05.186
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma spoke:
tato halahalāśabdo divi rājanmahānabhūt। prasvāpaṃ bhīṣma mā srākṣīriti kauravanandana ॥5-186-1॥
Then, O king, a great noise echoed in the sky. The joy of the Kauravas said, "Bhishma, do not let go of your sleep."
ayuñjameva caivāhaṃ tadastraṃ bhṛgunandane। prasvāpaṃ māṃ prayuñjānaṃ nārado vākyamabravīt ॥5-186-2॥
Narada spoke, 'O son of Bhrigu, I have indeed united that weapon, employing sleep upon myself.'
ete viyati kauravya divi devagaṇāḥ sthitāḥ। te tvāṃ nivārayantyadya prasvāpaṃ mā prayojaya ॥5-186-3॥
O descendant of Kuru, these groups of gods are present in the sky and are preventing you from falling asleep today.
rāmastapasvī brahmaṇyo brāhmaṇaśca guruśca te। tasyāvamānaṃ kauravya mā sma kārṣīḥ kathaṃcana ॥5-186-4॥
Rama, who is an ascetic, devoted to Brahman, a Brahmin, and your teacher, should not be disrespected in any way, O descendant of Kuru.
tato'paśyaṃ diviṣṭhānvai tānaṣṭau brahmavādinaḥ। te māṃ smayanto rājendra śanakairidamabruvan ॥5-186-5॥
Then I saw those eight Brahma-scholars in the sky. Smiling, they slowly spoke to me, O King.
yathāha bharataśreṣṭha nāradastattathā kuru। etaddhi paramaṃ śreyo lokānāṃ bharatarṣabha ॥5-186-6॥
O best of the Bharatas, do as Nārada has said. This is indeed the highest good for all the worlds, O bull among the Bharatas.
tataśca pratisaṁhṛtya tadastraṁ svāpanaṁ mṛdhe। brahmāstraṁ dīpayāṁ cakre tasminyudhi yathāvidhi ॥5-186-7॥
Then, having withdrawn the sleep-inducing weapon in the battle, he properly ignited the Brahma weapon in that battle.
tato rāmo ruṣito rājaputra; dṛṣṭvā tadastraṃ vinivartitaṃ vai। jito'smi bhīṣmeṇa sumandabuddhi; rityeva vākyaṃ sahasā vyamuñcat ॥5-186-8॥
Then the angry prince Rama, upon seeing his weapon withdrawn, exclaimed suddenly, "I have been defeated by Bhishma, how foolish of me," expressing his frustration.
tato'paśyat pitaraṃ jāmadagnyaḥ; pitus tathā pitaraṃ tasya cānyam। ta evainaṃ samparivārya tasthu; rūcuś cainaṃ sāntvapūrvaṃ tadānīm ॥5-186-9॥
Then Jamadagni's son saw his father, his grandfather, and another. They surrounded him and spoke to him gently at that moment.
mā smaivaṃ sāhasaṃ vatsa punaḥ kārṣīḥ kathañcana। bhīṣmeṇa saṃyugaṃ gantuṃ kṣatriyeṇa viśeṣataḥ ॥5-186-10॥
Do not, my child, ever again act so rashly, especially in going to battle with Bhishma, a warrior of great distinction.
kṣatriyasya tu dharmo'yaṁ yadyuddhaṁ bhṛgunandana। svādhyāyo vratacaryā ca brāhmaṇānāṁ paraṁ dhanam ॥5-186-11॥
O descendant of Bhrigu, the duty of a Kshatriya is indeed to engage in battle, while for the Brahmanas, self-study and the observance of vows are considered the highest wealth.
idaṁ nimitte kasmiṁścidasmābhirupamantritam। śastradhāraṇamatyugraṁ tacca kāryaṁ kṛtaṁ tvayā ॥5-186-12॥
This was discussed by us for a certain purpose. Bearing arms is a very fierce task, and you have accomplished it.
vatsa paryāptametāvadbhīṣmeṇa saha saṃyuge। vimardaste mahābāho vyapayāhi raṇāditaḥ ॥5-186-13॥
O child, it is enough of this conflict with Bhishma in battle. O mighty-armed one, withdraw from the battlefield now.
paryāptametadbhadraṃ te tava kārmukadhāraṇam। visarjayaitaddurdharṣa tapastapyasva bhārgava ॥5-186-14॥
This is enough for you, O Bhārgava, to bear the bow. Abandon this formidable penance and perform your duties.
eṣa bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo devaiḥ sarvairnivāritaḥ। nivartasva raṇādasmāditi caiva pracoditaḥ ॥5-186-15॥
Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, was stopped by all the gods and urged to turn back from the battle.
rāmeṇa saha mā yotsīrguruṇeti punaḥ punaḥ। na hi rāmo raṇe jetuṃ tvayā nyāyyaḥ kurūdvaha ॥ mānaṃ kuruṣva gāṅgeya brāhmaṇasya raṇājire ॥5-186-16॥
Do not engage in battle with Rama alongside the elder repeatedly. It is not right for you to defeat Rama in combat, O esteemed Kuru. Show respect to the Brahmin on the battlefield, O son of Ganga.
vayaṁ tu guravastubhyaṁ tatastvāṁ vārayāmahe। bhīṣmo vasūnāmanyatamo diṣṭyā jīvasi putraka ॥5-186-17॥
We, the elders, are here to restrain you. It is fortunate that Bhishma, one of the Vasus, is alive, dear son.
gāṅgeyaḥ śantanoḥ putro vasureṣa mahāyaśāḥ। kathaṁ tvayā raṇe jetuṁ rāma śakyo nivarta vai ॥5-186-18॥
The son of Ganga, Vasu, who is greatly renowned, how can you conquer Rama in battle? Turn back indeed.
arjunaḥ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭhaḥ puraṃdarasuto balī। naraḥ prajāpativīraḥ pūrvadevaḥ sanātanaḥ ॥5-186-19॥
Arjuna, the foremost of the Pandavas, son of Purandara, is strong and heroic, an ancient and eternal god, and the lord of all creatures.
savyasācīti vikhyātastriṣu lokeṣu vīryavān। bhīṣmamṛtyuryathākālaṃ vihito vai svayambhuvā ॥5-186-20॥
The ambidextrous one, thus renowned in the three worlds for his prowess, was Bhishma's death, ordained at the right time by the self-existent one.
evamuktaḥ sa pitṛbhiḥ pitṝnrāmo'bravīdidam। nāhaṃ yudhi nivarteyamiti me vratamāhitam ॥5-186-21॥
Upon being addressed in this manner by his ancestors, Rama declared: "I shall not retreat in battle; this is the vow I have taken."
na nivartitapūrvaṃ ca kadācidraṇamūrdhani। nivartyatāmāpageyaḥ kāmaṃ yuddhātpitāmahāḥ ॥ na tvahaṃ vinivartiṣye yuddhādasmātkathaṃcana ॥5-186-22॥
It has never been the case that anyone has retreated in the forefront of battle. Let Bhishma, the son of the river, retreat from the battle if he wishes, O grandsire. However, I will not retreat from this battle under any circumstances.
tataste munayo rājannṛcīkapramukhāstadā। nāradenaiva sahitāḥ samāgamyedamabruvan ॥5-186-23॥
Then, O king, those sages, led by Ṛcīka and accompanied by Nārada, gathered and spoke these words.
nivartasva raṇāttāta mānayasva dvijottamān। netyavocamahaṃ tāṃśca kṣatradharmavapekṣayā ॥5-186-24॥
Father, return from the battle and honor the best of the Brahmins. I told them 'No,' disregarding the warrior's duty.
mama vratamidaṁ loke nāhaṁ yuddhātkathañcana। vimukho vinivarteyaṁ pṛṣṭhato'bhayāhataḥ śaraiḥ ॥5-186-25॥
In this world, it is my vow that I shall never turn away from battle, even if I am struck by arrows from behind.
nāhaṃ lobhānna kārpaṇyānna bhayānna arthakāraṇāt। tyajeyaṃ śāśvataṃ dharmamiti me niścitā matiḥ ॥5-186-26॥
My mind is firmly resolved that I will not abandon the eternal dharma due to greed, miserliness, fear, or for any material reason.
tataste munayaḥ sarve nāradapramukhā nṛpa। bhāgīrathī ca me mātā raṇamadhyaṃ prapedire ॥5-186-27॥
Then, O king, all the sages led by Narada, along with my mother Bhagirathi, entered the battlefield.
tathaivāttaśaro dhanvī tathaiva dṛḍhaniścayaḥ। sthito'hamāhave yoddhuṃ tataste rāmamabruvan ॥ sametya sahitā bhūyaḥ samare bhṛgunandanam ॥5-186-28॥
In the same manner, the archer with an arrow ready and firm resolve stood to fight in the battle. Then they approached Rama and spoke to him, having gathered together once more in the battlefield, pleasing the descendant of Bhrigu.
nāvanītaṃ hi hṛdayaṃ viprāṇāṃ śāmya bhārgava। rāma rāma nivartasva yuddhādasmāddvijottama ॥ avadhyo hi tvayā bhīṣmastvaṃ ca bhīṣmasya bhārgava ॥5-186-29॥
The wise have a softened heart, calm yourself, O descendant of Bhṛgu. Rama, Rama, withdraw from this battle, O best of the twice-born. Bhishma cannot be defeated by you, and you are connected to Bhishma, O descendant of Bhṛgu.
evaṁ bruvantaste sarve pratirudhya raṇājiram। nyāsayāṁ cakrire śastraṁ pitaro bhṛgunandanam ॥5-186-30॥
Thus, all of them, while speaking, blocked the battlefield and the fathers placed the weapons, O descendant of Bhrigu.
tato'ham punarevātha tānaṣṭau brahmavādinaḥ। adrākṣaṃ dīpyamānān vai grahānaṣṭāvivoditān ॥5-186-31॥
Then I saw those eight sages again, shining brightly like eight planets that had risen.
te māṃ sapraṇayaṃ vākyam abruvan samare sthitam। praihi rāmaṃ mahābāho guruṃ lokahitaṃ kuru ॥5-186-32॥
They addressed me with affection while I stood in battle, saying, 'Send Rama, O mighty-armed one, and act for the welfare of the world.'
dṛṣṭvā nivartitaṃ rāmaṃ suhṛdvākyena tena vai। lokānāṃ ca hitaṃ kurvannahamapyādade vacaḥ ॥5-186-33॥
Seeing that Rama was persuaded to return by his friend's words, and considering the welfare of the worlds, I too accepted the advice.
tato'ham rāmaṃ āsādya vavande bhṛśavikṣataḥ। rāmaścābhyutsmayanpremṇā māmuvāca mahātapāḥ ॥5-186-34॥
Then I approached Rama and bowed, though I was severely wounded. Rama, with a smile of affection, spoke to me, acknowledging my great asceticism.
tvatsamo nāsti loke'smin kṣatriyaḥ pṛthivīcaraḥ। gamyatāṃ bhīṣma yuddhe'smiṃstoṣito'haṃ bhṛśaṃ tvayā ॥5-186-35॥
There is no warrior like you on this earth, O Bhishma. Go forth, for I am greatly pleased with you in this battle.
mama caiva samakṣaṃ tāṃ kanyām āhūya bhārgavaḥ। uvāca dīnayā vācā madhye teṣāṃ tapasvinām ॥5-186-36॥
Bhārgava called the girl in my presence and spoke humbly among the ascetics.
