01.096
Core:Vichitra Veerya's marriage and death.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
hate citrāṅgade bhīṣmo bāle bhrātari cānagha। pālayāmāsa tadrājyaṁ satyavatyā mate sthitaḥ॥1॥
O sinless one, when Citrāṅgada was slain and the brother was still young, Bhīṣma protected the kingdom, abiding by the counsel of Satyavatī.
samprāptayauvanaṁ paśyanbhrātaraṁ dhīmatāṁ varam। bhīṣmo vicitravīryasya vivāhāyākaronmatim॥2॥
Seeing that his brother Vicitravīrya, the best among the wise, had reached youth, Bhīṣma decided to arrange his marriage.
atha kāśipaterbhīṣmaḥ kanyāstisro'psaraḥsamāḥ। śuśrāva sahitā rājanvṛṇvatīrvai svayaṁvaram॥3॥
Then Bhīṣma heard that the three daughters of the king of Kāśi, equal to apsarases, were together holding a svayaṁvara ceremony, O king.
tataḥ sa rathināṁ śreṣṭho rathenaikena varmabhṛt। jagāmānumate mātuḥ purīṁ vārāṇasīṁ prati॥4॥
Then he, the best among charioteers, clad in armor and alone in his chariot, went toward the city of Vārāṇasī with his mother’s permission.
tatra rājñaḥ samuditānsarvataḥ samupāgatān। dadarśa kanyāstāścaiva bhīṣmaḥ śantanunandanaḥ॥5॥
There, Bhīṣma, the son of Śantanu, saw the assembled kings who had come from all directions and also saw those maidens.
kīrtyamāneṣu rājñāṁ tu nāmasvatha sahasraśaḥ। bhīṣmaḥ svayaṁ tadā rājanvarayāmāsa tāḥ prabhuḥ॥6॥
While the names of kings were being announced by the thousands, then Bhīṣma himself, O king, chose those maidens, the mighty one.
uvāca ca mahīpālānrājanjaladaniḥsvanaḥ। rathamāropya tāḥ kanyā bhīṣmaḥ praharatāṁ varaḥ॥7॥
Bhīṣma, the foremost among warriors, placing the maidens on his chariot, addressed the kings, O king, with a voice like the roar of a cloud.
āhūya dānaṁ kanyānāṁ guṇavadbhyaḥ smṛtaṁ budhaiḥ। alaṅkṛtya yathāśakti pradāya ca dhanānyapi॥8॥
The wise regard the summoning and gifting of maidens to worthy men, after adorning them and giving wealth according to one's means, as a proper form of marriage.
prayacchantyapare kanyāṁ mithunena gavāmapi। vittena kathitenānye balenānye'numānya ca॥9॥
Some give the maiden with a pair of cows; others with specified wealth; others by force; and others with consent.
pramattāmupayāntyanye svayamanya ca vindate। aṣṭamaṁ tamatho vitta vivāhaṁ kavibhiḥ smṛtam॥10॥
Others approach an intoxicated maiden, and some seize her themselves; thus, the eighth form of marriage based on wealth is considered by sages.
svayaṁvaraṁ tu rājanyāḥ praśaṁsantyupayānti ca। pramathya tu hṛtāmāhurjyāyasīṁ dharmavādinaḥ॥11॥
Princes praise and attend the svayaṁvara ceremony; but those who speak of dharma consider her who is carried away by force as the superior form.
tā imāḥ pṛthivīpālā jihīrṣāmi balāditaḥ। te yatadhvaṁ paraṁ śaktyā vijayāyetarāya vā॥ sthito'haṁ pṛthivīpālā yuddhāya kṛtaniścayaḥ॥12॥
O kings, I desire to take these maidens by force; now exert yourselves to the utmost—either for victory or for the other. I stand here, O kings, resolved for battle.
evamuktvā mahīpālānkāśirājaṁ ca vīryavān। sarvāḥ kanyāḥ sa kauravyo rathamāropayatsvakam। āmantrya ca sa tānprāyācchīghraṁ kanyāḥ pragṛhya tāḥ॥13॥
Thus addressing the kings and the king of Kāśi, the valiant Kaurava placed all the maidens on his own chariot, took leave of them, and swiftly departed, having seized those maidens.
tataste pārthivāḥ sarve samutpeturamarṣitāḥ। saṁspṛśantaḥ svakānbāhūndaśanto daśanacchadān॥14॥
Then all the kings sprang up in fury, touching their arms and biting their lips in rage.
teṣāmābharaṇānyāśu tvaritānāṁ vimuñcatām। āmuñcatāṁ ca varmāṇi sambhramaḥ sumahānabhūt॥15॥
As they hastily cast off their ornaments and donned their armors, a great confusion arose among them.
tārāṇāmiva sampāto babhūva janamejaya। bhūṣaṇānāṁ ca śubhrāṇāṁ kavacānāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ॥16॥
O Janamejaya, there was a fall like that of stars — of shining ornaments and armors everywhere.
savarmabhirbhūṣaṇaistē drāgbhrājadbhiritastataḥ। sakrodhāmarṣajihmabhrūsakaṣāyadṛśastathā॥17॥
They, adorned with shining armor and ornaments, quickly moved about here and there, with wrathful, furrowed brows and bloodshot eyes.
sūtopakalptānrucirānsadaśvodyatadhūrgatān। rathānāsthāya te vīrāḥ sarvapraharaṇānvitāḥ। prayāntamekaṁ kauravyamanusasrurudāyudhāḥ॥18॥
Mounting splendid chariots prepared by charioteers and drawn by ten well-yoked horses, the warriors, armed with all weapons, pursued the lone Kaurava with raised arms.
tataḥ samabhavadyuddhaṁ teṣāṁ tasya ca bhārata। ekasya ca bahūnāṁ ca tumulaṁ lomaharṣaṇam॥19॥
Then there arose a tumultuous, hair-raising battle, O Bhārata, between him and them — one against many.
te tviṣūndaśasāhasrāṁstasmai yugapadākṣipan। aprāptāṁścaiva tānāśu bhīṣmaḥ sarvāṁstadācchinat॥20॥
They hurled ten thousand arrows at him at once, but Bhīṣma swiftly cut off all those arrows before they could reach him.
tataste pārthivāḥ sarve sarvataḥ parivārayan। vavarṣuḥ śaravarṣeṇa varṣeṇevādrimambudāḥ॥21॥
Then all the kings surrounded him from all sides and rained down showers of arrows, like clouds pouring rain upon a mountain.
sa tadbāṇamayaṁ varṣaṁ śarairāvārya sarvataḥ। tataḥ sarvānmahīpālānpratyavidhyattribhistribhiḥ॥22॥
He warded off that shower of arrows from all sides with his own, and then pierced each of the kings with three arrows.
tasyāti puruṣānanyāṁlāghavaṁ rathacāriṇaḥ। rakṣaṇaṁ cātmanaḥ saṅkhye śatravo'pyabhyapūjayan॥23॥
Even his enemies praised his unparalleled swiftness as a charioteer and his self-defense in battle, recognizing him as beyond ordinary men.
tānvinirjitya tu raṇe sarvaśastraviśāradaḥ। kanyābhiḥ sahitaḥ prāyādbhārato bhāratānprati॥24॥
Having vanquished them in battle, the expert in all weapons, Bhārata, departed with the maidens toward the Bhāratas.
tatastaṁ pṛṣṭhato rājañśālvarājo mahārathaḥ। abhyāhanadameyātmā bhīṣmaṁ śāntanavaṁ raṇe॥25॥
Then, O king, the mighty chariot-warrior Śālva, of immeasurable spirit, struck Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu, from behind in battle.
vāraṇaṁ jaghane nighnandantābhyāmaparo yathā। vāśitāmanusamprāpto yūthapo balināṁ varaḥ॥26॥
Just as another strong elephant strikes the hind part of a roaring one with its tusks, the strongest leader of the herd comes upon it.
strīkāma tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti bhīṣmamāha sa pārthivaḥ। śālvarājo mahābāhuramarṣeṇābhicoditaḥ॥27॥
The king Śālva, mighty-armed and impelled by indignation, said to Bhīṣma: “O woman-seeker, stop, stop!”
tataḥ sa puruṣavyāghro bhīṣmaḥ parabalārdanaḥ। tadvākyākulitaḥ krodhādvidhūmo'gniriva jvalan॥28॥
Then Bhīṣma, the tiger among men and destroyer of enemy forces, agitated by those words, blazed with anger like a smokeless fire.
kṣatradharmaṁ samāsthāya vyapetabhayasambhramaḥ। nivartayāmāsa rathaṁ śālvaṁ prati mahārathaḥ॥29॥
Freed from fear and confusion, adopting the warrior's code, the great chariot-warrior turned his chariot back toward Śālva.
nivartamānaṁ taṁ dṛṣṭvā rājānaḥ sarva eva te। prekṣakāḥ samapadyanta bhīṣmaśālvasamāgame॥30॥
Seeing him turn back, all the kings became spectators at the encounter of Bhīṣma and Śālva.
tau vṛṣāviva nardantau balinau vāśitāntare। anyonyamabhivartetāṁ balavikramaśālinau॥31॥
Like two roaring bulls in the midst of a challenge, the two mighty warriors, endowed with strength and valor, charged toward each other.
tato bhīṣmaṁ śāntanavaṁ śaraiḥ śatasahasraśaḥ। śālvarājo naraśreṣṭhaḥ samavākira dāśugaiḥ॥32॥
Then the king of Śālva, best among men, showered Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu, with hundreds of thousands of swift arrows.
pūrvamabhyarditaṁ dṛṣṭvā bhīṣmaṁ śālvena te nṛpāḥ। vismitāḥ samapadyanta sādhu sādhviti cābruvan॥33॥
Seeing Bhīṣma at first overpowered by Śālva, the kings were amazed and said, “Well done, well done.”
lāghavaṁ tasya te dṛṣṭvā saṁyuge sarvapārthivāḥ। apūjayanta saṁhṛṣṭā vāgbhiḥ śālvaṁ narādhipāḥ॥34॥
Seeing his agility in battle, all the kings praised Śālva with delighted words, the rulers of men honoring him.
kṣatriyāṇāṁ tadā vācaḥ śrutvā parapurañjayaḥ। kruddhaḥ śāntanavo bhīṣmaḥ tiṣṭha tiṣṭhetyabhāṣata॥35॥
Hearing the words of the kṣatriyas, Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu and conqueror of enemy cities, enraged, cried out, “Stop! Stop!”
sārathiṁ cābravītkruddho yāhi yatraiṣa pārthivaḥ। yāvadenaṁ nihanmyadya bhujaṅgamiva pakṣirāṭ॥36॥
Enraged, he said to his charioteer, “Go to where this king is, until I strike him down today like a serpent by the king of birds.”
tato'straṁ vāruṇaṁ samyagyojayāmāsa kauravaḥ। tenāśvāṁścaturo'mṛdnācchālvarājño narādhipa॥37॥
Then the Kaurava properly applied the Varuṇa weapon and with it struck down the four horses of King Śālva, O lord of men.
astrairastrāṇi saṁvārya śālvarājñaḥ sa kauravaḥ। bhīṣmo nṛpatiśārdūla nyavadhīttasya sā rathim। astreṇa cāpyathāikena nyavadhītturagottamān॥38॥
Countering the weapons of King Śālva with his own, Bhīṣma, tiger among kings, slew his charioteer and then with one weapon struck down his excellent horses as well.
kanyāhetornaraśreṣṭha bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavastadā। jitvā visarjayāmāsa jīvantaṁ nṛpasattamam। tataḥ śālvaḥ svanagaraṁ prayayau bharatarṣabha॥39॥
Then Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu and best of men, having defeated him for the sake of the maidens, let the best of kings go alive. Śālva then returned to his city, O bull among the Bharatas.
rājāno ye ca tatrāsansvayaṁvaradidṛkṣavaḥ। svānyeva te'pi rāṣṭrāṇi jagmuḥ parapurañjaya॥40॥
The kings who had come there to witness the svayaṁvara also returned to their own kingdoms, O conqueror of enemy cities.
evaṁ vijitya tāḥ kanyā bhīṣmaḥ praharatāṁ varaḥ। prayayau hāstinapuraṁ yatra rājā sa kauravaḥ॥41॥
Thus having conquered, Bhīṣma, the best among warriors, took those maidens and departed to Hastinapura, where the Kaurava king resided.
so'cireṇaiva kālena atyakrāmannarādhipa। vanāni saritaścaiva śailāṁśca vividhadrumān॥42॥
In a short time, the lord of men passed through forests, rivers, and mountains filled with diverse trees.
akṣataḥ kṣapayitvārīnsaṅkhye'saṅkhyeyavikramaḥ। ānayāmāsa kāśyasya sutāḥ sāgaragāsutaḥ॥43॥
Uninjured and of immeasurable valor, he subdued the enemies in battle and brought back the daughters of the king of Kāśi — the son of the river did so.
snuṣā iva sa dharmātmā bhaginya iva cānujāḥ। yathā duhitaraścaiva pratigṛhya yayau kurūn॥44॥
That righteous Bhīṣma received them as if they were daughters-in-law, sisters, or daughters, and returned to the Kurus.
tāḥ sarvā guṇasampannā bhrātā bhrātre yavīyase। bhīṣmo vicitravīryāya pradadau vikramāhṛtāḥ॥45॥
All those virtuous maidens, won by valor, Bhīṣma, the elder brother, gave to his younger brother Vicitravīrya.
satāṁ dharmeṇa dharmajñaḥ kṛtvā karmātimānuṣam। bhrāturvicitravīryasya vivāhāyopacakrame॥ satyavatyā saha mithaḥ kṛtvā niścayamātmavān॥46॥
Having performed a superhuman deed in accordance with dharma, the righteous Bhīṣma began arrangements for the marriage of his brother Vicitravīrya, having made a mutual decision with Satyavatī.
vivāhaṁ kārayiṣyantaṁ bhīṣmaṁ kāśipateḥ sutāḥ। jyeṣṭhā tāsāmidaṁ vākyamabravīddha satī tadā॥47॥
As Bhīṣma was preparing for the marriage, the eldest of the daughters of the king of Kāśi, a virtuous woman, said these words to him.
mayā saubhapatiḥ pūrvaṁ manasābhivṛtaḥ patiḥ। tena cāsmi vṛtā pūrvameṣa kāmaśca me pituḥ॥48॥
Formerly I accepted the lord of Śālva in my heart as husband, and he too had chosen me before — this was the wish of both me and my father.
mayā varayitavyo'bhūcchālvastasminsvayaṁvare। etadvijñāya dharmajña tatastvaṁ dharmamācara॥49॥
Śālva was to be chosen by me in that svayaṁvara; knowing this, O knower of dharma, do now what is right.
evamuktastayā bhīṣmaḥ kanyayā viprasaṁsadi। cintāmabhyagamadvīro yuktāṁ tasyaiva karmaṇaḥ॥50॥
Thus addressed by the maiden in the Brāhmaṇa assembly, the heroic Bhīṣma entered into reflection fitting to that situation and his deed.
sa viniścitya dharmajño brāhmaṇairvedapāragaiḥ। anujajñe tadā jyeṣṭāmambāṁ kāśipateḥ sutām॥51॥
Having taken counsel with Veda-knowing Brāhmaṇas, the righteous Bhīṣma then consented to release Ambā, the eldest daughter of the king of Kāśi.
ambikāmbālike bhārye prādādbhrātre yavīyase। bhīṣmo vicitravīryāya vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā॥52॥
Bhīṣma gave Ambikā and Ambālikā as wives to his younger brother Vicitravīrya, according to proper rites.
tayoḥ pāṇiṁ gṛhītvā sa rūpayauvanadarpitaḥ। vicitravīryo dharmātmā kāmātmā samapadyata॥53॥
Having taken the hands of both, Vicitravīrya, though righteous, became sensual-minded, proud of beauty and youth.
te cāpi bṛhatī śyāme nīlakuñcitamūrdhaje। raktatuṅganakhopete pīnaśroṇipayodhare॥54॥
They were tall, dark, with curly dark hair, red raised nails, and full hips and breasts.
ātmanaḥ pratirūpo'sau labdhaḥ patiriti sthite। vicitravīryaṁ kalyāṇaṁ pūjayāmāsatustu te॥55॥
Thinking that they had obtained a worthy husband, the two maidens worshipped the auspicious Vicitravīrya.
sa cāśvirūpasadṛśo devasattvaparākramaḥ। sarvāsāmeva nārīṇāṁ cittapramathano'bhavat॥56॥
He, with the form like the Ashvins and divine strength, became the captor of the hearts of all women.
tābhyāṁ saha samāḥ sapta viharanypṛthivīpatiḥ। vicitravīryastaruṇo yakṣmāṇaṁ samapadyata॥57॥
Enjoying with both for seven years, the young king Vicitravīrya contracted consumption.
suhṛdāṁ yatamānānāmāptaiḥ saha cikitsakaiḥ। jagāmāstamivādityaḥ kauravyo yamasādanam॥58॥
Despite the efforts of his friends and trusted physicians, the Kaurava prince went to the abode of Yama, like the sun setting in the west.
pretakāryāṇi sarvāṇi tasya samyagakārayat। rājño vicitravīryasya satyavatyā mate sthitaḥ। ṛtvigbhiḥ sahito bhīṣmaḥ sarvaiśca kurupuṅgavaiḥ॥59॥
Bhīṣma, abiding by the counsel of Satyavatī and assisted by priests and all the foremost of the Kurus, properly conducted all the funeral rites of King Vicitravīrya.
