Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच ततस्तृतीये दिवसे समे देशे व्यवस्थितः प्रेषयामास मे राजन्प्राप्तोऽस्मीति महाव्रतः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said On the third day of their encampment, the one of great vows sent me words: "I am come, do what is agreeable to me.”
तमागतमहं श्रुत्वा विषयान्तं महाबलम् अभ्यगच्छं जवेनाशु प्रीत्या तेजोनिधिं प्रभुम्
M. N. Dutt: Hearing of the arrival of that one endued with great strength at the boundary of my kingdom I went to that lord, the ocean of energy, with great cheerfulness,
गां पुरस्कृत्य राजेन्द्र ब्राह्मणैः परिवारितः ऋत्विग्भिर्देवकल्पैश्च तथैव च पुरोहितैः
M. N. Dutt: With a cow before me and surrounded by Brahmanas, priests and preceptors who were equal to the gods themselves.
स मामभिगतं दृष्ट्वा जामदग्न्यः प्रतापवान् प्रतिजग्राह तां पूजां वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: The son of Jamadagni, endued with luster, seeking me, accepted that worship and said these words,
भीष्म कां बुद्धिमास्थाय काशिराजसुता त्वया अकामेयमिहानीता पुनश्चैव विसर्जिता
M. N. Dutt: Rama said I Bhishma, in what frame of mind was the daughter of the king of Kashis led away by you though you wanted her not; and why was she again sent away.
विभ्रंशिता त्वया हीयं धर्मावाप्तेः परावरात् परामृष्टां त्वया हीमां को हि गन्तुमिहार्हति
M. N. Dutt: By you has this lady of spotless fame been robbed of virtue; for touched by you as she has been, for whom would it be proper to marry her?
प्रत्याख्याता हि शाल्वेन त्वया नीतेति भारत तस्मादिमां मन्नियोगात्प्रतिगृह्णीष्व भारत
M. N. Dutt: Having been once led away by you she has been rejected by Shalva; therefore do at my words accept her, O Bharata.
स्वधर्मं पुरुषव्याघ्र राजपुत्री लभत्वियम् न युक्तमवमानोऽयं कर्तुं राज्ञा त्वयानघ
M. N. Dutt: Let this princess fulfill her object, О best among men, and it is not proper, O king, that she should be disgraced by you, O sinless one.
ततस्तं नातिमनसं समुदीक्ष्याहमब्रुवम् नाहमेनां पुनर्दद्यां भ्रात्रे ब्रह्मन्कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: Seeing him absent-minded on her account I said, “I cannot again offer her to my brother by any means, O Brahmana,"
शाल्वस्याहमिति प्राह पुरा मामिह भार्गव मया चैवाभ्यनुज्ञाता गता सौभपुरं प्रति
M. N. Dutt: To me she said before, I belong to Shalva, you of the Bhrigu race, and permitted by me went towards his capital.
न भयान्नाप्यनुक्रोशान्न लोभान्नार्थकाम्यया क्षत्रधर्ममहं जह्यामिति मे व्रतमाहितम्
M. N. Dutt: Not out of fear, nor out of pity, nor out of avarice and nor out of a desire to gain my object shall I abandon the duties of the Kshatriya order, such has been the vow made by me.
अथ मामब्रवीद्रामः क्रोधपर्याकुलेक्षणः न करिष्यसि चेदेतद्वाक्यं मे कुरुपुंगव
M. N. Dutt: Then did Rama say to me with eyes expanded with wrath:-“If you do not act up to my words, O best among men,
हनिष्यामि सहामात्यं त्वामद्येति पुनः पुनः संरम्भादब्रवीद्रामः क्रोधपर्याकुलेक्षणः
M. N. Dutt: I shall slay you along with your ministers;" he said thus to me again and again with eyes expanded with anger.
तमहं गीर्भिरिष्टाभिः पुनः पुनररिंदमम् अयाचं भृगुशार्दूलं न चैव प्रशशाम सः
M. N. Dutt: I again and again entreated that best among the Bhrigu race with sweet words, O chastiser among foes, but could not calm him down.
Supplementary Passages:
5.178.14 After 14, T G M1 ins.: *577 यदा प्रयाच्यमानोऽपि प्रसादं न करोति मे
तमहं प्रणम्य शिरसा भूयो ब्राह्मणसत्तमम् अब्रुवं कारणं किं तद्यत्त्वं योद्धुमिहेच्छसि
M. N. Dutt: I then bowing my head to him said again to the best among the Brahmanas; "What is the reason of your proclaiming war with me?
इष्वस्त्रं मम बालस्य भवतैव चतुर्विधम् उपदिष्टं महाबाहो शिष्योऽस्मि तव भार्गव
M. N. Dutt: In my childhood had you taught me the use of four kinds of arms, and I am thus your pupil, O you of Bhrigu race."
ततो मामब्रवीद्रामः क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः जानीषे मां गुरुं भीष्म न चेमां प्रतिगृह्णसे सुतां काश्यस्य कौरव्य मत्प्रियार्थं महीपते
AI Translation: Then Rama, with eyes red with anger, said to me: "Do you know me, Bhishma? If not, accept this girl For my sake, O king of the Kurus, the daughter of Kashya."
न हि ते विद्यते शान्तिरन्यथा कुरुनन्दन गृहाणेमां महाबाहो रक्षस्व कुलमात्मनः त्वया विभ्रंशिता हीयं भर्तारं नाभिगच्छति
M. N. Dutt: Accept this lady, O you of long arms, and perpetuate your family. Being severed from the path of rectitude by yourself she gets no husband."
तथा ब्रुवन्तं तमहं रामं परपुरंजयम् नैतदेवं पुनर्भावि ब्रह्मर्षे किं श्रमेण ते
M. N. Dutt: I said to Rama, the conqueror of hostile cites who was speaking thus: “This will not be, O regenerate Rishi, what is the use of labouring towards it.
गुरुत्वं त्वयि संप्रेक्ष्य जामदग्न्य पुरातनम् प्रसादये त्वां भगवंस्त्यक्तैषा हि पुरा मया
M. N. Dutt: O son of Jamadagni, considering that you were my preceptor in days of old I sought to gratify you before, my lord.
को जातु परभावां हि नारीं व्यालीमिव स्थिताम् वासयेत गृहे जानन्स्त्रीणां दोषान्महात्ययान्
M. N. Dutt: Who will permit a woman, who sighs for another and who is therefore like a poisonous snake, to remain in his house knowing the great evils thereof.
न भयाद्वासवस्यापि धर्मं जह्यां महाद्युते प्रसीद मा वा यद्वा ते कार्यं तत्कुरु माचिरम्
M. N. Dutt: O you of great vows, I shall not for fear of Vasava even forsake my duties; either be gratified with me or do what you please without loss of time.
अयं चापि विशुद्धात्मन्पुराणे श्रूयते विभो मरुत्तेन महाबुद्धे गीतः श्लोको महात्मना
M. N. Dutt: My lord of pure heart, even this Sloka is heard in the Puranas, sung by Maruta endued with a large soul.
गुरोरप्यवलिप्तस्य कार्याकार्यमजानतः उत्पथप्रतिपन्नस्य कार्यं भवति शासनम्
M. N. Dutt: The abandonment of a preceptor is provided when he is vain or has swerved from the right path or who does not know what his duties are.
स त्वं गुरुरिति प्रेम्णा मया संमानितो भृशम् गुरुवृत्तं न जानीषे तस्माद्योत्स्याम्यहं त्वया
M. N. Dutt: I respected you very much so long because you were my preceptor; but since you do not know the duties of a preceptor, therefore shall I fight with you.
गुरुं न हन्यां समरे ब्राह्मणं च विशेषतः विशेषतस्तपोवृद्धमेवं क्षान्तं मया तव
M. N. Dutt: I shall not slay a preceptor in battle, especially as he is a Brahmana and you have been forgiven by me since you are old in devotion.
उद्यतेषुमथो दृष्ट्वा ब्राह्मणं क्षत्रबन्धुवत् यो हन्यात्समरे क्रुद्धो युध्यन्तमपलायिनम् ब्रह्महत्या न तस्य स्यादिति धर्मेषु निश्चयः
M. N. Dutt: One, who seeing a Brahmana, ready to fight like a friend of the Kshatriyas, wrathfully slays him who flies not from the fled,
क्षत्रियाणां स्थितो धर्मे क्षत्रियोऽस्मि तपोधन यो यथा वर्तते यस्मिंस्तथा तस्मिन्प्रवर्तयन् नाधर्मं समवाप्नोति नरः श्रेयश्च विन्दति
M. N. Dutt: Such a one as myself who treats such according to his merit does not act unrighteously and does not come by evils.
अर्थे वा यदि वा धर्मे समर्थो देशकालवित् अनर्थसंशयापन्नः श्रेयान्निःसंशयेन च
M. N. Dutt: When one, able to discriminate the propriety of time and place and knowing both virtue and worldly good, is doubtful of his course, he should without hesitation do that which is virtuous.
यस्मात्संशयितेऽर्थेऽस्मिन्यथान्यायं प्रवर्तसे तस्माद्योत्स्यामि सहितस्त्वया राम महाहवे पश्य मे बाहुवीर्यं च विक्रमं चातिमानुषम्
M. N. Dutt: Since you act unrighteously towards me in a matter connected with profit, I shall certainly fight with you in a great battle.
एवं गतेऽपि तु मया यच्छक्यं भृगुनन्दन तत्करिष्ये कुरुक्षेत्रे योत्स्ये विप्र त्वया सह द्वंद्वे राम यथेष्टं ते सज्जो भव महामुने
M. N. Dutt: I shall do what I can and O regenerate one, I shall fight with you in Kurukshetra; and since you are desirous to fight, be prepared for battle.
तत्र त्वं निहतो राम मया शरशताचितः लप्स्यसे निर्जिताँल्लोकाञ्शस्त्रपूतो महारणे
M. N. Dutt: Go, O you who are fond of war, and return to the field of Kurukshetra and I shall go there to fight with you, O you whose only wealth is devotion.
स गच्छ विनिवर्तस्व कुरुक्षेत्रं रणप्रिय तत्रैष्यामि महाबाहो युद्धाय त्वां तपोधन
M. N. Dutt: Being slain by a hundred arrows shot by me, you will obtain those regions earned by your asceticism, being sanctified by my weapons in the battle.
Supplementary Passages:
5.178.33 After 33ab, S ins.: *578 समाह्वय महाबाहो युद्धाय त्वं तपोधन
अपि यत्र त्वया राम कृतं शौचं पुरा पितुः तत्राहमपि हत्वा त्वां शौचं कर्तास्मि भार्गव
M. N. Dutt: Where in days of days of old, you sanctified the name of your fathers, even there shall I sanctify you, O you of Bhrigu's race.
तत्र गच्छस्व राम त्वं त्वरितं युद्धदुर्मद व्यपनेष्यामि ते दर्पं पौराणं ब्राह्मणब्रुव
M. N. Dutt: Therefore come there quickly, O you who are hard to vanquish in battle and I shall destroy your boast of days of old, which is even now referred to by Brahmanas,
यच्चापि कत्थसे राम बहुशः परिषत्सु वै निर्जिताः क्षत्रिया लोके मयैकेनेति तच्छृणु
M. N. Dutt: The boast that you have indulged in for a long time past, namely the entire body of Kshatriyas have been conquered by me alone, listen to the cause thereof.
Supplementary Passages:
5.178.36 After 36, D7 ins.: *579 अधर्मः सुमहानेष यच्छय्यामरणं गृहे यदाजौ निधनं याति सोऽस्य धर्मः सनातनः
न तदा जायते भीष्मो मद्विधः क्षत्रियोऽपि वा यस्ते युद्धमयं दर्पं कामं च व्यपनाशयेत्
AI Translation: At that time, Bhishma, or any other Kshatriya like me, would not have been born, who could have destroyed your pride and desire for war.
Supplementary Passages:
5.178.37 After 37ab, B Dn Ds D1.6.8.10 ins.: *580 पश्चाज्जातानि तेजांसि तृणेषु ज्वलितं त्वया
सोऽहं जातो महाबाहो भीष्मः परपुरंजयः व्यपनेष्यामि ते दर्पं युद्धे राम न संशयः
M. N. Dutt: He, who will remove your boasts of velour and desire for war, is now born. He is myself, Bhishma, the subjugator of hostile cities and I shall destroy your pride in battle. There is no doubt about it.