05.169
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said:
रोचमानो महाराज पाण्डवानां महारथः। योत्स्यतेऽमरवत्सङ्ख्ये परसैन्येषु भारत ॥५-१६९-१॥
The illustrious great king, the mighty chariot warrior of the Pandavas, will engage in battle like the gods against the enemy forces, O Bharata.
पुरुजित्कुन्तिभोजश्च महेष्वासो महाबलः। मातुलो भीमसेनस्य स च मेऽतिरथो मतः ॥५-१६९-२॥
Purujit and Kuntibhoja, both great archers and mighty warriors, are the uncles of Bhimasena. He is considered by me to be a great chariot-warrior.
एष वीरो महेष्वासः कृती च निपुणश्च ह। चित्रयोधी च शक्तश्च मतो मे रथपुङ्गवः ॥५-१६९-३॥
This hero, who is a great archer and accomplished, skilled indeed, is a wonderful warrior and capable, and is considered by me as the foremost of charioteers.
स योत्स्यति हि विक्रम्य मघवानिव दानवैः। योधाश्चास्य परिख्याताः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः ॥५-१६९-४॥
He will fight bravely like Indra against the Danavas. All his warriors are renowned and skilled in battle.
भागिनेयकृते वीरः स करिष्यति सङ्गरे। सुमहत्कर्म पाण्डूनां स्थितः प्रियहिते नृपः ॥५-१६९-५॥
The hero, for the sake of his nephew, will perform a great deed in battle for the Pandavas, as the king stands for their dear benefit.
भैमसेनिर्महाराज हैडिम्बो राक्षसेश्वरः। मतो मे बहुमायावी रथयूथपयूथपः ॥५-१६९-६॥
The great king Hidimba, son of Bhimasena and lord of demons, is regarded by me as a very deceitful leader among chariot warriors.
योत्स्यते समरे तात मायाभिः समरप्रियः। ये चास्य राक्षसाः शूराः सचिवा वशवर्तिनः ॥५-१६९-७॥
Dear father, the one who loves battle will engage in the fight using illusions. His demon warriors and ministers are brave and obedient.
एते चान्ये च बहवो नानाजनपदेश्वराः। समेताः पाण्डवस्यार्थे वासुदेवपुरोगमाः ॥५-१६९-८॥
These and many other kings from various regions, gathered for the cause of the Pāṇḍavas, led by Lord Vāsudeva.
एते प्राधान्यतो राजन्पाण्डवस्य महात्मनः। रथाश्चातिरथाश्चैव ये चाप्यर्धरथा मताः ॥५-१६९-९॥
These are primarily the chariots and great charioteers of the noble Pandava, O king, and those who are also regarded as half-charioteers.
नेष्यन्ति समरे सेनां भीमां यौधिष्ठिरीं नृप। महेन्द्रेणेव वीरेण पाल्यमानां किरीटिना ॥५-१६९-१०॥
O king, the formidable army of Yudhishthira will be led into battle, protected by the hero, like Mahendra, by the crowned one.
तैरहं समरे वीर त्वामायद्भिर्जयैषिभिः। योत्स्यामि जयमाकाङ्क्षन्नथ वा निधनं रणे ॥५-१६९-११॥
O hero, I will fight you in battle with arrows, desiring victory, or else meet my death in the battlefield.
पार्थं च वासुदेवं च चक्रगाण्डीवधारिणौ। सन्ध्यागताविवार्केन्दू समेष्ये पुरुषोत्तमौ ॥५-१६९-१२॥
Arjuna and Krishna, the supreme among men, arrived at the assembly at twilight, resembling the sun and moon, wielding their discus and Gandiva bow.
ये चैव ते रथोदाराः पाण्डुपुत्रस्य सैनिकाः। सहसैन्यानहं तांश्च प्रतीयां रणमूर्धनि ॥५-१६९-१३॥
I will face those great charioteers and soldiers of the Pandavas with my armies at the forefront of the battle.
एते रथाश्चातिरथाश्च तुभ्यं; यथाप्रधानं नृप कीर्तिता मया। तथा राजन्नर्धरथाश्च के चि; त्तथैव तेषामपि कौरवेन्द्र ॥५-१६९-१४॥
These warriors and great warriors have been mentioned to you as the chief ones, O king, by me. Similarly, O king, some of them are also half-warriors, O lord of the Kauravas.
अर्जुनं वासुदेवं च ये चान्ये तत्र पार्थिवाः। सर्वानावारयिष्यामि यावद्द्रक्ष्यामि भारत ॥५-१६९-१५॥
I will hold back all, including Arjuna, Vasudeva, and the other kings present there, until I can see, O Bharata.
पाञ्चाल्यं तु महाबाहो नाहं हन्यां शिखण्डिनम्। उद्यतेषुमभिप्रेक्ष्य प्रतियुध्यन्तमाहवे ॥५-१६९-१६॥
O mighty-armed one, I will not kill Shikhandi, the son of Drupada, as he stands ready with his arrows, fighting back in the battle.
लोकस्तद्वेद यदहं पितुः प्रियचिकीर्षया। प्राप्तं राज्यं परित्यज्य ब्रह्मचर्ये धृतव्रतः ॥५-१६९-१७॥
The world is aware that I have renounced the kingdom I obtained to please my father and have taken a firm vow of celibacy.
चित्राङ्गदं कौरवाणामहं राज्येऽभ्यषेचयम्। विचित्रवीर्यं च शिशुं यौवराज्येऽभ्यषेचयम् ॥५-१६९-१८॥
I appointed Chitrangada as the king of the Kauravas and Vichitravirya as the crown prince.
देवव्रतत्वं विख्याप्य पृथिव्यां सर्वराजसु। नैव हन्यां स्त्रियं जातु न स्त्रीपूर्वं कथञ्चन ॥५-१६९-१९॥
Having declared the state of being devoted to the gods among all the kings on earth, I would never kill a woman, nor anyone who was formerly a woman, in any circumstance.
स हि स्त्रीपूर्वको राजञ्शिखण्डी यदि ते श्रुतः। कन्या भूत्वा पुमाञ्जातो न योत्स्ये तेन भारत ॥५-१६९-२०॥
O King, if you have heard of Śikhaṇḍī, who was formerly a woman and became a man, I will not fight with him, O Bhārata.
सर्वांस्त्वन्यान्हनिष्यामि पार्थिवान्भरतर्षभ। यान्समेष्यामि समरे न तु कुन्तीसुतान्नृप ॥५-१६९-२१॥
O best of the Bharatas, I will slay all other kings I meet in battle, but I will spare the sons of Kunti, O king.
