Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच समुद्यतोऽयं भारो मे सुमहान्सागरोपमः धार्तराष्ट्रस्य संग्रामे वर्षपूगाभिचिन्तितः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said The great burden (the impending fight) vast as the ocean is ready to fall on me, a calamity which I had foreseen for a series of years,
तस्मिन्नभ्यागते काले प्रतप्ते लोमहर्षणे मिथोभेदो न मे कार्यस्तेन जीवसि सूतज
M. N. Dutt: Now is come that time, that fight the result of which makes our hairs stand on end. It is not my concern to create dispute among ourselves. It is for this that you now live, O you born of a Suta.
न ह्यहं नाद्य विक्रम्य स्थविरोऽपि शिशोस्तव युद्धश्रद्धां रणे छिन्द्यां जीवितस्य च सूतज
M. N. Dutt: For though I am now aged and you but young I shall rend asunder your desire for battle and that of your own life, O you born of a Suta.
जामदग्न्येन रामेण महास्त्राणि प्रमुञ्चता न मे व्यथाभवत्काचित्त्वं तु मे किं करिष्यसि
M. N. Dutt: The weapons hurled at me by Rama the son of Jamadagni did not pain me, What can you do to me then?
कामं नैतत्प्रशंसन्ति सन्तोऽऽत्मबलसंस्तवम् वक्ष्यामि तु त्वां संतप्तो निहीन कुलपांसन
M. N. Dutt: Good men do not approve of this praise of one's own might. I speak thus (on this occasion) for I have lost my temper O vile one; the stain of your family.
समेतं पार्थिवं क्षत्रं काशिराज्ञः स्वयंवरे निर्जित्यैकरथेनैव यत्कन्यास्तरसा हृताः
M. N. Dutt: In the election of a bridegroom by the daughters of Kashiraja, I, after defeating all the rulers of the earth united together, took away those girls by force.
ईदृशानां सहस्राणि विशिष्टानामथो पुनः मयैकेन निरस्तानि ससैन्यानि रणाजिरे
M. N. Dutt: Thousands of such kings, well known names too, along with their armies, were stopped in the battle by me alone.
त्वां प्राप्य वैरपुरुषं कुरूणामनयो महान् उपस्थितो विनाशाय यतस्व पुरुषो भव
M. N. Dutt: Having come across yourself, an illustrated man, the Kurus have come upon a great disaster; try to mete out destruction and be a man.
युध्यस्व पार्थं समरे येन विस्पर्धसे सह द्रक्ष्यामि त्वां विनिर्मुक्तमस्माद्युद्धात्सुदुर्मते
M. N. Dutt: In the battle, fight with son of Pritha, whom you are now challenging and I sha'l see how you escape out of that fight, O you of exceedingly wicked intelligence."
संजय उवाच तमुवाच ततो राजा धार्तराष्ट्रो महामनाः मामवेक्षस्व गाङ्गेय कार्यं हि महदुद्यतम्
M. N. Dutt: Then did the royal son of Dhritarashtra, endued with fame say to him, Look to me, O son of Ganga; the task which has devolved on you is great.
चिन्त्यतामिदमेवाग्रे मम निःश्रेयसं परम् उभावपि भवन्तौ मे महत्कर्म करिष्यतः
M. N. Dutt: Think with your entire heart of my interests; both of you will do great deeds for me.
भूयश्च श्रोतुमिच्छामि परेषां रथसत्तमान् ये चैवातिरथास्तत्र तथैव रथयूथपाः
M. N. Dutt: Again do I desire to hear about the best of the car-warriors of the enemy, those who are Atirathas in that side and those that can lead numbers of chariots.
बलाबलममित्राणां श्रोतुमिच्छामि कौरव प्रभातायां रजन्यां वै इदं युद्धं भविष्यति
M. N. Dutt: O son of Kuru, I desire to hear of the strength and weakness of the enemies for the fight is to take place at the dawn of night.”
भीष्म उवाच एते रथास्ते संख्यातास्तथैवातिरथा नृप ये चाप्यर्धरथा राजन्पाण्डवानामतः शृणु
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said These are the notable Rathas and Atirathas on your side, O ruler of men, and these, o king, are semi-Rathas; listen now to those of the Pandavas.
यदि कौतूहलं तेऽद्य पाण्डवानां बले नृप रथसंख्यां महाबाहो सहैभिर्वसुधाधिपैः
M. N. Dutt: If you have now any curiosity to learn of the strength of the Pandavas, O ruler of men, then listen to the list of their Rathas along with these rulers of the earth.
स्वयं राजा रथोदारः पाण्डवः कुन्तिनन्दनः अग्निवत्समरे तात चरिष्यति न संशयः
M. N. Dutt: The king, the son of Pandu and the delight of Kunti, is himself a mighty Ratha; and my dear son, he will roam about in the battle like fire itself; there in no doubt.
भीमसेनस्तु राजेन्द्र रथोऽष्टगुणसंमितः नागायुतबलो मानी तेजसा न स मानुषः
AI Translation: O lord of kings, Bhimasena's chariot was eight times the size of the others. He was as strong as ten thousand elephants, proud, and not human in his splendor.
Supplementary Passages:
5.166.17 After 17ab, B2 Dn ins.: *567 न तस्यास्ति समो युद्धे गदया सायकैरपि
माद्रीपुत्रौ तु रथिनौ द्वावेव पुरुषर्षभौ अश्विनाविव रूपेण तेजसा च समन्वितौ
AI Translation: The two sons of Madri, the two charioteers, the two bulls among men, endowed with beauty and splendor like the two Ashvins,
एते चमूमुखगताः स्मरन्तः क्लेशमात्मनः रुद्रवत्प्रचरिष्यन्ति तत्र मे नास्ति संशयः
AI Translation: Those who are at the head of the army, remembering the suffering of themselves, will behave like Rudra, there is no doubt about it.
सर्व एव महात्मानः शालस्कन्धा इवोद्गताः प्रादेशेनाधिकाः पुम्भिरन्यैस्ते च प्रमाणतः
AI Translation: All of them were great souls, rising like the branches of a śāla tree. They were taller than other men by a span, and they were so by measure.
सिंहसंहननाः सर्वे पाण्डुपुत्रा महाबलाः चरितब्रह्मचर्याश्च सर्वे चातितपस्विनः
AI Translation: All the sons of Pandu were strong like lions, all of them had practiced celibacy and were great ascetics.
ह्रीमन्तः पुरुषव्याघ्रा व्याघ्रा इव बलोत्कटाः जवे प्रहारे संमर्दे सर्व एवातिमानुषाः सर्वे जितमहीपाला दिग्जये भरतर्षभ
AI Translation: They were courageous, like tigers among men, like tigers in their strength. In speed, in striking, in pressing, all of them were superhuman. All of them were kings who had conquered the earth, O bull of the Bharata lineage, in the conquest of the directions
न चैषां पुरुषाः केचिदायुधानि गदाः शरान् विषहन्ति सदा कर्तुमधिज्यान्यपि कौरव उद्यन्तुं वा गदां गुर्वीं शरान्वापि प्रकर्षितुम्
M. N. Dutt: No human being can bear their weapons, maces and arrows, none can even adjust the string at the time of using the bow, O son of Kuru.
जवे लक्ष्यस्य हरणे भोज्ये पांसुविकर्षणे बालैरपि भवन्तस्तैः सर्व एव विशेषिताः
AI Translation: In speed, in taking the target, in eating, in drawing sand, you all have been excelled by those children.
ते ते सैन्यं समासाद्य व्याघ्रा इव बलोत्कटाः विध्वंसयिष्यन्ति रणे मा स्म तैः सह संगमः
AI Translation: Having approached that army, they will destroy it in battle, like tigers with great strength. Do not engage with them in battle.
एकैकशस्ते संग्रामे हन्युः सर्वान्महीक्षितः प्रत्यक्षं तव राजेन्द्र राजसूये यथाभवत्
AI Translation: In each of those battles, they would have killed all the kings. It was clearly seen by you, O Indra among kings, at the Rajasuya sacrifice.
द्रौपद्याश्च परिक्लेशं द्यूते च परुषा गिरः ते संस्मरन्तः संग्रामे विचरिष्यन्ति कालवत्
AI Translation: And the torment of Draupadi, and the harsh words at the gambling match, Remembering these, they will roam in battle like the god of death.
लोहिताक्षो गुडाकेशो नारायणसहायवान् उभयोः सेनयोर्वीर रथो नास्तीह तादृशः
AI Translation: The one with red eyes, the one with matted locks, the one with Narayana as his companion, The hero of both armies, there is no chariot like him.
न हि देवेषु वा पूर्वं दानवेषूरगेषु वा राक्षसेष्वथ यक्षेषु नरेषु कुत एव तु
AI Translation: For in the gods, or in the demons, or in the serpents, or in the demons, or in the Yakshas, or in the men, or in the Yakshas, or in the men, or in the Yakshas, or in the men, or in the
भूतोऽथ वा भविष्यो वा रथः कश्चिन्मया श्रुतः समायुक्तो महाराज यथा पार्थस्य धीमतः
AI Translation: Have you ever heard of a chariot that was or will be equal to the wise Partha's? O great king, I have never heard of such a chariot.
वासुदेवश्च संयन्ता योद्धा चैव धनंजयः गाण्डीवं च धनुर्दिव्यं ते चाश्वा वातरंहसः
AI Translation: Vasudeva is the charioteer, and Dhananjaya is the warrior. The divine bow Gandīva, and those horses swift as the wind,
अभेद्यं कवचं दिव्यमक्षय्यौ च महेषुधी अस्त्रग्रामश्च माहेन्द्रो रौद्रः कौबेर एव च
AI Translation: The invincible divine armor, the inexhaustible great arrows, And the group of weapons, namely the Mahendra, Raudra, and Kubera.
याम्यश्च वारुणश्चैव गदाश्चोग्रप्रदर्शनाः वज्रादीनि च मुख्यानि नानाप्रहरणानि वै
AI Translation: The Yamya and Varuna weapons, the clubs that display fierce forms, And the foremost weapons such as the vajra and others, of various kinds.
दानवानां सहस्राणि हिरण्यपुरवासिनाम् हतान्येकरथेनाजौ कस्तस्य सदृशो रथः
AI Translation: The thousands of demons who lived in the city of gold were slain by him in a single chariot. Who is his equal in a chariot?
एष हन्याद्धि संरम्भी बलवान्सत्यविक्रमः तव सेनां महाबाहुः स्वां चैव परिपालयन्
AI Translation: This one, who is angry, who is strong, who is of true valour, would kill him. Protecting your army and his own, the mighty-armed one,
अहं चैनं प्रत्युदियामाचार्यो वा धनंजयम् न तृतीयोऽस्ति राजेन्द्र सेनयोरुभयोरपि य एनं शरवर्षाणि वर्षन्तमुदियाद्रथी
M. N. Dutt: There is no third car-warrior, O chief among kings, in both these armies who can advance against him while he pours showers of amrows.
जीमूत इव घर्मान्ते महावातसमीरितः समायुक्तस्तु कौन्तेयो वासुदेवसहायवान् तरुणश्च कृती चैव जीर्णावावामुभावपि
M. N. Dutt: Showing arrows like clouds at the close of the hot season urged by mighty winds the son of Kunti, having Vasudeva for his ally, is waiting for battle. He is young and experienced while both of us are worn out.
संजय उवाच एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु भीष्मस्य राज्ञां दध्वंसिरे तदा काञ्चनाङ्गदिनः पीना भुजाश्चन्दनरूषिताः
AI Translation: Sanjaya said: Hearing this from Bhishma, the kings then became agitated. Their golden armlets and thick arms smeared with sandalwood paste,
मनोभिः सह सावेगैः संस्मृत्य च पुरातनम् सामर्थ्यं पाण्डवेयानां यथाप्रत्यक्षदर्शनात्
AI Translation: With minds full of eagerness, remembering the past, The strength of the Pāṇḍavas, as seen directly,