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.
अहं तु सोमकान्सर्वान्पाञ्चालांश्च समागतान्। निहनिष्ये नरव्याघ्र वर्जयित्वा शिखण्डिनम्
But I will slay all the Somakas and Panchalas who have assembled, O tiger among men, except for Shikhandin.
तैर्वाऽहं निहतः सङ्ख्ये गमिष्ये यमसादनम् । तान्वा निहत्य समरे प्रीतिं दास्याम्यहं तव
Either I will be slain by them in battle and go to the abode of Yama, or, having slain them in combat, I will give you joy.
पूर्व हि स्त्री समुत्पन्ना शिखण्डी राजवेश्मनि । वरदानात्पुमाञ्जातः सैषा वे स्त्री शिखण्डिनी
Formerly, Shikhandi was born a woman in the royal palace; by the granting of a boon, she became a man—this is that same woman, Shikhandini.
तमहं न हनिष्यामि प्राणत्यागेऽपि भारत। याऽसौ प्राङ्वर्मिता धात्रा सैषा वै स्त्री शिखण्डिनी
I will not kill that one, even at the cost of my own life, O Bharata; she who was previously designated as female by the Creator is indeed Shikhandini, a woman.
सुखं स्वपिहि गान्धारे श्वोऽस्मि कर्ता महारणम्। यं जनाः कथयिष्यन्ति यावत्स्थास्यति मेदिनी
Sleep peacefully, O Gandhari's son; tomorrow I will perform a great battle, one that people will speak of as long as the earth endures.
एवमुक्तस्तव सुतो निर्जगाम जनेश्वर। अभिवाद्य गुरुं मूर्ध्ना प्रययौ स्वं निवेशनम्
Thus addressed, your son departed, O lord of men, after bowing with his head to his teacher, and went to his own quarters.
आगम्य तु ततो राजा विसृज्य च महाजनम् । प्रविवेश ततस्तूर्णं क्षयं शत्रुक्षयंकरः
Then the king, having arrived there and dismissed the great assembly, quickly entered his quarters, the destroyer of enemy hosts.
प्रहृष्टः स निशां तां च गमयामास पार्थिवः। प्रभातायां च शर्वर्यां प्रातरुत्थाय तान्नृपः
That king, delighted, passed the night; and when the night had ended, he rose early in the morning.
राज्ञः समाज्ञापयत सेनां योजयतेति ह। अद्य भीष्मो रणे क्रद्धो निहनिष्यति सोमकान्
He ordered the army to be arrayed, saying, 'Today Bhishma, enraged in battle, will slay the Somakas.'
दुर्योधनस्य तच्छ्रुत्वा रात्रौ विलपितं बहु। मन्यमानः स तं राजन्प्रत्यादेशमिवात्मनः
Hearing Duryodhana's many lamentations during the night, the king considered them as if they were his own instructions.