Bhishma Takes Command and Begins the Count of Chariot-Warriors

Verse 1 (5.165.1)

प्रतिज्ञाते फाल्गुनेन वधे भीष्मस्य संयुगे । किमकुर्वत मे मन्दाः पुत्रा दुर्योधनादयः ॥

pratijñāte phālgunena vadhe bhīṣmasya saṃyuge | kimakurvata me mandāḥ putrā duryodhanādayaḥ

When Phalguna had vowed in battle to slay Bhishma, what did my foolish sons, Duryodhana and the rest, do?

Verse 2 (5.165.2)

हतमेव हि पश्यामि गाङ्गेयं पितरं रणे । वासुदेवसहायेन पार्थेन दृढधन्वना ॥

hatameva hi paśyāmi gāṅgeyaṃ pitaraṃ raṇe | vāsudevasahāyena pārthena dṛḍhadhanvanā

I already see my father, the son of Ganga, slain in battle by Partha of the firm bow, with Vasudeva as his helper.

Verse 3 (5.165.3)

स चापरिमितप्रज्ञस्तच्छ्रुत्वा पार्थभाषितम् । किमुक्तवान्महेष्वासो भीष्मः प्रहरतां वरः ॥

sa cāparimitaprajñastacchrutvā pārthabhāṣitam | kimuktavānmaheṣvāso bhīṣmaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ

And on hearing what Partha had said, what did Bhishma of boundless wisdom, the great archer and best of fighters, say?

Verse 4 (5.165.4)

सैनापत्यं च संप्राप्य कौरवाणां धुरंधरः । किमचेष्टत गाङ्गेयो महाबुद्धिपराक्रमः ॥

saināpatyaṃ ca saṃprāpya kauravāṇāṃ dhuraṃdharaḥ | kimaceṣṭata gāṅgeyo mahābuddhiparākramaḥ

And having received the command of the Kauravas, what did the son of Ganga, who bears their burden, great in intellect and in valour, do?

Verse 5 (5.165.5)

ततस्तत्सञ्जयस्तस्मै सर्वमेव न्यवेदयत् । यथोक्तं कुरुवृद्धेन भीष्मेणामिततेजसा ॥

tatastatsañjayastasmai sarvameva nyavedayat | yathoktaṃ kuruvṛddhena bhīṣmeṇāmitatejasā

Then Sanjaya told him everything, just as it had been spoken by Bhishma, the elder of the Kurus, whose energy was boundless.

Verse 6 (5.165.6)

सैनापत्यमनुप्राप्य भीष्मः शान्तनवो नृप । दुर्योधनमुवाचेदं वचनं हर्षयन्निव ॥

saināpatyamanuprāpya bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo nṛpa | duryodhanamuvācedaṃ vacanaṃ harṣayanniva

Having received the command, O king, Bhishma son of Shantanu spoke these words to Duryodhana, as if to gladden him:

Verse 7 (5.165.7)

नमस्कृत्य कुमाराय सेनान्ये शक्तिपाणये । अहं सेनापतिस्तेऽद्य भविष्यामि न संशयः ॥

namaskṛtya kumārāya senānye śaktipāṇaye | ahaṃ senāpatiste'dya bhaviṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ

"Bowing to Kumara, the general of the gods, who bears the spear in his hand, I shall be your commander today; of that there is no doubt.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma's direct speech, without a printed heading (the input carried सञ्जय).

Verse 8 (5.165.8)

सेनाकर्मण्यभिज्ञोऽस्मि व्यूहेषु विविधेषु च । कर्म कारयितुं चैव भृतानप्यभृतांस्तथा ॥

senākarmaṇyabhijño'smi vyūheṣu vividheṣu ca | karma kārayituṃ caiva bhṛtānapyabhṛtāṃstathā

I am skilled in the work of an army and in its many kinds of battle array, and in getting troops to do their work, the paid and the unpaid alike.

Note on the text: Corrected सेनाकर्मण्यिज्ञो → सेनाकर्मण्यभिज्ञो (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara भ; the critical edition reads senākarmaṇy abhijño). Speaker: Bhishma's direct speech, without a printed heading (the input carried सञ्जय).

Verse 9 (5.165.9)

यात्रायाने च युद्धे च तथा प्रशमनेषु च । भृशं वेद महाराज यथा वेद बृहस्पतिः ॥

yātrāyāne ca yuddhe ca tathā praśamaneṣu ca | bhṛśaṃ veda mahārāja yathā veda bṛhaspatiḥ

In marching and advancing, in battle, and in countering the enemy, I know a great deal, great king — as much as Brihaspati knows.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma's direct speech, without a printed heading (the input carried सञ्जय).

Verse 10 (5.165.10)

व्यूहानां च समारम्भान्दैवगान्धर्वमानुषान् । तैरहं मोहयिष्यामि पाण्डवान्व्येतु ते ज्वरः ॥

vyūhānāṃ ca samārambhāndaivagāndharvamānuṣān | tairahaṃ mohayiṣyāmi pāṇḍavānvyetu te jvaraḥ

I know how to set up battle arrays, divine, gandharva and human; with them I shall confound the Pandavas. Let your fever pass.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma's direct speech, without a printed heading (the input carried सञ्जय).

Verse 11 (5.165.11)

सोऽहं योत्स्यामि तत्त्वेन पालयंस्तव वाहिनीम् । यथावच्छास्त्रतो राजन्व्येतु ते मानसो ज्वरः ॥

so'haṃ yotsyāmi tattvena pālayaṃstava vāhinīm | yathāvacchāstrato rājanvyetu te mānaso jvaraḥ

So I shall fight in earnest, protecting your army properly, as the science of war prescribes, O king. Let the fever of your mind pass."

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma's direct speech, without a printed heading (the input carried सञ्जय).

Verse 12 (5.165.12)

विद्यते मे न गाङ्गेय भयं देवासुरेष्वपि । समस्तेषु महाबाहो सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते ॥

vidyate me na gāṅgeya bhayaṃ devāsureṣvapi | samasteṣu mahābāho satyametadbravīmi te

I have no fear, son of Ganga, even of all the gods and asuras together, mighty-armed one; I tell you this truly.

Verse 13 (5.165.13)

किं पुनस्त्वयि दुर्धर्षे सैनापत्ये व्यवस्थिते । द्रोणे च पुरुषव्याघ्रे स्थिते युद्धाभिनन्दिनि ॥

kiṃ punastvayi durdharṣe saināpatye vyavasthite | droṇe ca puruṣavyāghre sthite yuddhābhinandini

How much less, then, now that you, the unassailable, stand at the head of the army, and Drona, tiger among men, stands with us, delighting in battle!

Note on the text: Corrected दुर्धर्पे → दुर्धर्षे (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the critical edition reads durdharṣe).

Verse 14 (5.165.14)

भवद्भ्यां पुरुषाग्र्याभ्यां स्थिताभ्यां विजयो मम । न दुर्लभं कुरुश्रेष्ठ देवराज्यमपि ध्रुवम् ॥

bhavadbhyāṃ puruṣāgryābhyāṃ sthitābhyāṃ vijayo mama | na durlabhaṃ kuruśreṣṭha devarājyamapi dhruvam

With you two, foremost of men, standing by me, victory is mine; not even the kingdom of the gods would be hard to win, best of the Kurus — that is certain.

Note on the text: Corrected भवद्र्यां → भवद्भ्यां (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct; the critical edition reads bhavadbhyāṃ).

Verse 15 (5.165.15)

रथसङ्ख्यां तु कार्त्स्न्येन परेषामात्मनस्तथा । तथैवातिरथानां च वेत्तुमिच्छामि कौरव ॥

rathasaṅkhyāṃ tu kārtsnyena pareṣāmātmanastathā | tathaivātirathānāṃ ca vettumicchāmi kaurava

But I wish to know the full count of the chariot-warriors, of the enemy and of our own side, and likewise of the atirathas, O Kaurava.

Verse 16 (5.165.16)

पितामहो हि कुशलः परेषामात्मनस्तथा । श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं सर्वैः सहैभिर्वसुधाधिपैः ॥

pitāmaho hi kuśalaḥ pareṣāmātmanastathā | śrotumicchāmyahaṃ sarvaiḥ sahaibhirvasudhādhipaiḥ

For the grandsire is expert concerning both the enemy and ourselves. I wish to hear it, together with all these lords of the earth.

Verse 17 (5.165.17)

गान्धारे शृणु राजेन्द्र रथसंख्यां स्वके बले । ये रथाः पृथिवीपाल तथैवातिरथाश्च ये ॥

gāndhāre śṛṇu rājendra rathasaṃkhyāṃ svake bale | ye rathāḥ pṛthivīpāla tathaivātirathāśca ye

Son of Gandhari, lord of kings, hear the count of the chariot-warriors in your own army — who are rathas, protector of the earth, and who are atirathas.

Note on the text: Corrected श्रृणु → शृणु (misprint in Wikisource; श्रृ for शृ; the critical edition reads śṛṇu).

Verse 18 (5.165.18)

बहूनीह सहस्राणि प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च । रथानां तव सेनायां यथामुख्यं तु मे शृणु ॥

bahūnīha sahasrāṇi prayutānyarbudāni ca | rathānāṃ tava senāyāṃ yathāmukhyaṃ tu me śṛṇu

There are many thousands here, millions upon millions of chariot-warriors in your army; but hear from me of the foremost among them, in order.

Note on the text: Corrected श्रुणु → शृणु (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads śṛṇu).

Verse 19 (5.165.19)

भवानग्रे रथोदारः सह सर्वैः सहोदरैः । दुःशासनप्रभृतिभिर्भ्रातृभिः शतसंमितैः ॥

bhavānagre rathodāraḥ saha sarvaiḥ sahodaraiḥ | duḥśāsanaprabhṛtibhirbhrātṛbhiḥ śatasaṃmitaiḥ

First, you yourself are a noble ratha, together with all your brothers born of the same mother, Duhshasana and the rest, a hundred in number.

Verse 20 (5.165.20)

सर्वे कृतप्रहरणाश्छेदभेदविशारदाः । रथोपस्थे गजस्कन्धे गदाप्रासासिचर्मणि ॥

sarve kṛtapraharaṇāśchedabhedaviśāradāḥ | rathopasthe gajaskandhe gadāprāsāsicarmaṇi

All of them are practised in striking and expert in cutting and piercing, on the floor of a chariot or on an elephant's back, with mace, lance, sword and shield;

Verse 21 (5.165.21)

संयन्तारः प्रहर्तारः कृतास्त्रा भारसाधनाः । इष्वस्त्रे द्रोणशिष्याश्च कृपस्य च शरद्वतः ॥

saṃyantāraḥ prahartāraḥ kṛtāstrā bhārasādhanāḥ | iṣvastre droṇaśiṣyāśca kṛpasya ca śaradvataḥ

they are skilled charioteers and strikers, masters of weapons, able to bear heavy burdens, disciples in archery of Drona and of Kripa son of Sharadvat.

Verse 22 (5.165.22)

एते हनिष्यन्ति रणे पाञ्चालान्युद्धदुर्मदान् । कृतकिल्बिषाः पाण्डवेयैर्धार्तराष्ट्रा मनस्विनः ॥

ete haniṣyanti raṇe pāñcālānyuddhadurmadān | kṛtakilbiṣāḥ pāṇḍaveyairdhārtarāṣṭrā manasvinaḥ

These spirited sons of Dhritarashtra, wronged by the Pandavas, will slay the Panchalas, fierce in battle, on the field.

Verse 23 (5.165.23)

तथाऽहं भरतश्रेष्ठ सर्वसेनापतिस्तव । शत्रून्विध्वंसयिष्यामि कदर्थीकृत्य पाण्डवान् ॥

tathā'haṃ bharataśreṣṭha sarvasenāpatistava | śatrūnvidhvaṃsayiṣyāmi kadarthīkṛtya pāṇḍavān

And I, best of the Bharatas, as commander of your whole army, will destroy the enemy, bringing the Pandavas to grief.

Note on the text: The automatic alignment left this verse unmatched: it is CE 5.162.23abcd (reading तथाऽहं for tato 'haṃ, a recension variant).

Verse 24 (5.165.24)

न त्वात्मनो गुणान्वक्तुमर्हामि विदितोऽस्मि ते । कृतवर्मा त्वतिरथो भोजः शस्त्रभृतां वरः ॥

na tvātmano guṇānvaktumarhāmi vidito'smi te | kṛtavarmā tvatiratho bhojaḥ śastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ

But I ought not to speak of my own merits; I am known to you. Kritavarman of the Bhojas, best of those who bear arms, is an atiratha.

Note on the text: Corrected त्वयिरथो → त्वतिरथो (misprint in Wikisource; य for त; the critical edition reads tv atiratho). The automatic alignment left this verse unmatched: the first line is CE 5.162.23ef and the second CE 5.162.24ab (reading शस्त्रभृतां for praharatāṃ).

Verse 25 (5.165.25)

अर्थसिद्धिं तव रणे करिष्यति न संशयः । शस्त्रविद्भिरनाधृष्यो दूरपाती दृढायुधः ॥

arthasiddhiṃ tava raṇe kariṣyati na saṃśayaḥ | śastravidbhiranādhṛṣyo dūrapātī dṛḍhāyudhaḥ

He will accomplish your purpose in battle, without a doubt. Unassailable by those skilled in arms, he strikes from afar with his firm weapons;

Note on the text: The automatic alignment left this verse unmatched: the first line is CE 5.162.24cd and the second CE 5.162.25ab (reading शस्त्रविद्भिः for astravidbhir).

Verse 26 (5.165.26)

हनिष्यति चमूं तेषां महेन्द्रो दानवानिव । मद्रराजो महेष्वासः शल्यो मेऽतिरथो मतः ॥

haniṣyati camūṃ teṣāṃ mahendro dānavāniva | madrarājo maheṣvāsaḥ śalyo me'tiratho mataḥ

he will destroy their host as great Indra destroyed the Danavas. The king of the Madras, Shalya the great archer, I consider an atiratha;

Note on the text: The automatic alignment left this verse unmatched: the first line is CE 5.162.25cd (reading चमूं तेषां for ripūṃs tubhyaṃ) and the second CE 5.162.26ab.

Verse 27 (5.165.27)

स्पर्धते वासुदेवेन नित्यं यो वै रणेरणे । भागिनेयान्निजांस्त्यक्त्वा शल्यस्तेऽतिरथो मतः । एष योत्स्यति संग्रामे पाण्डवांश्च महारथान् ॥

spardhate vāsudevena nityaṃ yo vai raṇeraṇe | bhāgineyānnijāṃstyaktvā śalyaste'tiratho mataḥ | eṣa yotsyati saṃgrāme pāṇḍavāṃśca mahārathān

he always vies with Vasudeva in battle after battle. Forsaking his own sister's sons, Shalya is counted an atiratha on your side; he will fight in battle against the Pandavas, those great chariot-warriors,

Note on the text: The automatic alignment left this verse unmatched: the first line is CE 5.162.26cd and the second and third CE 5.162.27 (reading अतिरथो मतः for rathasattamaḥ and पाण्डवांश्च महारथान् for kṛṣṇaṃ cakragadādharam, recension variants).

Verse 28 (5.165.28)

सागरोर्मिसमैर्बाणैः प्लावयन्निव शात्रवान् । भूरिश्रवाः कृतास्त्रश्च तव चापि हितः सुहृत् ॥

sāgarormisamairbāṇaiḥ plāvayanniva śātravān | bhūriśravāḥ kṛtāstraśca tava cāpi hitaḥ suhṛt

as if flooding the enemy with arrows like the waves of the ocean. Bhurishravas, master of weapons, your well-wisher and friend,

Note on the text: Corrected शातवान् → शात्रवान् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped र; the critical edition reads śātravān) and कृतास्रश्च → कृतास्त्रश्च (misprint in Wikisource; dropped त; the critical edition reads kṛtāstraś ca).

Verse 29 (5.165.29)

सौमदत्तिर्महेष्वासो रथयूथपयूथपः । बलक्षयममित्राणां सुमहान्तं करिष्यति ॥

saumadattirmaheṣvāso rathayūthapayūthapaḥ | balakṣayamamitrāṇāṃ sumahāntaṃ kariṣyati

the son of Somadatta, a great archer and leader of the leaders of chariot-troops, will work very great destruction on the enemy's forces.

Note on the text: Corrected वलक्षयम् → बलक्षयम् (misprint in Wikisource; व for ब; the critical edition reads balakṣayam).

Verse 30 (5.165.30)

सिन्धुराजो महाराज मतो मे द्विगुणो रथः । योत्स्यते समरे राजन्विक्रान्तो रथसत्तमः ॥

sindhurājo mahārāja mato me dviguṇo rathaḥ | yotsyate samare rājanvikrānto rathasattamaḥ

The king of the Sindhus, great king, I consider equal to two rathas. Valorous and best of chariot-warriors, he will fight in battle, O king.

Note on the text: Corrected रथाः → रथः (misprint in Wikisource; a plural with a singular subject; the critical edition reads rathaḥ).

Verse 31 (5.165.31)

द्रौपदीहरणे राजन्परिक्लिष्टश्च पाण्डवैः । संस्मरंस्तं परिक्लेशं योत्स्यते परवीरहा ॥

draupadīharaṇe rājanparikliṣṭaśca pāṇḍavaiḥ | saṃsmaraṃstaṃ parikleśaṃ yotsyate paravīrahā

At the abduction of Draupadi, O king, he was humiliated by the Pandavas; remembering that humiliation, he, the slayer of hostile heroes, will fight.

Verse 32 (5.165.32)

एतेन हि तदा राजंस्तप आस्थाय दारुणम् । सुदुर्लभो वरो लब्धः पाण्डवान्योद्धुमाहवे ॥

etena hi tadā rājaṃstapa āsthāya dāruṇam | sudurlabho varo labdhaḥ pāṇḍavānyoddhumāhave

For it was then, O king, that he took up terrible austerities and won a boon very hard to win: to fight the Pandavas in battle.

Note on the text: Corrected योद्ध्रुमाहवे → योद्धुमाहवे (misprint in Wikisource; a stray र in the conjunct; the critical edition reads yoddhum āhave).

Verse 33 (5.165.33)

स एष रथशार्दूलस्तद्वैरं संस्मरन्रणे । योत्स्यते पाण्डवैस्तात प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा सुदुस्त्यजान् ॥

sa eṣa rathaśārdūlastadvairaṃ saṃsmaranraṇe | yotsyate pāṇḍavaistāta prāṇāṃstyaktvā sudustyajān

This tiger among chariot-warriors, remembering that enmity, will fight the Pandavas in battle, my son, giving up his life, so hard to give up.