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.
पाण्डवाश्च जयं लब्ध्वा संग्रामशिरसि स्थिताः । सर्वे दध्युर्महाशङ्खान्हेमजालपरिष्कृतान्
But the Pāṇḍavas, having won victory and standing at the forefront of battle, all sounded their great conch shells adorned with golden nets.
हर्षात्तूर्यसहस्रेषु वाद्यमानेषु चानघ । अपश्याम महाराज भीमसेनं महाबलम्
And as thousands of instruments played in joy, O sinless one, we saw mighty Bhīmasena, O great king.
विक्रीडमानं कौन्तेयं हर्षेण महता युतम्। निहत्य तरसा शत्रुं महाबलसमन्वितम्
Arjuna, son of Kunti, exulting in great joy, struck down his mighty enemy with force while playing upon the battlefield.
संमोहश्चापि तुमुलः कुरूणामभवत्ततः । कर्णदुर्योधनौ चापि निःश्वसेतां मुहुर्मुहुः
Then a tumultuous confusion arose among the Kurus, and Karna and Duryodhana kept sighing again and again.
तथा निपातिते भीष्मे कौरवाणां पितामहे । हाहाभूतमभूत्सर्वं निर्मर्यादमवर्तत
When Bhishma, the grandsire of the Kauravas, was thus brought down, all became filled with lamentation, and the order of battle was broken.
दृष्ट्वा च पतितं भीष्मं पुत्रो दुःशासनस्तव। उत्तमं जवमास्थाय द्रोणानीकभुपाद्रवत्
Seeing Bhishma fallen, your son Duhshasana, taking up great speed, rushed toward Drona's division.
भ्रात्रा प्रस्थापितो वीरः स्वेनानीकेन दंशितः। प्रययौ पुरुषव्याघ्रः स्वसैन्यमभिहर्षयन्
Urged on by his brother and stung with anger, the heroic tiger among men advanced, uplifting the spirits of his own troops.
तमायान्तमभिप्रेक्ष्य कुरवः पर्यवारयन्। दुःशासनं महाराज किमयं वक्ष्यतीति च
Seeing him approaching, the Kurus surrounded Duhshasana, O King, wondering what he would say.
ततो द्रोणाय निहतं भीष्ममाचष्ट कौरवः । द्रोणस्तदाऽप्रियं श्रुत्वा मुमोह भरतर्षभ
Then Duhshasana informed Drona that Bhishma had been slain; hearing this grievous news, Drona, bull among the Bharatas, was overcome with faintness.
स संज्ञामुपलभ्याशु भारद्वाजः प्रतापवान् । निवारयामास तदा स्वान्यनीकानि मारिष
Regaining consciousness quickly, the mighty son of Bharadvaja then restrained his own divisions, O dear one.