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.
न हि भीष्मं महेष्वासं पाण्डवाः पाण्डुपूर्वज । अशक्नुवन्रणे जेतुं पाशहस्तमिवानतकम्
The Pandavas, O elder of the Pandus, could not defeat Bhishma, wielder of the great bow, in battle, as one cannot overcome Death holding the noose.
अथोपायान्महाराज सव्यसाची धनञ्जयः । त्रासयन्रथिनः सर्वान्बीभत्सुरपराजितः
Then, O king, Savyasachi Dhananjaya, terrifying all the chariot-warriors, Bhimasena, unconquered, employed strategies.
सिंहवद्विनदन्नुच्चैर्धनुर्ज्यां विक्षिपन्मुहुः । शरौघान्विसृजन्पार्थो व्यचरत्कालवद्रणे
Roaring loudly like a lion, repeatedly stretching his bowstring, releasing showers of arrows, Partha moved about in battle like Time itself.
तस्य शब्देन वित्रस्तास्तावका भारतर्षभ । सिंहस्येव मृगा राजन्व्यद्रवन्त महाभयात्
At the sound of his bow, your troops, O bull among Bharatas, terrified like deer by a lion, fled in great fear, O king.
जयन्तं पाण्डवं दृष्ट्वा त्वत्सैन्यं चाभिपीडितम् । दुर्योधनस्ततो भीष्ममब्रवीद्भृशपीडितः
Seeing the Pandava victorious and your army oppressed, Duryodhana, greatly afflicted, then spoke to Bhishma.
एष पाण्डुसुतस्तात श्वेताश्वः कृष्णसारथिः। दहते मामकान्सर्वान्कृष्णवर्त्मेन काननम्
This son of Pandu, O father, with white horses and Krishna as charioteer, burns all my men, like Krishna's path burns a forest.
पश्य सैन्यानि गाङ्गेय द्रवमाणानि सर्वशः । पण्डवेन युधां श्रेष्ठ काल्यमानानि संयुगे
See, O Gāṅgeya, how the armies are fleeing everywhere, struck by the foremost of warriors, the Pandava, in battle.
यथा पशुगणान्पालः संकालयति कानने । तथेदं मामकं सैन्यं काल्यते शत्रुतापन
Just as a herdsman gathers his cattle in the forest, so, O tormentor of foes, my army is being gathered and driven by the enemy.
धनञ्जयशरैर्भग्नं द्रवमाणं ततस्ततः । भीमोऽप्येवं दुराधर्पो विद्रावयति मे बलम्
Broken by Arjuna’s arrows, my troops are fleeing in all directions; and Bhima, fierce and unstoppable, is also routing my forces.
सात्यकिश्चेकितानश्च माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ। अभिमन्युः सुविक्रान्तो वाहिनीं द्रवते मम
Satyaki, Chekitana, the sons of Madri, and the valiant Abhimanyu—all these Pandavas are driving my army to flight.
धृष्टद्युम्नस्तथा शूरो राक्षसश्च घटोत्कचः । व्यद्रावयेतां सहसा सैन्यं मम महारणे
The brave Dhrishtadyumna and the rakshasa Ghatotkacha have suddenly scattered my army in the great battle.
वध्यमानस्य सैन्यस्य सर्वैरेतैर्महारथैः । नान्यां गतिं प्रपश्यामि स्थाने युद्धे च भारत
As my army is being slaughtered by all these great chariot-warriors, O Bharata, I see no other course in battle or in position.
ऋते त्वां पुरुषव्याघ्र देवतुल्यपराक्रमम्। पर्याप्तस्तु भवाञ्शीघ्रं पीडितानां गतिर्भव
Except for you, O tiger among men, whose prowess equals the gods, you alone are sufficient; quickly become the refuge for the afflicted.
एवमुक्तो महाराज पिता देवव्रतस्तव। चिन्तयित्वा मुहूर्तं तु कृत्वा निश्चयमात्मनः
Thus addressed, O king, your father Devavrata pondered for a moment, and then made a firm resolve within himself.
तव संधारयन्पुत्रमब्रवीच्छंतनोः सुतः। दुर्योधन विजानीहि स्थिरो भूत्वा विशांपते
Holding your son close, the son of Shantanu spoke: 'Duryodhana, understand this—be steadfast, O lord of the people.'
पातयिष्ये रिपूनन्यान्पाण्डवान्प्रतिपालयन् । प्रतिज्ञातो जयो ह्यद्य पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्
I will strike down other enemies, protecting the Pandavas; today I have vowed victory over the great-souled Pandavas.
पूर्वकालं तव मया प्रतिज्ञानं महाबल । हत्वा दशसहस्राणि क्षत्रियाणां महात्मनाम्
In earlier times, O mighty one, I made a vow to you: after slaying ten thousand great-souled Kshatriyas—
संग्रामादपयास्यामि ह्येतत्कर्म समाहितम् । इति तत्कृतवांश्चाहं यथोक्तं भरतर्षभ
I will withdraw from battle, having accomplished this task; thus I have acted as promised, O bull among the Bharatas.
अद्य चापि महत्कर्म प्रकरिष्ये यथाबलम् । अहं वाऽद्य हतः शेष्ये हनिष्ये वाऽद्य पाण्डवान्
Today, too, I will perform a great deed to the best of my ability; either I shall lie slain, or I will slay the Pandavas.
अशक्याः पाण्डवा जेतुं देवैरपि सवासवैः।' किं पुनर्मर्त्यधर्मेण क्षत्रियेण महाबलाः
The Pandavas cannot be conquered, not even by the gods with Indra; how much less by mortals, even mighty Kshatriyas.