Bhishma Asks Yudhishthira to Seek His Death

Verse 1 (6.115.1)

कथं शान्तनवो भीष्मो दशमेऽहनि सञ्जय । अयुध्यत महावीर्यः पाण्डवैः सह सृञ्जयैः ॥

kathaṃ śāntanavo bhīṣmo daśame'hani sañjaya | ayudhyata mahāvīryaḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha sṛñjayaiḥ

How did Bhishma, son of Shantanu, mighty in valour, fight on the tenth day, Sanjaya, with the Pandavas and the Srinjayas?

Note on the text: Adhyaya note: checked against the raw Wikisource page (a table, rows 6-115-1 to 6-115-43, with headings धृतराष्ट्र उवाच before verse 1, सञ्जय उवाच before verses 3 and 16, and भीष्म उवाच before verse 13; colophon after verse 43). This adhyaya is the critical edition's 6.111, verse for verse. Verses 18–20 carry no heading on the page; they are the exhortation that verse 17 attributes jointly to Dhrishtadyumna and Yudhishthira, so they are given to the two of them. Corrected सृज्जयैः → सृञ्जयैः (misprint in Wikisource; ज्ज for ञ्ज, critical edition sṛñjayaiḥ).

Verse 2 (6.115.2)

कुरवश्च कथं युद्धे पाण्डवान्प्रत्यवारयन् । आचक्ष्व मे महायुद्धं भीष्मस्याहवशोभिनः ॥

kuravaśca kathaṃ yuddhe pāṇḍavānpratyavārayan | ācakṣva me mahāyuddhaṃ bhīṣmasyāhavaśobhinaḥ

And how did the Kurus hold back the Pandavas in the fight? Tell me of the great battle of Bhishma, who shone in war.

Verse 3 (6.115.3)

कुरवः पाण्डवैः सार्धं यदयुध्यन्त भारत । यथा च तदभूद्युद्धं तत्तु वक्ष्यामि सांप्रतम् ॥

kuravaḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ sārdhaṃ yadayudhyanta bhārata | yathā ca tadabhūdyuddhaṃ tattu vakṣyāmi sāṃpratam

How the Kurus fought alongside the Pandavas, O Bharata, and how that battle went, I shall now tell you.

Verse 4 (6.115.4)

गमिताः परलोकाय परमास्त्रैः किरीटिना । अहन्यहनि संप्राप्ते तावकानां महारथाः ॥

gamitāḥ paralokāya paramāstraiḥ kirīṭinā | ahanyahani saṃprāpte tāvakānāṃ mahārathāḥ

Day after day, as each one came, the great chariot-warriors of your side were sent to the other world by Kiritin with his supreme weapons.

Verse 5 (6.115.5)

यथाप्रतिज्ञं कौरव्यः स चापि समितिंजयः । पार्थानामकरोद्भीष्मः सततं समिति क्षयम् ॥

yathāpratijñaṃ kauravyaḥ sa cāpi samitiṃjayaḥ | pārthānāmakarodbhīṣmaḥ satataṃ samiti kṣayam

And Bhishma of the Kurus, victorious in battle, true to his vow, ceaselessly worked the destruction of the Parthas in the fight.

Verse 6 (6.115.6)

कुरुभिः सहितं भीष्मं युध्यमानं परंतप । अर्जुनं च सपाञ्चाल्यं दृष्ट्वा संशयिता जनाः ॥

kurubhiḥ sahitaṃ bhīṣmaṃ yudhyamānaṃ paraṃtapa | arjunaṃ ca sapāñcālyaṃ dṛṣṭvā saṃśayitā janāḥ

Seeing Bhishma fighting together with the Kurus, scorcher of foes, and Arjuna with the Panchalas, men were in doubt of the outcome.

Verse 7 (6.115.7)

दशमेऽहनि तस्मिंस्तु भीष्मार्जुनसमागमे । अवर्तत महारौद्रः सततं समिति क्षयः ॥

daśame'hani tasmiṃstu bhīṣmārjunasamāgame | avartata mahāraudraḥ satataṃ samiti kṣayaḥ

On that tenth day, when Bhishma and Arjuna met, there was an unceasing and most terrible slaughter in battle.

Verse 8 (6.115.8)

तस्मिन्नयुतशो राजन्भूयश्च स परंतपः । भीष्मः शान्तनवो योधाञ्जघान परमास्त्रवित् ॥

tasminnayutaśo rājanbhūyaśca sa paraṃtapaḥ | bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo yodhāñjaghāna paramāstravit

In it, O king, Bhishma son of Shantanu, scorcher of foes, master of supreme weapons, slew warriors by the ten thousand and more.

Note on the text: Corrected भूयशश्च → भूयश्च स (misprint in Wikisource; भूयशः is not a word and the line is a syllable short without स, critical edition bhūyaś ca sa) and परामास्त्रवित् → परमास्त्रवित् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray long ā, critical edition paramāstravit).

Verse 9 (6.115.9)

येषामज्ञातकल्पानि नामगोत्राणि पार्थिव । ते हतास्तत्र भीष्मेण शूराः सर्वेऽनिवर्तिनः ॥

yeṣāmajñātakalpāni nāmagotrāṇi pārthiva | te hatāstatra bhīṣmeṇa śūrāḥ sarve'nivartinaḥ

Warriors whose names and clans were all but unknown, O lord of the earth, brave men who never turned back, were all slain there by Bhishma.

Verse 10 (6.115.10)

दशाहानि तथा तप्त्वा भीष्मः पाण्डववाहिनीम् । निरविद्यत धर्मात्मा जीविते स परंतपः ॥

daśāhāni tathā taptvā bhīṣmaḥ pāṇḍavavāhinīm | niravidyata dharmātmā jīvite sa paraṃtapaḥ

Having thus scorched the Pandava host for ten days, the righteous Bhishma, scorcher of foes, grew weary of life.

Verse 11 (6.115.11)

स क्षिप्रं वधमन्विच्छन्नात्मनोऽभिमुखं रणे । न हन्यां मानवश्रेष्ठान्संग्रामेऽभिमुखानिति ॥

sa kṣipraṃ vadhamanvicchannātmano'bhimukhaṃ raṇe | na hanyāṃ mānavaśreṣṭhānsaṃgrāme'bhimukhāniti

Seeking a swift death for himself facing the foe in battle, and resolving, "I will not slay the best of men who face me in battle,"

Note on the text: Corrected अभिसुखं → अभिमुखं (misprint in Wikisource; स for म, critical edition 'bhimukhaṃ).

Verse 12 (6.115.12)

चिन्तयित्वा महाबाहुः पिता देवव्रतस्तव । अभ्याशस्थं महाराज पाण्डवं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥

cintayitvā mahābāhuḥ pitā devavratastava | abhyāśasthaṃ mahārāja pāṇḍavaṃ vākyamabravīt

your father, mighty-armed Devavrata, having pondered this, great king, spoke these words to the Pandava who stood near him.

Verse 13 (6.115.13)

युधिष्ठिर महाप्राज्ञ सर्वशास्त्रविशारद । शृणुष्व वचनं तात धर्म्यं स्वर्ग्यं च जल्पतः ॥

yudhiṣṭhira mahāprājña sarvaśāstraviśārada | śṛṇuṣva vacanaṃ tāta dharmyaṃ svargyaṃ ca jalpataḥ

Yudhishthira, wise one, learned in all the scriptures, listen, my son, to the words I speak, righteous and leading to heaven.

Verse 14 (6.115.14)

निर्विण्णोऽस्मि भृशं तात देहेनानेन भारत । घ्नतश्च मे गतः कालः सुबहून्प्राणिनो रणे ॥

nirviṇṇo'smi bhṛśaṃ tāta dehenānena bhārata | ghnataśca me gataḥ kālaḥ subahūnprāṇino raṇe

I am utterly weary of this body, my son, O Bharata; my time has gone in killing a great many living beings in battle.

Note on the text: Corrected निर्विष्णो → निर्विण्णो (misprint in Wikisource; ष्ण for ण्ण, critical edition nirviṇṇo).

Verse 15 (6.115.15)

तस्मात्पार्थं पुरोधाय पाञ्चालान्सृञ्जयांस्तथा । मद्वधे क्रियतां यत्नो मम चेदिच्छसि प्रियम् ॥

tasmātpārthaṃ purodhāya pāñcālānsṛñjayāṃstathā | madvadhe kriyatāṃ yatno mama cedicchasi priyam

Therefore, putting Partha in front, with the Panchalas and the Srinjayas, make an effort for my death, if you wish to do what is dear to me.

Note on the text: Corrected सृज्जयांस्तथा → सृञ्जयांस्तथा (misprint in Wikisource; ज्ज for ञ्ज, critical edition sṛñjayāṃs tathā).

Verse 16 (6.115.16)

तस्य तन्मतमाज्ञाय पाण्डवः सत्यदर्शनः । भीष्मं प्रति ययौ राजा संग्रामे सह सृञ्जयैः ॥

tasya tanmatamājñāya pāṇḍavaḥ satyadarśanaḥ | bhīṣmaṃ prati yayau rājā saṃgrāme saha sṛñjayaiḥ

Understanding his intention, the Pandava king, whose sight was set on truth, went against Bhishma in battle with the Srinjayas.

Verse 17 (6.115.17)

धृष्टद्युम्नस्ततो राजन्पाण्डवश्च युधिष्ठिरः । श्रुत्वा भीष्मस्य तां वाचं चोदयामासतुर्बलम् ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumnastato rājanpāṇḍavaśca yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | śrutvā bhīṣmasya tāṃ vācaṃ codayāmāsaturbalam

Then Dhrishtadyumna, O king, and Yudhishthira the Pandava, having heard those words of Bhishma, urged on their army:

Verse 18 (6.115.18)

अभिद्रवध्वं युद्ध्यध्वं भीष्मं जयत संयुगे । रक्षिताः सत्यसन्धेन जिष्णुना रिपुजिष्णुना ॥

abhidravadhvaṃ yuddhyadhvaṃ bhīṣmaṃ jayata saṃyuge | rakṣitāḥ satyasandhena jiṣṇunā ripujiṣṇunā

"Charge! Fight! Conquer Bhishma in battle, guarded as you are by Jishnu, true to his word, the conqueror of foes.

Note on the text: Speech without a printed heading, given to Dhrishtadyumna and Yudhishthira (see verse 17). Corrected अभिद्रवध्यं → अभिद्रवध्वं (misprint in Wikisource; य for व, giving the imperative that pairs with युद्ध्यध्वं; the critical edition reads abhidravata).

Verse 19 (6.115.19)

अयं चापि महेष्वासः पार्षतो वाहिनीपतिः । भीमसेनश्च समरे पालयिष्यति वो ध्रुवम् ॥

ayaṃ cāpi maheṣvāsaḥ pārṣato vāhinīpatiḥ | bhīmasenaśca samare pālayiṣyati vo dhruvam

This great archer too, Prishata's son, commander of the host, and Bhimasena will surely protect you in the battle.

Verse 20 (6.115.20)

मा वो भीष्माद्भयं किंचिदस्त्वद्य युधि सृञ्जयाः । ध्रुवं भीष्मं विजेष्यामः पुरस्कृत्य शिखण्डिनम् ॥

mā vo bhīṣmādbhayaṃ kiṃcidastvadya yudhi sṛñjayāḥ | dhruvaṃ bhīṣmaṃ vijeṣyāmaḥ puraskṛtya śikhaṇḍinam

Let there be no fear of Bhishma in you today in battle, Srinjayas. Surely we shall conquer Bhishma, with Shikhandin in front."

Verse 21 (6.115.21)

ते तथा समयं कृत्वा दशमेऽहनि पाण्डवाः । ब्रह्मलोकपरा भूत्वा संजग्मुः क्रोधमूर्च्छिताः ॥

te tathā samayaṃ kṛtvā daśame'hani pāṇḍavāḥ | brahmalokaparā bhūtvā saṃjagmuḥ krodhamūrcchitāḥ

Having made that pact on the tenth day, the Pandavas, set upon the highest world, went into battle burning with anger.

Verse 22 (6.115.22)

शिखण्डिनं पुरस्कृत्य पाण्डवं च धनञ्जयम् । भीष्मस्य पातने यत्नं परमं ते समास्थिताः ॥

śikhaṇḍinaṃ puraskṛtya pāṇḍavaṃ ca dhanañjayam | bhīṣmasya pātane yatnaṃ paramaṃ te samāsthitāḥ

Putting Shikhandin and Dhananjaya the Pandava in front, they set themselves to the utmost effort to bring Bhishma down.

Verse 23 (6.115.23)

ततस्तव सुतादिष्टा नानाजनपदेश्वराः । द्रोणेन सहपुत्रेण सहसेना महाबलाः ॥

tatastava sutādiṣṭā nānājanapadeśvarāḥ | droṇena sahaputreṇa sahasenā mahābalāḥ

Then, at your son's command, the lords of many lands, mighty, with their armies, together with Drona and his son,

Note on the text: Corrected ततस्त्व → ततस्तव (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped अ, critical edition tatas tava).

Verse 24 (6.115.24)

दुःशासनश्च बलवान्सह सर्वैः सहोदरैः । भीष्मं समरमध्यस्थं पालयांचक्रिरे तदा ॥

duḥśāsanaśca balavānsaha sarvaiḥ sahodaraiḥ | bhīṣmaṃ samaramadhyasthaṃ pālayāṃcakrire tadā

and mighty Duhshasana with all his brothers, guarded Bhishma, who stood in the midst of the battle.

Verse 25 (6.115.25)

ततस्तु तावकाः शूराः पुरस्कृत्य महाव्रतम् । शिखण्डिप्रमुखान्पार्थान्योधयन्ति स्म संयुगे ॥

tatastu tāvakāḥ śūrāḥ puraskṛtya mahāvratam | śikhaṇḍipramukhānpārthānyodhayanti sma saṃyuge

Then your brave men, putting Bhishma of the great vow in front, fought the Parthas headed by Shikhandin in that battle.

Verse 26 (6.115.26)

चेदिभिस्तु सपाञ्चालैः सहितो वानरध्वजः । ययौ शान्तनवं भीष्मं पुरस्कृत्य शिखण्डिनम् ॥

cedibhistu sapāñcālaiḥ sahito vānaradhvajaḥ | yayau śāntanavaṃ bhīṣmaṃ puraskṛtya śikhaṇḍinam

The ape-bannered Arjuna, with the Chedis and the Panchalas, went against Bhishma son of Shantanu, with Shikhandin in front.

Verse 27 (6.115.27)

द्रोणपुत्रं शिनेर्नप्ता धृष्टकेतुस्तु पौरवम् । अभिमन्युः सहामात्यं दुर्योधनमयोधयत् ॥

droṇaputraṃ śinernaptā dhṛṣṭaketustu pauravam | abhimanyuḥ sahāmātyaṃ duryodhanamayodhayat

Shini's grandson fought Drona's son; Dhrishtaketu fought the Paurava; and Abhimanyu fought Duryodhana and his counsellors.

Note on the text: Corrected दुर्योधमयोधयत् → दुर्योधनमयोधयत् (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara, which also leaves the line a syllable short; critical edition duryodhanam ayodhayat). The critical edition names yudhāmanyuḥ where Wikisource has अभिमन्युः; kept as a recension variant.

Verse 28 (6.115.28)

विराटस्तु सहानीकः सहसेनं जयद्रथम् । वृद्धक्षत्रस्य दायादमाससाद परंतप ॥

virāṭastu sahānīkaḥ sahasenaṃ jayadratham | vṛddhakṣatrasya dāyādamāsasāda paraṃtapa

Virata with his division attacked Jayadratha, the heir of Vriddhakshatra, and his army, scorcher of foes.

Verse 29 (6.115.29)

मद्रराजं महेष्वासं सहसैन्यं युधिष्ठिरः । भीमसेनोऽभिगुप्तस्तु नागानीकमुपाद्रवत् ॥

madrarājaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ sahasainyaṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | bhīmaseno'bhiguptastu nāgānīkamupādravat

Yudhishthira attacked the king of the Madras, the great archer, and his army; and Bhimasena, well guarded, charged the elephant division.

Verse 30 (6.115.30)

अप्रधृष्यमनावार्यं सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरम् । द्रोणं प्रति ययौ यत्तः पाञ्चाल्यः सह सोदरैः ॥

apradhṛṣyamanāvāryaṃ sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varam | droṇaṃ prati yayau yattaḥ pāñcālyaḥ saha sodaraiḥ

The Panchala prince, with his brothers, went resolutely against Drona, the unassailable, the irresistible, the best of all who bear arms.

Verse 31 (6.115.31)

कर्णिकारध्वजं चैव सिंहकेतुररिंदमः । प्रत्युज्जगाम सौभद्रं राजपुत्रो बृहद्बलः ॥

karṇikāradhvajaṃ caiva siṃhaketurariṃdamaḥ | pratyujjagāma saubhadraṃ rājaputro bṛhadbalaḥ

Prince Brihadbala, tamer of foes, whose banner bore a lion, went out to meet Subhadra's son, whose banner bore the karnikara flower.

Note on the text: Corrected सिंहकैतु → सिंहकेतु (misprint in Wikisource; ै for े, critical edition siṃhaketur).

Verse 32 (6.115.32)

शिखण्डिनं च पुत्रास्ते पाण्डवं च धनञ्जयम् । राजभिः समरे पार्थमभिपेतुर्जिघांसवः ॥

śikhaṇḍinaṃ ca putrāste pāṇḍavaṃ ca dhanañjayam | rājabhiḥ samare pārthamabhipeturjighāṃsavaḥ

Your sons, with the kings, fell upon Shikhandin and upon Dhananjaya the Pandava, Partha, in the battle, eager to kill.

Verse 33 (6.115.33)

तस्मिन्नतिमहाभीमे सेनयोर्वै पराक्रमे । संप्रधावत्स्वनीकेषु मेदिनी समकम्पत ॥

tasminnatimahābhīme senayorvai parākrame | saṃpradhāvatsvanīkeṣu medinī samakampata

In that exceedingly terrible clash of the two armies, as the divisions rushed upon one another, the earth shook.

Verse 34 (6.115.34)

तान्यनीकान्यनीकेषु समयुध्यन्त भारत । तावकानां परेषां च दृष्ट्वा शान्तनवं रणे ॥

tānyanīkānyanīkeṣu samayudhyanta bhārata | tāvakānāṃ pareṣāṃ ca dṛṣṭvā śāntanavaṃ raṇe

The divisions of your side and of the enemy fought, division against division, O Bharata, on seeing Shantanu's son in the battle.

Verse 35 (6.115.35)

ततस्तेषां प्रयततामन्योन्यमभिधावताम् । प्रादुरासीन्महाशब्दो दिक्षु सर्वासु भारत ॥

tatasteṣāṃ prayatatāmanyonyamabhidhāvatām | prādurāsīnmahāśabdo dikṣu sarvāsu bhārata

Then, as they strove and rushed at one another, a great noise arose in every direction, O Bharata.

Verse 36 (6.115.36)

शङ्खदुन्दुभिघोषश्च वारणानां च बृंहितैः । सिंहनादश्च सैन्यानां दारुणः समपद्यत ॥

śaṅkhadundubhighoṣaśca vāraṇānāṃ ca bṛṃhitaiḥ | siṃhanādaśca sainyānāṃ dāruṇaḥ samapadyata

The blare of conches and drums, with the trumpeting of elephants, and the lion-roars of the troops made a dreadful din.

Verse 37 (6.115.37)

सा च सर्वनरेन्द्राणां चन्द्रार्कसदृशी प्रभा । हाराङ्गदकिरीटेषु निष्प्रभा समपद्यत ॥

sā ca sarvanarendrāṇāṃ candrārkasadṛśī prabhā | hārāṅgadakirīṭeṣu niṣprabhā samapadyata

And the radiance of all the kings, like that of the moon and the sun, grew dim in their necklaces, armlets and diadems.

Verse 38 (6.115.38)

रजोमेघास्तु संजज्ञुः शस्त्रविद्युद्भिरावृताः । धनुषां चापि निर्घोषो दारुणः समपद्यत ॥

rajomeghāstu saṃjajñuḥ śastravidyudbhirāvṛtāḥ | dhanuṣāṃ cāpi nirghoṣo dāruṇaḥ samapadyata

Clouds of dust arose, shot through with the lightning of weapons, and the twang of bows too became dreadful.

Verse 39 (6.115.39)

बाणशङ्खप्रणादाश्च भेरीणां च महास्वनाः । रथघोषश्च संजज्ञे सेनयोरुभयोरपि ॥

bāṇaśaṅkhapraṇādāśca bherīṇāṃ ca mahāsvanāḥ | rathaghoṣaśca saṃjajñe senayorubhayorapi

The whistling of arrows, the blast of conches, the loud sounds of the kettledrums, and the rumble of chariots rose from both armies.

Verse 40 (6.115.40)

प्रासशक्त्यृष्टिसङ्घैश्च बाणौघैश्च समाकुलम् । निष्प्रकाशमिवाकाशं सेनयोः समपद्यत ॥

prāsaśaktyṛṣṭisaṅghaiśca bāṇaughaiśca samākulam | niṣprakāśamivākāśaṃ senayoḥ samapadyata

Crowded with masses of lances, darts and spears and with floods of arrows, the sky above the two armies became as if without light.

Verse 41 (6.115.41)

अन्योन्यं रथिनः पेतुर्वाजिनश्च महाहवे । कुञ्जरान्कुञ्जरा जघ्नुः पादातांश्च पदातयः ॥

anyonyaṃ rathinaḥ peturvājinaśca mahāhave | kuñjarānkuñjarā jaghnuḥ pādātāṃśca padātayaḥ

Chariot-fighters and horsemen fell upon one another in that great battle; elephants struck down elephants, and foot soldiers foot soldiers.

Verse 42 (6.115.42)

तत्रासीत्सुमहद्युद्धं कुरूणां पाण्डवैः सह । भीष्महेतोर्नरव्याघ्र श्येनयोरामिषे यथा ॥

tatrāsītsumahadyuddhaṃ kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha | bhīṣmahetornaravyāghra śyenayorāmiṣe yathā

There was a very great battle of the Kurus with the Pandavas for Bhishma's sake, tiger among men, like that of two hawks over a piece of meat.

Verse 43 (6.115.43)

तयोः समागमो घोरो बभूव युधि भारत । अन्योन्यस्य वधार्थाय जिगीषूणां महाहवे ॥

tayoḥ samāgamo ghoro babhūva yudhi bhārata | anyonyasya vadhārthāya jigīṣūṇāṃ mahāhave

Terrible was the clash of those two sides in battle, O Bharata, each eager to conquer and bent on the other's destruction in the great fight.