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.
न हि भीष्मं दुराधर्षं व्यात्ताननमिवान्तकम् । त्वदन्यः शक्नुयाद्योद्धुमपि वज्रधरः स्वयम्
For none but you could withstand Bhishma, formidable as Death with open mouth; not even the wielder of the thunderbolt himself could fight him.
जहि भीष्मं स्थिरो भूत्वा शृणु चेदं वचो मम। यथोवाच पुरा शक्रं महाबुद्धिर्बृहस्पतिः
Slay Bhishma, standing firm, and listen to these words of mine, as once the wise Brihaspati spoke to Indra.
ज्यायांसमपि चेद्वृद्धं गुणैरपि समन्वितम् । आततायिनमायान्तं हन्याद्धातकमात्मनः
Even if one is older or superior, and endowed with virtues, if he comes as an armed aggressor, one should slay him to protect oneself.
शाश्वतोऽयं स्थितो धर्मः क्षत्रियाणां धनञ्जय । योद्धव्यं रक्षितव्यं च यष्टव्यं चानसूयुभिः
This is the eternal law established for Kshatriyas, O Dhananjaya: they must fight, protect, and offer sacrifices, without envy.
शिखण्डी निधनं कृष्ण भीष्मस्य भविता ध्रुवम् । दृष्ट्वैव हि सदा भीष्मः पाञ्चाल्यं विनिवर्तते
It is certain, O Krishna, that Shikhandi will be the cause of Bhishma's death; for whenever he sees the Panchala prince, Bhishma always turns away.
ते वयं प्रमुखे तस्य पुरस्कृत्य शिखण्डिनम्। गाङ्गेयं पातयिष्याम उपायेनेति मे मतिः
Therefore, in his presence, placing Shikhandi at the forefront, we shall bring down Ganga's son by this means—such is my thought.
अहमन्यान्महेष्वासान्वारयिष्यामि सायकैः । शिखण्ड्यपि युधां श्रेष्ठं भीष्ममेवाभियोधयेत्
I will hold back the other great bowmen with my arrows, while Shikhandi, best among warriors, will engage Bhishma in battle.
श्रुतं हि कुरुमुख्यस्य नाहं हन्यां शिखण्डिनम् । कन्या ह्येषा पुरा भूत्वा पुरुषः समपद्यत
For I have heard that the chief of the Kurus said, 'I will not strike Shikhandi, for this one was once a woman and later became a man.'
अर्जुनस्य वचः श्रुत्वा भीष्मस्य वधसंयुतम्। जहृषुर्हृष्टरोमाणः सकृष्णाः पाण्डवास्तदा
Hearing Arjuna's words concerning Bhishma's death, the Pandavas, together with Krishna, rejoiced, their hair standing on end.
इत्येवं निश्चयं कृत्वा पाण्डवाः सहमाधवाः। अनुमान्य महात्मानं प्रययुर्हृष्टमानसाः। शयनानि यथा स्वानि भेजिरे पुरुषर्षभाः
Thus having resolved, the Pandavas with Madhava, after taking leave of the great-souled one, departed with joyful hearts and retired to their respective beds.