05.170
duryodhana uvāca॥
Duryodhana spoke:
kimarthaṃ bharataśreṣṭha na hanyāstvaṃ śikhaṇḍinam। udyateṣumatho dṛṣṭvā samareṣvātatāyinam ॥5-170-1॥
O best of the Bharatas, why should you refrain from killing Shikhandi, who stands as an aggressor in battles with his arrows raised?
pūrvamuktvā mahābāho pāṇḍavānsaha somakaiḥ। vadhiṣyāmīti gāṅgeya tanme brūhi pitāmaha ॥5-170-2॥
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.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma spoke.
śṛṇu duryodhana kathāṃ sahaibhirvasudhādhipaiḥ। yadarthaṃ yudhi samprekṣya nāhaṃ hanyāṃ śikhaṇḍinam ॥5-170-3॥
Listen, Duryodhana, to the story along with the kings, for which reason, having observed in battle, I would not kill Shikhandin.
mahārājo mama pitā śantanurbharatarṣabhaḥ। diṣṭāntaṃ prāpa dharmātmā samaye puruṣarṣabha ॥5-170-4॥
My father, King Śantanu, the noble leader of the Bharatas, passed away righteously at the destined time, O noble one among men.
tato'haṁ bharataśreṣṭha pratijñāṁ paripālayan। citrāṅgadaṁ bhrātaraṁ vai mahārājye'bhiṣecayam ॥5-170-5॥
Then, O esteemed Bharata, I fulfilled my promise by anointing my brother Citrangada as the king of the great kingdom.
tasmiṁśca nidhanaṁ prāpte satyavatyā mate sthitaḥ। vicitravīryaṁ rājānamabhyaṣiñcaṁ yathāvidhi ॥5-170-6॥
Upon the death, as per Satyavati's decision, Vicitravīrya was duly anointed as the king.
mayābhiṣikto rājendra yavīyānapi dharmataḥ। vicitravīryo dharmātmā māmeva samudaikṣata ॥5-170-7॥
Anointed by me, O king, the younger and righteous Vicitravīrya regarded me with respect due to righteousness.
tasya dārakriyāṃ tāta cikīrṣurahamapyuta। anurūpādiva kulāditi cintya mano dadhe ॥5-170-8॥
Desiring to arrange his marriage, I, like a father, also indeed thought and placed my mind on finding a suitable family.
tathāśrauṣaṃ mahābāho tisraḥ kanyāḥ svayaṃvare। rūpeṇāpratimāḥ sarvāḥ kāśirājasutāstadā ॥ ambā caivāmbikā caiva tathaivāmbālikāparā ॥5-170-9॥
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.
rājānaśca samāhūtāḥ pṛthivyāṃ bharatarṣabha। ambā jyeṣṭhābhavattāsāmambikā tvatha madhyamā ॥ ambālikā ca rājendra rājakanyā yavīyasī ॥5-170-10॥
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.
so'ham ekarathenaiva gataḥ kāśipateḥ purīm। apaśyaṃ tā mahābāho tisraḥ kanyāḥ svalaṅkṛtāḥ ॥ rājñaścaiva samāvṛttān pārthivān pṛthivīpate ॥5-170-11॥
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.
tato'haṁ tānnṛpānsarvānāhūya samare sthitān। rathamāropayāṁ cakre kanyāstā bharatarṣabha ॥5-170-12॥
Then I called all the kings who were standing in the battle and made the maidens ascend the chariot, O best of the Bharatas.
vīryaśulkāśca tā jñātvā samāropya rathaṃ tadā| avocaṃ pārthivānsarvānahaṃ tatra samāgatān ॥ bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavaḥ kanyā haratīti punaḥ punaḥ ॥5-170-13॥
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.
te yatadhvaṁ paraṁ śaktyā sarve mokṣāya pārthivāḥ। prasahya hi nayāmyeṣa miṣatāṁ vo narādhipāḥ ॥5-170-14॥
All the kings should strive with their utmost strength for liberation. Indeed, I will lead this forcefully while your kings watch.
tataste pṛthivīpālāḥ samutpeturudāyudhāḥ। yogo yoga iti kruddhāḥ sārathīṃścāpyacodayan ॥5-170-15॥
Then those kings, armed and angry, rose up and urged their charioteers, exclaiming 'Effort, effort!'
te rathairmeghasaṅkāśairgajaiśca gajayodhinaḥ। pṛṣṭhyaiścāśvairmahīpālāḥ samutpeturudāyudhāḥ ॥5-170-16॥
The kings, equipped with chariots resembling clouds, elephants, and cavalry, rose with their weapons raised, ready for battle.
tataste māṃ mahīpālāḥ sarva eva viśāṃ pate। rathavrātena mahatā sarvataḥ paryavārayan ॥5-170-17॥
Then all the kings, O lord of men, surrounded me from every direction with a great number of chariots.
tān ahaṃ śaravarṣeṇa mahatā pratyavārayam। sarvān nṛpāṃś cāpy ajayaṃ devarāḍ iva dānavān ॥5-170-18॥
I repelled them with a great rain of arrows and conquered all the kings, just as the king of gods conquered the demons.
teṣām āpatatāṃ citrāndhvajān hemapariṣkṛtān। ekaikena hi bāṇena bhūmau pātitavān aham ॥5-170-19॥
As they approached with their colorful flags adorned with gold, I shot each one down to the ground with an arrow.
hayāṃś caiṣāṃ gajāṃś caiva sārathīṃś cāpy ahaṃ raṇe। apātayaṃ śarair dīptaiḥ prahasan puruṣarṣabha ॥5-170-20॥
O best of men, smiling, I felled the horses, elephants, and charioteers of these in battle with fiery arrows.
te nivṛttāśca bhagnāśca dṛṣṭvā tallāghavaṃ mama। athāhaṃ hāstinapuramāyāṃ jitvā mahīkṣitaḥ ॥5-170-21॥
After witnessing my agility, they returned defeated. Then I conquered the kings and came to Hastinapura.
ato'haṁ tāśca kanyā vai bhrāturarthāya bhārata| tacca karma mahābāho satyavatyai nyavedayam ॥5-170-22॥
Therefore, O Bhārata, I informed Satyavati about those maidens for my brother's sake, and that deed, O mighty-armed one.
