राक्षसापशदं हन्तुं स्वयमेव पितामह । त्वां समाश्रित्य दुर्धर्षं तन्मे कर्तुं त्वमर्हसि
I wish, O mighty-armed one, to slay that Rakshasa's offspring myself, relying on you, O unconquerable one; you should grant me this.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं राज्ञो भरतसत्तम। दुर्योधनमिदं वाक्यं भीष्मः शान्तनवोऽब्रवीत्
Hearing these words of the king, O best of the Bharatas, Bhishma, son of Shantanu, spoke these words to Duryodhana.
शृणु राजन्मम वचो यत्त्वां वक्ष्यामि कौरव। यथा त्वया महाराज वर्तितव्यं परंतप
Hear my words, O king, which I shall speak to you, O Kaurava; how you, O scorcher of foes, should conduct yourself, O great king.
आत्मा रक्ष्यस्त्वया तात सर्वावस्थास्वरिन्दम। धर्मराजेन संग्रामस्त्वया कार्यः सदाऽनघ
You must always protect yourself, O son, in every situation, O subduer of enemies; you must always fight righteously with Yudhishthira, O sinless one.
अर्जुनेन यमाभ्यां वा भीमसेनेन वा पुनः । अन्यैर्वा पृथिवीपालै राजा राजानमृच्छति
Whether by Arjuna, by the twins, by Bhimasena, or again by other kings, a king meets another king in battle.
न तु कार्यस्त्वया राजन्हैडिम्बेन दुरात्मा। अहं द्रोणः कृपो द्रौणिः कृतवर्मा च सात्वतः। शल्यश्च वृषसेनश्च विकर्णश्च महारथः
But you, O king, must not fight with Hidimba's evil-natured son; I, Drona, Kripa, Drona's son, Kritavarma of the Satvata clan, Shalya, Vrishasena, and Vikarna the great chariot-warrior—
शेषाश्च भ्रातरस्त्वन्ये दुःशासनपुरोगमाः। त्वदर्थे प्रतियोत्स्यामो राक्षसं तं महाबलम्
And the rest of your brothers, led by Duhshasana, will contend with that mighty Rakshasa for your sake.
रौद्रे तस्मिन्राक्षसेन्द्रे यदि ते हृच्छयो महान् । अयमागच्छतु रणं तस्य युद्धाय दुर्मतेः
If you have a great desire in your heart, O king, to face that fierce lord of the Rakshasas, let him come to battle with this wicked one.
भगदत्तो महीपालः पुरन्दरसमो युधि । एतावदुक्त्वा राजानं भगदत्तमथाब्रवीत्
Bhagadatta, the king, equal to Indra in battle—having said this, he then addressed King Bhagadatta.
समक्षं पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः। गच्छ शीघ्रं महाराज हैडिम्बं युद्धदुर्मदम्
In the presence of the king of kings, the eloquent one said: 'Go swiftly, O great king, against Hidimba's son, who is mad for battle.'
वारयस्व रणे यत्तो मिषतां सर्वधन्विनाम् । राक्षसं क्रूरकर्माणं यथेन्द्रस्तारकं पुरा
Resist in battle, with all your effort, in the sight of all archers, that Rakshasa of cruel deeds, as Indra once did with Taraka.
तव दिव्यानि चास्त्राणि विक्रमश्च परंतप । समागमश्च बहुभिः पुराऽभूदमरैः सह
Your divine weapons and your valor, O scorcher of foes, and your encounters with many gods in the past are well known.
त्वं तस्य नृपशार्दूल प्रतियोद्धा महाहवे । स्वबलेनावृतो गच्छ जहि राक्षसपुङ्गवम्
You, O tiger among kings, are the one to oppose him in great battle; go, surrounded by your own forces, and slay the foremost of Rakshasas.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं भीष्मस्य पृतनापतेः। प्रययौ सिंहनादेन परानभिमुखको द्रुतम्
Hearing these words of Bhishma, the commander of the army, he advanced swiftly toward the enemy with a lion's roar.
तमापतन्तं संप्रेक्ष्य गर्जन्तमिव तोयदम् । अभ्यवर्तन्त संक्रुद्धाः पाण्डवानां महारथाः
Seeing him rushing forward, roaring like a thundercloud, the great chariot-warriors of the Pandavas, enraged, turned to face him.
भीमसेनोऽभिमन्युश्च राक्षसश्च घटोत्कचः । द्रौपदेयाः सत्यधृतिः क्षत्रदेवश्च भारत
Bhimasena, Abhimanyu, and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, the sons of Draupadi, Satyadhriti, and Kshatradeva, O Bharata—
चेदिपो वसुदानश्च दशार्णाधिपतिस्तथा । सुप्रतीकेन तांश्चापि भगदत्तोऽप्युपाद्रवत्
Cedipa, Vasudana, and the lord of the Dasharnas, together with Supratika, were also attacked by Bhagadatta.
ततः समभवद्युद्धं घोररूपं भयानकम्। पाण्डूनां भगदत्तेन यमराष्ट्रविवर्धनम्
Then there arose a battle, terrible and fearsome, between the Pandavas and Bhagadatta, increasing the domain of Yama.
प्रयुक्ता रथिभिर्बाणा भीमवेगाः सुतेजनाः । ते निपेतुर्महाराज नागेषु च रथेषु च
Arrows, swift as thought and well-feathered, were loosed by the chariot-warriors; they fell, O King, upon elephants and chariots alike.
प्रभिन्नाश्च महानागा विनीता हस्तिसादिभिः । परस्परं समासाद्य संनिपेतुरभीतवत्
Great elephants, broken and subdued by their riders, collided with one another fearlessly in the clash.
मदान्धा रोषसंरब्धा विषाणाग्रैर्महाहवे । बिभिदुर्दन्तमुसलैः समासाद्य परस्परम्
Maddened by rut and inflamed with anger, they struck each other with the tips of their tusks and with their massive clubs in the great battle.
हयाश्च चामरापीडाः प्रासपाणिभिरास्थिताः । चोदिताः सादिभिः क्षिप्रं निजघ्रुरितरेतरम्
Horses adorned with yak-tail fans, mounted by warriors armed with spears, swiftly attacked one another, urged on by their riders.
पादाताश्च पदात्योघैस्ताडिताः शक्तितोमरैः। न्यपतन्त तदा भूमौ शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
Foot-soldiers, struck by showers of spears and javelins from masses of infantry, fell to the ground then by the hundreds and thousands.
रथिनश्च रथाकंश्चित्रान्कर्णिनालीकतोमरैः । निहत्य समरे वीरान्सिंहनादान्विनेदिरे
Chariot-warriors, having slain heroes in battle with varied arrows, barbed darts, and javelins, roared like lions.
तस्मिंस्तथा वर्तमाने संग्रामे रोमहर्षणे । भगतत्तो महेष्वासो भीमसेनमथाद्रवत्
While that hair-raising battle was raging thus, Bhagadatta, the mighty bowman, charged at Bhimasena.
कुञ्जरेण प्रभिन्नेन सप्तधा स्रवता मदम्। पर्वतेन यथा तोयं स्रवमाणेन सर्वशः
Mounted on an elephant, split and streaming with rut in seven places, like a mountain pouring forth water on all sides,
किरञ्छरसहस्राणि सुप्रतीकशिरोगतः । ऐरावतस्थो मघवान्वारिधारा इवानघ
Supratika, with Bhagadatta atop his head, showered thousands of arrows, like Indra on Airavata pouring down torrents of rain, O sinless one.
स भीमं शरधाराभिस्ताजयामास पार्थिवः । पर्वतं वारिधाराभिस्तपान्ते जलदो यथा
That king assailed Bhima with streams of arrows, as a rain-cloud at the end of summer lashes a mountain with torrents.
भीमसेनस्तु संक्रुद्धः पादरक्षान्परःशतान्। निजघान महेष्वासः संरब्धः शरवृष्टिभिः
But Bhimasena, enraged, the mighty archer, struck down hundreds of foot-soldiers with showers of arrows.
तान्दृष्ट्वा निहतान्क्रुद्धो भगदत्तः प्रतापवान् । चोदयामास नागेन्द्रं भीमसेनरथं प्रति
Seeing them slain, the valiant Bhagadatta, filled with wrath, urged his lordly elephant against Bhimasena's chariot.