनम् । हन्यान्मां युधि योधानां सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
Except if I am overcome by fate, O king, having laid down my weapons and become insensible—then I could be slain in battle by warriors; this is the truth I tell you.
शस्त्रं चाहं रणे जह्यां श्रुत्वा तु महदप्रियम्। श्रद्धेपवाक्यात्पुरुषादेतत्सत्यं ब्रवीति ते
I would lay down my weapon in battle only upon hearing some great misfortune; by the trustworthy word of a man, I speak this truth to you.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा महाराज भारद्वाजस्य धीमतः। अनुमान्य तमाचार्यं प्रायाच्छारद्वतं प्रति
Hearing this from the wise Bhāradvāja, O great king, and having obtained his permission, he went to Śāradvata.
सोऽभिवाद्य कृपं राजा कृत्वा चापि प्रदक्षिणम् । उवाच दुर्धर्षतमं वाक्यं वाक्यविदां वरः
The king, having bowed to Kṛpa and circumambulated him, spoke to the most formidable, the best among speakers, these words.