युगान्तमिव कुर्वाणं भीष्मं यौधिष्ठिरे बले । नामृष्यत महाबाहुर्माधवः परवीरहा
Madhava, the mighty slayer of enemy heroes, could not bear to see Bhishma in Yudhishthira’s army, raging like the end of an age.
उत्सृज्य रजतप्रख्यान्हयान्पार्थस्य मारिष । वासुदेवस्ततो योगी प्रचस्कन्द महारथात्
Abandoning Partha’s horses, shining like silver, Vasudeva, the yogi, then leapt down from the great chariot.
अभिदुद्राव भीष्मं स भुजप्रहरणो बली। प्रतोदपाणिस्तेजस्वी सिंहवद्विनदन्मुहुः
Armed with his arm as a weapon, powerful, whip in hand, brilliant, he charged at Bhishma, roaring again and again like a lion.
दारयन्निव पद्भ्यां स जगतीं जगदीश्वरः । क्रोधताम्रेक्षणः कृष्णो जिघांसुरमितद्युतिः
Krishna, lord of the world, his eyes reddened with anger, seemed to tear the earth with his feet, intent on slaying his radiant foe.
ग्रसन्निव च तेजांसि तावकानां महाहवे । दृष्ट्वा माधवमाक्रन्दे भीष्मायोद्यतमन्तिके
As if devouring the energies of your men in the great battle, Madhava, in his fury, was seen advancing on Bhishma, ready to strike nearby.
हतो भीष्मो हतो भीष्म इति तत्रस्म सैनिकाः । क्रोशन्तः प्राद्रवन्सर्वे वासुदेवभयातुराः
‘Bhishma is slain! Bhishma is slain!’—so cried all the soldiers there, fleeing in terror of Vasudeva.
पीतकौशेयसंवीतो मणिश्यामो जनार्दनः । शुशुभे विद्रवन्भीष्मं विद्युन्माली यथाम्बुदः
Clad in yellow silk, dark as a jewel, Janardana shone as he advanced on Bhishma, like a storm cloud garlanded with lightning.
स सिंह इव मातङ्गं यथर्षभ इवर्षभम् । अभिदुद्राव वेगेन विनदन्यादवर्षभः
Like a lion charging an elephant, like a bull rushing at another bull, the bull among men charged forward with a roar.
तमापतन्तं संप्रेक्ष्य पुण्डरीकाक्षमाहवे। असंभ्रमं रणे भीष्मो विचकर्ष महद्धनुः । उवाच चैव गोविन्दमसंभ्रान्तेन चेतसा
Seeing lotus-eyed Krishna rushing upon him in battle, Bhishma, unshaken in the fight, drew his great bow and spoke to Govinda with a steady mind.
एह्येहि पुण्डरीकाक्ष देवदेव नमोस्तु ते । मामद्य सात्वतश्रेष्ठ तापयस्त महाहवे
Come, come, lotus-eyed one! God of gods, I bow to you. Do not torment me today, best of the Satvatas, in this great battle.
त्वया हि देव संग्रामे हतस्यापि ममानघ । श्रेय एव परं कृष्ण लोके भवति सर्वतः
For if I am slain by you in battle, O sinless one, it will be the highest good for me everywhere in the world, Krishna.
संभावितोऽस्मि गोविन्द त्रैलोक्येनाद्य संयुगे। प्रहरस्व यथेष्टं वै दासोऽस्मि तव चानघ
Today, O Govinda, I am honored in this battle by the three worlds. Strike as you wish, O sinless one, for I am your servant.
अन्वगेव ततः पार्थः समभिद्रुत्य केशवम् । निजग्राह महाबाहुर्बाहुभ्यां परिगृह्य वै
Then Partha, rushing after Keshava, seized him with his mighty arms, embracing him tightly.
निगृह्यमाणः पार्थेन कृष्णो राजीवलोचनः । जगामैवैनमादाय वेगेन पुरुषोत्तमः
Restrained by Partha, Krishna, lotus-eyed, was carried off at speed by the best of men.
पार्थस्तु विष्टभ्य बलाच्चरणौ परवीरहा । निजग्राह हृषीकेशं कथंचिद्दशमे पदे
Partha, bracing himself with strength, planted his feet and somehow seized Hrishikesha at the tenth step.
तत एवमुवाचार्तः क्रोधपर्याकुलेक्षणम् । निःश्वसन्तं यथा नागमर्जुनः प्रणयात्सखा
Then Arjuna, distressed, his eyes wild with anger, breathing hard like a serpent, spoke to his friend out of affection.
निवर्तस्व महाबाहो नानृतं कर्तुमर्हसि । यत्त्वया कथितं पूर्वं न योत्स्यामीति केशव
Turn back, mighty-armed one! You must not act falsely. You yourself declared before, ‘I will not fight,’ O Keshava.
मिथ्यावादीति लोकास्त्वां कथयिष्यन्ति माधव । ममैष भारः सर्वो हि हनिष्यामि पितामहम्
People will call you a liar, Madhava. The whole burden is mine; I will slay the grandsire.
शपे केशव शस्त्रेण सत्येन सुकृतेन च। अन्तं यथा गमिष्यामि शत्रूणां शत्रुसूदन
O Keshava, I swear by my weapon, by truth, and by virtue, that I shall bring about the end of my enemies, O destroyer of foes.
अद्यैव पश्य दुर्धर्षं पात्यमानं महारथम् । तारापतिमिवापूर्णमन्तकाले यदृच्छया
Today itself, witness the mighty warrior, hard to withstand, falling like the lord of stars at the appointed hour, when his time is complete.
माधवस्तु वचः श्रुत्वा फल्गुनस्य महात्मनः। `अभवत्परमप्रीतो दृष्ट्वा पार्थस्य विक्रमम्'। न किंचिदुक्त्वा सक्रोध आरुरोह रथं पुनः
Hearing the words of the great-souled Phalguna, Madhava was exceedingly pleased, seeing Partha’s valor; without saying anything, but with wrath, he again ascended the chariot.
तौ रथस्थौ नरव्याघ्रौ भीष्मः शान्तनवः पुनः। ववर्ष शरवर्षेण मेघो वृष्ट्या यथाऽचलौ
Those two tigers among men, standing on their chariot, were again showered with a rain of arrows by Bhishma, son of Shantanu, like mountains by a cloud with rain.
प्राणानादत्त योधानां पिता देवव्रतस्तव। गभस्तिभिरिवादित्यस्तेजांसि शिशिरात्यये
Your father, Devavrata, took the lives of the warriors, just as the sun with its rays takes away the brilliance of things at the end of winter.
यथा कुरूणां सैन्यानि बभञ्जुर्युधि पाण्डवाः । तथा पाण्डवसैन्यानि बभञ्ज युधि ते पिता
As the Pandavas shattered the Kuru forces in battle, so too did your father break the Pandava forces in combat.
हतविद्रुतसैन्यास्तु निरुत्साहा विचेतसः । निरीक्षितुं न शेकुस्ते भीष्ममप्रतिमं रणे
Their armies slain and scattered, dispirited and confused, they could not bear to look upon Bhishma, unmatched in battle.
मध्यं गतमिवादित्यं प्रतपन्तं स्वतेजसा । ते वध्यमाना भीष्मेण शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
Being struck down by Bhishma by the hundreds and thousands, they were like those facing the sun at midday, blazing with its own brilliance.
कुर्वाणं समरे कर्माण्यतिमानुषविक्रमम्। वीक्षांचक्रुर्महाराज पाण्डवा भयपीडिताः
Beholding Bhishma performing deeds in battle beyond human prowess, the Pandavas, O king, gazed upon him, afflicted by fear.
तथा पाण्डवसैन्यानि द्राव्यमाणानि भारत। त्रातारं नाध्यगच्छन्त गावः पङ्कगता इव। पिपीलिका इव क्षुण्णा दुर्बला बलिना रणे
Thus, O Bharata, the Pandava forces, being driven back, found no protector, like cows stuck in the mud or ants crushed by the strong in battle.
तथैव योधा राजेन्द्र भीष्मेणामित्रघातिना। समरे मृदिताः सर्वे पाण्डवाः सह सृञ्जयैः
In the same way, O king, all the Pandavas and the Srinjayas were crushed in battle by Bhishma, the slayer of enemies.
महारथं भारत दुष्प्रकम्पं शरौघिणं प्रतपन्तं नरेन्द्रान्। भीष्मं न शेकुः प्रतिवीक्षितुं ते शरार्चिषं सूर्यमिवातपन्तम्
O Bharata, those kings could not even look at Bhishma, the mighty chariot-warrior, unshakable, showering arrows, blazing among kings like the sun with its rays.