The Gods Halt the Duel of Bhishma and Rama

Verse 1 (5.185.1)

ततो हलहलाशब्दो दिवि राजन्महानभूत् । प्रस्वापं भीष्म मा स्राक्षीरिति कौरवनन्दन ॥

tato halahalāśabdo divi rājanmahānabhūt | prasvāpaṃ bhīṣma mā srākṣīriti kauravanandana

Then, O king, a great clamour arose in the sky: "Bhishma, joy of the Kurus, do not release the Prasvapana!"

Verse 2 (5.185.2)

अयुञ्जमेव चैवाहं तदस्त्रं भृगुनन्दने । प्रस्वापं मां प्रयुञ्जानं नारदो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥

ayuñjameva caivāhaṃ tadastraṃ bhṛgunandane | prasvāpaṃ māṃ prayuñjānaṃ nārado vākyamabravīt

Even so, I fitted that weapon against the joy of the Bhrigus. As I was about to employ the Prasvapana, Narada spoke these words to me:

Note on the text: Corrected प्रयुज्जानं → प्रयुञ्जानं and वाकयमब्रवीत् → वाक्यमब्रवीत् (misprints in Wikisource; ज्ज for ञ्ज and a broken conjunct; the critical edition reads prayuñjānaṃ and vākyam abravīt).

Verse 3 (5.185.3)

एते वियति कौरव्य दिवि देवगणाः स्थिताः । ते त्वां निवारयन्त्यद्य प्रस्वापं मा प्रयोजय ॥

ete viyati kauravya divi devagaṇāḥ sthitāḥ | te tvāṃ nivārayantyadya prasvāpaṃ mā prayojaya

"Here in the sky, O Kauravya, the hosts of the gods stand in heaven, and today they forbid you. Do not employ the Prasvapana."

Note on the text: Corrected करव्य → कौरव्य (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped vowel sign; the critical edition reads kauravya). Speaker set to Narada: the verse is wholly his speech to Bhishma, introduced by verse 2 (Wikisource prints no heading; the input carried भीष्म).

Verse 4 (5.185.4)

रामस्तपस्वी ब्रह्मण्यो ब्राह्मणश्च गुरुश्च ते । तस्यावमानं कौरव्य मास्म कार्षीः कथञ्चन ॥

rāmastapasvī brahmaṇyo brāhmaṇaśca guruśca te | tasyāvamānaṃ kauravya māsma kārṣīḥ kathañcana

"Rama is an ascetic, devoted to Brahman, a brahmin, and your teacher. Never, O Kauravya, do him any dishonour."

Note on the text: Corrected तस्यवमानं → तस्यावमानं (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped vowel sign, tasya + avamānam; the critical edition reads tasyāvamānaṃ). Speaker set to Narada: the verse is wholly his speech to Bhishma, introduced by verse 2 (Wikisource prints no heading; the input carried भीष्म).

Verse 5 (5.185.5)

ततोऽपश्यं दिविष्ठान्वै तानष्टौ ब्रह्मवादिनः । ते मां स्मयन्तो राजेन्द्र शनकैरिदमब्रुवन् ॥

tato'paśyaṃ diviṣṭhānvai tānaṣṭau brahmavādinaḥ | te māṃ smayanto rājendra śanakairidamabruvan

Then I saw those eight Brahmavadins standing in the sky. Smiling, O king of kings, they said gently to me:

Verse 6 (5.185.6)

यथाऽऽह भरतश्रेष्ठ नारदस्तत्तथा कुरु । एतद्धि परमं श्रेयो लोकानां भरतर्षभ ॥

yathā''ha bharataśreṣṭha nāradastattathā kuru | etaddhi paramaṃ śreyo lokānāṃ bharatarṣabha

"Do as Narada says, O best of the Bharatas. This is the highest good for the worlds, O bull among the Bharatas."

Note on the text: Speaker set to the eight Brahmavadins: the verse is wholly their speech to Bhishma, introduced by verse 5 (Wikisource prints no heading; the input carried भीष्म).

Verse 7 (5.185.7)

ततश्च प्रतिसंहृत्य तदस्त्रं स्वापनं महत् । ब्रह्मास्त्रं दीपयाञ्चक्रे तस्मिन्युधि यथाविधि ॥

tataśca pratisaṃhṛtya tadastraṃ svāpanaṃ mahat | brahmāstraṃ dīpayāñcakre tasminyudhi yathāvidhi

So I withdrew that great sleep-bringing weapon and, as the rules prescribe, kindled the Brahma weapon in that battle.

Verse 8 (5.185.8)

ततो रामो हृषितो राजसिंह । दृष्ट्वा तदस्त्रं विनिवर्तितं वै । जितोऽस्मि भीष्मेण सुमन्दबुद्धि- । रित्येव वाक्यं सहसा व्यमुञ्चत् ॥

tato rāmo hṛṣito rājasiṃha | dṛṣṭvā tadastraṃ vinivartitaṃ vai | jito'smi bhīṣmeṇa sumandabuddhi- | rityeva vākyaṃ sahasā vyamuñcat

Then Rama, his hair bristling, O lion among kings, seeing that weapon withdrawn, suddenly let fall these words: "I am beaten by Bhishma, dull of wit that I am!"

Verse 9 (5.185.9)

ततोऽपश्यत्पितरं जामदग्न्यः । पितुस्तथा पितरं चास्य मान्यम् । ते तत्र चैनं परिवार्य तस्थु- । रूचुश्चैनं सान्त्वपूर्वं तदानीम् ॥

tato'paśyatpitaraṃ jāmadagnyaḥ | pitustathā pitaraṃ cāsya mānyam | te tatra cainaṃ parivārya tasthu- | rūcuścainaṃ sāntvapūrvaṃ tadānīm

Then the son of Jamadagni saw his father, and his father's honoured father too. They stood there around him and spoke to him soothingly:

Note on the text: Corrected तदनीम् → तदानीम् (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped vowel sign; the critical edition reads tadānīm).

Verse 10 (5.185.10)

मा स्मैवं साहसं तात पुनः कार्षीः कथञ्चन । भीष्मेण संयुगं गन्तुं क्षत्रियेण विशेषतः ॥

mā smaivaṃ sāhasaṃ tāta punaḥ kārṣīḥ kathañcana | bhīṣmeṇa saṃyugaṃ gantuṃ kṣatriyeṇa viśeṣataḥ

"Never again, dear son, do anything so rash as to go into battle with Bhishma, and with a kshatriya above all."

Verse 11 (5.185.11)

क्षत्रियस्य तु धर्मोऽयं यद्युद्धं भृगुनन्दन । स्वाध्यायो व्रतचर्याऽथ ब्राह्मणानां परं धनम् ॥

kṣatriyasya tu dharmo'yaṃ yadyuddhaṃ bhṛgunandana | svādhyāyo vratacaryā'tha brāhmaṇānāṃ paraṃ dhanam

"To fight is the dharma of a kshatriya, O joy of the Bhrigus; for brahmins the highest wealth is study of the Veda and the keeping of vows."

Verse 12 (5.185.12)

इदं निमित्ते कस्मिंश्चिदस्माभिः प्रागुदाहृतम् । शस्त्रधारणमत्युग्रं तच्चाकार्यं कृतं त्वया ॥

idaṃ nimitte kasmiṃścidasmābhiḥ prāgudāhṛtam | śastradhāraṇamatyugraṃ taccākāryaṃ kṛtaṃ tvayā

"Once before, for a particular cause, we told you to take up arms, a fearsome thing; and now you have done what ought not to be done."

Verse 13 (5.185.13)

वत्स पर्याप्तमेतावद्भीष्मेण सह संयुगे । विमर्दस्ते महाबाहो व्यपयाहि रणादितः ॥

vatsa paryāptametāvadbhīṣmeṇa saha saṃyuge | vimardaste mahābāho vyapayāhi raṇāditaḥ

"Child, this much fighting with Bhishma in battle is enough for you, mighty-armed one. Withdraw from the field."

Verse 14 (5.185.14)

पर्याप्तमेतद्भद्रं ते तव कार्मुकधारणम् । विसर्जयैतद्दुर्धर्ष तपस्तप्यस्व भार्गव ॥

paryāptametadbhadraṃ te tava kārmukadhāraṇam | visarjayaitaddurdharṣa tapastapyasva bhārgava

"Bless you, your bearing of the bow has gone far enough. Lay it aside, invincible one, and practise austerity, O Bhargava."

Verse 15 (5.185.15)

एष भीष्मः शान्तनवो देवैः सर्वैर्निवारितः । निवर्तस्व रणादस्मादिति चैव प्रसादितः ॥

eṣa bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo devaiḥ sarvairnivāritaḥ | nivartasva raṇādasmāditi caiva prasāditaḥ

"This Bhishma, son of Shantanu, has been held back by all the gods, and they have entreated him: 'Turn back from this battle;'"

Verse 16 (5.185.16)

रामेण सह मायोत्सीर्गुरुणेति पुनः पुनः । न हि रामो रणे जेतुं त्वया न्याय्यः कुरूद्वह ॥

rāmeṇa saha māyotsīrguruṇeti punaḥ punaḥ | na hi rāmo raṇe jetuṃ tvayā nyāyyaḥ kurūdvaha

"'Do not fight with Rama, your guru,' again and again; 'it is not right for you to conquer Rama in battle, O best of the Kurus.'"

Note on the text: The critical edition divides this speech (verses 16–22) differently, so the alignment left these verses unmatched: this verse is CE 5.186.16ab–cd.

Verse 17 (5.185.17)

मानं कुरुष्व गाङ्गेय ब्राह्मणस्य रणाजिरे । वयं तु गुरवस्तुभ्यं तस्मात्त्वां वारयामहे ॥

mānaṃ kuruṣva gāṅgeya brāhmaṇasya raṇājire | vayaṃ tu guravastubhyaṃ tasmāttvāṃ vārayāmahe

"'Show honour, son of Ganga, to a brahmin on the field of battle.' We are your elders, and so we restrain you."

Note on the text: The first line is CE 5.186.16ef, the second CE 5.186.17ab (the critical edition divides these verses differently).

Verse 18 (5.185.18)

भीष्मो वसूनामन्यतमो दिष्ट्या जीवसि पुत्रक । गाङ्गेयः शन्तनोः पुत्रो वसुरेष महायशाः ॥

bhīṣmo vasūnāmanyatamo diṣṭyā jīvasi putraka | gāṅgeyaḥ śantanoḥ putro vasureṣa mahāyaśāḥ

"Bhishma is one of the Vasus; by good fortune you are still alive, little son. The son of Ganga, Shantanu's son, is a Vasu of great renown."

Note on the text: The first line is CE 5.186.17cd, the second CE 5.186.18ab (the critical edition divides these verses differently).

Verse 19 (5.185.19)

कथं शक्यस्त्वया जेतुं निवर्तस्वेह भार्गव । अर्जुनः पाण्डवश्रेष्ठः पुरन्दरसुतो बली ॥

kathaṃ śakyastvayā jetuṃ nivartasveha bhārgava | arjunaḥ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭhaḥ purandarasuto balī

"How could you conquer him? Turn back from here, Bhargava. Arjuna, the best of the Pandavas, the mighty son of Purandara (Indra),"

Note on the text: The first line is CE 5.186.18cd, with a different wording (CE kathaṃ tvayā raṇe jetuṃ rāma śakyo nivarta vai; Wikisource's reading kept as a variant); the second is CE 5.186.19ab.

Verse 20 (5.185.20)

नरः प्रजापतिर्वीरः पूर्वदेवः सनातनः । सव्यसाचीति विख्यातस्त्रिषु लोकेषु वीर्यवान् । भीष्ममृत्युर्यथाकालं विहितो वै स्वयंभुवा ॥

naraḥ prajāpatirvīraḥ pūrvadevaḥ sanātanaḥ | savyasācīti vikhyātastriṣu lokeṣu vīryavān | bhīṣmamṛtyuryathākālaṃ vihito vai svayaṃbhuvā

"is Nara, the heroic Prajapati, the eternal ancient god, famed in the three worlds for his prowess as Savyasachin. The Self-born has ordained him to be Bhishma's death when the time comes."

Note on the text: The first line is CE 5.186.19cd, the other two CE 5.186.20 (the critical edition divides these verses differently).

Verse 21 (5.185.21)

एवमुक्तः स पितृभिः पितॄन्रामोऽब्रवीदिदम् । नाहं युधि निवर्तेयमिति मे व्रतमाहितम् । न निवर्तितपूर्वश्च कदाचिद्रणमूर्धनि ॥

evamuktaḥ sa pitṛbhiḥ pitṝnrāmo'bravīdidam | nāhaṃ yudhi nivarteyamiti me vratamāhitam | na nivartitapūrvaśca kadācidraṇamūrdhani

Spoken to thus by his ancestors, Rama said this to them: "It is my sworn vow that I do not turn back in battle; never before have I been turned back at the forefront of battle."

Note on the text: The first two lines are CE 5.186.21, the third CE 5.186.22ab (the critical edition divides these verses differently).

Verse 22 (5.185.22)

निवर्त्यतामापगेयः कामं युद्धात्पितामहाः । न त्वहं विनिवर्तिष्ये युद्धादस्मात्कथंचन ॥

nivartyatāmāpageyaḥ kāmaṃ yuddhātpitāmahāḥ | na tvahaṃ vinivartiṣye yuddhādasmātkathaṃcana

"Turn the son of the river back from the battle if you will, grandsires; I will by no means turn back from this fight."

Note on the text: This verse is CE 5.186.22cd–ef (the critical edition divides these verses differently). Speaker set to Rama: the verse is wholly his reply to his ancestors (Wikisource prints no heading; the input carried भीष्म).

Verse 23 (5.185.23)

ततस्ते मुनयो राजन्नृचीकप्रमुखास्तदा । नारदेनैव सहिताः समागम्येदमब्रुवन् ॥

tataste munayo rājannṛcīkapramukhāstadā | nāradenaiva sahitāḥ samāgamyedamabruvan

Then, O king, the sages led by Richika, together with Narada, came to me and said:

Verse 24 (5.185.24)

निवर्तस्व रणात्तात मानयस्व द्विजोत्तमम् । इत्यवोचमहं तांश्च क्षत्रधर्मव्यपेक्षया ॥

nivartasva raṇāttāta mānayasva dvijottamam | ityavocamahaṃ tāṃśca kṣatradharmavyapekṣayā

"Turn back from the battle, child, and honour this best of the twice-born." To them I replied, mindful of the warrior's dharma:

Verse 25 (5.185.25)

मम व्रतमिदं लोके नाहं युद्धात्कदाचन । विमुखो विनिवर्तेयं पृष्ठतोऽभ्याहतः शरैः ॥

mama vratamidaṃ loke nāhaṃ yuddhātkadācana | vimukho vinivarteyaṃ pṛṣṭhato'bhyāhataḥ śaraiḥ

"This is my vow before the world: I will never turn back from battle with my face averted, struck in the back by arrows."

Verse 26 (5.185.26)

नाहं लोभान्न कार्पण्यान्न भयान्नार्थकारणात् । त्यजेयं शाश्वतं धर्ममिति मे निश्चिता मतिः ॥

nāhaṃ lobhānna kārpaṇyānna bhayānnārthakāraṇāt | tyajeyaṃ śāśvataṃ dharmamiti me niścitā matiḥ

"Not from greed, nor from meanness, nor from fear, nor for the sake of gain would I abandon the eternal dharma. This is my settled mind."

Verse 27 (5.185.27)

ततस्ते मुनयः सर्वे नारदप्रमुखा नृप । भागीरथी च मे माता रणमध्यं प्रपेदिरे ॥

tataste munayaḥ sarve nāradapramukhā nṛpa | bhāgīrathī ca me mātā raṇamadhyaṃ prapedire

Then all those sages led by Narada, and my mother Bhagirathi, came into the middle of the battlefield, O king.

Verse 28 (5.185.28)

तथैवात्तशरो धन्वी तथैव दृढनिश्चयः । स्थितोऽहमाहवे योद्धुं ततस्ते राममब्रुवन् ॥

tathaivāttaśaro dhanvī tathaiva dṛḍhaniścayaḥ | sthito'hamāhave yoddhuṃ tataste rāmamabruvan

I stood there for the fight just as before, arrows in hand and bow ready, as firm in my resolve as ever. Then they spoke to Rama,

Note on the text: This verse is CE 5.186.28ab–cd; the critical edition divides verses 28–30 differently, so the alignment left them unmatched.

Verse 29 (5.185.29)

समेत्य सहिता भूयः समरे भृगुनन्दनम् । नावनीतं हि हृदयं विप्राणां शाम्य भार्गव ॥

sametya sahitā bhūyaḥ samare bhṛgunandanam | nāvanītaṃ hi hṛdayaṃ viprāṇāṃ śāmya bhārgava

gathering once more around the joy of the Bhrigus on the field: "The heart of a brahmin is soft as butter; be at peace, Bhargava."

Note on the text: The first line is CE 5.186.28ef, the second CE 5.186.29ab (the critical edition divides these verses differently).

Verse 30 (5.185.30)

राम राम निवर्तस्व युद्धादस्माद्द्विजोत्तम । अवध्यो वै त्वया भीष्मस्त्वं च भीष्मस्य भार्गव ॥

rāma rāma nivartasva yuddhādasmāddvijottama | avadhyo vai tvayā bhīṣmastvaṃ ca bhīṣmasya bhārgava

"Rama, Rama, turn back from this battle, best of the twice-born. Bhishma cannot be slain by you, Bhargava, nor can you be slain by Bhishma."

Note on the text: This verse is CE 5.186.29cd–ef (the critical edition divides these verses differently). Speaker set to the sages: the verse is wholly their plea to Rama, introduced in verses 28–29 (Wikisource prints no heading; the input carried भीष्म).

Verse 31 (5.185.31)

एवं ब्रुवन्तस्ते सर्वे प्रतिरुध्य रणाजिरम् । न्यासयाञ्चक्रिरे शस्त्रं पितरो भृगुनन्दनम् ॥

evaṃ bruvantaste sarve pratirudhya raṇājiram | nyāsayāñcakrire śastraṃ pitaro bhṛgunandanam

Saying this, they all blocked the field of battle, and the ancestors made the joy of the Bhrigus lay down his weapon.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रतिरुद्ध्य → प्रतिरुध्य (misprint in Wikisource; a doubled consonant in the gerund of prati-√rudh; the critical edition reads pratirudhya).

Verse 32 (5.185.32)

ततोऽहं पुनरेवाथ तानष्टौ ब्रह्मवादिनः । अद्राक्षं दीप्यमानान्वै ग्रहानष्टाविवोदितान् ॥

tato'haṃ punarevātha tānaṣṭau brahmavādinaḥ | adrākṣaṃ dīpyamānānvai grahānaṣṭāvivoditān

Then once again I saw those eight Brahmavadins, blazing like eight planets risen in the sky.

Verse 33 (5.185.33)

ते मां सप्रणयं वाक्यमब्रुवन्समरे स्थितम् । प्रैहि रामं महाबाहो गुरुं लोकहितं कुरु ॥

te māṃ sapraṇayaṃ vākyamabruvansamare sthitam | praihi rāmaṃ mahābāho guruṃ lokahitaṃ kuru

As I stood on the field, they spoke to me with affection: "Go to Rama, mighty-armed one, your guru, and do what is good for the worlds."

Verse 34 (5.185.34)

दृष्ट्वा निवर्तितं रामं सुहृद्वाक्येन तेन वै । लोकानां च हितं कुर्वन्नहमप्याददे वचः ॥

dṛṣṭvā nivartitaṃ rāmaṃ suhṛdvākyena tena vai | lokānāṃ ca hitaṃ kurvannahamapyādade vacaḥ

Seeing Rama turned back by the words of his well-wishers, I too, doing what was good for the worlds, accepted their counsel.

Verse 35 (5.185.35)

ततोऽहं राममासाद्य ववन्दे भृशविक्षतः । रामश्चाभ्युत्स्मयन्प्रेम्णा मामुवाच महातपाः ॥

tato'haṃ rāmamāsādya vavande bhṛśavikṣataḥ | rāmaścābhyutsmayanpremṇā māmuvāca mahātapāḥ

Then, badly wounded as I was, I went up to Rama and saluted him; and Rama, the great ascetic, smiling with affection, said to me:

Verse 36 (5.185.36)

त्वत्समो नास्ति लोकेऽस्मिन्क्षत्रियः पृथिवीचरः । गम्यतां भीष्म युद्धेऽस्मिंस्तोषितोऽहं भृशं त्वया ॥

tvatsamo nāsti loke'sminkṣatriyaḥ pṛthivīcaraḥ | gamyatāṃ bhīṣma yuddhe'smiṃstoṣito'haṃ bhṛśaṃ tvayā

"There is no kshatriya walking the earth in this world who is your equal. Go, Bhishma; in this battle you have pleased me greatly."

Note on the text: Speaker set to Rama: the verse is wholly his speech to Bhishma, introduced by verse 35 (Wikisource prints no heading; the input carried भीष्म).

Verse 37 (5.185.37)

मम चैव समक्षं तां कन्यामाहूय भार्गवः । उक्तवान्दीनया वाचा मध्ये तेषां महात्मनाम् ॥

mama caiva samakṣaṃ tāṃ kanyāmāhūya bhārgavaḥ | uktavāndīnayā vācā madhye teṣāṃ mahātmanām

And in my presence the Bhargava called that maiden and, in the midst of those great-souled ones, spoke to her in a sorrowful voice.