ब्रह्मण्यः सत्त्वयोधी च तेजसा च बलेन च । देवगर्भसमः सङ्ख्ये मनुष्यैरधिको युधि
Devoted to the Brahmanas, a warrior in spirit, and possessing energy and strength, you are like one born of the gods, surpassing men in battle.
व्यपनीतोऽद्य मन्युर्मे यस्त्वां प्रति पुरा कृतः । दैवं पुरुषकारेण न शक्यमतिवर्तितुम्
Today, the anger I once held toward you has been dispelled; fate cannot be overcome by human effort.
सोदर्याः पाण्डवा वीरा भ्रातरस्तेऽरिसूदन। संगच्छ तैर्महाबाहो मम चेदिच्छसि प्रियम्
The valiant Pandavas are your brothers of the same mother, O slayer of foes; join with them, mighty-armed one, if you wish to please me.
मया भवतु निर्वृत्तं वैरमादित्यनन्दन । पृथिव्यां सर्वराजानो भवन्त्वद्य निरामयाः
Let the enmity between us be ended by me, O son of the sun; let all the kings of the earth today be free from affliction.
जानाम्येव महाबाहो सर्वमेतन्न संशयः। यथा वदसि मे भीष्म कौन्तेयोऽहं न सूतजः
I know well, mighty-armed one, all this without doubt; as you say, Bhishma, I am the son of Kunti, not the son of a charioteer.
अवकीर्णस्त्वहं कुन्त्या सूतेन च विवर्धितः। भुक्त्वा दुर्योधनैश्वर्यं न मिथ्या कर्तुमुत्सहे
But I was abandoned by Kunti and raised by a charioteer; having enjoyed Duryodhana’s wealth, I cannot act falsely.
वसुदेवसुतो यद्वत्पाण्डवाय दृढव्रतः । वमु चैव शरीरं च पुत्रदारं तथा यशः
Just as the son of Vasudeva, firm in his vow, gave up his kingdom, body, sons, wife, and fame for the sake of the Pandava,
सर्वं दुर्योधनस्यार्थे त्यक्तं मे भूरिदक्षिण । मा चैतद्व्याधिमरणं क्षत्रं स्यादिति कौरव
So too, for Duryodhana’s sake, I have given up everything, O giver of great gifts; let not the kshatriya order perish by disease or untimely death, O Kaurava.
कोपिताः पाण्डवा नित्यं मयाऽश्रित्य सुयोधनम् । अवश्यभावी ह्यर्थोऽयं यो न शक्यो निवर्तितुम्
The Pandavas, always angered, have taken refuge with Suyodhana through me; this outcome is inevitable and cannot be turned back.
दैवं पुरुषकारेण को विवर्तितुमुत्सहेत्। पृथिवीक्षयसंशीनि निमित्तानि पितामह
Who can overturn fate by human effort? The omens of the earth’s destruction are clear, O grandsire.
भवद्भिरुपलब्धानि कथितानि च संसदि । पाण्डवा वासुदेवश्च विदिता मम सर्वशः
These have been observed and spoken of by you all in the assembly; the Pandavas and Vasudeva are fully known to me.
अजेयाः पुरुषैरन्यैरिति तंश्चोत्सहामहे। विजयिष्ये रणे पाण्डूनिति मे निश्चितः मनः
Though they are said to be invincible by other men, still I am resolved to fight and defeat the Pandavas in battle.
न च शक्यमवस्रष्टुं वैरमेतत्सुदारुणम् । धनंजयेन योत्स्येऽहं स्वधर्मप्रीतमानसः
Nor can this terrible enmity be abandoned; I will fight with Dhananjaya, my mind devoted to my own duty.
अनुजानीष्व मां तात युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयम् । अनुज्ञातस्त्वया वीर युध्येयमिति मे मतिः
Permit me, father, for I am resolved on battle; with your leave, O hero, I shall fight—such is my decision.
दुरुक्तं विप्रतीपं वा रभसाच्चापलात्तथा । यन्मयेह कृतं किंचित्तन्मे त्वं क्षन्तुमर्हसि
Whatever harsh or improper words I have spoken here, out of haste or recklessness, I ask you to forgive me for them.
न चेच्छक्यमवस्रष्टुं वैरमेतत्सुदारुणम्। अनुजानामि कर्ण त्वां युध्यस्व स्वर्गकाम्यया
Since this terrible enmity cannot be abandoned, I permit you, Karna—fight, seeking heaven.
निर्मन्युर्गतसंरम्भः कृतकर्मा रणे स्म ह। यथाशक्ति यथोत्साहं सतां वृत्तेषु वृत्तवान्
Without pride, free from anger, having fulfilled his duty in battle, he acted according to his ability and enthusiasm, following the conduct of the virtuous.
अहं त्वामनुजानामि यदिच्छसि तदाप्नुहि । क्षत्रधर्मजिताँल्लोकानवाप्स्यसि धनंजयात्
I permit you—attain whatever you desire; by upholding the duty of a warrior, you will gain worlds from Dhananjaya.
युध्यस्व निरहंकारो बलवीर्यव्यपाश्रयः । धर्म्याद्धि युद्धादधिकं क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते
Fight without ego, relying on strength and valor; for a Kshatriya, there is nothing greater than a righteous battle.
प्रशमे हि कृतो यत्नः सुमहान्सुचिरं मया। न चैव शकितः कर्तुं यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः
I made a great and long effort for peace, but it could not be accomplished; where there is righteousness, there is victory.
इत्युक्तवति गाङ्गेये अभिवाद्योपमन्त्र्य च। राधेयो रथमारुह्य प्रायात्तव सुतं प्रति
When Bhishma had spoken thus, Karna, having offered respect and taken leave, mounted his chariot and went toward your son.
इत्येतद्बहुवृत्तान्तं भीष्मपर्वाखिलं मया। शृण्वते ते महाराज प्रोक्तं पापहरं शुभम्
Thus, O great king, I have recounted to you the entire Bhishma Parva, full of many events, auspicious and destroying sin.
यः श्रावयेत्सदा राजन्ब्राह्मणान्वेदपारगान् । श्रद्धावन्तश्च ये चापि श्रोष्यन्ति मनुजा भुवि
Whoever causes learned Brahmins, versed in the Vedas, to hear this, and those faithful men who listen on earth,
विधूय सर्वपापानि विहायान्ते कलेवरम् । प्रयान्ति तत्पदं विष्णोर्यत्प्राप्य न निवर्तते
Having cast off all sins and left the body at the end, they attain that abode of Vishnu from which there is no return.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन भारतं भरतर्षभ। शृणुयात्सिद्धिमन्विच्छन्निह वामुत्र मानवः
Therefore, O best of Bharatas, with all effort, one seeking success should listen to the Bharata, here or hereafter.
भोजनं भोजयेद्विप्रान्गन्धमाल्यैरलङ्कृतान् । भीष्मपर्वणि राजेन्द्र दद्यात्पानीयमुत्तमम्
One should feed Brahmins adorned with fragrant garlands, and, O king, offer excellent water during the Bhishma Parva.
पतिते भरतश्रेष्ठे बभूव कुरुवाहिनी। द्यौरिवापेतनक्षत्रा हीनं खमिव वायुना
When the best of the Bharatas fell, the Kuru army became like the sky bereft of stars, or the heavens emptied by the wind.
विपन्नसस्येव मही वाक्चैवासंस्कृता यथा। आसुरीव यथा सेना निगृहीते नृपे बलौ
The earth was like a field whose crops had failed, speech like unrefined words, and the army like demons when their lord is subdued.
विधवेव वारारोहा शुष्कतोयेव निम्नगा। वृकैरिव वने रुद्धा पृषती हतयूथपा
Like a widow bereft of her husband, a river with dried-up water, or a herd of deer blocked in the forest after their leader is slain.
शरभाऽऽहतसिंहेव महती गिरिकन्दरा। सा सेना भरतश्रेष्ठे पतिते जाह्नवीसुते
Like a great mountain cave after the lion has been struck down by a sharabha, so was that army when the best of the Bharatas, the son of Jahnavi, had fallen.