भीष्मं जुगुपुरासाद्य तव पुत्रेण नोदिताः। दृष्ट्वा तु पार्थिवैः सर्वैर्दुर्योधनपुरोगमैः
approached Bhishma but did not urge him on, though your son was present; seeing this, all the kings with Duryodhana at their head,
पाण्डवानामनीकानि वध्यमानानि संयुगे। श्वेतो गाङ्गेयमुत्सृज्य तव पुत्रस्य वाहिनीम्
saw the Pandava divisions being slaughtered in battle; then Shveta, leaving Bhishma, attacked your son's army.
नाशयामास वेगेन वायुर्वृक्षानिवौजसा । द्रावयित्वा चमूं राजन्वैराटिः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः
He destroyed it swiftly, like the wind felling trees with its force; having routed the troops, O king, the furious prince of the Viratas,
आपतत्सहसा भूयो यत्र भीष्मो व्यवस्थितः । तौ तत्रोपगतौ राजञ्शरदीप्तौ महाबलौ
again rushed suddenly to where Bhishma stood; there, those two mighty warriors, shining like autumn clouds, approached each other.
अयुध्येतां महात्मानौ यथोभौ वृत्रवासवौ । अन्योन्यं तु महाराज परस्परवधैषिणौ
Those two great souls fought, just as Vritra and Indra once did; O king, each sought the other's death.
निगृह्य कार्मुकं श्वेतो भीष्मं विव्याध सप्तभिः । पराक्रमं ततस्तस्य पराक्रम्य पराक्रमी
Shveta, restraining his bow, struck Bhishma with seven arrows; then, displaying his valor, he outdid Bhishma's prowess.
तरसा वारयामास मत्तो मत्तमिव द्विपम्। श्वेतः शान्तनवं भूयः शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः
With force he checked Bhishma, like a maddened elephant halting another; Shveta again struck the son of Shantanu with arrows whose shafts were well-feathered.
विव्याध प़ञ्चविंशत्या तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्। तं प्रत्यविध्यद्दशभिर्भीष्मः शान्तनवस्तदा
He pierced him with twenty-five arrows, which seemed astonishing; then Bhishma, son of Shantanu, struck him back with ten arrows.
स विद्धस्तेन बलवान्नाकम्पत यथाऽचलः । वैराटिः समरे क्रुद्धो भृशमायम्य कार्मुकम्
Though struck by him, the mighty Shveta did not waver, like a mountain; enraged in battle, the prince of the Viratas drew his bow with great force.
आजघान ततो भीष्मं श्वेतः क्षत्रियनन्दनः। संप्रहस्य तत श्वेतः सृक्किणी परिसंलिहन्
Then Shveta, delight of the Kshatriyas, struck Bhishma; smiling, Shveta licked the corners of his mouth.
घनुश्चिच्छेद भीष्मस्य नवभिर्दशधा शरैः । संधाय विशिखं चैव शरं लोमप्रवाहिनम्
He cut Bhishma's bow into ten pieces with nine arrows; then, fitting a feathered arrow,
उन्ममाथ ततस्तालं ध्वजशीर्षं महात्मनः । केतुं निपतितं दृष्ट्वा भीष्मस्य तनयास्तव
he struck down the tall banner at the top of the great-souled Bhishma's chariot; seeing Bhishma's standard fall, your sons,
हतं भीष्मममन्यन्त श्वेतस्य वशमागतम्। पाण्डवाश्चापि संहृष्टा दध्मुः शङ्खान्मुदा युताः
thought Bhishma was slain and under Shveta's power; and the Pandavas, overjoyed, sounded their conches in delight.
भीष्मस्य पतितं केतुं दृष्ट्वा तालं महात्मनः । ततो दुर्योधनः क्रोधात्स्वमनीकमनोदयत्
Seeing the banner of the great Bhishma fallen, Duryodhana, enraged, rallied his own troops.
यत्ता भीष्मं परीप्सध्वं रक्षमाणाः समंततः। मा नः प्रपश्यमानानां श्वेतान्मृत्युमवाप्स्यति
As you all strive to protect Bhishma from every side, let not death overtake our white-bannered one while we are watching.
भीष्मः शान्तनवः शूरस्तथा सत्यं ब्रवीमि वः। राज्ञस्तु वचनं श्रत्वा त्वरमाणा महारथाः
Bhishma, son of Shantanu, is a mighty warrior—this I truly tell you; hearing the king’s command, the great chariot-warriors hastened forth.
बलेन चतुरङ्गेण गाङ्गेयप्रन्वपालयन्। बाह्लीकः कृतवर्मा च शलः शल्यश्च भारत
With a fourfold army, guarding the son of Ganga, Bahlika, Kritavarma, Shala, and Shalya, O Bharata,
जलसन्धो विकर्णश्च चित्रसेनो विविंशतिः। त्वरमाणास्त्वराकाले परिवार्य समंततः
Jalasandha, Vikarna, Citrasena, and Vivimsati, all hastened at that moment, surrounding him on every side.
शस्त्रवृष्टिं सुतुमुलां श्वेतस्योपर्यपातयन्। तान्क्रुद्धो निशितैर्बाणैस्त्वरमाणो महारथः
They poured down a fierce shower of weapons upon Shweta; enraged, the great chariot-warrior swiftly countered with sharp arrows.
अवारयदमेयात्मा दर्शयन्पाणिलाघवम् । स निवार्य तु तान्सर्वान्केसरी कुञ्जराविव
That self-mastered one, displaying the agility of his hands, repelled them all; like a lion turning back elephants.
महता शरवर्षेण भीष्मस्य धनुराच्छिनत्। ततोऽन्यद्धनुरादाय भीष्मः शान्तनवो युधि
With a great shower of arrows, he broke Bhishma’s bow; then, in battle, Bhishma, son of Shantanu, took up another bow.
श्वेतं विव्याध राजेन्द्र कङ्कपत्रैः शितैः शरैः । ततः सेनापतिः क्रुद्धो भीष्मं बहुभिरायसैः
He struck Shweta, O king, with sharp, vulture-feathered arrows; then the enraged commander pierced Bhishma with many iron shafts.
विव्याध समरे राजन्सर्वलोकस्य पश्यतः । ततः प्रव्यथितो राजा भीष्मं दृष्ट्वा निवारितम्
He struck him in battle, O king, before the eyes of all; then the king was greatly agitated, seeing Bhishma checked.
प्रवीरं सर्वलोकस्य श्वेतेन युधि वै तदा। निष्ठानकश्च सुमहांस्तव सैन्यस्य चाभवत्
That heroic Bhishma, checked in battle by Shweta before all, caused great consternation in your army.
तं वीरं वारितं दृष्ट्वा श्वेतेन शरविक्षतम् । हतं श्वेतेन मन्यन्ते श्वेतस्य वशमागतम्
Seeing that hero wounded by Shweta’s arrows and checked, they thought Bhishma was slain by Shweta and had fallen under his power.
ततः क्रोधवशं प्राप्तः पिता देवव्रतस्तव । ध्वजमुन्मतितं दृष्ट्वा तां च सेनां निवारिताम्
Then your father Devavrata, overcome by anger, seeing his banner struck down and his army repulsed,
श्वेतं प्रति महाराज व्यसृजत्प्तायकान्बहून् । तानावार्य रणे श्वेतो भीष्मस्य रथिनां वरः
O great king, he released many blazing arrows at Shweta; but Shweta, best of chariot-warriors, repelled them all in battle.
धनुश्चिच्छेद भल्लेन पुनरेव पितुस्तव। उत्सृज्य कार्मुकं राजन्गाङ्गेयः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः
With a broad-headed arrow, Shweta cut your father’s bow again; then, O king, the son of Ganga, seized by wrath, cast aside his bow.
अन्यत्कार्मुकमादाय विपुलं बलवत्तरम्। तत्र संधाय विपुलान्भल्लान्सप्त शिलाशितान्
Taking up another, larger and stronger bow, he fitted seven broad, stone-tipped arrows upon it.
चतुर्भिश्च जघानाश्वाञ्श्वेतस्य पृतनापतेः । ध्वजं द्वाभ्यां तु चिच्छेद सप्तमेन च सारथे
With four he struck down the horses of Shweta, commander of the forces; with two he cut down the banner, and with the seventh, the charioteer.