सोद्वेगा इव तं दृष्ट्वा कन्याः परमशोभनाः। अपाक्रामन्त ताः सर्वा वृद्ध इत्येव चिन्तया
Seeing him, all those supremely beautiful maidens, anxious, withdrew, thinking only that he was old.
वृद्धः परमधर्मात्मा वलीपलितधारणः। किकारणमिहायातो निर्लज्जो भरतर्षभः
Old, supremely righteous, bearing wrinkles and gray hair—what reason has this bull among the Bharatas come here, shamelessly?
मिथ्याप्रतिज्ञो लोकेषु किं वदिष्यति भारत। ब्रह्मचारीति भीष्मो हि वृथैव प्रथितो भुवि
What will people say in the world of Bhīṣma, who is falsely renowned as a celibate? In vain is he so proclaimed on earth.
क्षत्रियाणां वचः श्रुत्वा भीष्मश्चुक्रोध भारत
Hearing the words of the Kṣatriyas, Bhīṣma became angry, O Bhārata.
भीष्मस्तदा स्वयं कन्या वरयामास ताः प्रभुः। उवाच च महीपालान्राजञ्जलदनिःस्वनः
Then Bhīṣma himself chose those maidens, and, like the roar of thunder, addressed the assembled kings, O king.
रथमारोप्य ताः कन्या भीष्मः प्रहरतां वरः। आहूय दानं कन्यानां गुणवद्भ्यः स्मृतं बुधैः
Bhīṣma, best among warriors, placed those maidens on his chariot, declaring that the giving of maidens to the worthy is praised by the wise.
अलङ्कृत्य यथाशक्ति प्रदाय च धनान्यपि। प्रयच्छन्त्यपरे कन्यां मिथुनेन गवामपि
Adorning her as best they can and giving wealth as well, some give the maiden, even with a pair of cows.
वित्तेन कथितेनान्ये बलेनान्येऽनुमान्य च। प्रमत्तामुपयन्त्यन्ये स्वयमन्ये च विन्दते
Some obtain her by the declared price, others by force, with consent; others approach her when she is careless, and some win her by their own effort.
आर्षं विधिं पुरस्कृत्य दारान्विन्दन्ति चापरे। अष्टमं तमथो वित्त विवाहं कविभिर्वृतम्
Others, following the Ṛṣa marriage rite, obtain wives; the eighth, the wealth-marriage, is approved by the wise.
स्वयंवरं तु राजन्याः प्रशंसन्त्युपयान्ति च। प्रमथ्य तु हृतामाहुर्ज्यायसीं धर्मवादिनः
The royal class praises and accepts svayaṃvara; but the righteous declare that seizing her by force is the highest.
ता इमाः पृथिवीपाला जिहीर्षामि बलादितः। ते यतध्वं परं शक्त्या विजयायेतराय वा
These are the ways, O rulers of the earth, by which I wish to take her, by strength; so strive with all your power, to win or be defeated.
एवमुक्त्वा महीपालान्काशिराजं च वीर्यवान्
Having spoken thus to the kings and to the powerful king of Kāśi—
सर्वाः कन्याः स कौरव्यो रथमारोप्य च स्वकम्। आमन्त्र्य च स तान्प्रायाच्छीघ्रं कन्याः प्रगृह्य ताः
That Kaurava, having placed all the maidens on his own chariot, and taking leave of them, swiftly departed, seizing the maidens.
ततस्ते पार्थिवाः सर्वे समुत्पेतुरमर्षिताः। संस्पृशन्तः स्वकान्बाहून्दशन्तो दशनच्छदान्
Then all those kings, enraged, sprang up, grasping their own arms and biting their lips in fury.
तेषामाभरणान्याशु त्वरितानां विमुञ्चताम्। आमुञ्चतां च वर्माणि संभ्रमः सुमहानभूत्
As they hurriedly donned their ornaments and armor, a great confusion arose among them.
ताराणामिव संपातो बभूव जनमेजय। भूषणानां च सर्वेषां कवचानां च सर्वशः
There was a tumult like the gathering of stars, O Janamejaya, as all their ornaments and armor were scattered everywhere.
सवर्मभिर्भूषणैश्च प्रकीर्यद्बिरितस्ततः। सक्रोधामर्षजिह्मभ्रूकषायीकृतलोचनाः
With armor and ornaments strewn about, their eyes reddened with anger, brows furrowed in wrath and indignation—
सूतोपक्लृप्तान् रुचिरान्सदश्वैरुपकल्पितान्। रथानास्थाय ते वीराः सर्वप्रहरणान्विताः
Those heroes mounted splendid chariots, prepared by charioteers and yoked with fine horses, equipped with all weapons.
प्रयान्तमथ कौरव्यमनुसस्रुरुदायुधाः। ततः समभवद्युद्धं तेषां तस्य च भारत। एकस्य च बहूनां च तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम्
Then, armed with weapons, they pursued the Kaurava as he departed; there arose a tumultuous and hair-raising battle between him and the many kings, O Bhārata.
ते त्विषून्दशसाहस्रांस्तस्मिन्युगपदाक्षिपन्। अप्राप्तांश्चैव तानाशु भीष्मः सर्वांस्तथाऽन्तरा
They simultaneously hurled ten thousand arrows at him; but before they could reach him, Bhīṣma intercepted them all.
अच्छिनच्छरवर्षेण महता लोमवाहिना। ततस्ते पार्थिवाः सर्वे सर्वतः परिवार्य तम्
He cut them down with a great, bristling shower of arrows; then all the kings surrounded him from every side.
ववृषुः शरवर्षेण वर्षेणेवाद्रिमम्बुदाः। स तं बाणमयं वर्षं शरैरावार्य सर्वतः
They poured down a rain of arrows upon him, like clouds upon a mountain; but he blocked that arrow-rain completely with his own arrows.
ततः सर्वान्महीपालान्पर्यविध्यत्त्रिभिस्त्रिभिः। एकैकस्तु ततो भीष्मं राजन्विव्याध पञ्चभिः
Then he pierced all the kings with three arrows each; and each one, O king, struck Bhīṣma with five arrows.
स च तान्प्रतिविव्याध द्वाभ्यां द्वाभ्यां पराक्रमन्। तद्युद्धमासीत्तुमुलं घोरं देवासुरोपमम्
He, in turn, struck them back with two arrows each, showing his prowess; that battle was tumultuous and terrible, like the conflict between gods and demons.
पश्यतां लोकवीराणां शरशक्तिसमाकुलम्। स धनूंषि ध्वजाग्राणि वर्माणि च शिरांसि
Before the eyes of the heroes of the world, Bhishma cut down bows, the crests of standards, armor, and heads, all thick with arrows and spears.
चिच्छेद समरे भीष्मः शतशोथ सहस्रशः। तस्यातिपुरुषं कर्म लाघवं रथचारिणः
In battle, Bhishma shattered hundreds and thousands of them; such was the extraordinary feat and swiftness of that chariot-warrior.
रक्षणं चात्मनः संख्ये शत्रवोऽप्यभ्यपूजयन्। `अक्षतः क्षपयित्वान्यानसङ्ख्येयपराक्रमः
Even his enemies honored his defense of himself in battle, for after destroying countless others, he remained unscathed, possessing immeasurable valor.
आनिनाय स काश्यस्य सुताः सागरगासुतः।' तान्विनिर्जित्य तु रणे सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः
Then, the son of the king of Kashi was brought by the son of the ocean-going king; having conquered them all in battle, the foremost among wielders of weapons—
कन्याभिः सहितः प्रायाद्भारतो भारतान्प्रति। ततस्तं पृष्ठतो राजञ्शाल्वराजो महारथः
Together with the maidens, Bhishma set out toward the Bharatas; then, O King, the mighty king of Shalva followed him from behind.
अभ्यगच्छदमेयात्मा भीष्मं शान्तनवं रणे। वारणं जघने भिन्दन्दन्ताभ्यामपरो यथा
The indomitable king of Shalva approached Bhishma, son of Shantanu, in battle, like another elephant breaking the rear of a rival with its tusks.