भीष्म उवाच अचलो वृषकश्चैव सहितौ भ्रातरावुभौ। रथौ तव दुराधर्षी शत्रून् विध्वंसयिष्यतः॥
Bhishma said Achala and Vrishaka are two Rathas on your side who are hard to vanquish; both the brothers, united together, will destroy your enemies.
बलवन्तौ नरव्याघ्रौ दृढक्रोधौ प्रहारिणौ। गान्धारमुख्यौ तरुणौ दर्शनीयौ महाबलौ॥
These two best among men are mighty, inveterate in their hatred and smiters (of enemies); they are the foremost among the Gandharis, young, handsome and endued with great strength.
सखा ते दयितो नित्यं य एष रणकर्कशः। उत्साहयति राजंस्त्वां विग्रहे पाण्डवैः सह॥
But this one who is ever your dear friend, who vaunts of bravery in battle and who encourages you, O king in your dispute with the Pandavas,
परुषः कत्थनो नीचः कर्णो वैकर्तनस्तव। मन्त्री नेता च बन्धुश्च मानी चात्यन्तमुच्छ्रितः॥
This man vain and mean, Karna, the son of Vikartana, who is your adviser guide and friend, and who has been placed in too elevated a position by you,
एष कर्णो न चाप्यतिरथो रणे। वियुक्तः कवचेनैष सहजेन विचेतनः॥ कुण्डलाभ्यां च दिव्याभ्यां वियुक्तः सततं घृणी। अभिशापाच्च रामस्य ब्राह्मणस्य च भाषणात्॥
This Karna is neither a Rathi nor an Atiratha in battle. Though ever generous he has been deprived of his celestial earrings. All this is owing to the curse of Rama (his preceptor) and the words of a Brahmana.
करणानां वियोगाच्च तेन मेऽर्धरथो मतः। नैष फाल्गुनमासाद्य पुनर्जीवन् विमोक्ष्यसे॥
Owing to his being without his natural coat of mail he a Ratha in my opinion; and having once come across Falguna he will not escape him with life.
ततोऽब्रवीत् पुनर्दोणः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः। एवमेतद् यथाऽऽत्य त्वं न मिथ्यास्ति कदाचन॥
Then did Drona, the foremost among all wielders, of say as a rejoinder: "It is so; what you say is never false.
नैव रथः रणे रणेऽभिमानी च विमुखश्चापि दृश्यते। घृणी कर्णः प्रमादी च तेन मेऽर्धरथो मतः॥
In each battle is he boastful and in each he is seen to be backward. Karna is kind and also becomes confounded; he is therefore in my opinion, to half a Ratha."
एतच्चछ्रुत्वा तु राधेयः क्रोधादुत्फाल्य लोचने। उवाच भीष्मं राधेयस्तुदन् वाग्भिः प्रतोदवत्॥१०
Hearing this, the son of Radha, expanding his eyes in wrath, said to Bhishma piercing him with his hook of words.
पितामह यथेष्टं मां वाक्शरैरुपकृन्तसि। अनागसं सदा द्वेषादेवमेव पदे पदे॥
"O grandfather, at your pleasure, do you pierce me by your arrows of words; at every step do you thus treat me out of your aversion for me, though I have committed no sin.
मर्षयामि च तत् सर्वं दुर्योधनकृतेन वै। त्वं तु मां मन्यसे मन्दं यथा कापुरुषं तथा॥
I tolerate all his however for the sake of Duryodhana,; you deem me to be behind others (in fight) and a coward.
भवानर्धरथो मह्यं मतो वै नात्र संशयः। सर्वस्य जगतश्चैव गाङ्गेयो न मृषा वदेत्॥
In my opinion you too are only half a Ratha, there is no doubt about this. O son of Ganga, I do not speak an untruth when I say that you are an enemy of the entire universe.
कुरूणामहितो नित्यं न च राजाऽवबुध्यते। को हि नाम समानेषु राजसूदारकर्मसु॥
You are ever devoted to what is to the injury of the Kurus, But the king knows it not. Who else is there who would seek to sap the energy of these kings that are equal and create discord among them,
तेजोवधमिमं कुर्याद् विभेदयिषुराहवे। यथा त्वं गुणविद्वेषादपरागं चिकीर्षसि॥
As you desire to do owing to your hatred towards these that endued with accomplishments. Neither age, nor wealth, nor friends,
न हायनैर्न पलितैर्न वित्तैर्न च बन्धुभिः। महारथत्वं संख्यातुं शक्यं क्षत्रस्य कौरव॥
are Can entitle a Kshatriya to be included in the category of Maharathas, O Kaurava. It is well-know a Kshatriya is superior by virtue of his strength and that the twice-born are superior by virtue of their learning.
बलज्येष्ठं स्मृतं क्षत्रं मन्त्रज्येष्ठा द्विजातयः। धनज्येष्ठाः स्मृता वैश्याः शूद्रास्तु वयसाधिकाः॥
It is also well-known that Vaishyas are superior by virtue of their wealth and that Sudras are superiors by virtue of their years. Speak for yourself then, as you please, your list of Rathas and Atirathas.
यथेच्छकं स्वयं ब्रूया रथानतिरथांस्तथा। कामद्वेषसमायुक्तो मोहात् प्रकुरुते भवान्॥
Actuated by desire and hatred and acting from ignorance you have enumerated the heroes. O Duryodhana of long arms, it is for you to judge properly. May you fare well.
दुर्योधन महाबाहो साधु सम्यगवेक्ष्यताम्। त्यज्यतां दुष्टभावोऽयं भीष्मः किल्बिषकृत् तव॥
Abandon this wicked Bhishma of unrighteous nature for, O ruler of men, discord once being in your own army it will be difficult to bring union again.
भिन्ना हि सेना नृपते दुःसंधेया भवत्युत। मौला हि पुरुषव्याघ्र किमु नानासमुत्थिताः॥
This remark applies to your main army, judge then about the subsidiary forces which have been raised from several sources.
एषां द्वैधं समुत्पन्नं योधानां युधि भारत। तेजोवधो नः क्रियते प्रत्यक्षेण विशेषतः॥
This discord has entered among warriors, already, 0 Bharata; in our very presence he saps our energies.
रथानां क्क च विज्ञानं क्व च भीष्मोऽल्पचेतनः। अहमावारयिष्यामि पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम्॥
How vast is the difference between the task of estimating the might of Rathas and Bhishma of little intellect. I will meet the armies of the Pandavas.
आसाद्य माममोधेषु गमिष्यन्ति दिशो दश। पाण्डवाः सहपञ्चालाः शार्दूलं वृषभा इव॥
Standing against me who are infallible they will be routed in ten directions, the Pandavas with the Panchalas, like bulls meeting with a tiger.
क्व च युद्धं विमर्दो वा मन्त्रे सुव्याहतानि च। क्व च भीष्मो गतवया मन्दात्मा कालचोदितः॥
How vast is the difference between real fight, the clash of weapons, good advice, uttered in sweet sounding words on one side and Bhishma who is past the prime of life, of wicked soul and who is urged by fate.
एकाकी स्पर्धते नित्यं सर्वेण जगत सह। न चान्यं पुरुषं कंचिन्मन्यते मोघदर्शनः॥
Alone he even boasts to fight with the entire universe, and endued with false vision he does not regard any other man as a human being.
श्रोतव्यं खलु वृद्धानामिति शास्त्रनिदर्शनम्। न त्वेव ह्यतिवृद्धानां पुनर्बाला हि ते मताः॥
Certainly, it has been laid down in our holy books that the words of the aged should be listened to, but it does not apply to those who are very old for they are held to be boys.
अहमेको हनिष्यामि पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम्। सुयुद्धे राजशार्दूल यशो भीष्मं गमिष्यति॥
Alone I shall slay the army of the sons of Pandu in a fair fight. The fame however of this will go to Bhishma, O best among kings.
कृतः सेनापतिस्त्वेष त्वया भीष्मो नराधिप। सेनापतौ यशो गन्ता न तु योधान् कथंचन॥
By you, O ruler of men, has Bhishma been appointed the commander and all fame goes to the leader and never to an individual soldier.
नाहं जीवति गाङ्गेये योत्स्ये राजन् कथंचन। हते भीष्मे तु योद्धास्मि सर्वैरेव महारथैः॥
O king, never shall I fight as long as the son of Ganga is alive. When Bhishma is killed I shall fight with all the car-warriors."
भीष्म उवाच समुद्यतोऽयं भारो मे सुमहान् सागरोपमः। धार्तराष्ट्रस्य संग्रामे वर्षपूगाभिचिन्तितः॥
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। मिथो भेदो न मे कार्यस्तेन जीवसि सूतज॥
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 त्वद्य विक्रम्य स्थविरोऽपि शिशोस्तव। युद्धश्रद्धामहं छिन्द्यां जीवितस्य च सूतज॥
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 विमुञ्चता। न मे व्यथा कृता काचित् त्वं तु मे किं करिष्यसि॥३३
The weapons hurled at me by Rama the son of Jamadagni did not pain me, What can you do to me then?
कामं नैतत् प्रशंसन्ति सन्तः स्वबलसंस्तवम्। वक्ष्यामि तु त्वां संतप्तो निहीनकुलपांसन।॥
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 काशिराजस्वयंवरे। निर्जित्यैकरथेनैव याः कन्यास्तरसा हृताः॥
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॥
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॥
Having come across yourself, an illustrated man, the Kurus have come upon a great disaster; try to mete out destruction and be a man.
युद्ध्यस्व समरे पार्थं येन विस्पर्धसे सहा द्रक्ष्यामि त्वां विनिर्मुक्तमस्माद् युद्धात् सुदुर्मते॥
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."
तमुवाच ततो राजा धार्तराष्ट्रः प्रतापवान्। मां समीक्षस्व गाङ्गेय कार्यं हि महदुद्यतम्॥
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.
चिन्त्यतामिदमेकाग्रं मम निःश्रेयसं परम्। उभावपि भवन्तौ मे महत् कर्म करिष्यतः॥
Think with your entire heart of my interests; both of you will do great deeds for me.
भूयश्च श्रोतुमिच्छामि परेषां रथसत्तमान्। ये चैवातिरथास्तत्र ये चैव रथयूथपाः॥
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॥
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.”