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.
विनिवृत्तान्कुरून्दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवापि स्वसैनिकान्। रथैः शीघ्राश्वसंयुक्तैः समन्तात्पर्यवारयन्
Seeing the Kurus withdraw, the Pandavas also encircled their own troops on all sides with chariots yoked to swift horses.
निवृत्तेषु च सैन्येषु पारम्पर्येण सर्वशः । निर्मुक्तकवचाः सर्वे भीष्ममीयुर्नराधिपाः
As the armies everywhere withdrew in succession, all the kings, having laid aside their armor, went to Bhishma.
व्युपरम्य ततो युद्धाद्योधाः शतसहस्रशः । उपतस्थुर्महात्मानं प्रजापतिमिवामराः
Then, ceasing from battle, hundreds of thousands of warriors gathered around the great-souled Bhishma, as the immortals would gather around Prajapati.
ते तु भीष्मं समासाद्य शयानं भरतर्षभम् । अभिवाद्यावतिष्ठन्त पाण्डवाः कुरुभिः सह
Approaching Bhishma, who lay fallen, the Pandavas, together with the Kurus, offered their respects and stood by him.
अथ पाण्डून्कुरूंश्चैव प्रणिपत्याग्रतः स्थितान् । अभ्यभाषत धर्मात्मा भीष्मः शान्तनवस्तदा
Then Bhishma, son of Shantanu, righteous in soul, addressed the Pandavas and Kurus, who stood before him after bowing.
स्वागतं वो महाभागाः स्वागतं वो महारथाः । तुष्यामि दर्शनाच्चाहं युष्माकममरोपमाः
"Welcome to you, O greatly fortunate ones! Welcome to you, O mighty chariot-warriors! I am pleased to see you, who are like the immortals."
अभिनन्द्य स तानेवं शिरसा लम्बताऽब्रवीत् । `परपार्श्वे तव सुतान्स्थितानुद्वीक्ष्य भारत।' शिरो मे लम्बतेऽत्यर्थमुपधानं प्रदीयताम्
Having thus greeted them, he spoke with his head hanging low: 'O Bharata, seeing your sons standing on the opposite side, my head droops; let a pillow be brought for me.'
ततो नृपाः समाजह्रुस्तनूनि च मृदूनि च । उपधानानि मुख्यानि नैच्छत्तानि पितामहः
Then the kings brought both soft and excellent pillows, but the grandsire did not accept them.
अथाब्रवीन्नरव्याघ्रः प्रसहन्निव तान्नृपान् । नैतानि वीरशय्यासु युक्तरूपाणि पार्थिवाः
Then the tiger among men, forcefully addressing those kings, said, 'These are not fitting for a warrior's bed, O rulers of the earth.'
ततो वीक्ष्य नरश्रेष्ठमभ्यभाषत पाण्डवम् । धनञ्जयं दीर्घबाहुं सर्वलोकमहारथम्
Then, seeing the best of men, he addressed Pandava Arjuna, long-armed and supreme among all chariot-warriors.