06.094
Pancharatra and Core: Bhishma speaks calmy though angry; gives examples to substantiate the strength of the Pandavas; assures he will fight the battle tomorrow that will be remembered forever.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
vākṣalyais tava putreṇa so'tividdhaḥ pitāmahaḥ। duḥkhena mahatāviṣṭo novācāpriyamaṇvapi ॥6-94-1॥
The grandfather, deeply affected by the affections of your son and overwhelmed by great sorrow, did not utter even a single unpleasant word.
sa dhyātvā suciraṃ kālaṃ duḥkharoṣasamanvitaḥ। śvasamāno yathā nāgaḥ praṇunno vai śalākayā ॥6-94-2॥
He meditated for a long time, filled with sorrow and anger, breathing heavily like an elephant prodded with a goad.
udvṛtya cakṣuṣī kopānnirdahanniva bhārata। sadevāsuragandharvaṃ lokaṃ lokavidāṃ varaḥ ॥ abravīttava putraṃ tu sāmapūrvamidaṃ vacaḥ ॥6-94-3॥
With eyes raised in anger, as if burning, O Bharata, the best among the wise in the realms of gods, demons, and gandharvas, spoke to your son, prefacing his words with Sama.
kiṁ nu duryodhanaivaṁ māṁ vākṣalyairupavidhyasi। ghaṭamānaṁ yathāśakti kurvāṇaṁ ca tava priyam ॥ juhvānaṁ samare prāṇāṁstavaiva hitakāmyayā ॥6-94-4॥
Why, Duryodhana, do you speak to me with such harshness? I am striving to the best of my ability, doing what pleases you, and sacrificing my life in battle for your welfare.
yadā tu pāṇḍavaḥ śūraḥ khāṇḍave'gnimatarpayat। parājitya raṇe śakraṃ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam ॥6-94-5॥
The heroic Pāṇḍava, by satisfying the fire in Khāṇḍava and defeating Indra in battle, provided a sufficient example.
yadā ca tvāṃ mahābāho gandharvairhṛtamojasā। amocayatpāṇḍusutaḥ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam ॥6-94-6॥
When you, O mighty-armed one, were captured by the Gandharvas with great force, the son of Pandu came to your rescue; that serves as a sufficient example.
dravamāṇeṣu śūreṣu sodareṣu tathābhibho। sūtaputre ca rādheye paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam ॥6-94-7॥
O lord, the example is sufficient among those who are fleeing, the heroes, the brothers, the son of a charioteer, and Radheya.
yacca naḥ sahitānsarvānvirāṭanagare tadā। eka eva samudyātaḥ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam ॥6-94-8॥
The event that brought us all together in the city of Virata, when one alone set out, serves as a sufficient example.
droṇaṃ ca yudhi saṃrabdhaṃ māṃ ca nirjitya saṃyuge। karṇaṃ ca tvāṃ ca drauṇiṃ ca kṛpaṃ ca sumahāratham ॥ vāsāṃsi sa samādatta paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam ॥6-94-9॥
After defeating Drona, who was excited in battle, along with me, Karna, you, Drauni, and Kripa, the great chariot-warrior, he took the garments as a sufficient indication.
nivātakavacānyuddhe vāsavenāpi durjayān। jitavānsamare pārthaḥ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam ॥6-94-10॥
Arjuna, known as Pārtha, conquered the Nivātakavacas, who were invincible even to Indra in battle. This serves as a sufficient example of his prowess.
ko hi śakto raṇe jetuṃ pāṇḍavaṃ rabhasaṃ raṇe। tvaṃ tu mohānna jānīṣe vācyāvācyaṃ suyodhana ॥6-94-11॥
Who can truly defeat the fierce Pāṇḍava in battle? However, Suyodhana, in your delusion, you fail to discern what is appropriate to say and what is not.
mumūrṣur hi naraḥ sarvān vṛkṣān paśyati kāñcanān। tathā tvam api gāndhāre viparītāni paśyasi ॥6-94-12॥
A man who wishes to die sees all trees as golden, just as you see things in Gandhara in a distorted way.
svayaṁ vairaṁ mahatkṛtvā pāṇḍavaiḥ sahasṛñjayaiḥ। yudhyasva tānadya raṇe paśyāmaḥ puruṣo bhava ॥6-94-13॥
You have created a great enmity with the Pandavas and the Srinjayas yourself. Fight them today in battle; let us see, be a man.
ahaṃ tu somakānsarvānsapāñcālānsamāgatān। nihaniṣye naravyāghra varjayitvā śikhaṇḍinam ॥6-94-14॥
I will slay all the assembled Somakas and Panchalas, O tiger among men, except for Shikhandi.
tairvāhaṃ nihataḥ saṅkhye gamiṣye yamasādanam। tānvā nihatya saṅgrāme prītiṃ dāsyāmi vai tava ॥6-94-15॥
Either I will be killed by them in battle and go to the abode of Yama, or I will kill them in battle and give you pleasure.
pūrvaṃ hi strī samutpannā śikhaṇḍī rājaveśmani। varadānātpumāñjātaḥ saiṣā vai strī śikhaṇḍinī ॥6-94-16॥
Once, there was a woman named Śikhaṇḍī who was born in the royal palace. Due to a boon, she transformed into a man and is known as the woman Śikhaṇḍinī.
tāmahaṃ na haniṣyāmi prāṇatyāge'pi bhārata। yāsau prāṅnirmita dhātrā saiṣā vai strī śikhaṇḍinī ॥6-94-17॥
I will not kill Śikhaṇḍinī even if it costs me my life, O Bhārata. She was created by the creator in the past as a woman.
sukhaṁ svapihi gāndhāre śvo'smi kartā mahāraṇam। yajjanaḥ kathayiṣyanti yāvatsyāsyati medinī ॥6-94-18॥
Rest peacefully in Gandhara; tomorrow I will engage in a great battle, a tale that will be told for as long as the world exists.
evamuktastava suto nirjagāma janeśvara। abhivādya guruṃ mūrdhnā prayayau svaṃ niveśanam ॥6-94-19॥
After being addressed in this way, your son, O king, departed. He respectfully saluted his teacher and went to his own residence.
āgamya tu tato rājā visṛjya ca mahājanam। praviveśa tatastūrṇaṃ kṣayaṃ śatrukṣayaṅkaraḥ ॥ praviṣṭaḥ sa niśāṃ tāṃ ca gamayāmāsa pārthivaḥ ॥6-94-20॥
The king, upon arriving, dismissed the assembly and quickly entered his abode, known for being the destroyer of enemies. There, the prince spent the night.
