दुर्योधन उवाच किमर्थं भरतश्रेष्ठ नैव हन्याः शिखण्डिनम्। उद्यतेषुमथो दृष्ट्वा समरेष्वाततायिनम्॥
Duryodhana said For what reason, ( chief among the Bharatas, will you not slay Shikhandin even though you see him ready to strike you in battle.
पूर्वमुक्त्वा महाबाहो पञ्चालान् सह सोमकैः। हनिष्यामीति गाङ्गेय तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामहः॥
You said before, O you of long arms: I shall slay the Panchalas with the Somakas. O son of Ganga, tell me how is this, O grand father.
भीष्म उवाच शृणु दुर्योधन कथां सहैभिर्वसुधाधिपः। यदर्थं युधि सम्प्रेक्ष्य नाहं हन्यां शिखण्डिनम्॥३।
Bhishma said Listen, O Duryodhana, to that story along with these rulers of the universe, namely the reason for which I shall not slay Shikhandin even though I see him in battle.
महाराजो मम पिता शान्तनुर्लोकविश्रुतः। दिष्टान्तमाप धर्मात्मा समये भरतर्षभ॥
0 great king, my father the virtuoussouled Shantanu, well known in this world, went the way of the world in due time, O best among the Bharatas.
ततोऽहं भरतश्रेष्ठ प्रतिज्ञां परिपालयन्। चित्राङ्गदं भ्रातरं वै महाराज्येऽभ्यषेचयम्॥
Then did I, O chief among the Bharatas, observing my vows, install my brother Chitrangada on the throne.
तस्मिंश्च निधनं प्राप्ते सत्यवत्या मते स्थितः। विचित्रवीर्यं राजानमभ्यषिञ्च यथाविधि॥
He too being dead, following the wishes of Satyavati 1 duly appointed Vichitravirya in the kingship.
मयाभिषिक्तो राजेन्द्र यवीयानपि धर्मतः। विचित्रवीर्यो धर्मात्मा मामेव समुदैक्षत॥
Installed by me, O chief among kings, my younger brother the virtuous souled Vichitravirya looked up to me in everything.
तस्य दारक्रियां तात चिकीर्षुरहमप्युत। अनुरूपादिव कुलादित्येव च मनो दधे॥
I, too being desirous of getting his wives, set my heart on procuring suitable girls from good families.
तथाऽश्रौषं महाबाहो तिस्रः कन्याः स्वयंवराः। रूपेणाप्रतिमाः सर्वाः काशिराजसुतास्तदा।
At the time, I heard, O you of long arms, that these were three girls, the daughters of the king of the Kashis going to elect bridegrooms, all of whom were unrivaled in beauty.
अम्बां चैवाम्बिकां चैव तथैवाम्बालिकामपि॥ राजानश्च समाहूताः पृथिव्यां भरतर्षभ। अम्बा ज्येष्ठाभवत् तासामम्बिकात्वथ मध्यमा॥
They were Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika and all the rulers of the earth were invited, O foremost of the Bharatas. Amba was the elder among them, Ambika the second,
अम्बालिका च राजेन्द्र राजकन्या यवीयसी। सोऽहमेकरथेनैव गतः काशिपतेः पुरीम्॥
And Ambalika, O chief among kings, was the youngest princess. Then did I on a single chariot, go to the capital of the king of the Kashis,
अपश्यं ता महाबाहो तिस्रः कन्या: स्वलंकृताः। राज्ञश्चैव समाहूतान् पार्थिवान् पृथिवीपते॥
And saw, O you of long arms, the three girls with their persons ornamented and the kings of the carth who were invited, O lord of the world
ततोऽहं तान् नृपान् सर्वानाहूय समरे स्थितान्। रथमारोपयांचने कन्यास्ता भरतर्षभ॥
Then did I, challenging all those rulers of the earth to fight, carried by force, the girls to my chariot, O best of the Bharatas.
वीर्यशुल्काश्च ता ज्ञात्वा समारोप्य रथं तदा। अवोचं पार्थिवान् सर्वानहं तत्र समागतान्।
Knowing that prowess constituted their dower, I took them over to my chariot and said to all those rulers of the earth who were assembled there.
भीष्मः शान्तनवः कन्या हरतीति पुनः पुनः॥ ये यतध्वं परं शक्त्या सर्वे मोक्षाय पार्थिवाः। प्रसह्य हि हराम्येष मिषतां वो नरर्षभाः॥
Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, again and again takes these girls away by force; try, 0 rulers of the earth, with all your might to liberate them. By force do I take them away, O best among men, in your very sight,
ततस्ते पृथिवीपालाः समुत्पेतुरुदायुधाः। योगो योग इति क्रुद्धाः सारथीनभ्यचोदयन्॥
Then did those lords of the earth rise up with weapons open and wrathfully they urged their drivers, saying, “Make ready the cars, make ready the cars."
ते स्थैर्गजसंकाशैर्गजैश्च गजयोधिनः। पुष्टैश्चाश्चैर्महीपालाः समुत्पेतुरुदायुधाः॥
Then did they rise up with weapons ready, car-warriors on chariots resembling herds of elephant-warriors on elephants and others ruler of the earth on plump horses.
ततस्ते मां महीपाला: सर्व एवं विशाम्पते। रथवातेन महता सर्वतः पर्यवारयन्॥
Then did all those rulers of the earth, O lord of the universe, surround me on an all sides with a large troupe of chariots.
तानहं शरवर्षेण समन्तात् पर्यवारयम्। सर्वान् नृपांश्चाप्यजयं देवराडिव दानवान्॥
Then, with a shower of arrows I arrested their rush and vanquished all those rulers of the earth like of the gods vanquishing the Danavas.
अपातयं शरैर्दीप्तैः प्रहसन् भरतर्षभ। तेषामापततां चित्रान् ध्वजान् हेमपरिष्कृतान्॥
By blazing arrows did I laughingly fell down their diverse banners ornamented with gold, O best among the Bharatas.
एकैकेन हि बाणेन भूमौ पातितवानहम्। हयांस्तेषां गजांश्चैव सारथींचाप्यहं रणे॥
By one arrow did I lay each to the ground with their horses, elephants, and drivers in battle.
ते निवृत्ताश्च भग्नाश्च दृष्ट्वा तल्लाघवं मम। अथाहं हास्तिनपुरमायां जित्वा महीक्षितः॥
Seeing that lightness of hand on my part, they broke up and turned back and vanquishing those kings I came to the city called after the elephant.
ततोऽहं ताश्च कन्या वै भ्रातुरर्थाय भारत। तच्च कर्म महाबाहो सत्यवत्यै न्यवेदयम्॥
Then did I make over, O Bharata, those girls to my brother, and submitted that deed, O you of long arms, to Satyavati for information.