धृतराष्ट्र उवाच प्रतिज्ञाते फाल्गुनेन वधे भीष्मस्य संयुगे। किमकुर्वत मे मन्दाः पुत्रा दुर्योधनादयः॥
Dhritarashtra said The slaying of Bhishma having been promised by Falguna in battle, what did my foolish sons, Duryodhana and others do?
हतमेव हि पश्यामि गाङ्गेयं पितरं रणे। वासुदेवसहायेन पार्थेन दृढधन्वना॥
I already see my father, the son of Ganga, slain in battle by the son of Pritha who has a firm grasp on his bow, having Vasudeva for his help-mate.
स चापरिमितप्रज्ञस्तच्छ्रुत्वा पार्थभाषितम्। किमुक्तवान् महेष्वासो भीष्मः प्रहरतां वरः॥
What also did, that great bowman Bhishma, that foremost among strikers, endued with unlimited wisdom, say after he had heard what the son of Pritha had said?
सैनापत्यं च सम्प्राप्य कौरवाणां धुरन्धरः। किमचेष्टत गाङ्गेयो महाबुद्धिपराक्रमः॥
What did that oldest and foremost of the Kauravas, the of Ganga, of great intelligence and prowess, do after obtaining the generalship?
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततस्ततं संजयस्तस्मै सर्वमेव न्यवेदयत्। यथोक्तं कुरुवृद्धेन भीष्मेणामिततेजसा॥
Vaishampayana said Sanjaya then submitted to him every thing as had happened, what had been said by that oldest among the Kurus, Bhishma of immeasurable energy. son
संजय उवाच सैनापत्यमनुप्राप्य भीष्मः शान्तनवो नृप। दुर्योधनमुवाचेदं वचनं हर्षयन्निव॥
Sanjaya said Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, having obtained the generalship, said these words to Duryodhana infusing cheerfulness in him.
नमस्कृत्य कुमाराय सेनान्ये शक्तिपाणये। अहं सेनापतिस्तेऽद्य भविष्यामि न संशयः॥
“Having bowed down to Kumara, the god of war, who has a lance in his hand, I shall today be your general, no doubt.
सेनाकर्मण्यभिज्ञोऽस्मि व्यूहेषु विविधेषु च। कर्म कारयितुं चैव भृतानप्यभृतांस्तथा॥
I am experienced in all matters relating to the army and in diverse artifices and in making the paid soldiers and unpaid ones (volunteers) do their own work.
यात्रायाने च युद्धे च तथा प्रशमनेषु च। भृशं वेद महाराज यथा वेद बृहस्पतिः॥
In the matter of marching out troops in fighting and in declaring war I am as much an adept, O great king, as Brihaspati himself.
व्यूहानां च समारम्भान् दैवगान्धर्वमानुषान्। तैरहं मोहयिष्यामि पाण्डवान् व्येतु ते ज्वरः॥
I am also conversant with the plans of attack and and defense, adopted by gods, Gandharvas and human beings, and by means of them I shall deprive the sons of Pandu of their senses. Let your fears be gone.
सोऽहं योत्स्यामि तत्त्वेन पालयंस्तव वाहिनीम्। यथावच्छास्त्रतो राजन् व्येतु ते मानसो ज्वरः॥
I, who am so, shall fight observing the usual rules and protecting your army according to plans laid down in the holy books. Let your mind's fear be gone."
दुर्योधन उवाच विद्यते मे न गाङ्गेय भयं देवासुरेष्वपि। समस्तेषु महाबाहो सत्यमेतद् ब्रवीमि ते॥
Duryodhana said No fear exists in me, O son of Ganga, froin even the gods and Asuras united together, O you of long arm, I tell you this truly.
किं पुनस्त्वयि दुर्धर्षे सैनापत्ये व्यवस्थिते। द्रोणे च पुरुषव्याने स्थिते युद्धाभिनन्दिनि॥
How much less reasons have I for fear when I have you as the commander of my armies and that foremost among men, Drona, who takes delight in war, being on my side.
भवद्भ्यां पुरुषाग्याभ्यां स्थिताभ्यां विजये मम। न दुर्लभं कुरुश्रेष्ठ देवराज्यमपि ध्रुवम्॥
You, the best among men, being on my side, victory will be mine and foremost among the Kurus, kingship over the gods is surely not hard to get.
रथसंख्यां तु कात्स्न्येन परेषामात्मनस्तथा। तथैवातिरथानां च वेत्तुमिच्छामि कौरव॥
I desire to hear, O Kaurava, of the numbers of Rathis (car) warriors capable of fighting with a certain number of each of the four divisions together) and also the number of Atirathas (greater warrior than a Rathi) in our own army and in that of the enemies.
पितामहो हि कुशलः परेषामात्मनस्तथा। श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं सर्वैः सहैभिर्वसुधाधिपैः॥
Our grandfather is familiar with ourselves as also with our enemies and I desire to hear all about it, along with these rulers of the earth.
भीष्म उवाच गान्धारे शृणु राजेन्द्र रथसंख्यां स्वके बले। ये रथाः पृथिवीपाल तथैवातिरथाश्च ये॥
Bhishma said O son of Gandhari. listen to the numbers of । Rathi, O) chief among kings, in your own army, hcar O ruler of the earth, who are the Rathis and who the Atirathis.
बहूनीह सहस्राणि प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च। स्थानां तव सेनायां यथामुख्यं तु मे शृणु॥
There are thousands and tens of thousands and millions of Rathis in your army; listen to me, as I speak of them.
भवानग्रे रथोदारः सह सर्वैः सहोदरैः। दुःशासनप्रभृतिभिर्धातृभिः शतसम्मितैः॥
You, along with all your brothers Dushasana and others, are the foremost among car-warriors. on are
सर्वे कृतप्रहरणाश्छेदभेदविशारदाः। रथोपस्थे गजस्कन्धे गदाप्रासासिचर्मणि॥
All of you are experienced in striking, cutting and piercing, and whether riding on chariots, or the elephants you experienced in the use of the mace, the swords and the shields.
संयन्तारः प्रहर्तारः कृतास्त्रा भारसाधनाः। इष्वस्त्रे द्रोणशिष्याश्च कृपस्य च शरद्वतः॥
You are also skillful drivers of elephants and chariots, you have mastered the science of weapons, and in the science of arrows you are the pupils of Drona and Kripa, the son of Sharadvata.
एते हनिष्यन्ति रणे पञ्चालान् युद्धदुर्मदान्। कृतकिल्बिषाः पाण्डवेयैर्धार्तराष्ट्रा मनस्विनः॥
These will slay in battle the princes of Panchala, hard to be vanquished in battle, for the sons sons of Dhritarashtra, endued with intelligence, have been wronged by the Pandavas.
तथाहं भरतश्रेष्ठ सर्वसेनापतिस्तव। शत्रून् विध्वंसयिष्यामि कद कृत्य पाण्डवान्॥
In the same way, I O foremost among the Bharatas, the commander of all your armies, shall slay your enemies after making the prowess of the Pandavas vain and useless.
न त्वात्मनो गुणान् वक्तुमर्हामि विदितोऽस्मि ते। कृतवर्मा त्वतिरथो भोजः शस्त्रभृतां वरः॥
It is not proper for me to describe my own qualifications; it is all known to you. The foremost of wielders of weapons, the king of the Bhojas, Kritavarman is an Atiratha (mightier car warrior).
अर्थसिद्धिं तव रणे करिष्यति न संशयः। शस्त्रविद्भिरनाधृष्यो दूरपाती दृढायुधः॥
He will make your object in fighting successful, no doubt for he is invincible among those familiar with the use of weapons and can hurl arms to a long distance and can hold firmly his weapons.
हनिष्यति चमूं तेषां महेन्द्रो दानवानिव। मद्रराजो महेष्वासः शल्यो मेऽतिरथो मतः॥
He will slay this army like the great Indra slaying the Danavas. In my opinion, the great bowman Shalya, the king of the Madras, is an Atiratha,
स्पर्धते वासुदेवेन नित्यं यो वै रणे रणे। भागिनेयान् निजांस्त्यक्त्वा शल्यस्तेऽतिरथो मतः।
Who ever considers him an equal to Vasudeva in every battle; abandoning his own nephews (sister's sons) Shalya that Atiratha, has came over to your side.
एष योत्स्यति संग्रामे पाण्डवांश्च महारथान्॥ सागरोमिसमैर्बाणैः प्लावयन्निव शात्रवान्। भूरिश्रवाः कृतास्त्रश्च तव चापि हितः सुहृत्॥
These will fight in the battle with those great car warriors on the Pandavas side covering the enemies with arrows as ways covering the open. Bhurishravas, that master in the use of weapons, is also your will wisher.
सौमदत्तिर्महेष्वासो रथयूथपयूथपः। बलक्षयममित्राणां सुमहान्तं करिष्यति॥
The son of Somadatta, that mighty bowman, is a leader of the commanders of car warriors and he will effect a very great reduction in the strength of the enemy.
सिन्धुराजो महाराज मतो मे द्विगुणो रथः। योत्स्यते समरे राजन् विक्रान्तो रथसत्तमः॥
In my opinion, O great king, the king of the Sindhus is twice a car warrior and that powerful and best among the car warriors will fight in the battle, O king.
द्रौपदीहरणे राजन् परिक्लिष्टश्च पाण्डवैः। संस्मरंस्तं परिक्लेशं योत्स्यते परवीरहा।॥
Persecuted by the Pandavas, O king, in his attempt to carry away Draupadi, that slayer of hostile heroes will fight remembering that trouble.
एतेन हि तदा रांजस्तप आस्थाय दारुणम्। सुदुर्लभो वरो लब्धः पाण्डवान् योद्धमाहवे।॥
After that defeat, severe austerities were practiced by him O king; he has obtained a boon, difficult to get, of fighting with the Pandavas in battle.
स एष रथशार्दूलस्तद् वैरं संस्मरन् रणे। योत्स्यते पाण्डवस्तात प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा सुदुस्त्यजान्॥३३
This foremost among the car warriors, therefore, remembering all this in battle, will fight with the Pandavas, my dear son, even careless of life which is hard to lay down.