05.194
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya spoke:
प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां पुनरेव सुतस्तव। मध्ये सर्वस्य सैन्यस्य पितामहमपृच्छत ॥५-१९४-१॥
In the morning, your son once again asked the grandfather amidst the entire army.
पाण्डवेयस्य गाङ्गेय यदेतत्सैन्यमुत्तमम्। प्रभूतनरनागाश्वं महारथसमाकुलम् ॥५-१९४-२॥
O son of Ganga, this excellent army of the Pandavas is filled with numerous men, elephants, horses, and great chariots.
भीमार्जुनप्रभृतिभिर्महेष्वासैर्महाबलैः। लोकपालोपमैर्गुप्तं धृष्टद्युम्नपुरोगमैः ॥५-१९४-३॥
The mighty warriors, including Bhima and Arjuna, who were great archers and as powerful as the protectors of the world, were led by Dhrishtadyumna.
अप्रधृष्यमनावार्यमुद्वृत्तमिव सागरम्। सेनासागरमक्षोभ्यमपि देवैर्महाहवे ॥५-१९४-४॥
The army, vast and unyielding like a swelling ocean, was unassailable and unstoppable, remaining unshaken even by the gods in the great battle.
केन कालेन गाङ्गेय क्षपयेथा महाद्युते। आचार्यो वा महेष्वासः कृपो वा सुमहाबलः ॥५-१९४-५॥
O son of Ganga, by what time will you, O great warrior, destroy either the teacher or the great archer Kripa, or the very strong one?
कर्णो वा समरश्लाघी द्रौणिर्वा द्विजसत्तमः। दिव्यास्त्रविदुषः सर्वे भवन्तो हि बले मम ॥५-१९४-६॥
Karna or the battle-boaster, or Drona's son, the best among the twice-born, all of you are indeed knowers of divine weapons and are my strength.
एतदिच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं परं कौतूहलं हि मे। हृदि नित्यं महाबाहो वक्तुमर्हसि तन्मम ॥५-१९४-७॥
O mighty-armed one, I have a great curiosity to know this. It is always in my heart, and you should tell me about it.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said:
अनुरूपं कुरुश्रेष्ठ त्वय्येतत्पृथिवीपते। बलाबलममित्राणां स्वेषां च यदि पृच्छसि ॥५-१९४-८॥
O esteemed leader of the Kurus, it is fitting for you, O ruler of the earth, to inquire about the strengths and weaknesses of both your own forces and those of the adversaries.
शृणु राजन्मम रणे या शक्तिः परमा भवेत्। अस्त्रवीर्यं रणे यच्च भुजयोश्च महाभुज ॥५-१९४-९॥
O king, listen to my supreme power in battle, which is the strength of weapons and arms, O mighty-armed one.
आर्जवेनैव युद्धेन योद्धव्य इतरो जनः। मायायुद्धेन मायावी इत्येतद्धर्मनिश्चयः ॥५-१९४-१०॥
A straightforward person must engage in battle with honesty, while a deceitful person uses deceitful means. This is the determination of duty.
हन्यामहं महाबाहो पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम्। दिवसे दिवसे कृत्वा भागं प्रागाह्निकं मम ॥५-१९४-११॥
O mighty-armed one, I would destroy the army of the Pandavas day by day, fulfilling my morning duties.
योधानां दशसाहस्रं कृत्वा भागं महाद्युते। सहस्रं रथिनामेकमेष भागो मतो मम ॥५-१९४-१२॥
O great one, I consider the share of ten thousand warriors equivalent to the share of one thousand charioteers.
अनेनाहं विधानेन संनद्धः सततोत्थितः। क्षपयेयं महत्सैन्यं कालेनानेन भारत ॥५-१९४-१३॥
With this strategy, I am ever-ready and vigilant, and I shall be able to destroy the mighty army in due course, O Bharata.
यदि त्वस्त्राणि मुञ्चेयं महान्ति समरे स्थितः। शतसाहस्रघातीनि हन्यां मासेन भारत ॥५-१९४-१४॥
If you, O Bharata, were to release your great weapons while standing in battle, I could slay hundreds of thousands within a month.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
श्रुत्वा भीष्मस्य तद्वाक्यं राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा। पर्यपृच्छत राजेन्द्र द्रोणमङ्गिरसां वरम् ॥५-१९४-१५॥
Upon hearing Bhishma's words, King Duryodhana then asked King Drona, the best among the Angirasa lineage, for guidance.
आचार्य केन कालेन पाण्डुपुत्रस्य सैनिकान्। निहन्या इति तं द्रोणः प्रत्युवाच हसन्निव ॥५-१९४-१६॥
The teacher, Drona, replied with a smile, "By whom and when will the soldiers of the Pandu's son be killed?"
स्थविरोऽस्मि कुरुश्रेष्ठ मन्दप्राणविचेष्टितः। अस्त्राग्निना निर्दहेयं पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम् ॥५-१९४-१७॥
I am aged and slow, O best of the Kurus, but I would still burn the Pandavas' army with my fiery weapon.
यथा भीष्मः शान्तनवो मासेनेति मतिर्मम। एषा मे परमा शक्तिरेतन्मे परमं बलम् ॥५-१९४-१८॥
Just as Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, achieved his goals in a month, this is my firm belief. This is my greatest power and my ultimate strength.
द्वाभ्यामेव तु मासाभ्यां कृपः शारद्वतोऽब्रवीत्। द्रौणिस्तु दशरात्रेण प्रतिजज्ञे बलक्षयम् ॥ कर्णस्तु पञ्चरात्रेण प्रतिजज्ञे महास्त्रवित् ॥५-१९४-१९॥
Kṛpa, the son of Śāradvata, declared that it would take two months. However, Droṇa's son promised to destroy the forces in ten nights, while Karṇa, known for his great skill with weapons, promised to do it in five nights.
तच्छ्रुत्वा सूतपुत्रस्य वाक्यं सागरगासुतः। जहास सस्वनं हासं वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह ॥५-१९४-२०॥
Upon hearing the words of the charioteer's son, the son of the ocean laughed loudly and then spoke these words.
न हि तावद्रणे पार्थं बाणखड्गधनुर्धरम्। वासुदेवसमायुक्तं रथेनोद्यन्तमच्युतम् ॥५-१९४-२१॥
In battle, Arjuna, equipped with arrows, sword, and bow, accompanied by Vasudeva, rises on his chariot as the infallible one.
समागच्छसि राधेय तेनैवमभिमन्यसे। शक्यमेवं च भूयश्च त्वया वक्तुं यथेष्टतः ॥५-१९४-२२॥
O son of Radha, you meet and thus think. It is indeed possible for you to speak again as you wish.
