Mahabharata — Volume I (Dutt edition) — Chapter 278
MBh 1 278.1
भीष्म उवाच नैषा चेदिपतेर्बुद्धिर्यया त्वाऽऽह्वयतेऽच्युतम्। नूनमेष जगद्धर्तुः कृष्णस्यैव विनिश्चयः॥
bhīṣma uvāca naiṣā cedipaterbuddhiryayā tvā''hvayate'cyutam| nūnameṣa jagaddhartuḥ kṛṣṇasyaiva viniścayaḥ||
Bhishma said The desire, that cause the Chedi king to call you, whose strength deterioration to fight, is hardly is his own wish. knows no This is surely the purpose of Krishna himself, who is the lord of the universe.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.2
को हि मां भीमसेनाद्य क्षितावर्हति पार्थिवः। क्षेप्तुं कालपरीतात्मा यथैष कुलपांसनः॥
ko hi māṃ bhīmasenādya kṣitāvarhati pārthivaḥ| kṣeptuṃ kālaparītātmā yathaiṣa kulapāṃsanaḥ||
O Bhimasena, what king was there on earth who could abuse me as this wretch of his race, who has been already taken for his own by Death, has done today.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.3
एष ह्यस्य महाबाहुस्तेजोऽशश्च हरेधुंवम्। तमेव पुनरादातुमिच्छत्युत तथा विभुः॥
eṣa hyasya mahābāhustejo'śaśca haredhuṃvam| tameva punarādātumicchatyuta tathā vibhuḥ||
This mighty armed (hero) is certainly a portion of Hari's (Krishna) energy. The lord (Krishna) wishes to take back to himself his that energy.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.4
येनेष कुरुशार्दूल शार्दूल इव चेदिराट्। गर्जत्यतीव दुर्बुद्धिः सर्वानस्मानचिन्तयन्।॥
yeneṣa kuruśārdūla śārdūla iva cedirāṭ| garjatyatīva durbuddhiḥ sarvānasmānacintayan|||
O best of the Kuru race, for this reason (only) this wicked-minded and tiger like Chedi king roars in this way without caring little for any of us.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.5
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो न ममृषे चैद्यस्तद् भीष्मवचनं तदा। उवाच चैनं संक्रुद्धः पुनर्भीष्ममथोत्तरम्॥
vaiśampāyana uvāca tato na mamṛṣe caidyastad bhīṣmavacanaṃ tadā| uvāca cainaṃ saṃkruddhaḥ punarbhīṣmamathottaram||
Vaishampayana said Having heard these words of Bhishma, the Chedi king could not brook them. He thus replied to Bhishma in great wrath.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.6
शिशुपाल उवाच द्विषतां नो भीष्मैष प्रभावः केशवस्य यः। यस्य संस्तववक्ता त्वं वन्दिवत् सततोत्थितः॥
śiśupāla uvāca dviṣatāṃ no bhīṣmaiṣa prabhāvaḥ keśavasya yaḥ| yasya saṃstavavaktā tvaṃ vandivat satatotthitaḥ||
Shishupala said O Bhishma, when always rising from your seat you are praising his like a (professional) chaunter, let our enemies possess that prowess which is possessed by this Keshava (Krishna).
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.7
संस्तवे च मनो भीष्मे परेषां रमते यदि। तदा संस्तौषि राज्ञस्त्वमिमं हित्वा जनार्दनम्॥
saṃstave ca mano bhīṣme pareṣāṃ ramate yadi| tadā saṃstauṣi rājñastvamimaṃ hitvā janārdanam||
O Bhishma, if your mind takes pleasure in praising others, then praise these kings (present) here, and leave of Janarddana (Krishna).
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.8
दरदं स्तुहि बाह्रीकमिमं पार्थिवसत्तमम्। जायमानेन येनेयमभवद् दारिता मही॥
daradaṃ stuhi bāhrīkamimaṃ pārthivasattamam| jāyamānena yeneyamabhavad dāritā mahī||
Praise this best of kings Danda, the monarch of Valhika, who, as soon as he was born, rent this earth.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.9
वङ्गाङ्गविषयाध्यक्षं सहस्राक्षसमं बले। स्तुहि कर्णमिमं भीष्म महाचापविकर्षणम्॥
vaṅgāṅgaviṣayādhyakṣaṃ sahasrākṣasamaṃ bale| stuhi karṇamimaṃ bhīṣma mahācāpavikarṣaṇam||
O Bhishma, praise this Karna, the king of Anga and Banga, who is like Indra in strength, who draws the great bow.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.10
यस्येमे कुण्डले दिव्ये सहजे देवनिर्मिते। कवचं च महाबाहो बालार्कसदृशप्रभम्॥
yasyeme kuṇḍale divye sahaje devanirmite| kavacaṃ ca mahābāho bālārkasadṛśaprabham||
Who is adorned with the celestials earrings of heavenly make and with the armour possessing the splendour of the rising sun, with (both of) which he was born.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.11
वासवप्रतिमो येन जरासंधोऽतिदुर्जयः। विजितो बाहुयुद्धेन देहभेदं च लम्भितः॥
vāsavapratimo yena jarāsaṃdho'tidurjayaḥ| vijito bāhuyuddhena dehabhedaṃ ca lambhitaḥ||
And who vanquished and mangled in a wrestling match the greatly invincible Jarasandha equal to Vasava (Indra).
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.12
द्रोणं द्रौणिं च साधु त्वं पितापुत्रौ महारथौ। स्तुहि स्तुत्यावुभौ भीष्म सततं द्विजसत्तमौ॥
droṇaṃ drauṇiṃ ca sādhu tvaṃ pitāputrau mahārathau| stuhi stutyāvubhau bhīṣma satataṃ dvijasattamau||
O Bhishma, praise always Drona and his son (Ashvathama),who are, both father and son, worthy of praise, who are great carwarriors, and who are best of Brahmanas.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.13
ययोरन्यतरो भीष्म संक्रुद्धः सचराचराम्। इमां वसुमती कुर्यान्निःशेषामिति मे मतिः॥
yayoranyataro bhīṣma saṃkruddhaḥ sacarācarām| imāṃ vasumatī kuryānniḥśeṣāmiti me matiḥ||
O Bhishma, it is my opinion that if they are enraged, either of the two can annihilate this earth with all its mobile and immobile creatures.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.14
द्रोणस्य हि समं युद्धे न पश्यामि नराधिपम्। नाश्वत्थाम्न: समं भीष्म न च तौ स्तोतुमिच्छसि।।१४।
droṇasya hi samaṃ yuddhe na paśyāmi narādhipam| nāśvatthāmna: samaṃ bhīṣma na ca tau stotumicchasi||14|
O Bhishma, I do not see any king who is equal to Drona or Ashvathama in battle. Why do you not desire to praise them?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.15
पृथिव्यां सागरान्तायां यो वै प्रतिसमो भवेत्। दुर्योधनं त्वं राजेन्द्रमतिक्रम्य महाभुजम्॥
pṛthivyāṃ sāgarāntāyāṃ yo vai pratisamo bhavet| duryodhanaṃ tvaṃ rājendramatikramya mahābhujam||
Passing over Duryodhana who is the mighty-armed king of kings, and who is unrivalled on earth girt with the seas.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.16
जयद्रथं च राजानं कृतास्त्रं दृढविक्रमम्। दुमं किम्पुरुषाचार्यं लोके प्रथितविक्रमम्। अतिक्रम्य महावीर्यं किं प्रशंससि केशवम्॥
jayadrathaṃ ca rājānaṃ kṛtāstraṃ dṛḍhavikramam| dumaṃ kimpuruṣācāryaṃ loke prathitavikramam| atikramya mahāvīryaṃ kiṃ praśaṃsasi keśavam||
Also king Jayadratha, who is accomplished in weapons and who is of great prowess; and also Druma, the preceptor of the Kimpurushas, who is renowned on earth for his prowess.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.17
वृद्धं च भारताचार्यं तथा शारद्वतं कृपम्। आत्क्रम्य महावीर्यं किं प्रशंससि केशवम्॥
vṛddhaṃ ca bhāratācāryaṃ tathā śāradvataṃ kṛpam| ātkramya mahāvīryaṃ kiṃ praśaṃsasi keśavam||
And also old Kripa, the son of Sharadvata, who is the preceptor of the Bharata race, passing over these greatly powerful men, why do you praise Keshava (Krishna)?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.18
धनुर्धराणां प्रवरं रुक्मिणं पुरुषोत्तमम्। आत्क्रम्य महावीर्यं किं प्रशंससि केशवम्॥
dhanurdharāṇāṃ pravaraṃ rukmiṇaṃ puruṣottamam| ātkramya mahāvīryaṃ kiṃ praśaṃsasi keśavam||
Passing over that foremost of bowmen, that excellent man,, the greatly powerful Rukmin, why do you praise Keshava?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.19
भीष्मकं च महावीर्यं दन्तवनं च भूमिपम्। भगदत्तं यूपकेतुं जयत्सेनं च मागधम्॥
bhīṣmakaṃ ca mahāvīryaṃ dantavanaṃ ca bhūmipam| bhagadattaṃ yūpaketuṃ jayatsenaṃ ca māgadham||
Passing over the greatly energetic Bhishmaka, and the king Dantavakra, and also Bhagadatta celebrated for his many sacrificial stakes, the king of Magadha Jayacsena.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.20
विराटदुपदौ चोभौ शकुनि च बृहद्बलम्। विन्दानुविन्दावावन्त्यौ पाण्ड्यं श्वेतमथोत्तरम्॥
virāṭadupadau cobhau śakuni ca bṛhadbalam| vindānuvindāvāvantyau pāṇḍyaṃ śvetamathottaram||
And also Drupada and Virata, Shakuni and Brihadbala, Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti, Pandya, Shveta, Uttama.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.21
शङ्ख च सुमहाभागं वृषसेनं च मानिनम्। एकलव्यं च विक्रान्तं कालिङ्गं च महारथम्॥
śaṅkha ca sumahābhāgaṃ vṛṣasenaṃ ca māninam| ekalavyaṃ ca vikrāntaṃ kāliṅgaṃ ca mahāratham||
The greatly prosperous Shankha, the proud Vrishasena, the powerful Ekalavya, the great car-warrior the king of Kalinga, passing over all these powerful men, why do you praise Keshava?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.22
अतिक्रम्य महावीर्यं किं प्रशंससि केशवम्। शल्यादीनपि कस्मात् त्वं न स्तौषि वसुधाधिपान्। स्तवाय यदि ते बुद्धिवर्तते भीष्म सर्वदा॥
atikramya mahāvīryaṃ kiṃ praśaṃsasi keśavam| śalyādīnapi kasmāt tvaṃ na stauṣi vasudhādhipān| stavāya yadi te buddhivartate bhīṣma sarvadā||
O Bhishma, if your mind is always eager to praise others, why do you not praise Shalya and other rulers of the earth?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.23
क हि शक्यं मया कर्तुं यद् वृद्धानां त्वया नृप। पुरा कथयतां नूनं न श्रुतं धर्मवादिनाम्॥
ka hi śakyaṃ mayā kartuṃ yad vṛddhānāṃ tvayā nṛpa| purā kathayatāṃ nūnaṃ na śrutaṃ dharmavādinām||
O king, what am I capable of doing (giving you good advice) when you have never before heard any thing from the virtuous men who are learned in the precepts of virtue?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.24
आत्मनिन्दाऽऽत्मपूजा च परनिन्दा परस्तवः। अनाचरितमार्याणां वृत्तमेतच्चतुर्विधम्॥
ātmanindā''tmapūjā ca paranindā parastavaḥ| anācaritamāryāṇāṃ vṛttametaccaturvidham||
O Bhishma, have you not heard that reproach and glorification of self and reproach and glorification of others are not the practices of those who are respectable?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.25
यदस्त्वयमिमं शश्वन्मोहात् संस्तौषि भक्तितः। कंशवं तच्च ते भीष्म न कश्चिदनुमन्यते॥
yadastvayamimaṃ śaśvanmohāt saṃstauṣi bhaktitaḥ| kaṃśavaṃ tacca te bhīṣma na kaścidanumanyate||
O Bhishma, there is none who approves your conduct in thus continually praising this Keshava, who is unworthy of any praise; you (surely) do it from ignorance alone.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.26
कथं भोजस्य पुरुषे वर्गपाले दुरात्मनि। समावेशयसे सर्वं जगत् केवलकाम्यया॥
kathaṃ bhojasya puruṣe vargapāle durātmani| samāveśayase sarvaṃ jagat kevalakāmyayā||
How can you from your desire alone establish the whole universe in this wicked minded slave and cow-heard of Vraja.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.27
अथ चैषा न ते बुद्धिः प्रकृतिं याति भारत। मयैव कथितं पूर्वं भूलिङ्गशकुनिर्यथा।॥
atha caiṣā na te buddhiḥ prakṛtiṃ yāti bhārata| mayaiva kathitaṃ pūrvaṃ bhūliṅgaśakuniryathā|||
O descendant of Bharata, perhaps your inclination is not conformable to your true nature, like that of the bird Bhulinga, the story of which has been already told by me.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.28
भूलिङ्गशकुनि म पार्श्वे हिमवतः परे। भीष्म तस्या सदा वाचः श्रूयन्तेऽर्थविगर्हिताः॥
bhūliṅgaśakuni ma pārśve himavataḥ pare| bhīṣma tasyā sadā vācaḥ śrūyante'rthavigarhitāḥ||
O Bhishma, there was a bird, called Bhulinga living on the other side of the Himalayas. His words were always without any meaning.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.29
मा साहसमितीदं सा सततं वाशते किल। साहसं चात्मनातीव चरन्ती नावगुध्यते॥
mā sāhasamitīdaṃ sā satataṃ vāśate kila| sāhasaṃ cātmanātīva carantī nāvagudhyate||
"Never act rashly” was what he always said, but he never knew that he himself always acted rashly.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.30
सा हि मांसार्गलं भीष्म मुखात् सिंहस्य खादतः। दन्तान्तरविलग्नं यत् तदादत्तेऽल्पचेतना॥
sā hi māṃsārgalaṃ bhīṣma mukhāt siṃhasya khādataḥ| dantāntaravilagnaṃ yat tadādatte'lpacetanā||
O Bhishma, that foolish bird used to pick from the lion's mouth the pieces of flesh sticking between its teeth when the lion was engaged in eating.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.31
इच्छतः सा हि सिंहस्य भीष्म जीवत्यसंशयम्। तद्वत् त्वमप्यधर्मिष्ठ सदा वाचः प्रभाषसे॥
icchataḥ sā hi siṃhasya bhīṣma jīvatyasaṃśayam| tadvat tvamapyadharmiṣṭha sadā vācaḥ prabhāṣase||
O Bhishma, that bird surely lived at the pleasure of the lion. O sinful wretch, you always speak like that bird.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.32
इच्छतां भूमिपालानां भीष्म जीवस्य संशयम्। लोकविद्विष्टकर्मा हि नान्योऽस्ति भवता समः॥
icchatāṃ bhūmipālānāṃ bhīṣma jīvasya saṃśayam| lokavidviṣṭakarmā hi nānyo'sti bhavatā samaḥ||
O Bhishma, surely you live at the pleasure of these kings. There is none else like you who is engaged in doing things contrary to the opinions of all.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.33
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततश्चेदिपते: श्रुत्वा भीष्मः स कटुकं वचः। उवाचेदं वचो राजश्चेदिराजस्य शृण्वतः॥
vaiśampāyana uvāca tataścedipate: śrutvā bhīṣmaḥ sa kaṭukaṃ vacaḥ| uvācedaṃ vaco rājaścedirājasya śṛṇvataḥ||
Vaishampayana said O king, having heard these rude and harsh words of the Chedi king, Bhishma spoke thus in the hearing of the king of Chedi.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.34
इच्छतां किल नामाहं जीवाम्येषां महीक्षितान्। सोऽहं न गणयाम्येतांस्तृणेनापि नराधिपान्॥
icchatāṃ kila nāmāhaṃ jīvāmyeṣāṃ mahīkṣitān| so'haṃ na gaṇayāmyetāṃstṛṇenāpi narādhipān||
Bhishma said Truly am I alive at the pleasure of these rulers of earth. But I do not consider these kings as equal to even straws.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.35
एवमुक्ते तु भीष्मेण ततः संचक्रुशुर्नृपाः। केचिज्जहषिरे तत्र केचिद् भीष्मं जगहिरे॥
evamukte tu bhīṣmeṇa tataḥ saṃcakruśurnṛpāḥ| kecijjahaṣire tatra kecid bhīṣmaṃ jagahire||
Vaishampayana said Having been thus addressed by Bhishma, the kings became full of anger. Some amongst them stood erect and some began to reproach Bhishma.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.36
केचिदूचुर्महेष्वासाः श्रुत्वा भीष्मस्य तद् वचः। पापोऽवलिप्तो वृद्धश्च नायं भीष्मोऽर्हति क्षमाम्॥
kecidūcurmaheṣvāsāḥ śrutvā bhīṣmasya tad vacaḥ| pāpo'valipto vṛddhaśca nāyaṃ bhīṣmo'rhati kṣamām||
Having heard these words of Bhishma, some of these great bowmen said, “This sinful wretch, Bhishma, though old, is exceedingly boastful. He deserves no pardon.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.37
हन्यतां दुर्मतिर्भीष्मः पशुवत् साध्वयं नृपाः। सर्वैः समेत्य संरब्धैर्दह्यता वा कटाग्निना॥
hanyatāṃ durmatirbhīṣmaḥ paśuvat sādhvayaṃ nṛpāḥ| sarvaiḥ sametya saṃrabdhairdahyatā vā kaṭāgninā||
Therefore, O kings, let this wicked minded Bhishma be killed like an animal, or let us master all together, and let him be burnt in a fire made of straw".
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.38
इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा ततः कुरुपितामहः। उवाच मतिमान् भीष्मस्तानेव वसुधाधिपान्॥
iti teṣāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā tataḥ kurupitāmahaḥ| uvāca matimān bhīṣmastāneva vasudhādhipān||
Having heard their these words, the grandsire of the Kurus, the intélligent Bhishma, then thus spoke to the kings.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.39
उक्तस्योक्तस्य नेहान्तमहं समुपलक्षये। यत् तु वक्ष्यामि तत् सर्वं शृणुध्वं वसुधाधिपाः॥
uktasyoktasya nehāntamahaṃ samupalakṣaye| yat tu vakṣyāmi tat sarvaṃ śṛṇudhvaṃ vasudhādhipāḥ||
Bhishma said O rulers of earth, I do not see the ends of our speeches, for words may be answered with words. Therefore, listen to what I say.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.40
पशुवद् घातनं वा मे दहनं वा कटाग्निना। क्रियतां मूर्ध्नि वो न्यस्तं मयेदं सकलं पदम्॥
paśuvad ghātanaṃ vā me dahanaṃ vā kaṭāgninā| kriyatāṃ mūrdhni vo nyastaṃ mayedaṃ sakalaṃ padam||
Whether I may be killed by you like an animal or be burnt in a fire made of straw, say, I place my foot on the head of all.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 278.41
एष तिष्ठति गाविन्दः पूजितोऽस्माभिरच्युतः। यस्य वस्त्वरते बुद्धिर्मरणाय स माधवम्॥ कृष्णमाह्वयतामद्य युद्धे चक्रगदाधरम्। यादवस्यैव देवस्य देहं विशतु पातितः॥
eṣa tiṣṭhati gāvindaḥ pūjito'smābhiracyutaḥ| yasya vastvarate buddhirmaraṇāya sa mādhavam|| kṛṣṇamāhvayatāmadya yuddhe cakragadādharam| yādavasyaiva devasya dehaṃ viśatu pātitaḥ||
Here is Govinda (Krishna) who knows no deterioration. Him have we worshipped. Let him, who is willing to meet a speedy death call today to battle Madhava, Krishna, the wielder of discus and club, falling (in the battle), let him enter and mix with the body of this Deity.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)