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.
वासितामनुसंप्राप्तो यूथपो बलिनां वरः। स्त्रीकामस्तिष्ठतिष्ठेति भीष्ममाह स पार्थिवः
The leader of the strong, following the scent, caught up; desiring the woman, the king called out to Bhishma, 'Stop, stop!'
साल्वराजो महाबाहुरमर्षेण प्रचोदितः। ततः स पुरुषव्याघ्रो भीष्मः परबलार्दनः
The king of Shalva, mighty-armed and driven by anger, thus challenged Bhishma, the tiger among men and destroyer of enemy hosts.
तद्वाक्याकुलितः क्रोधाद्विधूमोग्निरिव ज्वलन्। विततेषुधनुष्पाणिर्विकुञ्चितललाटभृत्
Agitated by those words, Bhishma blazed with anger like a smokeless fire, grasping his stretched bow, his brow furrowed.
क्षत्रधर्मं समास्थाय व्यपेतभयसंभ्रमः। निवर्तयामास रथं साल्वं प्रति महारथः
Embracing the duty of a warrior, free from fear or confusion, the great chariot-warrior turned his chariot back toward Shalva.
निवर्तमानं तं दृष्ट्वा राजानः सर्व एव ते। प्रेक्षकाः समपद्यन्त भीष्मसाल्वसमागमे
Seeing him turn back, all the kings there became spectators of the encounter between Bhishma and Shalva.
तौ वृषाविव नर्दन्तौ बलिनौ वासितान्तरे। अन्योन्यमभिवर्तेतां बलविक्रमशालिनौ
Like two roaring bulls in the midst of the herd, those two mighty and valorous warriors advanced upon each other, displaying their strength and prowess.
ततो भीष्मं शान्तनवं शरैः शतसहस्रशः। साल्वराजो नरश्रेष्ठः समवाकिरदाशुगैः
Then, O best of men, the king of Shalva showered Bhishma, son of Shantanu, with hundreds of thousands of swift arrows.
पूर्वमभ्यर्दितं दृष्ट्वा भीष्मं साल्वेन ते नृपाः। विस्मिताः समपद्यन्त साधुसाध्विति चाब्रुवन्
Seeing Bhishma first pressed hard by Shalva, the kings were astonished and exclaimed, 'Well done! Well done!'
लाघवं तस्य ते दृष्ट्वा समरे सर्वपार्थिवाः। अपूजयन्त संहृष्टा वाग्भिः साल्वं नराधिपम्
Witnessing his swiftness in battle, all the kings, delighted, praised King Shalva with words of admiration.
क्षत्रियाणां ततो वाचः श्रुत्वा परपुञ्जयः। क्रुद्धः शान्तनवो भीष्मस्तिष्ठतिष्ठेत्यभाषत
Hearing the words of the Kshatriyas, the subduer of enemies, Bhishma, son of Shantanu, angered, called out, 'Stop! Stop!'
सारथिं चाब्रवीत्क्रुद्धो याहि यत्रैष पार्थिवः। यावदेनं निहन्म्यद्य भुजङ्गमिव पक्षिराट्
Enraged, he said to his charioteer, 'Drive to where that king is; today I will slay him, as the king of birds slays a serpent.'
ततोऽस्त्रं वारुणं सम्यग्योजयामास कौरवः। तेनाश्वांश्चतुरोऽमृद्गात्साल्वराजस्य भूपते
Then the Kaurava properly invoked the Varuna weapon, and with it, struck down the four horses of King Shalva.
अस्त्रैरस्त्राणि संवार्य साल्वराजस्य कौरवः। भीष्मो नृपतिशार्दूल न्यवधीत्तस्य सारथिम्
The Kaurava, Bhishma, tiger among kings, countered the weapons of the king of Salva with his own, and struck down his charioteer.
अस्त्रेण चास्याथैन्द्रेण न्यवधीत्तुरगोत्तमान्। कन्याहेतोर्नरश्रेष्ठ भीष्मः शान्तनवस्तदा
Then Bhishma, son of Shantanu, best of men, using the Indra weapon, struck down the excellent horses for the sake of the maiden.
जित्वा विसर्जयामास जीवन्तं नृपसत्तमम्। ततः साल्वः स्वनगरं प्रययौ भरतर्षभ
Having conquered, he released the best of kings alive; then Salva returned to his own city, bull among the Bharatas.
स्वराज्यमन्वशाच्चैव धर्मेण नृपतिस्तदा। राजानो ये च तत्रासन्स्वयंवरदिदृक्षवः
At that time, the king, following righteousness, resumed his own kingdom, as did the other kings who had come to witness the svayamvara.
स्वान्येव तेऽपि राष्ट्राणि जग्मुः परपुरञ्जयाः। एवं विजित्य ताः कन्या भीष्मः प्रहरतां वरः
Those conquerors of other cities also returned to their own realms; thus, having won the maidens, Bhishma, foremost of warriors,
प्रययौ हास्तिनपुरं यत्र राजा स कौरवः। विचित्रवीर्यो धर्मात्मा प्रशास्ति वसुधामिमाम्
Set out for Hastinapura, where the Kaurava king, righteous Vicitravirya, rules this earth.
यथा पितास्य कौरव्यः शान्तनुर्नृपसत्तमः। सोऽचिरेणैव कालेन अत्यक्रामन्नराधिप
Just as his father Shantanu, best of kings, had done, so did that lord of men in a short time.
वनानि सरितश्चैव शैलांश्च विनिधान्द्रुमान्। अक्षतः क्षपयित्वाऽरीन्सङ्ख्येऽसङ्ख्येयविक्रमः
Having subdued forests, rivers, mountains, and treasuries of trees, unharmed, he destroyed his foes in battle, his valor immeasurable.