Bhishma and Rama Strike Each Other Down

Verse 1 (5.180.1)

आत्मनस्तु ततः सूतो हयानां च विशांपते । मम चापनयामास शल्यान्कुशलसंमतः ॥

ātmanastu tataḥ sūto hayānāṃ ca viśāṃpate | mama cāpanayāmāsa śalyānkuśalasaṃmataḥ

Then, O lord of the people, the charioteer, a man esteemed for his skill, drew the arrows out of my body and out of the horses.

Verse 2 (5.180.2)

स्नातापवृत्तैस्तुरगैर्लब्धतोयैरविह्वलैः । प्रभाते चोदिते सूर्ये ततो युद्धमवर्तत ॥

snātāpavṛttaisturagairlabdhatoyairavihvalaiḥ | prabhāte codite sūrye tato yuddhamavartata

When the horses had been bathed and had rolled on the ground, had drunk water and were no longer distressed, and the sun had risen at daybreak, the battle began.

Verse 3 (5.180.3)

दृष्ट्वा मां तूर्णमायान्तं दंशितं स्यन्दने स्थितम् । अकरोद्रथमत्यर्थं रामः सज्जं प्रतापवान् ॥

dṛṣṭvā māṃ tūrṇamāyāntaṃ daṃśitaṃ syandane sthitam | akarodrathamatyarthaṃ rāmaḥ sajjaṃ pratāpavān

Seeing me coming swiftly, armoured and standing on my chariot, the mighty Rama made his own chariot fully ready.

Note on the text: Corrected भां → मां (misprint in Wikisource; "me" is required, and the critical edition reads māṃ).

Verse 4 (5.180.4)

ततोऽहं राममायान्तं दृष्ट्वा समरकाङ्क्षिणम् । धनुःश्रेष्ठं समित्सृज्य सहसावतरं रथात् ॥

tato'haṃ rāmamāyāntaṃ dṛṣṭvā samarakāṅkṣiṇam | dhanuḥśreṣṭhaṃ samitsṛjya sahasāvataraṃ rathāt

Then, seeing Rama coming on, eager for battle, I laid aside my fine bow and quickly stepped down from the chariot.

Verse 5 (5.180.5)

अभिवाद्य तथैवाहं रथमारुह्य भारत । युयुत्सुर्जामदग्न्यस्य प्रमुखे वीतभीः स्थितः ॥

abhivādya tathaivāhaṃ rathamāruhya bhārata | yuyutsurjāmadagnyasya pramukhe vītabhīḥ sthitaḥ

Having saluted him as before, O Bharata, I mounted my chariot again and stood before Jamadagni's son, fearless and eager to fight.

Verse 6 (5.180.6)

ततोऽहं शरवर्षेण महता समवाकिरम् । स च मां शरवर्षेण वर्षन्तं समवाकिरत् ॥

tato'haṃ śaravarṣeṇa mahatā samavākiram | sa ca māṃ śaravarṣeṇa varṣantaṃ samavākirat

Then I covered him with a great shower of arrows, and he, as I rained them down, covered me with a shower of arrows.

Note on the text: Corrected समवाकिरम् → समवाकिरत् in the second line (misprint in Wikisource; the subject there is स, "he", so the third person is required — the critical edition likewise has samavākirat for Rama's shower).

Verse 7 (5.180.7)

संक्रुद्धो जामदग्न्यस्तु पुनरेव सुतेजितान् । संप्रैषीन्मे शरान्घोरान्दीप्तास्यानुरगानिव ॥

saṃkruddho jāmadagnyastu punareva sutejitān | saṃpraiṣīnme śarānghorāndīptāsyānuragāniva

Then Jamadagni's son, enraged, once more sent terrible, keen-edged arrows at me, like serpents with blazing mouths.

Note on the text: Recension variant of critical edition 5.181.7 (Wikisource reads पुनरेव सुतेजितान् संप्रैषीन्मे शरान्घोरान् for punar eva patatriṇaḥ preṣayām āsa me rājan).

Verse 8 (5.180.8)

ततोऽहं निशितैर्भल्लैः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः । अच्छिदं सहसा राजन्नन्तरिक्षे पुनः पुनः ॥

tato'haṃ niśitairbhallaiḥ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ | acchidaṃ sahasā rājannantarikṣe punaḥ punaḥ

With sharp broad-headed arrows I cut them down in the air, by hundreds and by thousands, swiftly and again and again, O king.

Verse 9 (5.180.9)

ततस्त्वस्त्राणि दिव्यानि जामदग्न्यः प्रतापवान् । मयि प्रयोजयामास तान्यहं प्रत्यषेधयम् ॥

tatastvastrāṇi divyāni jāmadagnyaḥ pratāpavān | mayi prayojayāmāsa tānyahaṃ pratyaṣedhayam

Then the mighty son of Jamadagni launched celestial weapons at me, and I repelled them.

Verse 10 (5.180.10)

अस्त्रैरेव महाबाहो चिकीर्षन्नधिकां क्रियाम् । ततो दिवि महान्नादः प्रादुरासीत्समन्ततः ॥

astraireva mahābāho cikīrṣannadhikāṃ kriyām | tato divi mahānnādaḥ prādurāsītsamantataḥ

I sought to outdo him with weapons alone, O mighty-armed one, and a great roar arose in the sky on every side.

Note on the text: Corrected विदि → दिवि (misprint in Wikisource; transposed aksharas — "in the sky", critical edition divi).

Verse 11 (5.180.11)

ततोऽहमस्त्रं वायव्यं जामदग्न्ये प्रयुक्तवान् । प्रत्याजघ्ने च तद्रामो गुह्यकास्त्रेण भारत ॥

tato'hamastraṃ vāyavyaṃ jāmadagnye prayuktavān | pratyājaghne ca tadrāmo guhyakāstreṇa bhārata

Then I launched the wind weapon at Jamadagni's son, and Rama struck it back with the Guhyaka weapon, O Bharata.

Verse 12 (5.180.12)

ततोऽहमस्त्रमाग्नेयमनुमन्त्र्य प्रयुक्तवान् । वारुणेनैव तद्रामो वारयामास मे विभुः ॥

tato'hamastramāgneyamanumantrya prayuktavān | vāruṇenaiva tadrāmo vārayāmāsa me vibhuḥ

Then I charged the fire weapon with its mantras and launched it, and the lord Rama warded it off with the Varuna weapon.

Verse 13 (5.180.13)

एवमस्त्राणि दिव्यानि रामस्याहमवारयम् । रामश्च मम तेजस्वी दिव्यास्त्रविदरिन्दमः ॥

evamastrāṇi divyāni rāmasyāhamavārayam | rāmaśca mama tejasvī divyāstravidarindamaḥ

In this way I warded off Rama's celestial weapons, and the radiant Rama, tamer of foes and master of celestial weapons, warded off mine.

Verse 14 (5.180.14)

ततो मां सव्यतो राजन्रामः कुर्वन्द्विजोत्तमः । उरस्यविध्यत्संक्रुद्धो जामदग्न्यः प्रतापवान् ॥

tato māṃ savyato rājanrāmaḥ kurvandvijottamaḥ | urasyavidhyatsaṃkruddho jāmadagnyaḥ pratāpavān

Then, O king, Rama, best of the twice-born, circling to keep me on his left, angrily pierced me in the chest — the mighty son of Jamadagni.

Verse 15 (5.180.15)

ततोऽहं भारतश्रेष्ठ संन्यषीदं रथोत्तमे । ततो मां कश्मलाविष्टं सूतस्तूर्णमुदावहत् ॥

tato'haṃ bhārataśreṣṭha saṃnyaṣīdaṃ rathottame | tato māṃ kaśmalāviṣṭaṃ sūtastūrṇamudāvahat

At that, O best of the Bharatas, I sank down on my fine chariot, and seeing me overcome by faintness, the charioteer quickly drove me away —

Note on the text: Wikisource divides critical edition 5.181.15–16 (two three-line verses) into its verses 15–17: this verse = 5.181.15ab–cd.

Verse 16 (5.180.16)

ग्लायन्तं भरतश्रेष्ठ रामबाणप्रपीडितम् । ततो मामपयातं वै भृशं विद्धमचेतसम् ॥

glāyantaṃ bharataśreṣṭha rāmabāṇaprapīḍitam | tato māmapayātaṃ vai bhṛśaṃ viddhamacetasam

me, fainting, O best of the Bharatas, and racked by Rama's arrows. Then, seeing me carried off, badly wounded and senseless,

Note on the text: Corrected भरश्रेष्ठ → भरतश्रेष्ठ (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, the line is a syllable short — the critical edition has bharataśreṣṭha). This verse = critical edition 5.181.15ef (ग्लायन्तं for gorutaṃ) + 5.181.16ab.

Verse 17 (5.180.17)

रामस्यानुचरा हृष्टाः सर्वे दृष्ट्वा विचुक्रुशुः । अकृतव्रणप्रभृतयः काशिकन्या च भारत ॥

rāmasyānucarā hṛṣṭāḥ sarve dṛṣṭvā vicukruśuḥ | akṛtavraṇaprabhṛtayaḥ kāśikanyā ca bhārata

all Rama's followers shouted with delight, Akritavrana and the rest, and the princess of Kashi too, O Bharata.

Note on the text: This verse = critical edition 5.181.16cd–ef.

Verse 18 (5.180.18)

ततस्तु लब्धसंज्ञोऽहं ज्ञात्वा सूतमथाब्रुवम् । याहि सूत यतो रामः सज्जोऽहं गतवेदनः ॥

tatastu labdhasaṃjño'haṃ jñātvā sūtamathābruvam | yāhi sūta yato rāmaḥ sajjo'haṃ gatavedanaḥ

Then, when I had come to my senses and understood what had happened, I said to the charioteer, "Drive, charioteer, to where Rama is. I am ready; the pain has gone."

Verse 19 (5.180.19)

ततो मामवहत्सूतो हयैः परमशोभितैः । नृत्यद्भिरिव कौरव्य मारुतप्रतिमैर्गतौ ॥

tato māmavahatsūto hayaiḥ paramaśobhitaiḥ | nṛtyadbhiriva kauravya mārutapratimairgatau

Then the charioteer bore me on behind splendid horses that seemed to dance as they ran, swift as the wind, O Kauravya.

Verse 20 (5.180.20)

ततोऽहं राममासाद्य बाणवर्षैश्च कौरव । अवाकिरं सुसंरब्धः संरब्धं च जिगीषया ॥

tato'haṃ rāmamāsādya bāṇavarṣaiśca kaurava | avākiraṃ susaṃrabdhaḥ saṃrabdhaṃ ca jigīṣayā

Reaching Rama, O Kaurava, I furiously covered him with showers of arrows, furious as he was, eager to conquer him.

Verse 21 (5.180.21)

तानापतत एवासौ रामो बाणानजिह्मगान् । बाणैरेवाच्छिनत्तूर्णमेकैकं त्रिभिराहवे ॥

tānāpatata evāsau rāmo bāṇānajihmagān | bāṇairevācchinattūrṇamekaikaṃ tribhirāhave

But as those straight-flying arrows came at him, Rama cut each of them down in the battle, quickly, with three arrows of his own.

Verse 22 (5.180.22)

ततस्ते सूदिताः सर्वे मम बाणाः सुसंशिताः । रामबाणैर्द्विधा च्छिन्नाः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ॥

tataste sūditāḥ sarve mama bāṇāḥ susaṃśitāḥ | rāmabāṇairdvidhā cchinnāḥ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ

So all my well-sharpened arrows were destroyed, cut in two by Rama's arrows, by hundreds and by thousands.

Verse 23 (5.180.23)

ततः पुनः शरं दीप्तं सुप्रभं कालसंमितम् । असृजं जामदग्न्याय रामायाहं जिघांसया ॥

tataḥ punaḥ śaraṃ dīptaṃ suprabhaṃ kālasaṃmitam | asṛjaṃ jāmadagnyāya rāmāyāhaṃ jighāṃsayā

Then once more I released at Rama, son of Jamadagni, a blazing, brilliant arrow like Death itself, meaning to kill him.

Verse 24 (5.180.24)

तेन त्वभिहतो गाढं बाणवेगवशं गतः । मुमोह समरे रामो भूमौ च निपपात ह ॥

tena tvabhihato gāḍhaṃ bāṇavegavaśaṃ gataḥ | mumoha samare rāmo bhūmau ca nipapāta ha

Struck hard by it and overcome by the force of the arrow, Rama swooned in the battle and fell to the ground.

Verse 25 (5.180.25)

ततो हाहाकृतं सर्वं रामे भूतलमाश्रिते । जगद्भारत संविग्नं यथार्कपतने भवेत् ॥

tato hāhākṛtaṃ sarvaṃ rāme bhūtalamāśrite | jagadbhārata saṃvignaṃ yathārkapatane bhavet

When Rama lay on the ground, the whole world cried out in dismay, O Bharata, and was as shaken as it would be if the sun fell.

Note on the text: Corrected कसर्वं → सर्वं (misprint in Wikisource; stray akshara).

Verse 26 (5.180.26)

तत एनं समुद्विग्नाः सर्व एवाभिदुद्रुवुः । तपोधनास्ते सहसा काश्या च कुरुनन्दन ॥

tata enaṃ samudvignāḥ sarva evābhidudruvuḥ | tapodhanāste sahasā kāśyā ca kurunandana

Then all those ascetics, deeply alarmed, ran to him at once, and the princess of Kashi with them, O delight of the Kurus.

Verse 27 (5.180.27)

तत एनं परिष्वज्य शनैराश्वासयंस्तदा । पाणिभिर्जलशीतैश्च जयाशीर्भिश्च कौरव ॥

tata enaṃ pariṣvajya śanairāśvāsayaṃstadā | pāṇibhirjalaśītaiśca jayāśīrbhiśca kaurava

They embraced him and slowly revived him with hands cooled in water and with blessings for his victory, O Kaurava.

Verse 28 (5.180.28)

ततः स विह्वलं वाक्यं राम उत्थाय चाब्रवीत् । तिष्ठ भीष्म हतोऽसीति बाणं संधाय कार्मुके ॥

tataḥ sa vihvalaṃ vākyaṃ rāma utthāya cābravīt | tiṣṭha bhīṣma hato'sīti bāṇaṃ saṃdhāya kārmuke

Then Rama rose and, still shaken, spoke, fitting an arrow to his bow: "Stand, Bhishma! You are slain!"

Verse 29 (5.180.29)

स मुक्तो न्यपतत्तूर्णं सव्ये पार्श्वे महाहवे । येनाहं भृशमुद्विग्नो व्याघूर्णित इव द्रुमः ॥

sa mukto nyapatattūrṇaṃ savye pārśve mahāhave | yenāhaṃ bhṛśamudvigno vyāghūrṇita iva drumaḥ

Released, that arrow struck swiftly into my left side in the great battle, and, badly shaken, I reeled like a tree.

Note on the text: Corrected भृशमुद्विग्रो → भृशमुद्विग्नो (misprint in Wikisource; ग्र for ग्न — the critical edition reads bhṛśasaṃvigno).

Verse 30 (5.180.30)

हत्वा हयांस्ततो रामः शीघ्रास्त्रेण महाहवे । अवाकिरन्मां विस्रब्धो बाणैस्तैर्लोमवाहिभिः ॥

hatvā hayāṃstato rāmaḥ śīghrāstreṇa mahāhave | avākiranmāṃ visrabdho bāṇaistairlomavāhibhiḥ

Then Rama killed my horses with a swift weapon in the great battle, and, sure of himself, covered me with feathered arrows.

Verse 31 (5.180.31)

ततोऽहमपि शीघ्रास्त्रं समरप्रतिवारणम् । अवासृजं महाबाहो तेऽन्तराधिष्ठिताः शराः ॥

tato'hamapi śīghrāstraṃ samaraprativāraṇam | avāsṛjaṃ mahābāho te'ntarādhiṣṭhitāḥ śarāḥ

Then I too released a swift weapon, a counter to anything in battle, O mighty-armed one; and the arrows, Rama's and mine, held fast in the space between us,

Note on the text: Corrected तेन्तराधिष्ठिताः → तेऽन्तराधिष्ठिताः (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha — critical edition te 'ntarādhiṣṭhitāḥ). Wikisource divides critical edition 5.181.30–34 (verses 30 and 34 have three lines) into its verses 31–36: this verse = 5.181.30ab–cd.

Verse 32 (5.180.32)

रामस्य मम चैवाशु व्योमावृत्य समन्ततः । न स्म सूर्यः प्रतपति शरजालसमावृतः ॥

rāmasya mama caivāśu vyomāvṛtya samantataḥ | na sma sūryaḥ pratapati śarajālasamāvṛtaḥ

quickly covered the sky on every side. The sun, veiled by the net of arrows, gave no heat.

Note on the text: This verse = critical edition 5.181.30ef + 5.181.31ab.

Verse 33 (5.180.33)

मातरिश्वा ततस्तस्मिन्मेघरुद्ध इवाभवत् । ततो वायोः प्रकम्पाच्च सूर्यस्य च गभस्तिभिः ॥

mātariśvā tatastasminmegharuddha ivābhavat | tato vāyoḥ prakampācca sūryasya ca gabhastibhiḥ

The wind in that space was as if hemmed in by clouds. Then, from the shaking of the wind, from the rays of the sun

Note on the text: This verse = critical edition 5.181.31cd + 5.181.32ab, with variants (ततस्तस्मिन् … इवाभवत्, गभस्तिभिः).

Verse 34 (5.180.34)

अभिघातप्रभावाच्च पावकः समजायत । ते शराः स्वसमुत्थेन प्रदीप्ताश्चित्रभानुना ॥

abhighātaprabhāvācca pāvakaḥ samajāyata | te śarāḥ svasamutthena pradīptāścitrabhānunā

and from the force of the impacts, fire was born; and the arrows, set ablaze by the fire they had themselves produced,

Note on the text: This verse = critical edition 5.181.32cd (variant अभिघातप्रभावाच्च) + 5.181.33ab.

Verse 35 (5.180.35)

भूमौ सर्वे तदा राजन्भस्मभूताः प्रपेदिरे । तदा शतसहस्राणि प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च ॥

bhūmau sarve tadā rājanbhasmabhūtāḥ prapedire | tadā śatasahasrāṇi prayutānyarbudāni ca

all fell to the ground as ash, O king. Then, by hundreds of thousands, by millions and by hundreds of millions,

Note on the text: This verse = critical edition 5.181.33cd + 5.181.34ab.

Verse 36 (5.180.36)

अयुतान्यथ खर्वाणि निखर्वाणि च कौरव । रामः शराणां संक्रुद्धो मयि तूर्णं न्यपातयत् ॥

ayutānyatha kharvāṇi nikharvāṇi ca kaurava | rāmaḥ śarāṇāṃ saṃkruddho mayi tūrṇaṃ nyapātayat

by tens of thousands, by kharvas and by nikharvas, O Kaurava, Rama in his fury swiftly rained arrows on me.

Note on the text: This verse = critical edition 5.181.34cd–ef.

Verse 37 (5.180.37)

ततोऽहं तानपि रणे शरैराशीविषोपमैः । संछिद्य भूमौ नृपते पातयेयं नगानिव ॥

tato'haṃ tānapi raṇe śarairāśīviṣopamaiḥ | saṃchidya bhūmau nṛpate pātayeyaṃ nagāniva

Then I cut those down too in the battle with arrows like venomous snakes, and brought them to the ground, O lord of men, like felled trees.

Verse 38 (5.180.38)

एवं तदभवद्युद्धं तदा भरतसत्तम । सन्ध्याकाले व्यतीते तु व्यपायात्स च मे गुरुः ॥

evaṃ tadabhavadyuddhaṃ tadā bharatasattama | sandhyākāle vyatīte tu vyapāyātsa ca me guruḥ

So the battle went on that day, O best of the Bharatas, and when the time of twilight had passed, my teacher withdrew.

Note on the text: Corrected युद्वं → युद्धं (misprint in Wikisource; व for ध).