Bhishma Carries Off the Princesses of Kashi

Verse 1 (5.173.1)

किमर्थं भरतश्रेष्ठ नैव हन्याः शिखण्डिनम् । उद्यतेषुमथो दृष्ट्वा समरेष्वाततायिनम् ॥

kimarthaṃ bharataśreṣṭha naiva hanyāḥ śikhaṇḍinam | udyateṣumatho dṛṣṭvā samareṣvātatāyinam

Why, best of the Bharatas, will you not kill Shikhandin, even when you see him come at you in battle with arrow raised, intent on killing you,

Note on the text: Speaker corrected from दुर्योधनं (the page's heading reads दुर्योधनं उवाच, a stray anusvara) to दुर्योधन.

Verse 2 (5.173.2)

पूर्वमुक्त्वा महाबाहो पाञ्चालान्सह सोमकैः । हनिष्यामीति गाङ्गेय तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥

pūrvamuktvā mahābāho pāñcālānsaha somakaiḥ | haniṣyāmīti gāṅgeya tanme brūhi pitāmaha

when you said before, mighty-armed one, "I shall kill the Panchalas together with the Somakas"? Tell me this, son of Ganga, grandfather.

Note on the text: Speaker corrected from दुर्योधनं (the page's heading reads दुर्योधनं उवाच, a stray anusvara) to दुर्योधन.

Verse 3 (5.173.3)

शृणु दुर्योधन कथां सहैभिर्वसुधाधिपैः । यदर्थं युधि संप्रेक्ष्य नाहं हन्यां शिखण्डिनम् ॥

śṛṇu duryodhana kathāṃ sahaibhirvasudhādhipaiḥ | yadarthaṃ yudhi saṃprekṣya nāhaṃ hanyāṃ śikhaṇḍinam

Listen, Duryodhana, together with these lords of the earth, to the story of why I will not kill Shikhandin when I see him in battle.

Note on the text: Corrected श्रृणु → शृणु (misprint in Wikisource; श्र for श before ृ, critical edition śṛṇu).

Verse 4 (5.173.4)

महाराजो मम पिता शान्तनुर्लोकविश्रुतः । दिष्टान्तमाप धर्मात्मा समये भरतर्षभ ॥

mahārājo mama pitā śāntanurlokaviśrutaḥ | diṣṭāntamāpa dharmātmā samaye bharatarṣabha

My father, the great king Shantanu, renowned in the world, the righteous one, reached the end of his life in due time, O bull of the Bharatas.

Verse 5 (5.173.5)

ततोऽहं भरतश्रेष्ठ प्रतिज्ञां परिपालयन् । चित्राङ्गदं भ्रातरं वै महाराज्येऽभ्यषेचयम् ॥

tato'haṃ bharataśreṣṭha pratijñāṃ paripālayan | citrāṅgadaṃ bhrātaraṃ vai mahārājye'bhyaṣecayam

Then, best of the Bharatas, keeping my vow, I installed my brother Chitrangada in the great kingship.

Note on the text: Corrected अभ्यपेचयम् → अभ्यषेचयम् (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष, critical edition 'bhyaṣecayam).

Verse 6 (5.173.6)

तस्मिंश्च निधनं प्राप्ते सत्यवत्या मते स्थितः । विचित्रवीर्यं राजानमभ्यषिञ्चं यथाविधि ॥

tasmiṃśca nidhanaṃ prāpte satyavatyā mate sthitaḥ | vicitravīryaṃ rājānamabhyaṣiñcaṃ yathāvidhi

When he met his death, I followed Satyavati's counsel and duly installed Vichitravirya as king.

Verse 7 (5.173.7)

मयाऽभिषिक्तो राजेन्द्र यवीयानपि धर्मतः । विचित्रवीर्यो धर्मात्मा मामेव समुदैक्षत ॥

mayā'bhiṣikto rājendra yavīyānapi dharmataḥ | vicitravīryo dharmātmā māmeva samudaikṣata

Anointed by me in accordance with dharma, O lord of kings, though he was the younger, the righteous Vichitravirya looked to me alone for guidance.

Verse 8 (5.173.8)

तस्य दारक्रियां तात चिकीर्षुरहमप्युत । अनुरूपादिव कुलादित्येव च मनो दधे ॥

tasya dārakriyāṃ tāta cikīrṣurahamapyuta | anurūpādiva kulādityeva ca mano dadhe

Wishing to arrange his marriage, my son, I set my mind on finding a bride from a family worthy of him.

Verse 9 (5.173.9)

तथाऽश्रौषं महाबाहो तिस्रः कन्याः स्वयंवरे । रूपेणाप्रतिमाः सर्वाः काशिराजसुतास्तदा । अम्बां चैवाम्बिकां चैव तथैवाम्बालिकामपि ॥

tathā'śrauṣaṃ mahābāho tisraḥ kanyāḥ svayaṃvare | rūpeṇāpratimāḥ sarvāḥ kāśirājasutāstadā | ambāṃ caivāmbikāṃ caiva tathaivāmbālikāmapi

Then I heard, mighty-armed one, of three maidens at a svayamvara, all of them peerless in beauty, the daughters of the king of Kashi: Amba, Ambika and Ambalika.

Verse 10 (5.173.10)

राजानश्च समाहूताः पृथिव्यां भरतर्षभ । अम्बा ज्येष्ठाभवत्तासामम्बिका त्वथ मध्यमा ॥

rājānaśca samāhūtāḥ pṛthivyāṃ bharatarṣabha | ambā jyeṣṭhābhavattāsāmambikā tvatha madhyamā

Kings from all over the earth had been summoned, O bull of the Bharatas. Amba was the eldest of them, and Ambika the middle one,

Note on the text: The critical edition's 5.170.10ab–cd; Wikisource divides CE 5.170.10–11 differently, so the automatic alignment found no match for its verses 10–12 (the page's own verse division is followed).

Verse 11 (5.173.11)

अम्बालिका च राजेन्द्र राजकन्या यवीयसी । सोऽहमेकरथेनैव गतः काशिपतेः पुरीम् ॥

ambālikā ca rājendra rājakanyā yavīyasī | so'hamekarathenaiva gataḥ kāśipateḥ purīm

and the princess Ambalika, O lord of kings, the youngest. I went to the city of the lord of Kashi with a single chariot.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.170.10ef; line 2 is 5.170.11ab.

Verse 12 (5.173.12)

अपश्यं ता महाबाहो तिस्रः कन्याः स्वलङ्कृताः । राज्ञश्चैव समाहूतान्पार्थिवान्पृथिवीपते ॥

apaśyaṃ tā mahābāho tisraḥ kanyāḥ svalaṅkṛtāḥ | rājñaścaiva samāhūtānpārthivānpṛthivīpate

There, mighty-armed one, I saw the three maidens, beautifully adorned, and the kings who had been summoned, O lord of the earth.

Note on the text: The critical edition's 5.170.11cd–ef (reading samāvṛttān for समाहूतान्).

Verse 13 (5.173.13)

ततोऽहं तान्नृपान्सर्वानाहूय समरे स्थितान् । रथमारोपयाञ्चक्रे कन्यास्ता भरतर्षभ ॥

tato'haṃ tānnṛpānsarvānāhūya samare sthitān | rathamāropayāñcakre kanyāstā bharatarṣabha

Then I challenged all those kings, who stood ready for battle, and took the maidens up into my chariot, O bull of the Bharatas.

Verse 14 (5.173.14)

वीर्यशुल्काश्च ता ज्ञात्वा समारोप्य रथं तदा । अवोचं पार्थिवान्सर्वानहं तत्र समागतान् । भीष्मः शान्तनवः कन्या हरतीति पुनःपुनः ॥

vīryaśulkāśca tā jñātvā samāropya rathaṃ tadā | avocaṃ pārthivānsarvānahaṃ tatra samāgatān | bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavaḥ kanyā haratīti punaḥpunaḥ

Knowing that valour was their bride-price, I set them on my chariot and said again and again to all the kings gathered there: "Bhishma, son of Shantanu, is carrying off the maidens!

Verse 15 (5.173.15)

ते यतध्वं परं शक्त्या सर्वे मोक्षाय पार्थिवाः । प्रसह्य हि हराम्येष मिषतां वो नरर्षभाः ॥

te yatadhvaṃ paraṃ śaktyā sarve mokṣāya pārthivāḥ | prasahya hi harāmyeṣa miṣatāṃ vo nararṣabhāḥ

Strive with all your might, every one of you kings, to set them free; for I am carrying them off by force while you look on, O bulls among men!"

Verse 16 (5.173.16)

ततस्ते पृथिवीपालाः समुत्पेतुरुदायुधाः । योगो योग इति क्रुद्धाः सारथीनभ्यचोदयन् ॥

tataste pṛthivīpālāḥ samutpeturudāyudhāḥ | yogo yoga iti kruddhāḥ sārathīnabhyacodayan

At that the kings sprang up with weapons raised and, in their anger, urged on their charioteers, crying, "Harness! Harness!"

Note on the text: Corrected समुत्पतुर् → समुत्पेतुर् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped e-sign in the perfect समुत्पेतुः, as in the next verse; critical edition samutpetur).

Verse 17 (5.173.17)

ते रथैर्मेघसङ्काशैर्गजैश्च गजयोधिनः । पुष्टैश्चाश्वैर्महीपालाः समुत्पेतुरुदायुधाः ॥

te rathairmeghasaṅkāśairgajaiśca gajayodhinaḥ | puṣṭaiścāśvairmahīpālāḥ samutpeturudāyudhāḥ

With chariots like clouds, with elephants for those who fought on elephants, and with well-fed horses, the kings rushed forward with weapons raised.

Note on the text: Corrected रथैर्गसङ्काशैर् → रथैर्मेघसङ्काशैर् (misprint in Wikisource; the akshara मे was lost from मेघसङ्काशैः, "like clouds", which also leaves the line a syllable short; critical edition meghasaṃkāśair) and पुष्टैश्वाश्वैर् → पुष्टैश्चाश्वैर् (श्व for श्च; critical edition -aiś cāśvair, with pṛṣṭhyaiś for पुष्टैः, kept as a variant).

Verse 18 (5.173.18)

ततस्ते मां महीपालाः सर्व एव विशां पते । रथव्रातेन महता सर्वतः पर्यवारयन् ॥

tataste māṃ mahīpālāḥ sarva eva viśāṃ pate | rathavrātena mahatā sarvataḥ paryavārayan

Then all those kings, O lord of the people, surrounded me on every side with a great mass of chariots.

Verse 19 (5.173.19)

तानहं शरवर्षेण समन्तात्पर्यवारयम् । सर्वान्नृपांश्चाप्यजयं देवराडिव दानवान् ॥

tānahaṃ śaravarṣeṇa samantātparyavārayam | sarvānnṛpāṃścāpyajayaṃ devarāḍiva dānavān

I in turn hemmed them in on every side with a shower of arrows, and conquered all those kings, as the king of the gods conquers the Danavas.

Verse 20 (5.173.20)

अपातयं शरैर्दीप्तैः प्रहसन्भरतर्षभ । तेषामापततां चित्रान्ध्वजान्हेमपरिष्कृतान् ॥

apātayaṃ śarairdīptaiḥ prahasanbharatarṣabha | teṣāmāpatatāṃ citrāndhvajānhemapariṣkṛtān

Laughing, O bull of the Bharatas, I struck down with blazing arrows the bright, gold-adorned banners of those who came rushing at me —

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.170.20cd (reading puruṣarṣabha for भरतर्षभ); line 2 is 5.170.19ab. Wikisource orders the four lines of CE 5.170.19–20 differently, so the automatic alignment found no match for its verses 20–21 (the page's own verse division is followed).

Verse 21 (5.173.21)

एकैकेन हि बाणेन भूमौ पातितवानहम् । हयांस्तेषां गजांश्चैव सारथींश्चाप्यहं रणे ॥

ekaikena hi bāṇena bhūmau pātitavānaham | hayāṃsteṣāṃ gajāṃścaiva sārathīṃścāpyahaṃ raṇe

each with a single arrow I brought them to the ground; and their horses, their elephants and their charioteers too I felled in battle.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.170.19cd; line 2 is 5.170.20ab (reading caiṣāṃ for तेषां).

Verse 22 (5.173.22)

ते निवृत्ताश्च भग्नाश्च दृष्ट्वा तल्लाघवं मम । प्रणिपेतुश्च सर्वे वै प्रशशंसुश्च पार्थिवाः ॥

te nivṛttāśca bhagnāśca dṛṣṭvā tallāghavaṃ mama | praṇipetuśca sarve vai praśaśaṃsuśca pārthivāḥ

Seeing that swiftness of mine, they turned back, broken; and all the kings bowed down to me and praised me.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.170.21ab; line 2 is its star passage 5.170.21b*0570, line 1 (not in the constituted text; found in the vulgate recension). Removed a stray wiki mark (`) before प्रणिपेतुश्च, which the page uses to open the inserted passage.

Verse 23 (5.173.23)

तत आदाय ताः कन्या नृपतींश्च विसृज्य तान् । अथाऽहं हास्तिनपुरमायां जित्वा महीक्षितः ॥

tata ādāya tāḥ kanyā nṛpatīṃśca visṛjya tān | athā'haṃ hāstinapuramāyāṃ jitvā mahīkṣitaḥ

Then, taking those maidens and letting the kings go, I came to Hastinapura, having conquered the rulers of the earth.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's star passage 5.170.21b*0570, line 2 (not in the constituted text; found in the vulgate recension); line 2 is 5.170.21cd. Removed a stray quote mark (') after तान्, which the page uses to close the inserted passage.

Verse 24 (5.173.24)

ततोऽहं ताश्च कन्या वै भ्रातुरर्थाय भारत । तच्च कर्म महाबाहो सत्यवत्यै न्यवेदयम् ॥

tato'haṃ tāśca kanyā vai bhrāturarthāya bhārata | tacca karma mahābāho satyavatyai nyavedayam

Then, mighty-armed one, I made the maidens over for my brother's sake, O Bharata, and told Satyavati of that deed.