06.105
Pancharatra and Core: Unable to withstand the Pandava army, Duryodhana urges Bhishma to move forward. Taking the opportunity, Bhishma calls on the Pandavas for a final encounter.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra spoke:
kathaṁ śikhaṇḍī gāṅgeyama-bhyadhāvat-pitāmaham। pāñcālyaḥ samare kruddho dharmātmānaṁ yatavratam ॥6-105-1॥
In the battle, how did Śikhaṇḍī, the son of Drupada, approach the venerable Bhishma, the son of Ganga, who was steadfast in his vows and known for his righteousness, with anger?
ke'rakṣanpāṇḍavānīke śikhaṇḍinamudāyudham। tvaramāṇāstvarākāle jigīṣanto mahārathāḥ ॥6-105-2॥
The great warriors, eager for victory and acting swiftly, protected Śikhaṇḍin, who was armed and ready, within the Pāṇḍava army. Who among them did so?
kathaṁ śāntanavo bhīṣmaḥ sa tasmindaśame'hani। ayudhyata mahāvīryaḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ sahasṛñjayaiḥ ॥6-105-3॥
On the tenth day, Bhīṣma, the son of Śāntanu, a great warrior, engaged in battle with the Pāṇḍavas and the Sṛñjayas. How did this unfold?
na mṛṣyāmi raṇe bhīṣmaṃ pratyudyātaṃ śikhaṇḍinam। kaccinna rathabhaṅgo'sya dhanurvāśīryatāsyataḥ ॥6-105-4॥
I cannot bear Bhishma confronting Shikhandi in battle. I hope his chariot or bow does not get destroyed by the shooter.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
nāśīryata dhanustasya rathabhaṅgo na cāpyabhūt। yudhyamānasya saṅgrāme bhīṣmasya bharatarṣabha ॥ nighnataḥ samare śatrūñśaraiḥ saṁnataparvabhiḥ ॥6-105-5॥
O best of the Bharatas, while Bhishma was engaged in battle, his bow remained unbroken, and his chariot undamaged, as he struck down his enemies with well-crafted arrows.
anekaśatasāhasrāstāvakānāṃ mahārathāḥ। rathadantigaṇā rājanhayāścaiva susajjitāḥ ॥ abhyavartanta yuddhāya puraskṛtya pitāmaham ॥6-105-6॥
Many hundreds and thousands of your great charioteers, along with groups of chariots, elephants, horses, and others, well-equipped, advanced for battle with the grandsire leading them, O king.
yathāpratijñaṃ kauravya sa cāpi samitiñjayaḥ। pārthānāmakarodbhīṣmaḥ satataṃ samitikṣayam ॥6-105-7॥
As he had promised, Bhishma, the conqueror of assemblies, relentlessly caused the downfall of the Pandavas' forces, O Kauravya.
yudhyamānaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ vinighnantaṃ parāñśaraiḥ। pāñcālāḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ sārdhaṃ sarva evābhyavārayan ॥6-105-8॥
The great archer, while fighting and slaying enemies with arrows, was attacked by all the Panchalas and Pandavas together.
daśame'hani samprāpte tatāpa ripuvāhinīm। kīryamāṇāṃ śitairbāṇaiḥ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ ॥6-105-9॥
On the tenth day, as the battle continued, the enemy army was tormented and scattered by sharp arrows, coming in hundreds and thousands.
na hi bhīṣmaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ pāṇḍavāḥ pāṇḍupūrvaja। aśaknuvanraṇe jetuṃ pāśahastamivāntakam ॥6-105-10॥
The Pandavas could not defeat Bhishma, the great archer and elder brother of Pandu, in battle, as one cannot overcome Death, the noose-holder.
athopāyān mahārāja savyasācī parantapaḥ। trāsayan rathinaḥ sarvān bībhatsur aparājitaḥ ॥6-105-11॥
Then, O great king, Arjuna, the mighty warrior known for his ambidexterity and undefeated prowess, struck fear into the hearts of all the charioteers.
siṃhavadvinadannuccairdhanurjyāṃ vikṣipanmuḥ। śaraughānvisṛjanpārtho vyacaratkālavadraṇe ॥6-105-12॥
Arjuna, roaring like a lion and twanging his bowstring repeatedly, released a torrent of arrows and moved through the battlefield with the unstoppable force of time.
tasya śabdena vitrastāstāvakā bharatarṣabha। siṃhasyeva mṛgā rājanvyadravanta mahābhayāt ॥6-105-13॥
Hearing his roar, your people, O best of the Bharatas, were terrified like deer before a lion and fled in great fear, O king.
jayantaṃ pāṇḍavaṃ dṛṣṭvā tvatsainyaṃ cābhipīḍitam। duryodhanastato bhīṣmamabravīdbhṛśapīḍitaḥ ॥6-105-14॥
Upon witnessing the victorious Pāṇḍava and the distress of his own forces, Duryodhana, deeply troubled, addressed Bhīṣma.
eṣa pāṇḍusutastāta śvetāśvaḥ kṛṣṇasārathiḥ। dahate māmakānsarvānkṛṣṇavartmeva kānanam ॥6-105-15॥
This dear son of Pandu, with his chariot drawn by white horses and Krishna as his charioteer, is devastating all my men as a forest is consumed by a fire along Krishna's path.
paśya sainyāni gāṅgeya dravamāṇāni sarvaśaḥ। pāṇḍavena yudhāṃ śreṣṭha kālyamānāni saṃyuge ॥6-105-16॥
Behold, O son of Ganga, the armies are fleeing in all directions, driven by the best of warriors, Pandava, in the battle.
yathā paśugaṇānpālaḥ saṅkālayati kānane। tathedaṃ māmakaṃ sainyaṃ kālyate śatrutāpana ॥6-105-17॥
"Just as a herdsman gathers his animals in the forest, my army is being assembled, O tormentor of enemies."
dhanañjayaśarairbhagnaṃ dravamāṇamitastataḥ। bhīmo hyeṣa durādharṣo vidrāvayati me balam ॥6-105-18॥
Arjuna's arrows have shattered my army, causing them to flee in all directions. Indeed, the formidable Bhima is dispersing my troops.
sātyakiś cekitānaś ca mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau। abhimanyuś ca vikrānto vāhinīṃ dahate mama ॥6-105-19॥
Satyaki, Chekitana, the sons of Madri, the Pandavas, and the valiant Abhimanyu are fiercely attacking my army.
dhṛṣṭadyumnastathā śūro rākṣasaśca ghaṭotkacaḥ। vyadrāvayetāṃ sahasā sainyaṃ mama mahābalau ॥6-105-20॥
Dhṛṣṭadyumna and the heroic demon Ghaṭotkaca, both mighty warriors, suddenly caused my army to flee.
vadhyamānasya sainyasya sarvairetairmahābalaiḥ। nānyāṃ gatiṃ prapaśyāmi sthāne yuddhe ca bhārata ॥6-105-21॥
O Bharata, as the army is being slain by all these mighty warriors, I see no other course of action either in position or in battle.
ṛte tvāṃ puruṣavyāghra devatulyaparākrama। paryāptaśca bhavān kṣipraṃ pīḍitānāṃ gatirbhava ॥6-105-22॥
Without you, O tiger among men, whose valor is equal to that of the gods, you alone are sufficient and swiftly become the refuge for those who are afflicted.
evamukto mahārāja pitā devavratas tava। cintayitvā muhūrtaṃ tu kṛtvā niścayam ātmanaḥ ॥ tava sandhārayan putram abravīc chantanoḥ sutaḥ ॥6-105-23॥
Upon being addressed in this manner, O great king, your father Devavrata, after contemplating for a moment and making a firm decision, spoke to your son, the son of Shantanu.
duryodhana vijānīhi sthiro bhava viśāṃ pate। pūrvakālaṃ tava mayā pratijñātaṃ mahābala ॥6-105-24॥
Duryodhana, be aware and stay firm, O lord of the people. I had promised you earlier, O mighty one.
hatvā daśa sahasrāṇi kṣatriyāṇāṃ mahātmanām। saṅgrāmādvyapayātavyametatkarma mamāhnikam ॥ iti tatkṛtavāṃścāhaṃ yathoktaṃ bharatarṣabha ॥6-105-25॥
O best of the Bharatas, having slain ten thousand noble Kshatriyas, I must retreat from the battle as this is my daily duty. Thus, I have acted as instructed.
adya cāpi mahatkarma prakariṣye mahāhave। ahaṃ vā nihataḥ śeṣye haniṣye vādyapāṇḍavān ॥6-105-26॥
Today, I will engage in a significant act in the grand battle. Either I will be slain or I will slay the Pandavas.
adya te puruṣavyāghra pratimokṣye ṛṇaṃ mahat। bhartṛpiṇḍakṛtaṃ rājannihataḥ pṛtanāmukhe ॥6-105-27॥
Today, O tiger among men, I will repay the great debt incurred by your husband, O king, who was slain at the forefront of the battle.
ityuktvā bharataśreṣṭhaḥ kṣatriyānpratapañśaraiḥ। āsasāda durādharṣaḥ pāṇḍavānāmanīkinīm ॥6-105-28॥
Having declared thus, the noble Bharata, fierce with his arrows, advanced towards the formidable army of the Pandavas.
anīkamadhye tiṣṭhantaṃ gāṅgeyaṃ bharatarṣabha। āśīviṣamiva kruddhaṃ pāṇḍavāḥ paryavārayan ॥6-105-29॥
The Pandavas surrounded Bhishma, the son of Ganga, who was standing in the midst of the army, appearing like an angry serpent, O best of the Bharatas.
daśame'hani tasmiṃstu darśayañśaktimātmanaḥ। rājañśatasahasrāṇi so'vadhītkurunandana ॥6-105-30॥
On the tenth day, the warrior displayed his might and slew hundreds of thousands, O king, descendant of Kuru.
pañcālānāṃ ca ye śreṣṭhā rājaputrā mahābalāḥ। teṣāmādatta tejāṃsi jalaṃ sūrya ivāṃśubhiḥ ॥6-105-31॥
The sun, with its rays, absorbed the splendor of the mighty princes of the Panchalas, much like it absorbs water.
hatvā daśa sahasrāṇi kuñjarāṇāṃ tarasvinām। sārohāṇāṃ mahārāja hayānāṃ cāyutaṃ punaḥ ॥6-105-32॥
O great king, having slain ten thousand mighty elephants with riders and ten thousand horses once more.
pūrṇe śatasahasre dve padātīnāṃ narottamaḥ। prajajvāla raṇe bhīṣmo vidhūma iva pāvakaḥ ॥6-105-33॥
Bhishma, the best among men, blazed in battle like a smokeless fire, with two hundred thousand foot soldiers.
na cainaṃ pāṇḍaveyānāṃ kecicchekurnirīkṣitum। uttaraṃ mārgamāsthāya tapantamiva bhāskaram ॥6-105-34॥
None of the Pandavas were able to gaze upon him as he took the northern path, shining like the sun.
te pāṇḍaveyāḥ saṁrabdhā maheṣvāsena pīḍitāḥ। vadhāyābhyadravanbhīṣmaṁ sṛñjayāśca mahārathāḥ ॥6-105-35॥
The sons of Pandu, filled with excitement and troubled by the great archer, advanced towards Bhishma with the intent to kill, accompanied by the Srinjayas and the great charioteers.
sa yudhyamāno bahubhirbhīṣmaḥ śāntanavastadā। avakīrṇo mahābāhuḥ śailo meghairivāsitaiḥ ॥6-105-36॥
At that time, Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, was engaged in battle with many warriors. He appeared like a mighty mountain covered with dark clouds.
putrāstu tava gāṅgeyaṃ samantātparyavārayan। mahatyā senayā sārdhaṃ tato yuddhamavartata ॥6-105-37॥
Your sons surrounded Bhishma, the son of Ganga, on all sides with a great army, and then the battle commenced.
