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.
पाण्डवाः सृञ्जयाश्चैव सिंहनादं प्रचक्रिरे । तस्मिन्हते महासत्वे भरतानां पितामहे
The Pandavas and the Srinjayas then raised a lion's roar, when that great soul, the grandsire of the Bharatas, was struck down.
न किंचित्प्रत्यपद्यन्त पुत्रास्ते भरतर्षभ । संमोहश्चैव तुमुलः करूणामभवत्तदा
But your sons, O bull among the Bharatas, did nothing; and a tumultuous confusion and grief arose at that moment.
कृपदुर्योधनमुखा निःश्वस्य रुरुदुस्ततः । विषादाच्च चिरं कालमतिष्ठन्विगतेन्द्रियाः
Kripa, Duryodhana, and the others sighed and wept; and, overwhelmed by sorrow, for a long time they stood senseless.
दध्युश्चैव महाराज न युद्धे दधिरे मनः । ऊरुग्राहगृहीताश्च नाभ्यधावन्त पाण्डवान्
They grieved, O king, and could not fix their minds on battle; seized by a great calamity, they did not charge at the Pandavas.
अवध्ये शन्तनोः पुत्रे हते भीष्मे महौजसि। `दुःखार्तास्ते ततो राजन्कुरूणां पतयोऽभवन् ।' अभाव सहसा राजन्कुरुराजस्य तर्कितः
With the invincible son of Shantanu, Bhishma of great might, slain, those lords of the Kurus became stricken with grief, O king; and the sudden downfall of the Kuru king was foreseen.
हतप्रवीरास्तु वयं निकृत्ताश्च शितैः शरैः । कर्तव्यं नाभिजानीमो निर्जिताः सव्यसाचिना
With our heroes slain and ourselves cut down by sharp arrows, defeated by Arjuna, we do not know what ought to be done.
पाणडवाश्च जयं लब्ध्वा परत्र च परां गतिम् । सर्वे दध्युर्महाशङ्खञ्शूराः परिघवाहवः
But the Pandavas, having won victory and attained the highest state hereafter, all rejoiced greatly, those mighty warriors in the clash of arms.
सोमकाश्च सपाञ्चालाः प्राहृष्यन्त जनेश्वर । ततस्तूर्यसहस्रेषु नदत्सु स महाबलः
The Somakas and Panchalas, O lord of men, were filled with joy; then, as thousands of instruments resounded, that mighty Bhima—
आस्फोटयामास भृशं भीमसेनो ननाद च। सेनयोरुभयोश्चापि गाङ्गेये निहते विभौ
—struck his arms forcefully and roared aloud; and in both armies, with the fall of the illustrious son of Ganga—
संन्यस्य विराः शस्त्राणि प्राध्यायन्त समन्ततः । प्राक्रोशन्प्राद्रवंश्चान्ये जग्मुर्मोहं तथाऽपरे
The heroes laid down their weapons and reflected all around; some cried out, some fled, and others fell into confusion.
क्षत्रं चान्येऽभ्यनिन्दन्त भीष्मं चान्येऽभ्यपूजयन्। ऋषयः पितरश्चैव प्रशशसुर्महाव्रतम्
Some censured the kshatriyas, others honored Bhishma; sages and ancestors alike praised the great vow-keeper.
भरतानां च ये पूर्वे ते चैनं प्रशशंसिरे । महोपनिषदं चैव योगमास्थाय विर्यवान्
And those ancient Bharatas also praised him; the mighty one, established in supreme yoga, as in a great Upanishad.
जपञ्शान्तनवो धीमान्कालाकाङ्क्षी स्थितोऽभवत्
The wise son of Shantanu, desiring the appointed time, remained reciting sacred formulas.
कथमासंस्तदा योधा हीना भीष्मेण सञ्जय । बलिना देवकल्पेन कौमारब्रह्मचारिणा
How did the warriors fare then, deprived of Bhishma, O Sanjaya, that mighty one, godlike in strength, steadfast in youthful celibacy?
तदैव निहतान्मन्ये कुरूनन्यांश्च पाण्डवैः । न प्राहरद्यदा भीष्मो घृणित्वाद्द्रुपदात्मजम्
At that very moment, I think, the Kuru warriors and others were struck down by the Pāṇḍavas, when Bhīṣma, out of compassion, did not attack the son of Drupada.
ततो दुःखतरं मन्ये किमन्यत्प्रभविष्यति । अद्यैव निहतं श्रुत्वा पितरं मम दुर्मतेः
What greater sorrow could there be than this, I wonder, that today I have heard my father has been slain because of my folly?
अश्मसारमयं नूनं हृदयं मम सञ्जय । श्रुत्वा विनिहतं भीष्मं शतधा यन्न दीर्यते
Surely, O Sañjaya, my heart must be made of stone, for though I have heard that Bhīṣma has been killed, it does not shatter into a hundred pieces.
यदन्यन्निहतेनाजौ भीष्मेण जयमिच्छता । चेष्टितं कुरुसिंहेन तन्मे कथय सुव्रत
Tell me, O steadfast one, what else was done on the battlefield by Bhīṣma, the lion of the Kurus, who sought victory even as he was struck down?
पुनःपुनर्न मृष्यामि हतं देवव्रतं रणे। न हतो जामदग्न्येन दिव्यैरस्त्रैश्च यः पुरा
Again and again I cannot endure that Devavrata was slain in battle—he who was not defeated before by Rāma, son of Jamadagni, nor by celestial weapons.
सायाह्ने न्यपतद्भूमौ धार्तराष्ट्रान्विषादयन्
In the late afternoon, he fell to the ground, bringing grief to the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra.