संजय उवाच समारोप्य महच्चापमभिवाद्य पितामहम्। नेत्राभ्यामश्रुपूर्णाभ्यामिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Sanjaya said Then Arjuna, fixing the string on his mighty bow and saluting the grandsire and with his eyes overflowing with tears thus spoke.
आज्ञापय कुरुश्रेष्ठ सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वर। प्रेष्योऽहं तव दुर्धर्ष क्रियतां किं पितामह॥
Command me, O foremost of the Kurus, O chief of all wielders of weapons. I am your slave, O invincible one. What, O grandsire, shall I do for you.
तमब्रवीच्छान्तनवः शिरो मे तात लम्बते। उपधानं कुरुश्रेष्ठ फाल्गुनोपदधत्स्व मे॥
The son of Shantanu then thus replied to him saying "My head, O sire, is hanging down. Fetch me, O foremost of the Kurus, Phalguna, a pillow,
शयनस्यानुरूपं वै शीघ्रं वीर प्रयच्छ मे। त्वं हि पार्थ समर्थो वै श्रेष्ठः सर्वधनुष्मताम्॥४।
That will be suitable to my bed, and O hero, give that to me soon. You only, O Partha, are equal to the task, you are the foremost of all the bowmen;
क्षत्रधर्मस्य वेत्ता च बुद्धिसत्त्वगुणान्वितः। फाल्गुनोऽपि तथेत्युक्त्वा व्यवसायमरोचयत्॥
You are conversant with the duties of a Kshatriya and endowed with keep intelligence and modesty and bravery.” Then Phalguna of great might saying yea to his words, prepared to do what Bhishma bade him do.
गृह्यानुमन्त्र्य गाण्डीवं शरान् संनतपर्वणः। अनुमान्य महात्मानं भरतानां महारथम्॥
Then taking up the Gandiva bow and shafts of close knots, and purifying them with are Mantras and obtaining the permission of that illustrious car-warrior of the Bharatas, Arjuna,
त्रिभिस्तीक्ष्णैर्महावेगैरन्वगृह्णच्छिरः शरैः। अभिप्राये तु विदिते धर्मात्मा सव्यसाचिना॥ अतुष्यद् भरतश्रेष्ठो भीष्मो धर्मार्थततत्ववित्। उपधानेन दत्तेन प्रत्यनन्दद् धनंजयम्॥
With those sharp arrows charged with great velocity supported Bhishma's head. Then, O foremost of the Bharatas, seeing that Savyasachin had rightly divined his thought, Bhishma of illustrious soul conversant with the essence of all things became gratified with Arjuna; and then greatly praised Dhananjaya for having given him that pillow.
प्राह सर्वान् समुद्वीक्ष्य भरतान् भारतं प्रति। कुन्तीपुत्रं युधां श्रेष्ठं सुहृदां प्रीतिवर्धनम्॥
Then casting his glances on the Bharatas present there, Bhishma said to that descendant of the Bharatas, namely Kunti's son, that foremost of all warriors, and that enhancer of the delight of his friends.
शयनस्यानुरूपं मे पाण्डवोपहितं त्वया। यद्यन्यथा प्रपद्येथाः शपेयं त्वामहं रूषा॥
O son of Pandu, you have indeed fetched me a pillow becoming my bed. Had you fetched me something else, I would have cursed you
एवमेव महाबाहो धर्मेषु परितिष्ठता। स्वप्तव्यं क्षत्रियेणाजो शरतल्पगतेन वै॥
O mighty-armed hero this indeed is the way in which a Kshatriya not transgressing his duties, should sleep on the battle-field lying on an arrowy bed.
एवमुक्त्वा तु बीभत्सुं सर्वास्तानब्रवीद् वचः। राज्ञश्च राजपुत्रांश्च पाण्डवानभिसंस्थितान्॥
Having thus spoken to Vibhatsu' he said to all the kings and princes present there, the following words. in rage.
भीष्म उवाच पश्यध्वमुपधानं मे पाण्डवेनाभिसंधितम्। शिश्येऽहमस्यां शय्यायां यावदावर्तनं रवेः॥
Bhishma said Behold you all, the son of Pandu has supplied me with! I shall lie on this bed until the sun rolls back to the Northern solstice.
ये तदा मां गमिष्यन्ति ते च प्रेक्ष्यन्ति मां नृपाः। दिशं वैश्रवणाक्रान्तां यदाऽऽगन्ता दिवाकरः॥ नूनं सप्ताश्वयुक्तेन रथेनोत्तमतेजसा। विमोक्ष्येऽहं तदा प्राणान् सुहृदः सुप्रियानिव॥
Those kings that will then come to me shall see me (give up my life). When the maker of the day (sun), on his swift moving car yoked with seven horses, will proceed towards the point of the compass occupied by Vaisravana, then shall I yield up my vital breaths, like a friend, bidding adieu to his dear friend.
परिखा खन्यतामत्र ममावसदने नृपाः। उपासिष्ये विवस्वन्तमेवं शरशताचितः॥ उपारमध्वं संग्रामाद् वैरमुत्सृज्य पार्थिवाः।
O kings, dig up an entrenchment around here; mangled with hundreds of arrows as I am I will offer my homage's to the sun. You, O kings, do desist from the battle, vanquishing all thoughts of hostility.
संजय उवाच उपातिष्ठन्नथो वैद्याः शल्योद्धरणकोविदाः॥ सर्वोपरकरणैर्युक्ताः कुशलैः साधु शिक्षिताः।
Sanjaya said Thereafter there came several practitioners of the healing are, all well-trained and skillful in drawing out shafts, carrying with them all the necessary balms and appliances.
तान् दृष्ट्वा जाछवीपुत्रः प्रोवाच तनयं तव॥ धनं दत्त्वा विसृज्यन्तां पूजयित्वा चिकित्सकाः।
Beholding them, Ganga's son said to your son. “Paying proper respect to these physicians, and rewarding them with money, do you dismiss them.
एवंगते मयेदानी वैद्यैः कार्यमिहास्ति किम्॥ क्षत्रधर्मे प्रशस्तां हि प्राप्तोऽसस्मि परमां गतिम्।
Reduced to this condition, what necessity have I of physicians? I have attained to that blessed existence that is so applauded in those that observe the Kshatriya duties.
नैष धर्मो महीपालाः शरतल्पगतस्य मे॥ एभिरेव शरैश्चाहं दग्धव्योऽस्मि नराधिपाः।
As I lie on this arrowy bed, it is not indeed my duty to allow myself to be treated by these physicians. I should like, O rulers of earth, to be consumed even by these arrows,
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव॥ वैद्यान् विसर्जयामास पूजयित्वा यथार्हतः।
Having heard those words of his, your son Duryodhana dismissed all those physicians, having honoured them duly.
ततस्ते विस्मयं जग्मुर्नानाजनपदेश्वराः॥ स्थितिं धर्मे परां दृष्ट्वा भीष्मस्यामिततेजसः।
Then the rulers of the various countries, beholding the religious firmness of Bhishma of infinite prowess, were greatly amazed.
उपधानं ततो दत्त्वा पितुस्ते मनुजेश्वराः॥ सहिताः पाण्डवाः सर्वे कुरवश्च महारथाः।
Then having offered that pillow of your sire, all those kings, together with the mighty car-warriors of the Kurus and the Pandavas,
उपगम्य महात्मानं शयानं शयने शुभे॥ तेऽभिवाद्य ततो भीष्मं कृत्वा च त्रिः प्रदक्षिणम्। विधाय रक्षां भीष्मस्य सर्व एव समन्ततः॥ वीराः स्वशिबिराण्येव ध्यायन्तः परमातुराः। निवेशायाभ्युपागच्छन् सायाछे रुधिरोक्षिताः॥ निविष्टान् पाण्डवांश्चैव प्रीयमाणान् महास्थान्। भीष्मस्य पतने हृष्टानुपगम्य महाबलः॥ उवाच माधवः काले धर्मपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम्।
Again approached the illustrious Bhishma prostrate on his excellent bed of arrows. Then having saluted and three times circumbulated that illustrious one viz., Bhishma, and having arranged for his protection, the heroes entered their respective camps, for taking rest, at the hour of sun-set, with their bodies bespattered with blood, and thoughtful and extremely pained. Then approaching, at a suitable season, the Pandavas, those mighty car-warriors cheerfully seated together and rejoicing at the fall of Bhishma, the mighty Madhava said these words to Yudhishthira the son of Dharma.
दिष्ट्या जयसि कौरव्य दिष्ट्या भीष्मो निपातितः॥२८ अवध्यो मानुषैरेव सत्यसंधो महारथः।
“Through good fortune, O best of the Kurus, have you attained victory; through good fortune has Bhishma, that mighty car-warrior of unerring aim, incapable of being slain by men, been overthrown.
अथवा दैवतैः सार्धं सर्वशास्त्रस्य पारगः॥ त्वां तु चक्षुर्हणं प्राप्य दग्धो घोरेण चक्षुषा।
Or it may be, that having, through Destiny, obtained you that slay with your very glances for a foe, that one through conversant with the use of all weapons has been destroyed by your angry looks."
एवमुक्तो धर्मराजः प्रत्युवाच जनार्दनम्॥ तव प्रसादाद् विजयः क्रोधात् तव पराजयः।
Being thus spoken to, the very virtuous king Yudhishthira replied to Janardana saying. “Victory comes to a man through your grace, and defcat overtakes him through your wrath.
त्वं हि नः शरणं कृष्ण भक्तानामभयंकरः॥ अनाश्चर्यो जयस्तेषां येषां त्वमसि केशव।
You are sole refuge, O Krishna: You give assurances of safety to your devotees. Victory is not a marvel for those whom,OKeshava,
रक्षिता समरे नित्यं नित्यं चापि हिते रतः॥ सर्वथा त्वां समासाद्य नाश्चर्यमिति मे मतिः।
You always protect in battle, and for whose welfare you always concern yourself. Having yourself for our protector, I do not consider anything wonderful for us."
एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच स्मयमानो जनार्दनः। तवैवैतद् युक्तरूपं वचनं पार्थिवोत्तम॥
Thus spoken to Janardana smilingly replied. “Indeed, O foremost of all the rulers of earth, these are words suited to fall from your lips only."