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.
पाञ्चालान्हर्षयंश्चैव भीष्मः कुरुपितामहः । स शेते शरतल्पस्थो मेदिनीमस्पृशंस्तदा
And bringing joy to the Pāñcālas as well, Bhīṣma, the grandsire of the Kurus, lay then upon a bed of arrows, not touching the earth.
भीष्मो रथात्प्रपतितः संछिन्नो बहुभिः शरैः । हाहेति तुमुलः शब्दो भूतानां समपद्यत
Bhīṣma, cut down by many arrows, fell from his chariot; and a tumultuous cry of 'Alas!' arose among all beings.
सीमावृक्षे निपतिते कुरूणां समितिंजये । सेनयोरुभयो राजन्क्षत्रियान्भयमाविशत्
When that boundary tree of the Kurus, the conqueror in battle, had fallen, fear seized the warriors of both armies, O King.
भीष्मं शान्तनवं दृष्ट्वा विशीर्णकवचध्वजम् । कुरवः पर्यवर्तन्त पाण्डवाश्च विशांपते
Seeing Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu, with his armor and banner shattered, both the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas withdrew, O lord of men.
खं तमःसंवृतमभूदासीद्भानुर्गतप्रभः । ररास पृथिवी चैव भीष्मे शान्तनवे हते
The sky became covered in darkness, the sun lost its brilliance, and the earth itself trembled when Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu, was slain.
अयं ब्रह्मविदां श्रेष्ठो गतिर्ब्रह्मविदां सदा। इत्यभाषन्त भूतानि शयानं पुरुषर्षभम्
‘This one is the foremost among knowers of Brahman, the eternal refuge of those who know Brahman,’ thus spoke the beings, seeing the best of men lying there.
अयं पितरमाज्ञाय कामार्तं शन्तनुं पुरा । ऊर्ध्वरेतसमात्मानं चकार पुरुषर्षभः
This man, long ago, knowing his father Śantanu was overcome by desire, made himself one of pure vows, restraining his seed, O best of men.
इति स्म शरतल्पस्थं भरतानां पितामहम् । ऋषयस्त्वभ्यभाषन्त सहिताः सिद्धचारणैः
Thus did the sages, together with the perfected ones and celestial singers, speak to the grandsire of the Bharatas as he lay upon his bed of arrows.
हते शान्तनवे भीष्मे भरतानां पितामहे । न किंचित्प्रत्यपद्यन्त पुत्रास्तव हि मारिष
When Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu and grandsire of the Bharatas, was slain, your sons, O Māriṣa, did not gain anything at all.
विषण्णवदनाश्चासन्हतश्रीकाश्च भारत । अतिष्ठन्व्रीडिताश्चैव ह्रिया युक्ता ह्यधोमुखाः
Their faces cast down, their splendor destroyed, the Bharatas stood there, ashamed, their heads lowered in modesty.