05.170
दुर्योधन उवाच॥
Duryodhana spoke:
किमर्थं भरतश्रेष्ठ न हन्यास्त्वं शिखण्डिनम्। उद्यतेषुमथो दृष्ट्वा समरेष्वाततायिनम् ॥५-१७०-१॥
O best of the Bharatas, why should you refrain from killing Shikhandi, who stands as an aggressor in battles with his arrows raised?
पूर्वमुक्त्वा महाबाहो पाण्डवान्सह सोमकैः। वधिष्यामीति गाङ्गेय तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥५-१७०-२॥
O mighty-armed one, having previously declared, "I will slay the Pandavas and the Somakas," O son of Ganga, please convey that to me, grandfather.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma spoke.
शृणु दुर्योधन कथां सहैभिर्वसुधाधिपैः। यदर्थं युधि सम्प्रेक्ष्य नाहं हन्यां शिखण्डिनम् ॥५-१७०-३॥
Listen, Duryodhana, to the story along with the kings, for which reason, having observed in battle, I would not kill Shikhandin.
महाराजो मम पिता शन्तनुर्भरतर्षभः। दिष्टान्तं प्राप धर्मात्मा समये पुरुषर्षभ ॥५-१७०-४॥
My father, King Śantanu, the noble leader of the Bharatas, passed away righteously at the destined time, O noble one among men.
ततोऽहं भरतश्रेष्ठ प्रतिज्ञां परिपालयन्। चित्राङ्गदं भ्रातरं वै महाराज्येऽभ्यषेचयम् ॥५-१७०-५॥
Then, O esteemed Bharata, I fulfilled my promise by anointing my brother Citrangada as the king of the great kingdom.
तस्मिंश्च निधनं प्राप्ते सत्यवत्या मते स्थितः। विचित्रवीर्यं राजानमभ्यषिञ्चं यथाविधि ॥५-१७०-६॥
Upon the death, as per Satyavati's decision, Vicitravīrya was duly anointed as the king.
मयाभिषिक्तो राजेन्द्र यवीयानपि धर्मतः। विचित्रवीर्यो धर्मात्मा मामेव समुदैक्षत ॥५-१७०-७॥
Anointed by me, O king, the younger and righteous Vicitravīrya regarded me with respect due to righteousness.
तस्य दारक्रियां तात चिकीर्षुरहमप्युत। अनुरूपादिव कुलादिति चिन्त्य मनो दधे ॥५-१७०-८॥
Desiring to arrange his marriage, I, like a father, also indeed thought and placed my mind on finding a suitable family.
तथाश्रौषं महाबाहो तिस्रः कन्याः स्वयंवरे। रूपेणाप्रतिमाः सर्वाः काशिराजसुतास्तदा ॥ अम्बा चैवाम्बिका चैव तथैवाम्बालिकापरा ॥५-१७०-९॥
O mighty-armed one, you heard about the three princesses at the self-choice ceremony, all unparalleled in beauty, who were the daughters of the King of Kashi: Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika.
राजानश्च समाहूताः पृथिव्यां भरतर्षभ। अम्बा ज्येष्ठाभवत्तासामम्बिका त्वथ मध्यमा ॥ अम्बालिका च राजेन्द्र राजकन्या यवीयसी ॥५-१७०-१०॥
The kings were gathered on earth, O best of the Bharatas. Among them, Ambā was the eldest, Ambikā was the middle one, and Ambālikā, O king, was the youngest princess.
सोऽहमेकरथेनैव गतः काशिपतेः पुरीम्। अपश्यं ता महाबाहो तिस्रः कन्याः स्वलङ्कृताः ॥ राज्ञश्चैव समावृत्तान्पार्थिवान्पृथिवीपते ॥५-१७०-११॥
I went alone with a single chariot to the city of the king of Kāśī. There, O mighty-armed one, I saw those three beautifully adorned maidens. And indeed, O lord of the earth, the princes had returned.
ततोऽहं तान्नृपान्सर्वानाहूय समरे स्थितान्। रथमारोपयां चक्रे कन्यास्ता भरतर्षभ ॥५-१७०-१२॥
Then I called all the kings who were standing in the battle and made the maidens ascend the chariot, O best of the Bharatas.
वीर्यशुल्काश्च ता ज्ञात्वा समारोप्य रथं तदा। अवोचं पार्थिवान्सर्वानहं तत्र समागतान् ॥ भीष्मः शान्तनवः कन्या हरतीति पुनः पुनः ॥५-१७०-१३॥
Upon realizing that the maidens were to be won by valor, I mounted the chariot and addressed all the assembled kings, declaring repeatedly that Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, was taking away the maiden.
ते यतध्वं परं शक्त्या सर्वे मोक्षाय पार्थिवाः। प्रसह्य हि नयाम्येष मिषतां वो नराधिपाः ॥५-१७०-१४॥
All the kings should strive with their utmost strength for liberation. Indeed, I will lead this forcefully while your kings watch.
ततस्ते पृथिवीपालाः समुत्पेतुरुदायुधाः। योगो योग इति क्रुद्धाः सारथींश्चाप्यचोदयन् ॥५-१७०-१५॥
Then those kings, armed and angry, rose up and urged their charioteers, exclaiming 'Effort, effort!'
ते रथैर्मेघसङ्काशैर्गजैश्च गजयोधिनः। पृष्ठ्यैश्चाश्वैर्महीपालाः समुत्पेतुरुदायुधाः ॥५-१७०-१६॥
The kings, equipped with chariots resembling clouds, elephants, and cavalry, rose with their weapons raised, ready for battle.
ततस्ते मां महीपालाः सर्व एव विशां पते। रथव्रातेन महता सर्वतः पर्यवारयन् ॥५-१७०-१७॥
Then all the kings, O lord of men, surrounded me from every direction with a great number of chariots.
तानहं शरवर्षेण महता प्रत्यवारयम्। सर्वान्नृपांश्चाप्यजयं देवराडिव दानवान् ॥५-१७०-१८॥
I repelled them with a great rain of arrows and conquered all the kings, just as the king of gods conquered the demons.
तेषामापततां चित्रान्ध्वजान्हेमपरिष्कृतान्। एकैकेन हि बाणेन भूमौ पातितवानहम् ॥५-१७०-१९॥
As they approached with their colorful flags adorned with gold, I shot each one down to the ground with an arrow.
हयांश्चैषां गजांश्चैव सारथींश्चाप्यहं रणे। अपातयं शरैर्दीप्तैः प्रहसन्पुरुषर्षभ ॥५-१७०-२०॥
O best of men, smiling, I felled the horses, elephants, and charioteers of these in battle with fiery arrows.
ते निवृत्ताश्च भग्नाश्च दृष्ट्वा तल्लाघवं मम। अथाहं हास्तिनपुरमायां जित्वा महीक्षितः ॥५-१७०-२१॥
After witnessing my agility, they returned defeated. Then I conquered the kings and came to Hastinapura.
अतोऽहं ताश्च कन्या वै भ्रातुरर्थाय भारत। तच्च कर्म महाबाहो सत्यवत्यै न्यवेदयम् ॥५-१७०-२२॥
Therefore, O Bhārata, I informed Satyavati about those maidens for my brother's sake, and that deed, O mighty-armed one.
