ततोऽब्रवीच्छान्तनवः पाण्डवान्पाण्डुपूर्वज
Then Shantanava spoke to the Pandavas, to the eldest son of Pandu.
न कथंचन कौन्तेय मयि जीवति संयुगे। जयो भवति सर्वज्ञ सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
'O son of Kunti, so long as I live in battle, victory will not be yours, O all-knowing one; this I tell you truly.'
निर्जिते मयि युद्धेन रणे जेष्यथ पाण्डवाः । क्षिप्रं मयि प्रहरत यदीच्छथ रणे जयम्
'If I am vanquished in battle, then you Pandavas will win in war; therefore, strike at me swiftly if you desire victory in battle.'
अनुजानामि वः पार्थाः प्रहरध्वं यथासुखम् । एवं हि सुकृतं मन्ये भवतां विदितो ह्यहम् । हते मयि हतं सर्वं तस्मादेवं विधीयताम्
'I permit you, O sons of Pritha, strike as you wish; for this I consider right, and I know you well. When I am slain, all is slain; therefore, let it be done thus.'
ब्रूहि तस्मादुपायं नो यथा युद्धे जयेमहि। भवन्तं समरे क्रुद्धं दण्डहस्तमिवान्तकम्
'Therefore, tell us the means by which we may conquer you in battle, for you are like Death himself, enraged and holding the rod, in the fight.'
शक्यो वज्रधरो जेतुं वरुणोऽथ यमस्तथा। न भवान्समरे शक्यः सेन्द्रैरपि सुरासुरैः
'Even the wielder of the thunderbolt, or Varuna, or Yama may be conquered; but you cannot be overcome in battle, not even by the gods and demons together with Indra.'
सत्यमेतन्महाबाहो यथा वदसि पाण्डव
'It is true, O mighty-armed one, just as you say, O son of Pandu.'
नाहं जेतुं रणे शक्यः सेन्द्रैरपि सुरासुरैः। आत्तशस्त्रो रणे यत्तो गृहीतवरकार्मुकः । ततो मां न्यस्तशस्त्रं तु एते हन्युर्महारथाः
'I cannot be conquered in battle, not even by the gods and demons with Indra, when I am armed, alert, and holding my chosen bow; but if I lay down my weapons, then these great chariot-warriors may slay me.'
निक्षिप्तशस्त्रे पतिते विमुक्तकवचध्वजे । द्रवमाणे च भीते च तवास्मीति च वादिनि
When the weapon has been cast aside, the banner and armor discarded, and one flees in fear while declaring, 'I am yours,'
स्त्रीजिते स्त्रीप्रधाने च स्त्रीप्रधायिनि धर्मज' स्त्रियां स्त्रीनामधेये च विकले चैकपुत्रिणि । अप्रसूते च षण्डे च न युद्धं रोचते मम
In a battle won by women, led by women, or where women are foremost, O righteous one; among women, those named as women, the weak, the only child, the barren, or the impotent—war does not appeal to me.
इमं मे शृणु राजेन्द्र संकल्पं पूर्वचिन्तितम् । असंकल्पध्वजं दृष्ट्वा न युध्येयं कदाचन
Hear from me, O king, this resolve previously contemplated: upon seeing a banner without resolve, I would never fight.
य एष द्रौपदो राजंस्तव सैन्ये महारथः । शिखण्डी समरामर्षी शूरश्च समितिंजयः
This Draupada's son in your army, O king, is a mighty warrior—Shikhandi, eager for battle, valiant, and victorious in combat.
यथाऽभवच्च स्त्रीपूर्वं पश्चात्पुंस्त्वं समागतः। जानन्ति च भवन्तोऽपि सर्वमेतद्यथातथम्
He was once a woman, and later attained manhood; you all know this matter fully and exactly.
अर्जुनः समरे शूरः पुरस्कृत्य शिखण्डीनम् । मामेव विशिखैस्तीक्ष्णैरभिद्रवतु दंशितः
Arjuna, courageous in battle, placing Shikhandi at the forefront, may attack me with sharp arrows, fiercely determined.
असंकल्पध्वजे तस्मिन्स्त्रीपूर्वे च विशेषतः । न प्रहर्तुमभीप्सामि गृहीतेषु कथंचन
When the banner lacks resolve, especially when one was formerly a woman, I do not wish to strike, no matter what is grasped.
तदन्तरं समासाद्य पाण्डवो मां धनञ्जयः। शरैर्घातयतु क्षिप्रं समन्ताद्भरतर्षभ
At that moment, let Dhananjaya, the Pandava, swiftly strike me down with arrows from all sides, O bull among Bharatas.
न तं पश्यामि लोकेष मां हन्याद्यः समुद्यतम्। ऋते कृष्णान्महाभागात्पाण्डवाद्वा धनञ्जयात्
I do not see anyone in the world who could slay me when I am ready, except for the blessed Krishna or Dhananjaya among the Pandavas.
पार्षतं तु पुरोधाय क्लीबमद्य ममाग्रतः । आत्तशस्त्रो रणे यत्तो गृहीतवरकार्मुकः । मां पातयतु बीभत्सुरेवं तव जयो ध्रुवम्
Let the son of Prishata, bearing the mark of impotence, stand before me; armed and prepared in battle, with his excellent bow in hand, let Bhībhatsu bring me down—then your victory is certain.
एतत्कुरुष्व कौन्तेय यथोक्तं मम सुव्रत । ततो जेष्वसि संग्रामे धार्तराष्ट्रान्समागतान्
Do this, O son of Kunti, as I have spoken, O steadfast one; then you will surely conquer the assembled Dhartarashtras in battle.
तेऽनुज्ञातास्ततः पार्था जग्मुः स्वशिबिरं प्रति। अभिवाद्य महात्मानं भीष्मं कुरुपितामहम्
Thus permitted, the sons of Pritha departed for their own camp, after respectfully saluting the great-souled Bhishma, the elder of the Kurus.
तथोक्तवति गाङ्गेये परलोकाय दीक्षिते। अर्जुनो दुःखसंतप्तः सव्रीडमिदमब्रवीत्
When Ganga's son had spoken thus, having resolved for the next world, Arjuna, afflicted with sorrow and shame, spoke these words.
गुरुणा कुरुवृद्धेन कृतप्रज्ञेन धीमता । पितामहेन संग्रामे कथं योद्धास्मि माधव
How shall I fight in battle, O Madhava, against my teacher, the elder of the Kurus, wise and learned, my grandfather?
क्रीडता हि मया बाल्ये वासुदेव महामनाः । पांसुरूषितगात्रेण महात्मा परुषीकृतः
For, O Vasudeva of great mind, when I was a child playing, my body covered in dust, that great soul became rough with me.
यस्याहमधिरुह्याङ्कं वालः किल गदाग्रज । तातेत्यवोचं पितरं पितुः पाण्डोर्महात्मनः
Upon whose lap I once climbed as a boy, O mighty one, and called him 'father,' the father of Pandu, the great soul.
नाहं तातस्तव पितुस्तातोऽस्मि तव भारत । इति मामब्रवीद्बाल्ये यः स वध्यः कथं मया
'I am not your father, nor your father's father; I am your grandfather, O Bharata,'—he said this to me in childhood; how can I kill him?
कामं वध्यतु सैन्यं मे नाहं योत्स्ये महात्मना । जयो वास्तु वधो वा मे कथं वा कृष्ण मन्यसे
Let my army be slain as it may, but I shall not fight against that great soul; whether victory or death be mine, what do you think, O Krishna?
कथमस्माद्विधः कृष्ण जानन्धर्मं सनातनम् । न्यस्तशस्त्रे च वृद्धे च प्रहरेद्धि पितामहे
How could one such as this, O Krishna, who knows the eternal law, strike his grandfather, who has laid down his weapons and is aged?
प्रतिज्ञाय वधं जिष्णो पुरा भीष्मस्य संयुगे। क्षत्रधर्मे स्थितः पार्थ कथं नैनं हनिष्यसि
Having once vowed to slay Bhishma in battle, and standing firm in the warrior's duty, how is it, O Partha, that you will not kill him?
पातयैनं रथात्पार्थ क्षत्रियं युद्धदुर्मदम् । नाहत्वा युधि गाङ्गेयं विजयस्ते भविष्यति
Bring him down from his chariot, O Partha, for he is a Kshatriya proud in battle; without slaying Ganga's son in combat, your victory will not be won.
दृष्टमेतत्पुरा देवैर्भविष्यत्यवशस्य ते। यद्दृष्टं हि पुरा पार्थ तत्तथा न तदन्यथा
This has already been seen by the gods before; it will surely come to pass for you, for what was seen before, O Partha, will indeed happen just so, not otherwise.