Bhishma and Parashurama Begin Their Duel

Verse 1 (5.179.1)

तमहं स्मयन्निव रणे प्रत्यभाषं व्यवस्थितम् । भूमिष्ठं नोत्सहे योद्धुं भवन्तं रथमास्थितः ॥

tamahaṃ smayanniva raṇe pratyabhāṣaṃ vyavasthitam | bhūmiṣṭhaṃ notsahe yoddhuṃ bhavantaṃ rathamāsthitaḥ

Smiling, as it were, I said to him as he stood ready on the field: Mounted on a chariot, I cannot bring myself to fight you while you stand on the ground.

Verse 2 (5.179.2)

आरोह स्यन्दनं वीर कवचं च महाभुज । बधान समरे राम यदि योद्धुं मयेच्छसि ॥

āroha syandanaṃ vīra kavacaṃ ca mahābhuja | badhāna samare rāma yadi yoddhuṃ mayecchasi

Mount a chariot, hero, and put on armour for the fight, mighty-armed Rama, if you wish to fight with me.

Verse 3 (5.179.3)

ततो मामब्रवीद्रामः स्मयमानो रणाजिरे । रथो मे मेदिनी भीष्म वाहा वेदाः सदश्ववत् ॥

tato māmabravīdrāmaḥ smayamāno raṇājire | ratho me medinī bhīṣma vāhā vedāḥ sadaśvavat

Then Rama, smiling on the field of battle, said to me: The earth is my chariot, Bhishma, and the Vedas are my steeds, like fine horses;

Verse 4 (5.179.4)

सूतश्च मातरिश्वा वै कवचं वेदमातरः । सुसंवीतो रणे ताभिर्योत्स्येऽहं कुरुनन्दन ॥

sūtaśca mātariśvā vai kavacaṃ vedamātaraḥ | susaṃvīto raṇe tābhiryotsye'haṃ kurunandana

the wind is my charioteer, and the mothers of the Veda are my armour. Well wrapped in them, I shall fight in battle, delight of the Kurus.

Note on the text: Speaker: Rama's speech, begun in verse 3, fills this verse; given to Rama.

Verse 5 (5.179.5)

एवं ब्रुवाणो गान्धारे रामो मां सत्यविक्रमः । शरव्रातेन महता सर्वतः प्रत्यवारयत् ॥

evaṃ bruvāṇo gāndhāre rāmo māṃ satyavikramaḥ | śaravrātena mahatā sarvataḥ pratyavārayat

Saying this, son of Gandhari, Rama of true prowess hemmed me in on every side with a great hail of arrows.

Verse 6 (5.179.6)

ततोऽपश्यं जामदग्न्यं रथमध्ये व्यवस्थितम् । सर्वायुधवरे श्रीमत्यद्भुतोपमदर्शने ॥

tato'paśyaṃ jāmadagnyaṃ rathamadhye vyavasthitam | sarvāyudhavare śrīmatyadbhutopamadarśane

Then I saw Jamadagni's son standing in the middle of a chariot, a glorious chariot, finest of all for weapons, wondrous to behold,

Verse 7 (5.179.7)

मनसा विहिते पुण्ये विस्तीर्णे नगरोपमे । दिव्याश्वयुजि सन्नद्धे काञ्चनेन विभूषिते ॥

manasā vihite puṇye vistīrṇe nagaropame | divyāśvayuji sannaddhe kāñcanena vibhūṣite

fashioned by the mind, holy, spacious as a city, yoked with divine horses, fully equipped and adorned with gold.

Note on the text: Corrected नगरोपभे → नगरोपमे and सन्नद्वे → सन्नद्धे (misprints in Wikisource; CE nagaropame, saṃnaddhe).

Verse 8 (5.179.8)

कवचेन महाबाहो सोमार्ककृतलक्ष्मणा । धनुर्धरो बद्धतूणो बद्धगोधाङ्गुलित्रवान् ॥

kavacena mahābāho somārkakṛtalakṣmaṇā | dhanurdharo baddhatūṇo baddhagodhāṅgulitravān

He wore armour marked with the emblems of the moon and sun, mighty-armed one; he held a bow, had his quiver bound on and his lizard-skin finger guards fastened.

Verse 9 (5.179.9)

सारथ्यं कृतवांस्तत्र युयुत्सोरकृतव्रणः । सखा वेदविदत्यन्तं दयितो भार्गवस्य ह ॥

sārathyaṃ kṛtavāṃstatra yuyutsorakṛtavraṇaḥ | sakhā vedavidatyantaṃ dayito bhārgavasya ha

Akritavrana acted as charioteer there for the warrior: his friend, deeply versed in the Veda and very dear to the Bhargava.

Note on the text: Corrected अकुतव्रणः → अकृतव्रणः (misprint in Wikisource; CE akṛtavraṇaḥ).

Verse 10 (5.179.10)

आह्वयानः स मां युद्धे मनो हर्षयतीव मे । पुनः पुनरभिक्रोशन्नभियाहीति भार्गवः ॥

āhvayānaḥ sa māṃ yuddhe mano harṣayatīva me | punaḥ punarabhikrośannabhiyāhīti bhārgavaḥ

Challenging me to battle and shouting again and again, "Come on!", the Bhargava seemed to gladden my heart.

Verse 11 (5.179.11)

तमादित्यमिवोद्यन्तमनाधृष्यं महाबलम् । क्षत्रियान्तकरं राममेकमेकः समासदम् ॥

tamādityamivodyantamanādhṛṣyaṃ mahābalam | kṣatriyāntakaraṃ rāmamekamekaḥ samāsadam

Alone I went up to Rama, who stood alone, like the rising sun, unassailable, mighty, the destroyer of kshatriyas.

Note on the text: Corrected समासदूम् → समासदम् (misprint in Wikisource; CE samāsadam).

Verse 12 (5.179.12)

ततोऽहं बाणपातेषु त्रिषु वाहान्निगृह्य वै । अवतीर्य धनुर्न्यस्य पदातिर्ऋषिसत्तमम् ॥

tato'haṃ bāṇapāteṣu triṣu vāhānnigṛhya vai | avatīrya dhanurnyasya padātirṛṣisattamam

Then, at a distance of three arrow-flights, I reined in my horses, got down, laid aside my bow and went on foot to that best of sages,

Verse 13 (5.179.13)

अभ्यागच्छं तदा राममर्चिष्यन्द्विजसत्तमम् । अभिवाद्य चैनं विधिवदब्रुवं वाक्यमुत्तमम् ॥

abhyāgacchaṃ tadā rāmamarciṣyandvijasattamam | abhivādya cainaṃ vidhivadabruvaṃ vākyamuttamam

to Rama, best of the twice-born, to do him honour. Saluting him in due form, I spoke these excellent words:

Verse 14 (5.179.14)

योत्स्ये त्वया रणे राम सदृशेनाधिकेन वा । गुरुणा धर्मशीलेन जयमाशास्व मे विभो ॥

yotsye tvayā raṇe rāma sadṛśenādhikena vā | guruṇā dharmaśīlena jayamāśāsva me vibho

I shall fight you in battle, Rama, you who are my equal or my better, my teacher, righteous in conduct. Wish me victory, lord.

Verse 15 (5.179.15)

एवमेतत्कुरुश्रेष्ठ कर्तव्यं भूतिमिच्छता । धर्मो ह्येष महाबाहो विशिष्टैः सह युध्यताम् ॥

evametatkuruśreṣṭha kartavyaṃ bhūtimicchatā | dharmo hyeṣa mahābāho viśiṣṭaiḥ saha yudhyatām

So it should be done, best of the Kurus, by one who seeks prosperity. This is the dharma, mighty-armed one, of those who fight with their betters.

Verse 16 (5.179.16)

शपेयं त्वां नचेदेवमागच्छेथा विशांपते । युध्यस्व त्वं रणे यत्तो धैर्यमालम्ब्य कौरव ॥

śapeyaṃ tvāṃ nacedevamāgacchethā viśāṃpate | yudhyasva tvaṃ raṇe yatto dhairyamālambya kaurava

I would have cursed you, lord of the people, had you not come to me like this. Fight in battle, Kaurava, with care, holding fast to your courage.

Verse 17 (5.179.17)

न तु ते जयमाशासे त्वां विजेतुमहं स्थितः । गच्छ युध्यस्व धर्मेण प्रीतोऽस्मि चरितेन ते ॥

na tu te jayamāśāse tvāṃ vijetumahaṃ sthitaḥ | gaccha yudhyasva dharmeṇa prīto'smi caritena te

But I do not wish you victory, for I stand here to conquer you. Go, fight according to dharma; I am pleased with your conduct.

Verse 18 (5.179.18)

ततोऽहं तं नमस्कृत्य रथमारुह्य सत्वरः । प्राध्मापयं रणे शङ्खं पुनर्हेमपरिष्कृतम् ॥

tato'haṃ taṃ namaskṛtya rathamāruhya satvaraḥ | prādhmāpayaṃ raṇe śaṅkhaṃ punarhemapariṣkṛtam

Then, bowing to him, I quickly mounted my chariot and on the field blew my gold-adorned conch once more.

Note on the text: Speaker: the input carries Rama on from verse 17, but his speech ends there and Bhishma resumes narrating (the critical edition prints "bhīṣma uvāca" here); verses 18–39 are given to Bhishma.

Verse 19 (5.179.19)

ततो युद्धं समभवन्मम तस्य च भारत । दिवसान्सुबहून्राजन्परस्परजिगीषया ॥

tato yuddhaṃ samabhavanmama tasya ca bhārata | divasānsubahūnrājanparasparajigīṣayā

Then battle broke out between him and me, O Bharata, and went on for very many days, O king, each of us eager to defeat the other.

Verse 20 (5.179.20)

स मे तस्मिन्रणे पूर्वं प्राहरत्कङ्कपत्रिभिः । षष्ट्या शतैश्च नवभिः शराणां नतपर्वणाम् ॥

sa me tasminraṇe pūrvaṃ prāharatkaṅkapatribhiḥ | ṣaṣṭyā śataiśca navabhiḥ śarāṇāṃ nataparvaṇām

In that battle he struck me first with heron-feathered arrows: nine hundred and sixty shafts with smooth joints.

Note on the text: Corrected कङ्खपत्रिभिः → कङ्कपत्रिभिः, वष्ट्या → षष्ट्या and नतषर्वणाम् → नतपर्वणाम् (misprints in Wikisource; CE kaṅkapatribhiḥ, ṣaṣṭyā; नतपर्वणाम् is the evident word, as in verse 28 — the CE has a different epithet here, agnivarcasām).

Verse 21 (5.179.21)

चत्वारस्तेन मे वाहाः सूतश्चैव विशांपते । प्रतिरुद्धास्तथैवाहं समरे दंशितः स्थितः ॥

catvārastena me vāhāḥ sūtaścaiva viśāṃpate | pratiruddhāstathaivāhaṃ samare daṃśitaḥ sthitaḥ

With them he checked my four horses and my charioteer, lord of the people, while I stood firm in my armour in the fight.

Verse 22 (5.179.22)

नमस्कृत्य च देवेभ्यो ब्राह्मणेभ्यो विशेषतः । तमहं स्मयन्निव रणे प्रत्यभाषं व्यवस्थितम् ॥

namaskṛtya ca devebhyo brāhmaṇebhyo viśeṣataḥ | tamahaṃ smayanniva raṇe pratyabhāṣaṃ vyavasthitam

Bowing to the gods, and above all to the brahmins, I spoke, smiling as it were, to him as he stood ready on the field:

Verse 23 (5.179.23)

आचार्यता मानिता मे निर्मर्यादे ह्यपि त्वयि । भूयश्च शृणु मे ब्रह्मन्संपदं धर्मसंग्रहे ॥

ācāryatā mānitā me nirmaryāde hyapi tvayi | bhūyaśca śṛṇu me brahmansaṃpadaṃ dharmasaṃgrahe

I have honoured your standing as my teacher, even though you have overstepped every bound. Hear further from me, brahmin, what the sum of dharma holds.

Verse 24 (5.179.24)

ये ते वेदाः शरीरस्था ब्राह्मण्यं यच्च ते महत् । तपश्च ते महत्तप्तं न तेभ्यः प्रहराम्यहम् ॥

ye te vedāḥ śarīrasthā brāhmaṇyaṃ yacca te mahat | tapaśca te mahattaptaṃ na tebhyaḥ praharāmyaham

The Vedas that dwell in your body, the great brahminhood that is yours, and the great austerity you have performed: at these I do not strike.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (5.180.24b brāhmaṇyaṃ yac ca te mahat): Wikisource prints "...." for the lost word ब्राह्मण्यं.

Verse 25 (5.179.25)

प्रहरे क्षत्रधर्मस्य यं त्वं राम समाश्रितः । ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियत्वं हि याति शस्त्रसमुद्यमात् ॥

prahare kṣatradharmasya yaṃ tvaṃ rāma samāśritaḥ | brāhmaṇaḥ kṣatriyatvaṃ hi yāti śastrasamudyamāt

I strike at the kshatriya's dharma that you, Rama, have taken up; for a brahmin becomes a kshatriya by raising a weapon.

Verse 26 (5.179.26)

पश्य मे धनुषो वीर्यं पश्य बाह्वोर्बलं मम । एष ते कार्मुकं वीर छिनद्मि निशितेषुणा ॥

paśya me dhanuṣo vīryaṃ paśya bāhvorbalaṃ mama | eṣa te kārmukaṃ vīra chinadmi niśiteṣuṇā

See the power of my bow, see the strength of my arms! Here, hero, I cut your bow with a sharp arrow.

Note on the text: Corrected कार्मुक → कार्मुकं (dropped anusvara in Wikisource; object of छिनद्मि; CE kārmukaṃ).

Verse 27 (5.179.27)

तस्याहं निशितं भल्लं चिक्षेप भरतर्षभ । तेनास्य धनुषः कोटिं छित्वा भूमावपातयम् ॥

tasyāhaṃ niśitaṃ bhallaṃ cikṣepa bharatarṣabha | tenāsya dhanuṣaḥ koṭiṃ chitvā bhūmāvapātayam

I loosed a sharp broad-headed arrow at him, bull of the Bharatas, and with it I cut off the tip of his bow and brought it down to the ground.

Verse 28 (5.179.28)

तथैव च पृषत्कानां शतानि नतपर्वणाम् । चिक्षेप कङ्कपत्राणां जामदग्न्यरथं प्रति ॥

tathaiva ca pṛṣatkānāṃ śatāni nataparvaṇām | cikṣepa kaṅkapatrāṇāṃ jāmadagnyarathaṃ prati

In the same way I shot hundreds of heron-feathered, smooth-jointed arrows at the chariot of Jamadagni's son.

Verse 29 (5.179.29)

काये विषक्तास्तु तदा वायुना समुदीरिताः । चेलुः क्षरन्तो रुधिरं नागा इव च ते शराः ॥

kāye viṣaktāstu tadā vāyunā samudīritāḥ | celuḥ kṣaranto rudhiraṃ nāgā iva ca te śarāḥ

Lodged in his body and stirred by the wind, those arrows quivered, dripping blood, like serpents.

Verse 30 (5.179.30)

क्षतजोक्षितसर्वाङ्गः क्षरन्स रुधिरं रणे । बभौ रामस्तदा राजन्मेरुर्धातूनिवोत्सृजन् ॥

kṣatajokṣitasarvāṅgaḥ kṣaransa rudhiraṃ raṇe | babhau rāmastadā rājanmerurdhātūnivotsṛjan

His whole body drenched in blood, bleeding on the field, Rama shone then, O king, like Meru pouring out its streams of ore.

Note on the text: Restored the second line from the critical edition (5.180.30c babhau rāmas tadā rājan merur dhātūn ivotsṛjan): Wikisource repeats here the second line of the next verse (बभौ रामस्तथा राजन्प्रफुल्ल इव किंशुकः).

Verse 31 (5.179.31)

हेमन्तान्तेऽशोक इव रक्तस्तबकमण्डितः । बभौ रामस्तथा राजन्प्रफुल्ल इव किंशुकः ॥

hemantānte'śoka iva raktastabakamaṇḍitaḥ | babhau rāmastathā rājanpraphulla iva kiṃśukaḥ

Like an ashoka tree at winter's end, decked with clusters of red blossoms, Rama shone, O king, like a kimshuka in full flower.

Verse 32 (5.179.32)

ततोऽन्यद्धनुरादाय रामः क्रोधसमन्वितः । हेमपुङ्खान्सुनिशिताञ्शरांस्तान्हि ववर्ष सः ॥

tato'nyaddhanurādāya rāmaḥ krodhasamanvitaḥ | hemapuṅkhānsuniśitāñśarāṃstānhi vavarṣa saḥ

Then Rama, filled with rage, took up another bow and rained down those keen, gold-feathered arrows.

Verse 33 (5.179.33)

ते समासाद्य मां रौद्रा बहुधा मर्मभेदिनः । अकम्पयन्महावेगाः सर्पानलविषोपमाः ॥

te samāsādya māṃ raudrā bahudhā marmabhedinaḥ | akampayanmahāvegāḥ sarpānalaviṣopamāḥ

Reaching me, those terrible arrows of great speed, piercing the vitals in many places and deadly as serpents, fire and poison, made me tremble.

Verse 34 (5.179.34)

तमहं समवष्टभ्य पुनरात्मानमाहवे । शतसंख्यैः शरैः क्रुद्धस्तदा राममवाकिरम् ॥

tamahaṃ samavaṣṭabhya punarātmānamāhave | śatasaṃkhyaiḥ śaraiḥ kruddhastadā rāmamavākiram

Steadying myself once more in the battle, I angrily covered Rama with arrows by the hundred.

Verse 35 (5.179.35)

स तैरग्न्यर्कसङ्काशैः शरैराशीविषोपमैः । शितैरभ्यर्दितो रामो मन्दचेता इवाभवत् ॥

sa tairagnyarkasaṅkāśaiḥ śarairāśīviṣopamaiḥ | śitairabhyardito rāmo mandacetā ivābhavat

Struck by those sharp arrows, bright as fire and sun and like venomous snakes, Rama seemed to lose his senses.

Verse 36 (5.179.36)

ततोऽहं कृपयाऽऽविष्टो विनिन्द्यात्मानमात्मना । धिग्धिगित्यब्रुवं युद्धं क्षत्रधर्मं च भारत ॥

tato'haṃ kṛpayā''viṣṭo vinindyātmānamātmanā | dhigdhigityabruvaṃ yuddhaṃ kṣatradharmaṃ ca bhārata

Then, overcome with pity, I reproached myself and said, "Shame, shame on war, and on the dharma of the kshatriya!" O Bharata.

Verse 37 (5.179.37)

असकृच्चाब्रुवं राजञ्शोकवेगपरिप्लुतः । अहो बत कृतं पापं मयेदं क्षत्रकर्मणा ॥

asakṛccābruvaṃ rājañśokavegapariplutaḥ | aho bata kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ mayedaṃ kṣatrakarmaṇā

And again and again, O king, flooded with grief, I said: "Alas, what a sin I have committed through this work of a kshatriya,

Note on the text: Restored the last quarter from the critical edition (5.180.37d mayedaṃ kṣatrakarmaṇā): Wikisource's मयेदं क्षत्रधर्मं च भारत is an unmetrical repeat of the previous verse's क्षत्रधर्मं च भारत.

Verse 38 (5.179.38)

गुरुर्द्विजातिर्धर्मात्मा यदेवं पीडितः शरैः । ततो न प्राहरं भूयो जामदग्न्याय भारत ॥

gururdvijātirdharmātmā yadevaṃ pīḍitaḥ śaraiḥ | tato na prāharaṃ bhūyo jāmadagnyāya bhārata

that my teacher, a brahmin and a righteous man, has been tormented by arrows like this!" After that, O Bharata, I struck Jamadagni's son no more.

Verse 39 (5.179.39)

अथावताप्य पृथिवीं पूषा दिवससंक्षये । जगामास्तं सहस्रांशुस्ततो युद्धमुपारमत् ॥

athāvatāpya pṛthivīṃ pūṣā divasasaṃkṣaye | jagāmāstaṃ sahasrāṃśustato yuddhamupāramat

Then, at the close of day, having scorched the earth, the thousand-rayed sun went down to his setting, and the fighting stopped.

Note on the text: Corrected दिवसमंक्षये → दिवससंक्षये (misprint in Wikisource; CE divasasaṃkṣaye).