वनं यास्यामि दुर्धर्ष श्रेयो वै तत्र मे गतम् । न युद्धं रोचते कृष्ण हन्ति भीष्मो हि नः सदा
I will go to the forest, O unconquerable one; there lies my true welfare. Battle does not please me, Krishna, for Bhishma always slays us.
यथा प्रज्वलितं वह्निं पतङ्गः समभिद्रवन्। एकतो मृत्युमभ्येति तथाऽहं भीष्ममेयिवान्
Just as a moth rushes toward a blazing fire and meets death, so have I approached Bhishma.
क्षयं नीतोऽस्मि वार्ष्णेय राज्यहेतोः पराक्रमी । भ्रातरश्चैव मे शुराः सायकैर्भृशपीडिताः
For the sake of the kingdom, O descendant of Vrishni, I have been led to ruin; and my heroic brothers are grievously afflicted by arrows.
मत्कृते भ्रातृसौहार्दाद्राज्यभ्रष्टा वनं गताः। परिक्लिष्टा तथा कृष्णा मत्कृते मधुसूदन
Because of me, out of brotherly affection, my brothers lost their kingdom and went to the forest; and likewise Krishna has suffered much on my account, O Madhusudana.
जीवितं बहु मन्येऽहं जीवितं ह्यद्य दुर्लभम्। जीवितस्याद्य शेषेण चरिष्ये धर्ममुत्तमम्
I consider life to be of great value; today, life is indeed hard to obtain. With the portion of life that remains to me today, I will pursue the highest righteousness.
यदि तेऽहमनुग्राह्यो भ्रातृभिः स केशव । स्वधर्मस्याविरोधेन हितं व्याहर केशव
If I am worthy of your compassion, O Keshava, together with my brothers, then, without violating my own duty, speak what is beneficial, O Keshava.
एवं श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य कारुण्याद्बहुविस्तरम्। प्रत्युवाच ततः कृष्णः सान्त्वयानो युधिष्ठिरम्
Having heard his words, so full of compassion and greatly detailed, Krishna then replied, consoling Yudhishthira.
धर्मपुत्र विषादं त्वं मा कृथाः सत्यसंगर । यस्य ते भ्रातरः शूरा दुर्जयाः सत्रुसूदनाः
O son of Dharma, do not give in to despair, you who are steadfast in truth; your brothers are valiant, unconquerable, and destroyers of foes.
अर्जुनो भीमसेनश्च वाय्वग्निसमतेजसौ। माद्रीपुत्रौ च विक्रान्तौ त्रिदशानामिविश्वरौ
Arjuna and Bhimasena possess energy equal to wind and fire, and the sons of Madri are mighty, like the lords of the gods among the immortals.
मां वा नियुङ्क्ष्व सौहार्दाद्योत्स्ये भीष्मेण पाण्डव । त्वप्रयुक्तो महाराज किं न कुर्यां महाहवे
Out of friendship, command me, O Pandava, and I will fight with Bhishma. O great king, if you send me forth, what would I not do in this great battle?
हनिष्यामि रणे भीष्ममाहूय पुरुषर्षभम् । पश्यतां धार्तराष्ट्राणां यदि नेच्छति फल्गुनः
I will slay Bhishma in battle, challenging that bull among men, in the sight of the Dhartarashtras, if Phalguna does not wish to do so.
यदि भीष्मे हते वीरे जयं पश्यसि पण्डव। हन्तास्म्येकरथेनाद्य कुरुवृद्धं पितामहम्
If, O Pandava, you see victory in the death of the heroic Bhishma, then today I will slay the elder of the Kurus, the grandsire, with a single chariot.
पश्य मे विक्रमं राजन्महेन्द्रस्येव संयुगे। विमुञ्चन्तं महास्त्रामि पातयिष्यामि तं रथात्
Behold my prowess, O king, like that of mighty Indra in battle, as I release great weapons and bring him down from his chariot.
यः शत्रुः पाण्डुपुत्राणां मच्छत्रुः स न संशयः। मदर्था भवदर्था ये ये मदीयास्तवैव ते
Whoever is an enemy of the sons of Pandu is certainly my enemy as well; those who are mine for my sake or yours, O king, are indeed yours.
तव भ्राता मम सखा संबन्धी शिष्य एव च । मांसान्युत्कृत्य दास्यामि फल्गुनार्थे महीपते
Your brother is my friend, relative, and even disciple; I would cut my own flesh and give it for the sake of Phalguna, O king.
एष चापि नरव्याघ्रो मत्कृते जीवितं त्यजेत्। एष नः समयस्तात तारयेम परस्परम्
And this tiger among men would even give up his life for my sake; this is our agreement, dear one, that we should save each other.
स मां नियुङ्क्ष्व राजेन्द्र यावत्सज्जो भवाम्यहम् । प्रतिज्ञातमुपप्लाव्ये यत्तत्पार्थेन पूर्वतः
So command me, O king of kings, while I am still prepared; that which Partha vowed earlier at Upaplavya must be fulfilled.
पातयिष्यामि गाङ्गेयमित्युलूकस्य संनिधौ। परिरक्ष्यमिदं तावद्वचः पार्थस्य धीमतः
In the presence of Uluka, he vowed, 'I will bring down Ganga's son.' Until then, this word of wise Partha must be preserved.
अनुज्ञातेन पार्थेन मया कार्यं न संशयः। अथवा फल्गुनस्यैष भारः परिमितो रणे
There is no doubt that I must act only with Partha's permission; otherwise, this burden in battle belongs solely to Phalguna.
स हनिष्यति संग्रामे भीष्मं परपुरंजयम् । अशक्यमपि कुर्याद्धि रणे पार्थः समुद्यतः
He will slay Bhishma, the conqueror of enemy cities, in battle; for when Partha is determined, he can accomplish even the impossible in war.
त्रिदशान्वा समुद्युक्तान्सहितान्दैत्यदानवैः । निहन्त्यादर्जुनः सङ्ख्ये किमु भीष्मं नराधिप
Arjuna, when roused, can defeat even the gods together with the Daityas and Danavas in battle; what then of Bhishma, O king of men?
विपरीतो महावीर्यो गतसत्वोऽल्पजीवनः । भीष्मः शान्तनवो नूनं कर्तव्यं नावबुध्यते
Bhishma, son of Shantanu, is indeed turned away, though possessing great might; his spirit is gone, his life is short, and he does not understand what ought to be done.
एवमेतन्महाबाहो यथा वदसि माधव। सर्वे ह्येते न पर्याप्तास्तव वेगविधारणे
So it is, O mighty-armed one, just as you say, Madhava; for all these together are not sufficient to withstand your force.
नियतं समावाप्स्यामि सर्वमेतद्यथेप्सितम् । यस्य मे पुरुषव्याघ्र भवान्पक्षे व्यवस्थितः
Certainly, I shall accomplish all this as desired, O tiger among men, since you are steadfastly on my side.
सेन्द्रानपि रणे देवाञ्जयेयं जयतां वर। त्वया नाथेन गोविन्द किमु भीष्मं महारथम्
With you as my protector, Govinda, I could conquer even the gods with Indra in battle, best of the victorious—what then of Bhishma, the great chariot-warrior?
न तु त्वामनृतं कर्तुमुत्सहे स्वात्मगौरवात्। अयुध्यमानाः सहाय्यं यथोक्तं कुरु माधव
But I am not able to act falsely toward you, out of self-respect; so, Madhava, do as you have said—aid us without fighting.
समयस्तु कृतः कश्चिन्मम भीष्मेण संयुगे। मन्त्रयिष्ये तवार्थाय न तु योत्स्ये कथंचन
Some agreement has been made between me and Bhishma in battle; I shall consult for your sake, but I will not fight in any way.
दुर्योधनार्थं योत्स्यामि सत्यमेतदिति प्रभो। स हि राज्यस्य मे दाता मन्त्रस्यैव च माधव
I will fight for Duryodhana—this is the truth, O lord—for he is the giver of my kingdom and my counsel, O Madhava.
तस्माद्देवव्रतं भूयो वधोपायार्थमात्मनः । भवता सहिताः सर्वे प्रयाम मधुसूदन
Therefore, together with you, Madhusudana, let us all go again to Devavrata to seek a means for his own defeat.
तद्वयं सहिता गत्वा भीष्ममाशु नरोत्तमम् । रुचिते तव पृच्छामि मन्त्रं वार्ष्णेय माचिरम्
So let us go together at once to Bhishma, the foremost of men, and as you wish, O descendant of Vrishni, I will promptly ask him for counsel.