Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच नैषा चेदिपतेर्बुद्धिर्यया त्वाह्वयतेऽच्युतम् नूनमेष जगद्भर्तुः कृष्णस्यैव विनिश्चयः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said The desire, that cause the Chedi king to call you, whose strength deterioration to fight, is hardly is his own wish. knows no This is surely the purpose of Krishna himself, who is the lord of the universe.
को हि मां भीमसेनाद्य क्षितावर्हति पार्थिवः क्षेप्तुं दैवपरीतात्मा यथैष कुलपांसनः
M. N. Dutt: O Bhimasena, what king was there on earth who could abuse me as this wretch of his race, who has been already taken for his own by Death, has done today.
एष ह्यस्य महाबाहो तेजोंशश्च हरेर्ध्रुवम् तमेव पुनरादातुमिच्छत्पृथुयशा हरिः
M. N. Dutt: This mighty armed (hero) is certainly a portion of Hari's (Krishna) energy. The lord (Krishna) wishes to take back to himself his that energy.
येनैष कुरुशार्दूल शार्दूल इव चेदिराट् गर्जत्यतीव दुर्बुद्धिः सर्वानस्मानचिन्तयन्
M. N. Dutt: O best of the Kuru race, for this reason (only) this wicked-minded and tiger like Chedi king roars in this way without caring little for any of us.
वैशंपायन उवाच ततो न ममृषे चैद्यस्तद्भीष्मवचनं तदा उवाच चैनं संक्रुद्धः पुनर्भीष्ममथोत्तरम्
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said Having heard these words of Bhishma, the Chedi king could not brook them. He thus replied to Bhishma in great wrath.
शिशुपाल उवाच द्विषतां नोऽस्तु भीष्मैष प्रभावः केशवस्य यः यस्य संस्तववक्ता त्वं बन्दिवत्सततोत्थितः
M. N. Dutt: Shishupala said O Bhishma, when always rising from your seat you are praising his like a (professional) chaunter, let our enemies possess that prowess which is possessed by this Keshava (Krishna).
संस्तवाय मनो भीष्म परेषां रमते सदा यदि संस्तौषि राज्ञस्त्वमिमं हित्वा जनार्दनम्
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, if your mind takes pleasure in praising others, then praise these kings (present) here, and leave of Janarddana (Krishna).
दरदं स्तुहि बाह्लीकमिमं पार्थिवसत्तमम् जायमानेन येनेयमभवद्दारिता मही
M. N. Dutt: Praise this best of kings Danda, the monarch of Valhika, who, as soon as he was born, rent this earth.
वङ्गाङ्गविषयाध्यक्षं सहस्राक्षसमं बले स्तुहि कर्णमिमं भीष्म महाचापविकर्षणम्
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, praise this Karna, the king of Anga and Banga, who is like Indra in strength, who draws the great bow.
Supplementary Passages:
2.41.9 After 9, N (except K2; Ś1 Ñ1 D4 om. lines 1-2) S (om. lines 3-4) ins. (Cv glosses lines 1-2): *392 यस्येमे कुण्डले दिव्ये सहजे देवनिर्मिते कवचं च महाबाहो बालार्कसदृशप्रभम् वासवप्रतिमो येन जरासंधोऽतिदुर्जयः विजितो बाहुयुद्धेन देहभेदं च लम्भितः G6 ins. here a corrupt line: *393 स्तुहि भीष्मबाहूरु वीरौ च भुवि [वि]श्रुतौ
द्रोणं द्रौणिं च साधु त्वं पितापुत्रौ महारथौ स्तुहि स्तुत्याविमौ भीष्म सततं द्विजसत्तमौ
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, praise always Drona and his son (Ashvathama),who are, both father and son, worthy of praise, who are great carwarriors, and who are best of Brahmanas.
ययोरन्यतरो भीष्म संक्रुद्धः सचराचराम् इमां वसुमतीं कुर्यादशेषामिति मे मतिः
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, it is my opinion that if they are enraged, either of the two can annihilate this earth with all its mobile and immobile creatures.
द्रोणस्य हि समं युद्धे न पश्यामि नराधिपम् अश्वत्थाम्नस्तथा भीष्म न चैतौ स्तोतुमिच्छसि
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, I do not see any king who is equal to Drona or Ashvathama in battle. Why do you not desire to praise them?
शल्यादीनपि कस्मात्त्वं न स्तौषि वसुधाधिपान् स्तवाय यदि ते बुद्धिर्वर्तते भीष्म सर्वदा
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, if your mind is always eager to praise others, why do you not praise Shalya and other rulers of the earth?
किं हि शक्यं मया कर्तुं यद्वृद्धानां त्वया नृप पुरा कथयतां नूनं न श्रुतं धर्मवादिनाम्
M. N. Dutt: O king, what am I capable of doing (giving you good advice) when you have never before heard any thing from the virtuous men who are learned in the precepts of virtue?
आत्मनिन्दात्मपूजा च परनिन्दा परस्तवः अनाचरितमार्याणां वृत्तमेतच्चतुर्विधम्
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, have you not heard that reproach and glorification of self and reproach and glorification of others are not the practices of those who are respectable?
यदस्तव्यमिमं शश्वन्मोहात्संस्तौषि भक्तितः केशवं तच्च ते भीष्म न कश्चिदनुमन्यते
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, there is none who approves your conduct in thus continually praising this Keshava, who is unworthy of any praise; you (surely) do it from ignorance alone.
कथं भोजस्य पुरुषे वर्गपाले दुरात्मनि समावेशयसे सर्वं जगत्केवलकाम्यया
M. N. Dutt: How can you from your desire alone establish the whole universe in this wicked minded slave and cow-heard of Vraja.
अथ वैषा न ते भक्तिः प्रकृतिं याति भारत मयैव कथितं पूर्वं भूलिङ्गशकुनिर्यथा
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Bharata, perhaps your inclination is not conformable to your true nature, like that of the bird Bhulinga, the story of which has been already told by me.
भूलिङ्गशकुनिर्नाम पार्श्वे हिमवतः परे भीष्म तस्याः सदा वाचः श्रूयन्तेऽर्थविगर्हिताः
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, there was a bird, called Bhulinga living on the other side of the Himalayas. His words were always without any meaning.
मा साहसमितीदं सा सततं वाशते किल साहसं चात्मनातीव चरन्ती नावबुध्यते
M. N. Dutt: "Never act rashly” was what he always said, but he never knew that he himself always acted rashly.
सा हि मांसार्गलं भीष्म मुखात्सिंहस्य खादतः दन्तान्तरविलग्नं यत्तदादत्तेऽल्पचेतना
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, that foolish bird used to pick from the lion's mouth the pieces of flesh sticking between its teeth when the lion was engaged in eating.
इच्छतः सा हि सिंहस्य भीष्म जीवत्यसंशयम् तद्वत्त्वमप्यधर्मज्ञ सदा वाचः प्रभाषसे
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, that bird surely lived at the pleasure of the lion. O sinful wretch, you always speak like that bird.
इच्छतां पार्थिवेन्द्राणां भीष्म जीवस्यसंशयम् लोकविद्विष्टकर्मा हि नान्योऽस्ति भवता समः
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, surely you live at the pleasure of these kings. There is none else like you who is engaged in doing things contrary to the opinions of all.
वैशंपायन उवाच ततश्चेदिपतेः श्रुत्वा भीष्मः स कटुकं वचः उवाचेदं वचो राजंश्चेदिराजस्य शृण्वतः
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said O king, having heard these rude and harsh words of the Chedi king, Bhishma spoke thus in the hearing of the king of Chedi.
इच्छतां किल नामाहं जीवाम्येषां महीक्षिताम् योऽहं न गणयाम्येतांस्तृणानीव नराधिपान्
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Truly am I alive at the pleasure of these rulers of earth. But I do not consider these kings as equal to even straws.
एवमुक्ते तु भीष्मेण ततः संचुक्रुधुर्नृपाः केचिज्जहृषिरे तत्र केचिद्भीष्मं जगर्हिरे
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said Having been thus addressed by Bhishma, the kings became full of anger. Some amongst them stood erect and some began to reproach Bhishma.
केचिदूचुर्महेष्वासाः श्रुत्वा भीष्मस्य तद्वचः पापोऽवलिप्तो वृद्धश्च नायं भीष्मोऽर्हति क्षमाम्
M. N. Dutt: Having heard these words of Bhishma, some of these great bowmen said, “This sinful wretch, Bhishma, though old, is exceedingly boastful. He deserves no pardon.
हन्यतां दुर्मतिर्भीष्मः पशुवत्साध्वयं नृपैः सर्वैः समेत्य संरब्धैर्दह्यतां वा कटाग्निना
M. N. Dutt: Therefore, O kings, let this wicked minded Bhishma be killed like an animal, or let us master all together, and let him be burnt in a fire made of straw".
इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा ततः कुरुपितामहः उवाच मतिमान्भीष्मस्तानेव वसुधाधिपान्
M. N. Dutt: Having heard their these words, the grandsire of the Kurus, the intélligent Bhishma, then thus spoke to the kings.
उक्तस्योक्तस्य नेहान्तमहं समुपलक्षये यत्तु वक्ष्यामि तत्सर्वं शृणुध्वं वसुधाधिपाः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said O rulers of earth, I do not see the ends of our speeches, for words may be answered with words. Therefore, listen to what I say.
पशुवद्घातनं वा मे दहनं वा कटाग्निना क्रियतां मूर्ध्नि वो न्यस्तं मयेदं सकलं पदम्
M. N. Dutt: Whether I may be killed by you like an animal or be burnt in a fire made of straw, say, I place my foot on the head of all.
Supplementary Passages:
2.41.31 After 31ab, K1 ins.: *394 एतच्छ्रुत्वा ततो भीष्मस्तेषां पार्थिवसंसदि उवाच वाक्यं धर्मात्मा भीष्मस्तान्क्षत्रियांस्ततः
एष तिष्ठति गोविन्दः पूजितोऽस्माभिरच्युतः यस्य वस्त्वरते बुद्धिर्मरणाय स माधवम्
AI Translation: This is Govinda, the unswerving one, who is worshipped by us. He who is devoted to death, let him worship Madhava.
कृष्णमाह्वयतामद्य युद्धे शार्ङ्गगदाधरम् यावदस्यैव देवस्य देहं विशतु पातितः
AI Translation: "Call out to Krishna, the wielder of the Sharnga bow and mace, in this battle, Until he himself, the Lord, brings down his body."