तं शिखण्डी त्रिभिर्बाणैरभ्यविध्यत्सनान्तरे । आशीविषमिव क्रुद्धं कालसृष्टमिवान्तकम्
Then Shikhandi struck him with three arrows in the midst of the battle, like an enraged serpent, or like Death sent forth by Time.
स तेनातिभृशं विद्धः प्रेक्ष्य भीष्मः शिखण्डिनम् । पुनर्नालोकयत्क्रुद्धः प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत्
Pierced exceedingly by him, Bhishma looked at Shikhandi, and then, angered, did not look at him again, but laughed and spoke these words:
कामं प्रहर वा मा वा न त्वां योत्स्ये कथंचन । यैव हि त्वं कृता धात्रा सैव हि त्वं शिखण्डिनी
Strike if you wish, or do not; I will not fight you in any way. For you are as you were made by the Creator; you are indeed Shikhandini.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा शिखण्डी क्रोधमूर्च्छितः । उवाच भीष्मं समरे सृक्विणी परिलेलिहन्
Hearing these words, Shikhandi, overcome with wrath, spoke to Bhishma in battle, licking his lips with his tongue.
जानामि त्वां महाबाहो क्षत्रियाणां भयंकरम् । मया श्रुतं च ते युद्धं जामदग्न्येन वै सह
I know you, mighty-armed one, as a terror to Kshatriyas; I have also heard much of your battle with Jamadagni’s son.
दिव्यश्च ते प्रभावोऽयं मया च बहुशः श्रुतः । जनन्नपि प्रभावं ते योत्स्येऽद्याहं त्वया सह
And I have often heard of your divine power; yet, knowing your might, today I will fight you.
पाण्डवानां प्रियं कुर्वन्नात्मनश्च नरोत्तम ।। अद्य त्वां योधयिष्यामि रणे पुरुषसत्तम
Wishing to please the Pandavas and myself, O best of men, today I will engage you in battle, O foremost of warriors.
ध्रुवं च त्वां हनिष्यामि शपे सत्येन तेऽग्रतः । एतच्छ्रुत्वा च मद्वाक्यं यत्कृत्यं तत्समाचर
Surely I will slay you; I swear this truth before you. Having heard my words, do what you must.
कामं युध्यस्व वा मा वा न मे जीवन्प्रमोक्ष्यसे । सुदृष्टः क्रियतां भीष्म लोकोऽयं समितिंजय
Fight if you wish, or do not; you shall not escape alive from me. Let the world, O Bhishma, witness this great contest.
एवमुक्त्वा ततो भीष्मं पञ्चभिर्नतपर्वभिः। अविध्यत रणे भीष्मं प्रतुदन्वाक्यसायकैः
Having spoken thus to Bhishma, he struck him in battle with five sharp arrows, assailing Bhishma with words and shafts.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सव्यसाची महारथः । कालोऽयमिति संचिन्त्य शिखण्डिनमचोदयत्
Hearing these words, Savyasachi, the great chariot-warrior, thinking, 'the time has come,' urged on Shikhandi.
अहं त्वामनुयास्यामि परान्विद्रावयञ्शरैः । अभिद्रव सुसंरब्धो भीष्मं भीमपराक्रमम्
I will follow you, scattering the enemy with arrows; charge fiercely at Bhishma, whose valor equals Bhima’s.
न हि ते संयुगे पीडां शक्ताः कर्तुं महाबलाः । तस्मादद्य महाबाहो यत्नाद्भीष्यमभिद्रव
For the mighty cannot harm you in battle; therefore, mighty-armed one, strive today and attack Bhishma.
अहत्वा समरे भीष्म यदि यास्यसि मारिष । अवहास्योऽस्य लोकस्य भविष्यसि मया सह
If you, O hero, withdraw from battle without slaying Bhishma, you will become an object of ridicule in the world, along with me.
नावहास्या यथा वीर भवेम परमाहवे । तथा कुरु रणे यत्नं साधयस्व पितामहम्
So that we may not be mocked, O hero, in this great battle, strive in the fight and bring down the grandsire.
कुरूंश्च सहितान्सर्वान्यतमानान्महारथान् । अहमावारयिष्यामि सावयस्व पितामहम्
I will hold back all the assembled Kurus and the great chariot-warriors; you bring down the grandsire.
द्रोणं च द्रोणपुत्रं च कृपं चाथ सुयोधनम् । चित्रसेनं विकर्णं च सैन्धवं च यजद्रथम्
Drona, Drona’s son, Kripa, Suyodhana, Citraseṇa, Vikarna, Saindhava, and Yajadratha—
विन्दानुविन्दावावन्त्यौ काम्भोजं च सुदक्षिणम् । भगदत्तं तथा शूरं मागदं च महाबलम्
Vindya and Anuvindya of Avanti, Sudakshina the Kamboja, Bhagadatta the mighty warrior, and the powerful king of Magadha—
सौमदत्तिं तथा शूरमार्श्यशृङ्गिं च राक्षसम् । त्रिगर्तराजं च रणे सह सर्वैर्महारथैः
Saumadatti, the valiant, and Arshya Shringa, the rakshasa, as well as the king of the Trigartas in battle, together with all the great chariot-warriors.
अहमावारयिष्यामि वेलेव मकरालयम् । कुरूंश्च सहितान्सर्वान्युध्यमानान्महाबलान् । निवारयिष्यामि रणे साधयस्व पितामहम्
I will hold them back, like the shore restrains the abode of makaras; and all the mighty Kurus fighting together, I will check them in battle. Accomplish the task of slaying the grandsire.
कथं शिखण्डी गाङ्गेयमभ्यधावत्पितामहम् । पाञ्चाल्यः समरे क्रुद्धो धर्मात्मानं यतव्रतम्
How did Shikhandi, the Panchala, enraged in battle, approach the son of Ganga, the grandsire, who was devoted to righteousness and vows?
केऽरक्षन्पाण्डवानीके शिखण्डिनमुदायुधाः। त्वरमाणास्त्वराकाले जिगीषन्तो महारथाः
Who protected Shikhandi in the Pandava ranks, armed and eager, those great chariot-warriors hastening at the critical moment, desiring victory?
कथं शान्तनवो भीष्मः स तस्मिन्दशमेऽहनि। अयुध्यत महावीर्यः पाण्डवैः सह सृञ्जयैः
How did Bhishma, son of Shantanu, that mighty hero, fight on the tenth day with the Pandavas and the Srinjayas?
न मृष्यामि रणे भीष्मं प्रत्युद्यातं शिखण्डिना । कच्चिन्न रथमद्गोऽस्व धनुर्वाऽशीर्यतास्थतः
I cannot bear Bhishma being confronted in battle by Shikhandi; did his chariot break, or did his bow shatter, or did he stand firm?
नाशीर्यत धनुश्चास्य रथभङ्गो न चाप्यभूत्। युध्यमानस्य संग्रामे भीष्मस्य भरतर्षभ। निघ्नतः समरे शत्रून्शरैः सन्नतपर्वभिः
His bow did not break, nor was his chariot destroyed, as Bhishma, the bull among Bharatas, fought in battle, slaying enemies with arrows whose shafts were well-bent.
अनेकशतसाहस्रावकानां महारथाः । तथा दन्तिगणा राजन्हायश्चैव सुसञ्जिताः
Hundreds of thousands of great chariot-warriors, and also groups of elephants, O king, and well-trained horses, likewise advanced.
अभ्यवर्तन्त युद्धाय पुरस्कृत्य पितामहम्
They moved forward to battle, placing the grandsire at the forefront.
यथाप्रतिज्ञं कौरव्य स चापि समिर्तिजयः । पार्यानामकरोद्भीष्मः सततं समिति क्षयम्
As he had vowed, O Kaurava, Bhishma, the victorious in battle, continually brought destruction to the armies of the enemy.
युध्यमानं महेष्वासं विनिघ्नन्तं पराञ्शरैः । पाञ्चालाः पाण्डवैः सार्ध सर्वतः पर्यवारयन्
The Panchalas, together with the Pandavas, surrounded him on all sides as he fought, wielding a mighty bow and slaying foes with arrows.
दशमेऽहनि संप्राप्ते ततस्तां रिपुवाहिनीम् । कीर्यमाणां शितैर्बाणैः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
When the tenth day arrived, then that army of enemies was struck by sharp arrows, by the hundreds and thousands.