उच्चैश्श्रवः समाधत्स्व प्रतिज्ञां जनसंसदि। ऋषयो वाथ वा देवा भूतान्यन्तर्हितानि च
Proclaim your vow aloud in the assembly, whether sages, gods, or hidden beings are present.
यानि यानीह शृण्वन्तु नास्ति वक्तास्य मत्समः।' दाशराज निबोधेदं वचनं मे नृपोत्तम
Let all who are here listen—whatever beings there are; there is no one equal to me in speaking for him. O king of the fishermen, attend to my word.
शृण्वतां भूमिपालानां यद्ब्रवीमि पितुः कृते। राज्यं तावत्पूर्वमेव मया त्यक्तं नराधिपाः
In the hearing of the assembled kings, I declare what I say for my father’s sake: I have already renounced the kingdom, O lords of men.
अपत्यहेतोरपि च करिष्येऽद्य विनिश्चयम्। अद्यप्रभृति मे दाश ब्रह्मचर्यं भविष्यति
Even for the sake of offspring, today I make this resolve: from this day forth, O fisherman, I will observe celibacy.
अपुत्रस्यापि मे लोका भविष्यन्त्यक्षया दिवि। `न हि जन्मप्रभृत्युक्तं मया किंचिदिहानृतम्
Even without a son, my worlds in heaven will remain undiminished; for from birth I have never spoken a falsehood here.
यावत्प्राणा ध्रियन्ते वै मम देहं समाश्रिताः। तावन्न जनयिष्यामि पित्रे कन्यां प्रयच्छ मे
As long as life remains in my body, I shall not beget a child; give me the maiden for my father.
परित्यजाम्यहं राज्यं मैथुनं चापि सर्वशः। ऊर्ध्वरेता भविष्यामि दाश सत्यं ब्रवीमि ते
I renounce the kingdom and all sexual union entirely; I shall remain ever-celibate. O fisherman, I speak the truth to you.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा संप्रहृष्टतनूरुहः। ददानीत्येव तं दाशो धर्मात्मा प्रत्यभाषत
Hearing these words, his hair standing on end with joy, the righteous fisherman replied, 'I will give her.'
ततोन्तरिक्षेऽप्सरसो देवाः सर्षिगणास्तदा। `तद्दृष्टा दुष्करं कर्म प्रशशंसुश्च पार्थिवाः
Then in the sky, the Apsaras, gods, and hosts of sages, and the kings who witnessed that difficult deed, praised him.
अभ्यवर्षन्त कुसुमैर्भीष्मोऽयमिति चाब्रुवन्। ततः स पितुरर्थाय तामुवाच यशस्विनीम्
They showered flowers and said, 'He is Bhishma!' Then, for his father's sake, he spoke to the illustrious maiden.
अधिरोह रथं मातर्गच्छावः स्वगृहानिति। एवमुक्त्वा तु भीष्मस्तां रथमारोप्य भामिनीं
Climb into the chariot, Mother, let us go to our home—thus speaking, Bhishma placed the radiant lady upon the chariot.
आगम्य हास्तिनपुरं शान्तनोः संन्यवेदयत्। तस्य तद्दुष्करं कर्म प्रशशंसुर्नाराधिपाः
Arriving at Hastinapura, he informed Shantanu of all that had happened; the kings praised that difficult deed of his.
समेताश्च पृथक्चैव भीष्मोयमिति चाब्रुवन्। तच्छ्रुत्वा दुष्करं कर्म कृतं भीष्मेण शान्तनुः
Gathered together and separately, they said, 'This is Bhishma.' Hearing of that difficult act accomplished by Bhishma,
बभूव दुःखितो राजा चिररात्राय भारत। स तेन कर्मणा सूनोः प्रीतस्तस्मै वरं ददौ
King Shantanu became sorrowful for many days and nights, O Bharata; yet, pleased by his son's deed, he granted him a boon.
स्वच्छन्दमरणं तुष्टो ददौ तस्मै महात्मने। न ते मृत्युः प्रभविता यावज्जीवितुमिच्छसि
Pleased, he gave that great-souled one the boon of choosing his own time of death: 'Death shall not overpower you as long as you wish to live.'
त्वत्तो ह्यनुज्ञां संप्राप्य मृत्युः प्रभविताऽनघ
'Only upon receiving your permission, O sinless one, shall death have power over you.'
चेदिराजसुतां ज्ञात्वा दाशराजेन वर्धिताम्। विवाहं कारयामास शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा
Knowing that the daughter of the king of Chedi had been raised by the fisherman-king, he arranged her marriage according to scriptural rites.
ततो विवाहे निर्वृत्ते स राजा शान्तनुर्नृपः। तां कन्यां रूपसंपन्नां स्वगृहे संन्यवेशयत्
After the marriage was completed, King Shantanu settled that beautiful maiden in his own house.
ततः शान्तनवो धीमान्सत्यवत्यामजायत। वीरश्चित्राङ्गदो नाम वीर्यवान्पुरुषेश्वरः
Then, from Satyavati, the wise Shantanu had a son named Chitrangada, a heroic and mighty lord among men.
अथापरं महेष्वासं सत्यवत्यां सुतं प्रभुः। विचित्रवीर्यं राजानं जनयामास वीर्यवान्
And then, from Satyavati, the powerful king begot another son, a great archer named Vichitravirya.
अप्राप्तवति तस्मिंस्तु यौवनं पुरुषर्षभे। स राजा शान्तनुर्धीमान्कालधर्ममुपेयिवान्
Before that best of men, Vichitravirya, had reached adulthood, the wise King Shantanu departed according to the law of time.
स्वर्गते शान्तनौ भीष्मश्चित्राङ्गदमरिन्दनम्। स्थापयामास वै राज्ये सत्यवत्या मते स्थितः
When Shantanu had gone to heaven, Bhishma, following Satyavati's counsel, installed Chitrangada, the subduer of foes, on the throne.
स तु चित्राङ्गदः शौर्यात्सर्वांश्चिक्षेप पार्थिवान्। मनुष्यं न हि मेन स कंचित्सदृशमात्मनः
But Chitrangada, because of his valor, challenged all the kings; among men, he considered no one his equal.
तं क्षिपन्तं सुरांश्चैव मनुष्यानसुरांस्तथा। गन्धर्वराजो बलवांस्तुल्यनामाऽभ्ययात्तदा
As he challenged gods, men, and asuras, the powerful king of the Gandharvas, bearing the same name, came to him.
त्वं वै सदृशनामासि युद्धं देहि नृपात्मज। नाम वाऽन्यत्प्रगृह्णीष्व यदि युद्धं न दास्यसि
'You bear the same name as I; give me battle, prince. Or else, if you will not fight, take another name.'
त्वयाहं युद्धमिच्छामि त्वत्सकाशं तु नामतः। आगतोस्मि वृथाऽऽभाष्य न गच्छेन्नाम ते मम
'I desire battle with you, and have come to you for that reason. If you refuse, my name shall not remain yours.'
इत्युक्त्वा गर्जमानौ तौ हिरण्वत्यास्तटं गतौ'। तेनास्य सुमहद्युद्धं कुरुक्षेत्रे बभूव ह
Thus, after these roaring words, the two went to the bank of the Hiranyavati; there, a great battle took place in Kurukshetra.
तयोर्बलवतोस्तत्र गन्धर्वकुरुमुख्ययोः। नद्यास्तीरे हिरण्वत्याः समास्तिस्रोऽभवद्रणः
There, on the bank of the Hiranyavati, three fierce combats occurred between those two mighty warriors—the Gandharva and the foremost of the Kurus.
तस्मिन्विमर्दे तुमुले शस्त्रवर्षसमाकुले। मायाधिकोऽवधीद्वीरं गन्धर्वः कुरुसत्तमम्
In that tumultuous clash, filled with a rain of weapons, the Gandharva, endowed with magical power, slew the heroic Kuru chief.
स हत्वा तु नरश्रेष्ठं चित्राङ्गदमरिन्दमम्। अन्ताय कृत्वा गन्धर्वो दिवमाचक्रमे ततः
Having slain the foremost of men, Citrāṅgada, subduer of foes, the Gandharva, having accomplished his purpose, then ascended to heaven.