05.180
Pancharatra-Ext: Bhargava refuses to listen to Goddess Ganga, and in the battle that follows, day one comes to an end.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma spoke:
tamahaṁ smayanniva raṇe pratyabhāṣaṁ vyavasthitam। bhūmiṣṭhaṁ notsahe yoddhuṁ bhavantaṁ rathamāsthitaḥ ॥5-180-1॥
I, with a smile as if in battle, replied to him who was standing on the ground: 'I cannot fight you while you are mounted on a chariot.'
āroha syandanaṃ vīra kavacaṃ ca mahābhuja। badhāna samare rāma yadi yoddhuṃ mayecchasi ॥5-180-2॥
O mighty-armed hero, ascend the chariot and put on your armor in the battle, Rama, if you wish to fight with me.
tato māmabravīdrāmaḥ smayamāno raṇājire। ratho me medinī bhīṣma vāhā vedāḥ sadaśvavat ॥5-180-3॥
Then Rama, with a smile, said to me on the battlefield: "My chariot is the earth, Bhishma is the horses, and the Vedas are like noble steeds."
sūto me mātariśvā vai kavacaṃ vedamātaraḥ। susaṃvīto raṇe tābhiryotsye'haṃ kurunandana ॥5-180-4॥
My charioteer, Mātariśvā, who is indeed knowledgeable in the Vedas, will equip me with armor. Well-prepared, I shall fight in the battle alongside them, O joy of the Kurus.
evaṃ bruvāṇo gāndhāre rāmo māṃ satyavikramaḥ। śaravrātena mahatā sarvataḥ paryavārayat ॥5-180-5॥
Rama, known for his true prowess, addressed Gandhari and surrounded me with a great number of arrows from every direction.
tato'paśyaṃ jāmadagnyaṃ rathe divye vyavasthitam। sarvāyudhadhare śrīmatyadbhutopadarśane ॥5-180-6॥
Then I saw Jamadagnya on the divine chariot, equipped with all weapons, looking glorious and of a wonderful appearance.
manasā vihite puṇye vistīrṇe nagaropame। divyāśvayuji saṃnaddhe kāñcanena vibhūṣite ॥5-180-7॥
By the mind, a vast and auspicious place like a city was established, equipped with divine horses and adorned with gold.
dhvajena ca mahābāho somālaṅkṛtalakṣmaṇā। dhanurdharo baddhatūṇo baddhagodhāṅgulitravān ॥5-180-8॥
O mighty-armed one, adorned with the beauty of the moon, you stand with a flag, bearing a bow, with a quiver tied, and wearing gloves made of lizard skin.
sārathyaṃ kṛtavāṃstatra yuyutsorakṛtavraṇaḥ। sakhā vedavidatyantaṃ dayito bhārgavasya ha ॥5-180-9॥
The unwounded one, a dear friend and a profound knower of the Vedas, took up the role of charioteer there for the eager warrior, being extremely beloved by Bhārgava.
āhvayānaḥ sa māṃ yuddhe mano harṣayatīva me। punaḥ punarabhikrośannabhiyāhīti bhārgavaḥ ॥5-180-10॥
Bhārgava, repeatedly calling me to battle, seems to invigorate my spirit by shouting, 'Come forward!'
tam ādityam ivodyantam anādhṛṣyaṃ mahābalam। kṣatriyāntakaraṃ rāmam ekam ekaḥ samāsadam ॥5-180-11॥
He approached Rama, who was like the rising sun, unassailable and of great strength, the sole destroyer of warriors.
tato'haṁ bāṇapāteṣu triṣu vāhān nigṛhya vai। avatīrya dhanurnyasya padātirṛṣisattamam ॥5-180-12॥
Then, O best of sages, I restrained the chariots within the range of arrows, descended and placed my bow, standing on foot.
abhyagacchaṁ tadā rāmarciṣyandvijasattamam। abhivādya cainaṁ vidhivadabruvaṁ vākyamuttamam ॥5-180-13॥
Then I approached Rama, the best among the twice-born, worshipped him, and after saluting him properly, I spoke words of great excellence.
yotsye tvayā raṇe rāma viśiṣṭenādhikena ca। guruṇā dharmaśīlena jayamāśāssva me vibho ॥5-180-14॥
O Rama, I will engage in battle with you, accompanied by those who are distinguished, superior, venerable, and virtuous. You can hope for my victory, O lord.
rāma uvāca॥
Rama spoke:
evametatkuruśreṣṭha kartavyaṃ bhūtimicchatā। dharmo hyeṣa mahābāho viśiṣṭaiḥ saha yudhyatām ॥5-180-15॥
Thus, O best of the Kurus, if you desire prosperity, you must perform this duty. Indeed, O mighty-armed one, this is righteousness, and it should be pursued in the company of the distinguished.
śapeyaṃ tvāṃ na cedevamāgacchethā viśāṃ pate। yudhyasva tvaṃ raṇe yatto dhairyamālambya kaurava ॥5-180-16॥
I would swear an oath to you, if you do not come in this manner, O lord of men. Prepare yourself and fight in the battle with courage, O Kaurava.
na tu te jayamāśāse tvāṃ hi jetumahaṃ sthitaḥ। gaccha yudhyasva dharmeṇa prīto'smi caritena te ॥5-180-17॥
However, I do not expect you to win, as I am here to defeat you. Proceed and fight righteously; I am satisfied with your behavior.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma spoke:
tato'haṁ taṁ namaskṛtya rathamāruhya satvaraḥ। prādhmāpayaṁ raṇe śaṅkhaṁ punarhemavibhūṣitam ॥5-180-18॥
Then, after saluting him, I quickly climbed into the chariot and blew the conch adorned with gold once more in the battle.
tato yuddhaṃ samabhavanmama tasya ca bhārata। divasānsubahūnrājanparasparajigīṣayā ॥5-180-19॥
Then a battle ensued between my forces and his, O Bharata, lasting many days, driven by mutual ambition to conquer, O king.
sa me tasminraṇe pūrvaṃ prāharatkaṅkapatribhiḥ। ṣaṣṭyā śataiśca navabhiḥ śarāṇāmagnivarcasām ॥5-180-20॥
He was the first to attack me in that battle with arrows adorned with peacock feathers, totaling sixty-nine hundred, all shining like fire.
catvāras tena me vāhāḥ sūtaś caiva viśāṃ pate। pratiruddhās tathaivāhaṃ samare daṃśitaḥ sthitaḥ ॥5-180-21॥
O lord of men, my four horses and the charioteer are blocked by him, and I am standing wounded in the battle.
namaskṛtya ca devebhyo brāhmaṇebhyaśca bhārata। tamahaṃ smayanniva raṇe pratyabhāṣaṃ vyavasthitam ॥5-180-22॥
O Bharata, after saluting the gods and Brahmins, I replied to him in the battle, smiling as if I was standing firm.
ācāryatā mānitā me nirmaryāde hyapi tvayi। bhūyastu śṛṇu me brahmansampadaṃ dharmasaṅgrahe ॥5-180-23॥
I hold respect for teachers in high regard, even in you who are without boundaries. But listen again, O Brahman, to my wealth in the collection of dharma.
ye te vedāḥ śarīrasthā brāhmaṇyaṃ yacca te mahat। tapaśca sumahattaptaṃ na tebhyaḥ prahārāmyaham ॥5-180-24॥
I do not strike at the Vedas residing in your body, nor at your great Brahmanhood or the immense penance you have performed.
prahare kṣatradharmasya yaṃ tvaṃ rāma samāsthitaḥ। brāhmaṇaḥ kṣatriyatvaṃ hi yāti śastrasamudyamāt ॥5-180-25॥
In battle, you, Rama, have engaged in the duty of a warrior; indeed, a Brahmin attains the status of a warrior by wielding weapons.
paśya me dhanuṣo vīryaṃ paśya bāhvorbalaṃ ca me। eṣa te kārmukaṃ vīra dvidhā kurmi sasāyakam ॥5-180-26॥
Behold the power of my bow and the might of my arms. O hero, I shall break your bow into two along with its arrows.
tasyāhaṃ niśitaṃ bhallaṃ prāhiṇvaṃ bharatarṣabha। tenāsya dhanuṣaḥ koṭiśchinnā bhūmimathāgamat ॥5-180-27॥
I shot a sharp arrow, O best of the Bharatas, which cut off the end of his bow and it fell to the ground.
nava cāpi pṛṣatkānāṃ śatāni nataparvaṇām। prāhiṇvaṃ kaṅkapatrāṇāṃ jāmadagnyarathaṃ prati ॥5-180-28॥
Nine hundred arrows with bent joints and peacock feathers were also sent towards the chariot of Jamadagni's son.
kāye viṣaktāstu tadā vāyunābhisamīritāḥ। celuḥ kṣaranto rudhiraṃ nāgā iva ca te śarāḥ ॥5-180-29॥
The arrows, attached to the body, were then driven by the wind, moving and oozing blood like serpents.
kṣatajokṣitasarvāṅgaḥ kṣaransa rudhiraṃ vraṇaiḥ। babhau rāmas tadā rājan merurdhātūnivotsṛjan ॥5-180-30॥
Rama, with his entire body smeared in blood and blood flowing from his wounds, shone like the mountain Meru emitting its minerals, O king.
hemantānte'śoka iva raktastabakamaṇḍitaḥ। babhau rāmas tadā rājan kvacit kiṃśukasaṃnibhaḥ ॥5-180-31॥
At the end of winter, Rama appeared splendid, adorned with red clusters like the Ashoka tree, and at times resembling the Kimshuka tree, O king.
tato'nyaddhanurādāya rāmaḥ krodhasamanvitaḥ। hemapuṅkhānsuniśitāñśarāṃstānhi vavarṣa saḥ ॥5-180-32॥
Then Rama, filled with anger, took another bow and showered those well-sharpened, golden-feathered arrows.
te samāsādya māṃ raudrā bahudhā marmabhedinaḥ। akampayanmahāvegāḥ sarpānalaviṣopamāḥ ॥5-180-33॥
They approached me fiercely in many ways, piercing my vital parts, and shook me with great speed, like serpents with the potency of fire and poison.
tato'haṁ samavaṣṭabhya punarātmānamāhave। śatasaṅkhyaiḥ śaraiḥ kruddhastadā rāmamavākiram ॥5-180-34॥
Then, regaining my composure in the battle, I angrily showered Rama with hundreds of arrows.
sa tairagnyarkasaṅkāśaiḥ śarairāśīviṣopamaiḥ। śitairabhyardito rāmo mandacetā ivābhavat ॥5-180-35॥
Rama, struck by arrows that shone like fire and the sun and were as deadly as poisonous snakes, seemed to become dull-minded.
tato'haṁ kṛpayāviṣṭo vinindyātmānamātmanā। dhigdhigityabruvaṁ yuddhaṁ kṣatraṁ ca bharatarṣabha ॥5-180-36॥
Then, filled with compassion, I reproached myself, lamenting about the battle and the warrior class, O best of the Bharatas.
asakṛccābruvaṃ rājañśokavegapariplutaḥ। aho bata kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ mayedaṃ kṣatrakarmaṇā ॥5-180-37॥
Overwhelmed by grief, I repeatedly said, "O king, alas, indeed, I have committed this sin due to my duty as a warrior."
gururdvijātirdharmātmā yadevaṃ pīḍitaḥ śaraiḥ। tato na prāharaṃ bhūyo jāmadagnyāya bhārata ॥5-180-38॥
O Bharata, as the teacher, the twice-born, and the righteous soul was thus afflicted by arrows, I refrained from striking again at Jamadagni's son.
athāvatāpya pṛthivīṃ pūṣā divasasaṅkṣaye। jagāmāstaṃ sahasrāṃśustato yuddhamupāramat ॥5-180-39॥
Then, after heating the earth, the sun, known as the thousand-rayed one, set at the end of the day, and the battle came to an end.
