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.
निर्वेदं परमं गत्वा विनिन्द्य परवश्यताम् । दीर्घं दध्यौ शान्तनवो योद्धुकामोऽर्जुनं रणे
Having reached the utmost dejection, condemning his own helplessness, Shantanu's son pondered deeply, desiring to fight Arjuna in battle.
इङ्गितेन तु तज्ज्ञात्वा गाङ्गेयेन विचिन्तितम् । दुर्योधनो महाराज दुःशासनमचोदयत्
Perceiving by his gestures what Ganga's son was thinking, King Duryodhana urged Duhshasana.
दुःशासन रथास्तूर्णं युज्यन्तां भीष्मरक्षिणः । द्वाविंशतिमनीकानि सर्वाण्येवाभिचोदय
Duḥśāsana, quickly harness the chariots for Bhīṣma’s protection; mobilize all twenty-two divisions at once.
अयं हि समनुप्राप्तो वर्षपूगाभिचिन्तितः । पाण्डवानां ससैन्यानां वधो राज्यस्य चागमः
For now has arrived the moment long anticipated over many years: the destruction of the Pāṇḍavas and their army, and the acquisition of the kingdom.
तत्र कार्यमहं मन्ये भीष्मस्यैवाभिरक्षणम्। स नो गुप्तः सहायः स्याद्धन्यात्पार्थांश्च संयुगे
Therefore, I believe our foremost task is to protect Bhīṣma; if he is safeguarded, he will be our ally and defeat the Pāṇḍavas in battle.
अब्रवीद्धि विशुद्धात्मा नाहं हन्यां शिखण्डिनम् । स्त्रीपूर्वको ह्यसौ राजंस्तस्माद्वर्ज्यो मया रणे
He spoke, pure in heart: 'I will not kill Śikhaṇḍin, for he was formerly a woman, O King; thus, I must avoid him in battle.'
लोकस्तद्वेद यदहं पितुः प्रियचिकीर्षया । राज्यं स्फीतं महाबाहो स्त्रियश्च त्यक्तवान्पुरा
The world knows that, out of desire to please my father, I once renounced a prosperous kingdom and women, O mighty-armed one.
नैव चाहं स्त्रियं जातु न स्त्रीपूर्वं कथंचन । हन्यां युधि नरश्रेष्ठ सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
Never would I kill a woman, nor anyone who was formerly a woman, in battle, O best among men; this is the truth I declare to you.
अयं स्त्रीपूर्वको राजञ्छिखण्डी यदि ते श्रुतः। उद्योगे कथितं सर्वं यथा जाता शिखण्डिनी
This Śikhaṇḍī, O King, was formerly a woman, as you have heard; in the preparations, everything was told about how Śikhaṇḍinī was born.
कन्या भूत्वा पुमाञ्जातः स च योत्स्यति भारत । तस्याहं प्रमुखे बाणान्न मुञ्चेयं कथंचन
Having been born a girl, he became a man, and he will fight, O descendant of Bharata; yet I will never release arrows at him, not under any circumstance.