प्रदीपैः काञ्चनैस्तत्र गन्धतैलावसेचितैः । परिवव्रुर्महाराजं प्रज्वलद्भिः समन्ततः
There, golden lamps filled with fragrant oil surrounded the great king, blazing on all sides.
स तैः परिवृतो राजा प्रदीपैः काञ्चनैर्ज्वलन्। शुशुभे चन्द्रमायुक्तो दीप्तैरिव महाग्रहैः
Encircled by those shining golden lamps, the king shone like the moon surrounded by brilliant planets.
कञ्चुकोष्णीषिणस्तत्र वेत्रझर्झरपाणयः। प्रोत्सारयन्तः शनकैस्तं जनं सर्वतो दिशम्
There, attendants with sashes and turbans, holding fans and whisks, gently cleared the people away in all directions.
संप्राप्य तु ततो राजा भीष्मस्य सदनं शुभम् । अवतीर्य हयाच्चापि भीष्मं प्राप्य जनेश्वरः
Then, having reached Bhishma's splendid abode, the king dismounted from his horse and approached Bhishma, lord of men.
अभिवाद्य ततो भीष्मं निषण्णः परमासने। काञ्चने सर्वतोभद्रे स्पर्द्ध्यास्तरणसंवृते। उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्भीष्मं बाष्पकण्ठोऽश्रुलोचनः
After bowing to Bhishma, he sat on a supreme golden seat, covered with costly cloth, and, with joined palms, his throat choked with tears and his eyes filled with weeping, spoke to Bhishma.
त्वां वयं हि समाश्रित्य संयुगे शत्रुसूदन । उत्सहेम रणे जेतुं सेन्द्रानपि सुरासुरान् । किमु पाण्डुसुतान्वीरान्ससुहृद्गणबान्धवान्
Relying on you, O slayer of foes, we are confident to conquer even the gods and demons with Indra in battle—what then of the sons of Pandu, though they are heroes with their friends and kinsmen?
तस्मादर्हसि गाङ्गेय कृपां कर्तुं मयि प्रभो। जहि पाणडुसुतान्वारान्महेन्द्र इव दानवान्
Therefore, O son of Ganga, you ought to show me compassion, O lord. Strike down the sons of Pandu and their allies, as Mahendra did the Danavas.
पूर्वमुक्तं महाबाहो हनिष्यामि ससोमकान् । पाञ्चालान्केकयैः सार्धं करूपांश्चेति भारत
O mighty-armed one, I have previously declared: I will slay the Panchalas along with the Kekayas and the Somakas, O Bharata.
त्वद्वचः सत्यमेवास्तु जहि पार्थान्समागतान् । सोमकांश्च महेष्वासान्सत्यवाग्भव भारत
Let your words prove true—slay the assembled sons of Pritha and the great bowmen of the Somakas. Be truthful, O Bharata.
दयया यदि वा राजन्द्वेष्यभावान्मम प्रभो । मन्दभाग्यतया वापि मम रक्षसि पाण्डवान्
If, O king, out of compassion, or from enmity towards me, or perhaps due to my ill fortune, you are protecting the Pandavas—
अनुजानीहि समरे कर्णमाहवशोभिनम् । स जेष्यति रणे पार्थान्ससुहृद्गणबान्धवान्
Then grant permission in battle to Karna, who shines in combat; he will defeat the sons of Pritha in war, along with their friends and kinsmen.
स एवमुक्त्वा नृपतिः पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव। नोवाच वचनं किंचिद्भीष्मं सत्यपराक्रमम्
Having spoken thus, your son, King Duryodhana, did not say anything further to Bhishma, whose valor was true.
वाक्शल्यैस्तव पुत्रेण सोऽतिविद्धो महामनाः । नोवाच दुःखोपहतो ह्यप्रियं प्रियमण्वपि
Deeply wounded by your son's harsh words, that great-souled one, though afflicted by sorrow, did not utter anything unpleasant, not even in gentle speech.
स ध्यात्वा सुचिरं कालं दुःखरोषसमन्वितः । श्वसन्निव महानागः प्रणुन्नो वाक्शलाकया
He, reflecting for a long time, filled with grief and anger, sighed like a great serpent, stung by those harsh words.
उद्वृत्य चक्षुषी लोपान्निर्दहन्निव भारत। सदेवासुरगन्धर्वं लोकं काल इवापरः
Rolling his eyes in distress, as if burning everything, O Bharata, like Time himself consuming the world of gods, asuras, and gandharvas.
अब्रवीत्तव पुत्रं च सामपूर्वमिदं वचः। किं त्वं दुर्योधनैवं मां वाक्शल्यैरपकृन्तसि
He spoke these conciliatory words to your son: 'Why, O Duryodhana, do you assail me with harsh words?'
घटमानं यथाशक्तिं कुर्वाणं च तव प्रियम् । जुह्वानं समरे प्राणांस्तव वै प्रियकाम्यया
'Though striving with all my might, doing what pleases you, and offering my very life in battle for your sake—'
यदा तु पाण्डवः शूरः खाण्डवेऽग्निमतर्पयत् । पराजित्य रणे शक्रं पर्याप्तं तन्निदर्शनम्
'When the heroic Pandava satisfied the fire at Khandava, having defeated Indra in battle—that alone is sufficient proof.'
यदा च त्वां महाबाहो गन्धर्वैर्हृतमोजसा । अमोचयत्पाण्डुसुतः पर्याप्तं तन्निदर्शनम्
'And when, O mighty-armed one, you were seized by the Gandharvas and released by the son of Pandu—that too is sufficient proof.'
द्रवमाणेषु शूरेषु सोदरेषु तव प्रभो । सूतपुत्रे च राधेये पर्याप्तं तन्निदर्शनम्
'When your valiant brothers and the son of a suta, Radheya, fled in fear—that too is sufficient proof.'
यच्च नः सहितान्सर्वान्विराटनगरे तदा । एक एवाजयत्पार्थः पर्याप्तं तन्निदर्शनम्
'And when, in the city of Virata, Arjuna alone defeated all of us together—that too is sufficient proof.'
द्रोणं च युधि संरब्धं मां च निर्जित्य संयुगे। वासांसि स समादत्त पर्याप्तं तन्निदर्शनम्
'Having vanquished Drona, who was fierce in battle, and me as well in combat, he took our garments—that too is sufficient proof.'
तथा द्रौणिं महेष्वासं शारद्वतमथापि च । गोग्रहे जितवान्पूर्वं पर्याप्तं तन्निदर्शनम्
'Likewise, having previously conquered Drona's son, the mighty archer, and Sharadvata's son in the cattle raid—that too is sufficient proof.'
विजित्य च यदा कर्णं सदा पुरुषमानिनम् । उत्तरायै ददौ वस्त्रं पर्याप्तं तन्निदर्शनम्
'And when he defeated Karna, who always prided himself as a man, and gave garments to Uttara—that too is sufficient proof.'
निवातकवचान्युद्धे वासवेनापि दुर्जयान्। जितवान्समरे पार्थः पर्याप्तं तन्निदर्शनम्
In battle, Arjuna conquered the Nivatakavachas, who were invincible even for Indra; that alone is sufficient proof.
को हि शक्तो रणे जेतुं पाण्डवं रभसं तदा। यस्य गोप्ता जगद्गोप्ता शङ्खचक्रगदाधरः
For who could defeat the impetuous Pandava in battle, when his protector is the Lord who protects the universe, the bearer of the conch, discus, and mace?
वासुदेवोऽनन्तशक्तिः सृष्टिसंहारकारकः । सर्वेश्वरो देवदेवः परमात्मा सनातनः
Vasudeva, of infinite power, the creator and destroyer of all, the Lord of all, God of gods, the supreme and eternal soul.
उक्तोऽस्ति बहुशो राजन्नारदाद्यैर्महर्षिभिः । त्वं तु मोहान्न जानीषे वाच्यावाच्यं सुयोधन
O King, this has been declared many times by great sages like Narada; but you, Suyodhana, out of delusion, do not understand what should and should not be said.
मुमूर्षुर्हि नरः सर्वान्वृक्षान्पश्यति काञ्चनान्। तथा त्वमपि गान्धारे विपरीतानि पश्यसि
For a man who is about to die sees all trees as golden; in the same way, O Gandhari's son, you see things in a perverted manner.
स्वयं वैरं महत्कृत्वा पाण्डवैः सह सृञ्जयैः । युद्ध्यस्व तानद्य रणे पश्यामः पुरुषो भव। `अशक्याः पाण्डवा जेतुं देवैरपि सवासवैः
Having made great enmity yourself with the Pandavas and the Srinjayas, now fight them in battle; let us see you act as a man. The Pandavas cannot be conquered, even by the gods with Indra.