Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच ततो हलहलाशब्दो दिवि राजन्महानभूत् प्रस्वापं भीष्म मा स्राक्षीरिति कौरवनन्दन
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Then when I had thus made up my mind there arose a mighty din of tumultuous voices in the sky, O king, saying, “O Bhishma, O son of Kuru's race do not let go that weapon Prasvapa."
अयुञ्जमेव चैवाहं तदस्त्रं भृगुनन्दने प्रस्वापं मां प्रयुञ्जानं नारदो वाक्यमब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: But for all that I still aimed that weapon at the descendant of Bhrigu. As I was aiming it, Narada addressed me, saying
एते वियति कौरव्य दिवि देवगणाः स्थिताः ते त्वां निवारयन्त्यद्य प्रस्वापं मा प्रयोजय
M. N. Dutt: These gods are stationed yonder in the sky, O son of Kuru's race. They are forbidding you today, do not aim the weapon Prasvapa.
रामस्तपस्वी ब्रह्मण्यो ब्राह्मणश्च गुरुश्च ते तस्यावमानं कौरव्य मा स्म कार्षीः कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: Rama is an ascetic, possessed of the attributes of Brahma; he is a Brahmana, and moreover your preceptor. Do not son of Kuru, inflict humiliation on him, by any means,
ततोऽपश्यं दिविष्ठान्वै तानष्टौ ब्रह्मवादिनः ते मां स्मयन्तो राजेन्द्र शनकैरिदमब्रुवन्
M. N. Dutt: Then I saw those eight speakers of the Brahma, stationed in the sky. O great king, smilingly they spoke these words to me slowly.
यथाह भरतश्रेष्ठ नारदस्तत्तथा कुरु एतद्धि परमं श्रेयो लोकानां भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: O best among Bharata's race, do as Narada has spoken to you, for this, O best among the Bharatas, is highly beneficial to all creatures.
ततश्च प्रतिसंहृत्य तदस्त्रं स्वापनं मृधे ब्रह्मास्त्रं दीपयां चक्रे तस्मिन्युधि यथाविधि
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon, withdrawing that mighty weapon Prasvapa, I made the Brahma weapon to blaze forth according to the ordinance.
ततो रामो रुषितो राजपुत्र; दृष्ट्वा तदस्त्रं विनिवर्तितं वै जितोऽस्मि भीष्मेण सुमन्दबुद्धि;रित्येव वाक्यं सहसा व्यमुञ्चत्
AI Translation: Then Rama, the prince, angry, seeing that weapon turned back, suddenly uttered the words, "I am defeated by Bhishma, the very dull-witted one."
ततोऽपश्यत्पितरं जामदग्न्यः; पितुस्तथा पितरं तस्य चान्यम् त एवैनं संपरिवार्य तस्थु;रूचुश्चैनं सान्त्वपूर्वं तदानीम्
AI Translation: Then Jamadagni's son saw his father, and his father's father, and another of his father's father. They all stood around him, and then spoke to him in a conciliatory manner.
मा स्मैवं साहसं वत्स पुनः कार्षीः कथंचन भीष्मेण संयुगं गन्तुं क्षत्रियेण विशेषतः
M. N. Dutt: The father said Do not display such rashness again 0 son, by any means, especially of going to battle with Bhishma, who is a Kshatriya.
क्षत्रियस्य तु धर्मोऽयं यद्युद्धं भृगुनन्दन स्वाध्यायो व्रतचर्या च ब्राह्मणानां परं धनम्
M. N. Dutt: This is the duty of a Kshatriya, viz., to fight; O descendant of Bhrigu, study and the observance of religious austerities are the best wealth of the Brahmanas.
इदं निमित्ते कस्मिंश्चिदस्माभिरुपमन्त्रितम् शस्त्रधारणमत्युग्रं तच्च कार्यं कृतं त्वया
M. N. Dutt: This (taking up of arms) was ordered by us to you for some special reasons before this. Then you had taken up your arms most fiercely and performed that unenviable deed (the extermination of the whole Kshatriya race).
वत्स पर्याप्तमेतावद्भीष्मेण सह संयुगे विमर्दस्ते महाबाहो व्यपयाहि रणादितः
M. N. Dutt: What time you have fought with Bhishma has been enough, O son. 0 you of mighty arms, desist from this combat, leave the battlefield.
पर्याप्तमेतद्भद्रं ते तव कार्मुकधारणम् विसर्जयैतद्दुर्धर्ष तपस्तप्यस्व भार्गव
M. N. Dutt: Blessing be to you, let this be enough of taking up the bow. But desist from this now, O invincible Practice austerities, 0 Bhargava.
एष भीष्मः शांतनवो देवैः सर्वैर्निवारितः निवर्तस्व रणादस्मादिति चैव प्रचोदितः
M. N. Dutt: Here is Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, who has been made to desist from battle by all the gods, who are endeavoring to pacify him by saying "Desist from this battle."
रामेण सह मा योत्सीर्गुरुणेति पुनः पुनः न हि रामो रणे जेतुं त्वया न्याय्यः कुरूद्वह मानं कुरुष्व गाङ्गेय ब्राह्मणस्य रणाजिरे
M. N. Dutt: "Do not fight with Rama, your preceptor", again and again (saying this). It is not becoming for you, O perpetuator of the race of Kuru, to vanquish Rama in battle. one.
वयं तु गुरवस्तुभ्यं ततस्त्वां वारयामहे भीष्मो वसूनामन्यतमो दिष्ट्या जीवसि पुत्रक
AI Translation: But we, the teachers, are forbidding you from that. Bhishma, one of the Vasus, son, it is good fortune that you are alive.
गाङ्गेयः शंतनोः पुत्रो वसुरेष महायशाः कथं त्वया रणे जेतुं राम शक्यो निवर्त वै
AI Translation: "Gāṅgeya, the son of Śantanu, the very famous Vasu, "How can you be defeated in battle by Rama? Turn back.
अर्जुनः पाण्डवश्रेष्ठः पुरंदरसुतो बली नरः प्रजापतिर्वीरः पूर्वदेवः सनातनः
AI Translation: Arjuna, the best of the Pandavas, the powerful son of Purandara, Nara, the lord of creatures, the heroic primordial god,
सव्यसाचीति विख्यातस्त्रिषु लोकेषु वीर्यवान् भीष्ममृत्युर्यथाकालं विहितो वै स्वयंभुवा
M. N. Dutt: Who is Nara, who is the lord of all creatures, a hero, who was before this a god, who is without beginning and end, and who, mighty as he is, is known throughout the three worlds as Savyasachin, is ordained by the selfcreate (Brahma) to be the death of Bhishma in the ripeness of time.
एवमुक्तः स पितृभिः पितॄन्रामोऽब्रवीदिदम् नाहं युधि निवर्तेयमिति मे व्रतमाहितम्
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Being thus spoken by his ancestors, Rama thus spoken to them, “I will not desist from the combat, this is the vow I have taken upon myself.
न निवर्तितपूर्वं च कदाचिद्रणमूर्धनि निवर्त्यतामापगेयः कामं युद्धात्पितामहाः न त्वहं विनिवर्तिष्ये युद्धादस्मात्कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: Before this, I had never been made to turn beak (from combat) on the field of battle. O grandsires, make the Ganga's son of desist from the battle, if it so pleases you.
ततस्ते मुनयो राजन्नृचीकप्रमुखास्तदा नारदेनैव सहिताः समागम्येदमब्रुवन्
AI Translation: Then, O king, those sages, led by Richika, together with Narada, having assembled, said this:
निवर्तस्व रणात्तात मानयस्व द्विजोत्तमान् नेत्यवोचमहं तांश्च क्षत्रधर्मव्यपेक्षया
AI Translation: "O father, turn back from the battle, honour the best of Brahmanas." "But I said to them, ""No,"" because of the duty of a Kshatriya.
मम व्रतमिदं लोके नाहं युद्धात्कथंचन विमुखो विनिवर्तेयं पृष्ठतोऽभ्याहतः शरैः
AI Translation: This is my vow in this world. I will never turn away from battle. I will not turn my back and flee, struck from behind by arrows.
नाहं लोभान्न कार्पण्यान्न भयान्नार्थकारणात् त्यजेयं शाश्वतं धर्ममिति मे निश्चिता मतिः
AI Translation: I will not abandon the eternal Dharma out of greed, out of fear, or for the sake of wealth. This is my firm resolve.
ततस्ते मुनयः सर्वे नारदप्रमुखा नृप भागीरथी च मे माता रणमध्यं प्रपेदिरे
AI Translation: Then all those sages, headed by Narada, O king, and my mother Bhagirathi came to the midst of the battle.
तथैवात्तशरो धन्वी तथैव दृढनिश्चयः स्थितोऽहमाहवे योद्धुं ततस्ते राममब्रुवन् समेत्य सहिता भूयः समरे भृगुनन्दनम्
AI Translation: Just as I was then, so am I now, with my bow and arrows, and with my firm resolve. I am standing ready to fight in battle. Then they said to Rama: Having come together again, they all approached the descendant of Bhrigu in the battle.
नावनीतं हि हृदयं विप्राणां शाम्य भार्गव राम राम निवर्तस्व युद्धादस्माद्द्विजोत्तम अवध्यो हि त्वया भीष्मस्त्वं च भीष्मस्य भार्गव
AI Translation: The hearts of the Brahmanas are not like butter, O Bhargava, be appeased. O Rama, Rama, turn back from this fight, O best of Brahmanas. Bhishma is invincible to you, and you are to Bhishma, O Bhargava.
एवं ब्रुवन्तस्ते सर्वे प्रतिरुध्य रणाजिरम् न्यासयां चक्रिरे शस्त्रं पितरो भृगुनन्दनम्
M. N. Dutt: Addressing him with these words, and obstructing the battle-field, his forefathers made the descendant of Bhrigu lay aside his weapons.
ततोऽहं पुनरेवाथ तानष्टौ ब्रह्मवादिनः अद्राक्षं दीप्यमानान्वै ग्रहानष्टाविवोदितान्
M. N. Dutt: And then I again saw those eight revealers of Brahmana, blazing like eight constellations risen (in the sky).
ते मां सप्रणयं वाक्यमब्रुवन्समरे स्थितम् प्रैहि रामं महाबाहो गुरुं लोकहितं कुरु
M. N. Dutt: They then spoke these words with affection to me, who stood on the field of combat, “O you of mighty arms, go up to Rama, your preceptor. Do what is good to all the world."
दृष्ट्वा निवर्तितं रामं सुहृद्वाक्येन तेन वै लोकानां च हितं कुर्वन्नहमप्याददे वचः
M. N. Dutt: Beholding that Rama desisted (from battle) at the words of his well-wishers, I also, for the good of the worlds, accepted (their) words.
ततोऽहं राममासाद्य ववन्दे भृशविक्षतः रामश्चाभ्युत्स्मयन्प्रेम्णा मामुवाच महातपाः
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon severely wondered as I was, I went up to Rama, and bowed down to him. Rama also that great ascetic, smiling with love, spoke to me.
त्वत्समो नास्ति लोकेऽस्मिन्क्षत्रियः पृथिवीचरः गम्यतां भीष्म युद्धेऽस्मिंस्तोषितोऽहं भृशं त्वया
M. N. Dutt: "There is no Kshatriya among all men equal to you on the face of the earth. Go you, O Bhishma, for in this combat I have been highly pleased with you.
मम चैव समक्षं तां कन्यामाहूय भार्गवः उवाच दीनया वाचा मध्ये तेषां तपस्विनाम्
M. N. Dutt: Then in my presence, summoning that maiden (the daughter of Kashi), the descendant of Bhrigu, spoke (to her) in these modest words, before all the high-souled ones.