नीतानमन्यन्त जना दृष्ट्वा भीष्मस्य विक्रमम् । न कश्चिदेनं समरे प्रत्युद्याति महारथः
Seeing Bhīṣma's valor, people believed those warriors had been led away; no great chariot-warrior dared confront him in battle.
ऋते पाण्डुसुतं वीरं श्वेताश्वं कृष्णसारथिम् । शिखण्डिनं च समरे पाञ्चाल्यममितौजसम्
Except for the heroic son of Pāṇḍu with white horses and Kṛṣṇa as charioteer, and Śikhaṇḍin, the mighty son of Drupada, in battle.
शिखण्डी तु रणे भीष्ममासाद्य पुरुषर्षभम् । दशभिर्निशितैर्भल्लैराजघान स्तनान्तरे
But Shikhandi, in battle, approached Bhishma, the foremost of men, and struck him in the chest with ten sharp arrows.
शिखण्डिनं तु गाङ्गेयः क्रोधदीप्तेन चक्षुषा । संप्रेक्षत कटाक्षेण निर्दहन्निव भारत
Ganga's son, Bhishma, gazed at Shikhandi with eyes blazing with anger, casting a sidelong glance as if burning him, O Bharata.
स्त्रीत्वं तस्य स्मरन्राजन्सर्वलोकस्य पश्यतः। नाजघान रणे भीष्मः स च तन्नावबुद्धवान्
Remembering Shikhandi's womanhood, while all the world looked on, Bhishma did not strike him in battle, and Shikhandi was unaware of this.
अर्जुनस्तु महाराज शिखण्डिनमभाषत । अभित्वरस्वास्य वधे शिखण्डिन्रथसत्तम
But Arjuna, O great king, spoke to Shikhandi: 'Hasten to slay him, O best of charioteers!'
किं ते विवक्षया वीर जहि भीष्मं महारथम् । न ह्यन्यमनुपश्यामि कंचिद्यौधिष्ठिरे बले
'Why do you hesitate, hero? Strike down Bhishma, the great chariot-warrior! For I see no one else in Yudhishthira's army capable of this.'
यः शक्तः समरे भीष्मं योधयेत पितामहम् । ऋते त्वां पुरुषव्याघ्र सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
'Except for you, tiger among men, there is no one who can fight Bhishma, the grandsire, in battle. I speak the truth to you.'
एवमुक्तस्तु पार्थेन शिखण्डी भरतर्षभ । शरैर्नानाविधैस्तूर्णं पितामहमुपाद्रवत्
Thus addressed by Partha, Shikhandi, bull among the Bharatas, swiftly advanced upon the grandsire with arrows of many kinds.
अचिन्तयित्वा तान्बाणान्पिता देवव्रतस्तव । अर्जुनं समरे क्रुद्धं वारयामास सायकैः
Disregarding those arrows, your father Devavrata, in anger, checked Arjuna in battle with his shafts.
तथैव च चमूं सर्वां पाण्डवानां महारथः । अप्रैषीत्स शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः परलोकाय मारिष
Likewise, the great chariot-warrior sent the entire Pandava army to the next world with his sharp arrows, O Marisha.
तथैव पाण्डवा राजन्सैन्येन महता वृताः । भीष्मं संछादयामासुर्मेघा इव दिवाकरम्
In the same way, O king, the Pandavas, surrounded by their great army, covered Bhishma as clouds cover the sun.
स समन्तात्परिवृतो भीष्मो हि भरतर्षभ । निर्ददाह रणे शूरान्वने वह्निरिव ज्वलन्
Surrounded on all sides, Bhishma, bull among the Bharatas, blazed in battle, burning heroes like a fire in a forest.
तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम तव पुत्रस्य पौरुषम् । अयोधयच्च यत्पार्थं जुगोप च पितामहम्
There we saw something wondrous: your son's valor, for he fought Arjuna and protected the grandsire.
कर्मणा तेन समरे तव पुत्रस्य धन्विनः । दुःशासनस्य तुतुषुः सर्वे लोका महात्मनः
Because of that deed in battle by your son, the bowman Duhshasana, all people praised the great-souled one.
यदेकः समरे पार्थान्सानुगान्समयोधयत् । न चैनं पाण्डवा युद्धे वारयामासुरुल्बणम्
For alone in battle he fought the sons of Pritha and their followers, and the Pandavas could not check him in that fierce fight.
दुःशासनेन समरे रथिनो विरथीकृताः । सादिनश्च महेष्वासा हस्तिनश्च महाबलाः
By Duhshasana in battle, chariot-warriors were made chariotless, great archers on horseback and mighty elephants as well.
विनिर्भिन्नाः शरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्निपेतुर्वसुधातले । शरातुरास्तथैवान्ये दन्तिनो विद्रुता दिशः
Pierced by sharp arrows, they fell to the earth; others, wounded by arrows, fled in all directions, their elephants in panic.
यथाग्निरिन्धनं प्राप्य ज्वलेद्दीप्तार्चिरुल्बणम् । तथा जज्वाल पुत्रस्ते पाण्डुसेनां विनिर्दहन्
Just as fire, finding fuel, blazes up with fierce flames, so did your son burn the Pandava army.
तं भारतमहामात्रं पाण्डवानां महारथः । जेतुं नोत्सहते कश्चिन्नाभ्युद्यातुं कथंचन
No one among the great chariot-warriors of the Pandavas was able to conquer or even approach that mighty elephant of the Bharatas.
ऋते महेन्द्रतनयाच्छ्वेताश्वात्कृष्णसारथेः । स हि तं समरे राजन्निर्जित्य विजयोऽर्जुनः
Except for the son of Mahendra, Arjuna of white horses with Krishna as charioteer, O King, he alone gained victory in battle, having conquered him.
भीष्ममेवाभिदुद्राव सर्वसैन्यस्य पश्यतः । विजितस्तव पुत्रोऽपि भीष्मबाहुव्यपाश्रयः
He charged directly at Bhishma before the eyes of the entire army; even your son, relying on Bhishma's arms, was defeated.
पुनः पुनः समाश्वस्य प्रायुध्यत मदोत्कटः । अर्जुनस्तु रणे राजन्योधयन्संव्यराजत
Again and again, regaining his composure, he fought fiercely; but Arjuna shone in battle, contending with the warriors, O King.
शिखण्डी तु रणे राजन्विव्याधैव पितामहम् । शरैरशनिसंस्पर्शैस्तथा सर्पविषोपमैः
But Shikhandi, O King, struck the grandsire in battle with arrows that felt like thunderbolts and were likened to serpent-venom.
न च स्म ते रुजं चक्रुः पितुस्तव जनेश्वर । स्मय्रमानस्तु गाङ्गेयस्तान्बाणाञ्जगृहे तदा
Yet those arrows did not cause pain to your father, O lord of men; Ganga's son, smiling, received those shafts at that time.
उष्णार्तो हि नरो यद्वज्जलधाराः प्रतीच्छति । तथा जग्राह गाङ्गेयः शरधाराः शिखण्डिनः
Just as a man tormented by heat welcomes streams of water, so did Ganga's son receive Shikhandi's showers of arrows.
तं क्षत्रिया महाराज ददृशुर्घोरमाहवे। भीष्मं दहन्तं सैन्यानि पाण्डवानां महात्मनां
The Kshatriyas, O great king, saw Bhishma in that dreadful battle burning the armies of the great-souled Pandavas.
ततोऽब्रवीत्तव सुतः सर्वसैन्यानि मारिष । अभिद्रवत संग्रामे फल्गुनं सर्वतो रणे
Then your son, O Marisha, said to all the armies: 'Attack Phalguna from all sides in the battle!'
भीष्मो वः समरे सर्वान्पायिष्यति धर्मवित्। तद्भयं सुमहत्त्यक्त्वा पाण्डवान्प्रति युध्यत
'Bhishma, knower of dharma, will protect you all in battle; casting off great fear, fight against the Pandavas!'
एष तालेन महता भीष्मस्तिष्ठति पालयन्। सर्वेषां धार्तराष्ट्राणां समरे शर्म वर्म च
'Here stands Bhishma, with great force, protecting and shielding all the Dhartarashtras in battle.'