संजय उवाच प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां पुनरेव सुतस्तव। मध्ये सर्वस्य सैन्यस्य पितामहमपृच्छत॥
Sanjaya said When the night had dawned, your son again, in the midst of all the army, asked his Grandsire.
पाण्डवेयस्य गाङ्गेय यदेतत् सैन्यमुद्यतम्। प्रभूतनरनागाश्वं महारथसमाकुलम्॥
This army O the son of Pandu, O son of Ganga, ready for fight, abounding in men and elephants, and crowded with mighty chariotwarriors,
भीमार्जुनप्रभृतिभिर्महेष्वासैर्महाबलैः। लोकपालसमैर्गुप्तं धृष्टद्युम्नपुगेगमैः॥
Protected by such great archers of mighty strength as Bhima and Arjuna, equal to the legends (of the worlds) and Dhrishtadyumna is its leader,
अप्रधृष्यमनावार्यमुद्भूतमिव सागरम्। सेनासागरमक्षोभ्यमपि देवैर्महाहवे॥
Which is incapable of being vanquished and irresistible and appearing like a raging ocean, this ocean of soldiers, incapable of being rifled even by the very gods in a mighty battle.
केन कालेन गाङ्गेय क्षपयेथा महाद्युते। आचार्यो वा महेष्वासः कृपो वा सुमहाबलः॥
By what time, O son of Ganga, of great effulgence, can you annihilate and (in what time) the mighty archer (our preceptor) Drona or Kripa, of great strength.
कर्णो वा समरश्लाघी द्रौणिर्वा द्विजसत्तमः। दिव्यास्त्रविदुषः सर्वे भवन्तो हि बले मम॥
Or Karna, who globes in battle, or that best of the twice-borm, the son of Drona, (can destiny it)? You that are well versed in celestial weapons, are in my army.
एतदिच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं परं कौतूहलं हि मे। हृदि नित्यं महाबाहो वक्तुमर्हसि मन्मम॥
I very much desire to know this have a mighty curiosity in my heart always (to know this). (O mighty-armed one,) it is met for you to tell me this.
भीष्म उवाच अनुरूपं कुरुश्रेष्ठ त्वय्येतत् पृथिवीपते। बलाबलममित्राणां तेषां यदिह पृच्छसि॥
Bhishma said This is, indeed, becoming just like yourself 0 best of Kurus, and O lord of the earth that you desire to know the strength and weakness of your enemies.
शृणु राजन् मम रणे या शक्तिः परमा भवेत्। शस्त्रवीर्यं रणे यच्च भुजयोश्च महाभुज॥
Hear therefore, o king, of my utmost power which I can exert in battle, both with reference to the power of my weapons in battle, and also that of my arms, you of mighty arms.
आर्जवेनैव युद्धेन योद्धव्य इतरो जनः। मायायुद्धेन मायावी इत्येतद् धर्मनिश्चयः॥
Ordinary men ought to be fought without artifice, and with deceptive artifices one versed in them; this is the rule that has been settled,
हन्यामहं महाभाग पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम्। दिवसे दिवसे कृत्वा भागं प्रागह्निकं मम॥
O highly blessed one, I can slay the army of the Pandavas, by making a division of the day, and taking the morning each day for my share,
योधानां दशसाहस्रं कृत्वा भागं महाद्युते। सहस्रं रथिनामेकमेष भागो मतो मम॥
Ten thousand soldiers, by this division, O you of great effulgence, and of car-warriors, one thousand, this I think (I can take as) my share.
अनेनाहं विधानेन संनद्धः सततोत्थितः। क्षपयेयं महत् सैन्यं कालेनानेन भारत॥
According to this way, being always with my Armour, and always (spending my time) in action, I can annihilate this huge army in a certain period, O Bharata.
मुञ्चेयं यदि वास्त्राणि महान्ति समरे स्थितः। शतसाहिस्रघातीनि हन्यां मासेन भारत॥
But if I shoot my mighty weapons I can slay (at once) hundreds and thousands; being stationed in battle, I can slay (the army) in a month, O Bharata.
संजय उवाच श्रुत्वा भीष्मस्य तद् वाक्यं राजा दुर्योधनस्ततः। पर्यपृच्छत राजेन्द्र द्रोणमङ्गिरसां वरम्॥
Sanjaya said Hearing these words of Bhishma king Duryodhana then asked Drona, the foremost of Angira's race, O great king,
आचार्य केन कालेन पाण्डुपुत्रस्य सैनिकान्। निहन्या इति तं द्रोणः प्रत्युवाच हसन्निव॥
“O preceptor, in what time can you annihilate the soldiers of the son of Pandu?” Drona replied to him, as if smilingly.
स्थविरोऽस्मि महाबाहो मन्दप्राणविचेष्टितः। शस्त्रग्निना निर्दहेयं पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम्॥
I am old and my energy and prowess of exertion have become weak, O mighty-armed one. I can consume this army of the Pandavas by the fire of my weapons,
यथा भीष्मः शान्तनवो मासेनेति मतिर्मम। एषा मे परमा शक्तिरेतन्मे परमं बलम्॥
Just like Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, by a month's time; so I think. This is my utmost power, this is my greatest strength.
द्वाभ्यामेव तु मासाभ्यां कृपः शारद्वतोऽब्रवीत्। द्रौणिस्तु दशरात्रेण प्रतिजज्ञे बलक्षयम्॥
Then Sharadvata's son, Kripa replied “In two month's time." And the son of Drona promised the destruction of the army in ten nights.
कर्णस्तु पञ्चरात्रेण प्रतिजज्ञे महास्त्रवित्। तच्छ्रुत्वा सूतपुत्रस्य वाक्यं सागरगासुतः॥
Karna, knowing as he did (the use of) mighty weapons, promised it in five nights. Hearing those words of the son of Suta, the son of the ocean, going (Ganga),
जहास सस्वनं हासं वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह। न हि यावद् रणे पार्थं बाणशङ्खधनुर्धरम्॥ वासुदेवसमायुक्तं रथेनायान्तमाहवे। समागच्छसि राधेय तेनैवमभिमन्यसे। शक्यमेवं च भूयश्च त्वया वक्तुं यथेष्टतः॥
Laughed an audible laugh, and spoke these words. "As long as the son of Pritha, holding his weapons and conch and bows in battle, You do not encounter, O son of Radha, coming as he does in battle, on his chariot guided by Vasudeva, so long can you think so. You indeed capable of saying anything again, even what you please.