Mahabharata — Volume III (Dutt edition) — Chapter 253

MBh 3 253.1

भीष्म उवाच ततोऽहं निशि राजेन्द्र प्रणम्य शिरसा तदा। ब्राह्मणानां पितॄणां च देवतानां च सर्वशः॥

bhīṣma uvāca tato'haṃ niśi rājendra praṇamya śirasā tadā| brāhmaṇānāṃ pitṝṇāṃ ca devatānāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ||

Bhishma said Then during the night, 0 great king, having bowed to all the Brahmanas, my fore fathers, all the gods,

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.2

नक्तंचराणां भूतानां राजन्यानां विशाम्पते। शयनं प्राप्य रहिते मनसा समचिन्तयम्॥

naktaṃcarāṇāṃ bhūtānāṃ rājanyānāṃ viśāmpate| śayanaṃ prāpya rahite manasā samacintayam||

To all those beings that walk about in the night, to all elements, earth, water, fir, air and the sky, and to all kings, O lord of earth, I lay down on my bed, and being all alone, I began to reflect (thus).

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.3

जामदग्न्येन मे युद्धमिदं परमदारुणम्। अहानि च बहून्यद्य वर्तते सुमहात्ययम्॥

jāmadagnyena me yuddhamidaṃ paramadāruṇam| ahāni ca bahūnyadya vartate sumahātyayam||

This terrible battle, between myself and Jamadgnya, being as it is of high and mighty consequence, lasted for many a day.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.4

न च रामं महावीर्यं शक्नोमि रणमूर्धनि। विजेतुं समरे विप्रं जामदग्न्यं महाबलम्॥

na ca rāmaṃ mahāvīryaṃ śaknomi raṇamūrdhani| vijetuṃ samare vipraṃ jāmadagnyaṃ mahābalam||

And yet I have not been able to vanquish, in fight on the field of battle, this twice-born Rama, known as Jamadgnya who is of great might and energy.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.5

यदि शक्यो मया जेतुं जामदग्न्यः प्रतापवान्। दैवतानि प्रसन्नानि दर्शयन्तु निशां मम॥

yadi śakyo mayā jetuṃ jāmadagnyaḥ pratāpavān| daivatāni prasannāni darśayantu niśāṃ mama||

I indeed, it lies in my power to vanquish this powerful son of Jamadagni, let the gods, well-pleased, show themselves to me during the night.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.6

ततो निशि च राजेन्द्र प्रसुप्तः शरविक्षतः। दक्षिणेनेह पार्श्वन प्रभातसमये तदा।॥

tato niśi ca rājendra prasuptaḥ śaravikṣataḥ| dakṣiṇeneha pārśvana prabhātasamaye tadā|||

Then, O great king, mangled with arrows, as I lay asleep that night on my right, at about dawn came,

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.7

ततोऽहं विप्रमुख्यैस्तैर्यैरस्मि पतितो रथात्। उत्थापितो धृतश्चैव मा भैरिति च सान्त्वितः॥

tato'haṃ vipramukhyaistairyairasmi patito rathāt| utthāpito dhṛtaścaiva mā bhairiti ca sāntvitaḥ||

Those foremost of Brahmanas by whom I had been raised up when I had fallen down from chariot, and who had held me and comforted me, saying, “Fear not.”

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.8

त एव मां महाराज स्वप्नदर्शनमेत्य वै। परिवार्याब्रुवन् वाक्यं तन्निबोध कुरूद्वह॥

ta eva māṃ mahārāja svapnadarśanametya vai| parivāryābruvan vākyaṃ tannibodha kurūdvaha||

Even they, O great king, showing themselves to me (during my sleep) in a dream, stood around me, and spoke these words; Hear them, O perpetuator of Kuru's race,

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.9

उत्तिष्ठ मा भैर्गाङ्गेय न भयं तेऽस्ति किंचन। रक्षामहे त्वां कौरव्य स्वशरीरं हि नो भवान्॥

uttiṣṭha mā bhairgāṅgeya na bhayaṃ te'sti kiṃcana| rakṣāmahe tvāṃ kauravya svaśarīraṃ hi no bhavān||

Rise up and do not fear, O son of Ganga, you have not the least fear, for we will protect you, O son, who are own body.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.10

न त्वां रामो रणे जेता जामदग्न्यः कथंचन। त्वमेव समरे रामं विजेता भरतर्षभ॥

na tvāṃ rāmo raṇe jetā jāmadagnyaḥ kathaṃcana| tvameva samare rāmaṃ vijetā bharatarṣabha||

Rama, the son of Jamadagni, by no means will vanquish you in battle. (Rather), you will vanquish Rama in battle, O best of Bharata's race.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.11

इदमस्त्रं सुदयितं प्रत्यभिज्ञास्यते भवान्। विदितं हि तवाप्येतत् पूर्वस्मिन् देहधारणे॥

idamastraṃ sudayitaṃ pratyabhijñāsyate bhavān| viditaṃ hi tavāpyetat pūrvasmin dehadhāraṇe||

This well-beloved weapon you will recognize for it was known to you in your previous birth.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.12

प्राजापत्यं विश्वकृतं प्रस्वापं नाम भारत। न हीदं वेद रामोऽपि पृथिव्यां वा पुमान् क्वचित्।।१२

prājāpatyaṃ viśvakṛtaṃ prasvāpaṃ nāma bhārata| na hīdaṃ veda rāmo'pi pṛthivyāṃ vā pumān kvacit||12

It appertains to the lord of all creatures (Brahma) and was manufactured by the divine architect; it is named Prasvapa, O Bharata. It is not known even to Rama nor to any body else on the earth.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.13

तत् स्मरस्व महाबाहो भृशं संयोजयस्व च। उपस्थास्यति राजेन्द्र स्वयमेव तवानघ॥

tat smarasva mahābāho bhṛśaṃ saṃyojayasva ca| upasthāsyati rājendra svayameva tavānagha||

Recollect it therefore, O you of mighty arms, and apply it steadily and with all your strength. It will come to you of itself, O you great king and sinless one.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.14

येन सर्वान् महावीर्यान् प्रशासिष्यसि कौरव। न च रामः क्षयं गन्ता तेनास्त्रेण नराधिप॥

yena sarvān mahāvīryān praśāsiṣyasi kaurava| na ca rāmaḥ kṣayaṃ gantā tenāstreṇa narādhipa||

By this weapon, by which O son of Kuru, you will hold in check all persons of mighty energy, Rama will not be killed outright, O king of men.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.15

एनसा न तु संयोग प्राप्स्यसे जातु मानद। स्वप्स्यते जामदग्न्योऽसौ त्वद्वाणबलपीडितः॥

enasā na tu saṃyoga prāpsyase jātu mānada| svapsyate jāmadagnyo'sau tvadvāṇabalapīḍitaḥ||

No crime will therefore attach to you o giver of honors. And this son of Jamadagni will fall asleep, afflicted by the might of this weapon of yours.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.16

ततो जित्वा त्वमेवैनं पुनरुत्थापयिष्यसि। अस्त्रेण दयितेनाजो भीष्म सम्बोधनेन वै॥

tato jitvā tvamevainaṃ punarutthāpayiṣyasi| astreṇa dayitenājo bhīṣma sambodhanena vai||

Having thus vanquished him, you yourself will raise him up again to the battle-field by that dear weapon, O Bhishma, known as Samabodhana.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.17

एवं कुरुष्व कौरव्य प्रभाते रथमास्थितः। प्रसुप्तं वा मृतं वेति तुल्यं मन्यामहे वयम्॥

evaṃ kuruṣva kauravya prabhāte rathamāsthitaḥ| prasuptaṃ vā mṛtaṃ veti tulyaṃ manyāmahe vayam||

Do as we tell you, O son of Kuru, seated on your chariot at day-break. Asleep or dead, We consider it to be the same.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.18

न च रामेण मर्तव्यं कदाचिदपि पार्थिव। ततः समुत्पन्नमिदं प्रस्वापं युज्यतामिति॥

na ca rāmeṇa martavyaṃ kadācidapi pārthiva| tataḥ samutpannamidaṃ prasvāpaṃ yujyatāmiti||

O king, Rama will not die by any means. Apply therefore, this (weapon) Prasvapa, happily brought for you.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 3 253.19

इत्युक्त्वाऽतर्हिता राजन् सर्व एव द्विजोत्तमाः। अष्टौ सदृशरूपास्ते सर्वे भासुरमूर्तयः॥

ityuktvā'tarhitā rājan sarva eva dvijottamāḥ| aṣṭau sadṛśarūpāste sarve bhāsuramūrtayaḥ||

Having said this all those best of Brahmanas vanished, O king. They were eight in number, resembling one another in appearance, and shone brightly, having no material bodies.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)