पाण्डवैः पञ्चभिः सार्धं सात्यकेन च धन्विना। धृष्टद्युम्नसुखैः सर्वैः पाञ्चालैश्च समन्ततःक
With the five Pandavas, the bowman Satyaki, Dhrishtadyumna, all the Panchalas, and their allies on every side,
भिद्यमानाः शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः सर्वे कार्ष्णिपुरोगमैः। द्रोणद्रौणिकृतैः सार्धं सर्वे शल्यशलादयः। तावकाः समरे राजञ्जहुर्भीष्मं महामृधे
All, led by Krishna, were pierced by sharp arrows, together with Drona and Drona's son, as well as Shalya and Shalva; your men, O king, abandoned Bhishma in the great battle.
सौवीराः कितवाः प्राच्याःप्रतीच्योदीच्यमालवाः। अभीषाहाः शूरसेनाः शिबयोऽथ वसातयः
The Sauvira, Kitava, Easterners, Westerners, Northerners, Malavas, Abhishahas, Shurasenas, Shibis, and Vasatis,
साल्वाश्रयास्त्रिगर्ताश्च अम्बष्ठाः केकयैः सह। द्वादशैते जनपदाः शरार्ता व्रणपीडिताः। संग्रामे प्रजहुर्भीष्मं युध्यमानाः किरीटिना
The Salvas, Trigartas, Ambasthas, and Kekayas—these twelve peoples, wounded by arrows and tormented by injuries, abandoned Bhishma in battle while fighting against the diademed Arjuna.
ततस्तमेकं बहवः परिवार्य समन्ततः । परिकाल्य कुरून्सर्वाञ्शरर्षैरवाकिरन्
Then many warriors surrounded that one man on all sides, protecting all the Kurus, and showered him with a rain of arrows.
निपातयत गृह्णीत युध्यध्वमवकृन्तत। इत्यासीत्तुमुलः शब्दो राजन्भीष्मरथं प्रति
"Strike him down! Capture him! Fight on! Cut him to pieces!"—such was the tumultuous cry, O king, directed at Bhishma's chariot.
निहत्य समरे राजञ्शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः । न तस्यासीदनिर्भिन्नं गात्रे द्व्यङ्गुलमन्तरम्
Slaying hundreds and thousands in battle, O king, there was not a space on his body the width of two fingers that was unpierced.
एवंभूतस्तव पिता शरैर्विशकलीकृतः। शिताग्रैः फल्गुनेनाजौ प्राक्शिराः प्रापतद्रथात्
In such a state, your father, his body shattered by arrows with sharp points by Phalguna in the fight, fell headlong from his chariot.
किंचिच्छेषे दिनकरे पुत्राणां तव पश्यताम् । हाहेति दिवि देवानां पार्थिवानां च भारत
As the day drew to its end, while your sons looked on, O Bhārata, a cry of 'Alas!' arose among the gods in heaven and the kings on earth.
पतमाने रथाद्भीष्मे बभूव सुमहास्वनः । संपतन्तमभिप्रेक्ष्य महात्मानं पितामहम्
When Bhīṣma fell from his chariot, a tremendous sound arose; seeing the great-souled grandsire descending, all were struck with awe.
सह भीष्मेण सर्वेषां प्रापतन्हृदयानि नः । स पपात महाबाहुर्वसुधामनुनादयन्
With Bhīṣma, the hearts of all fell as well; that mighty-armed one crashed down, resounding upon the earth.
इन्द्रध्वज इवोत्सृष्टः केतुः सर्वधनुष्मताम् । धरणीं न स पस्पर्श शरसङ्घैः समावृतः
Like a banner of Indra cast down, the foremost among all archers did not touch the ground, being enveloped by a mass of arrows.
शलतल्पे महेष्वासं शयानं पुरुषर्षभम्। रथात्प्रपतितं चैनं दिव्यो भावः समाविशत्
Lying on a bed of arrows, that great archer, the bull among men, having fallen from his chariot, was enveloped by a divine state.
अभ्यवर्षच्च पर्जन्यः प्राकम्पत च मेदिनी । पतन्स ददृशे चापि दक्षिणेन दिवाकरम्
Rain fell from the clouds, the earth trembled, and as he fell, he was seen to the south of the sun.
संज्ञां चोपालभद्वीरः कालं संचिन्त्य भारत । अन्तरिक्षे च शुश्राव दिव्या वाचः समन्ततः
That hero, reflecting on the time, regained consciousness, O Bhārata, and in the sky he heard divine voices all around.
कथं महात्मा गाङ्गेयः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः । कालकर्ता नरव्याघ्रः संप्राप्ते दक्षिणायने
'How has the great-souled son of Ganga, the foremost of all wielders of weapons, the tiger among men, met his end as the sun turns southward?'
स्थितोऽस्मीति च गाङ्गेयस्तच्छ्रुत्वा वाक्यमब्रवीत्। धारयिष्याम्यहं प्राणान्पतितिऽपि महीतले
Then Gāṅgeya said, 'I remain,' and hearing those words, he declared, 'I will hold my life-breaths, even though I have fallen to the earth.'
उत्तरायणमन्विच्छन्सुगतिप्रतिकाङ्क्षया। तस्य तन्मतमाज्ञाय गह्गा हिमवतः सुताः
Desiring the northern course of the sun and hoping for a blessed end, his wish was known to Ganga, daughter of the Himalaya.
महर्षीन्हंसरूपेण प्रेषयामास तत्र वै। ततस्तं प्रति ते हंसास्त्वरिता मानसौकसः
She sent great sages in the form of swans to him; then those swans, swift and dwelling in the Mānasa lake, went to him.
आजग्मुः सहिता द्रष्टुं भीष्मं कुरुपितामहम्। यत्र शेते नरश्रेष्ठः शरतल्पे पितामहः
They came together to see Bhīṣma, the grandsire of the Kurus, where that best of men lay upon his bed of arrows.
ते तु भीष्मं समासाद्य ऋषयो हंसरूपिणः । अपश्यञ्छरतल्पस्थं भीष्मं कुरुकुलोद्वहम्
Those sages, taking the form of swans, approached Bhīṣma and saw him, the glory of the Kuru line, lying upon his bed of arrows.
ते तं दृष्ट्वा महात्मानं कृत्वा चापि प्रदक्षिणम्। गाङ्गेयं भरतश्रेष्ठं दक्षिणेन च भास्करम्
Having seen that great soul, they circumambulated Gāṅgeya, the best of the Bharatas, with the sun to their right.
इतरेतरमामन्त्र्य प्राहुस्तत्र मनीषिणः । भीष्मः कथं महात्मा सन्संस्थाता दक्षिणायने
There, the wise ones addressed each other, saying, 'How will the great-souled Bhīṣma depart as the sun moves southward?'
इत्युक्त्वा प्रस्थिता हंसा दक्षिणामभितो दिशम्। संप्रेक्ष्य वै महाबुद्धिश्चिन्तयित्वा च भारत
Having spoken thus, the swans set out toward the southern direction; seeing this, the wise one, after reflection, O Bhārata,
तानब्रवीच्छान्तनवो नाहं गन्ता कथंचन । दक्षिणावर्त आदित्ये एतन्मे मनसि स्थितम्
Śāntanu's son said to them, 'I will not go under any circumstance while the sun moves southward; this is firmly settled in my mind.'
गमिष्यामि स्वकं स्थानमासीद्यन्मे पुरातनम् । उदगायन आदित्ये हंसाः सत्यं ब्रवीमि वः
'I will go to my own ancient abode when the sun turns northward; O swans, I speak the truth to you.'
धारयिष्याम्यहं प्राणानुत्तरायणकाङ्क्षया। प्राणानां च समुत्सर्ग ऐश्वर्यं नियतं मम
I will hold on to my life, desiring the northern solstice; and the release of life is certainly within my power.
तस्मात्प्राणान्धारयिष्ये मुमूर्षुरुदगायने। यश्च दत्तो वरो मह्यं पित्रा तेन महात्मना
Therefore, though wishing for death, I will retain my breath as the sun turns northward; and by the boon granted to me by my great-souled father—
छन्दतस्ते भवेन्मृत्युरिति तत्सत्यमस्तु मे। धारयिष्ये ततः प्राणानुत्सर्गे नियते सति
—'Death shall come to you at your own choosing'—may that promise be fulfilled for me; so I will preserve my life until the destined time of release.
इत्युक्त्वा तांस्तदा हंसान्स शेते शरतल्पगः । एवं कुरूणां पतिते शृङ्गे भीष्मे महौजसि
Having spoken thus to them, he, lying upon his bed of arrows, rested; thus fell Bhishma, the mighty one, the crest of the Kurus.