Mahabharata 6.94: caturnavatitamo'dhyāyaḥ

6.94.1

saṃjaya uvāca |
vākśalyaistava putreṇa so'tividdhaḥ pitāmahaḥ |
duḥkhena mahatāviṣṭo novācāpriyamaṇvapi || 1 ||

Sanjaya said, "The high-souled Bhishma, deeply pierced with wordy daggers by thy son, became filled with great grief. But he said not a single disagreeable word in reply. Indeed, mangled by those wordy daggers and filled with grief and rage, he sighed like a snake and reflected (in silence) for a long while. Raising his eyes then, and as if consuming, from wrath, the world with the celestials, the Asuras, and the Gandharvas, that foremost of persons conversant with the world, then addressed thy son and said unto him these tranquil words, 'Why, O Duryodhana, dost thou pierce me thus with thy wordy daggers? I always endeavour to the utmost of my might to achieve, and do achieve, what is for thy good. Indeed, from desire of doing what is agreeable to thee, I am prepared to cast away my life in battle. The Pandavas are really invincible. When the brave son of Pandu gratified Agni in the forest of Khandava, having vanquished Sakra himself in battle, even that is a sufficient indication. When, O mighty-armed one, the same son of Pandu rescued thee while thou wert being led away a captive by the Gandharvas, even that is a sufficient indication. On that occasion, O lord, thy brave uterine brothers had all fled, as also Radha's son of the Suta caste. That (rescue, therefore, by Arjuna) is a sufficient indication. In Virata's city, alone he fell upon all of us united together. That is a sufficient indication. Vanquishing in battle both Drona and myself excited with rage, he took away our robes. That is a sufficient indication. On that occasion, of old, of the seizure of kine, he vanquished that mighty bowman the son of Drona, and Saradwat also. That is a sufficient indication. Having vanquished Karna also who is very boastful of his manliness, he gave the latter's robes unto Uttara. That is a sufficient indication. The son of Pritha defeated in battle the Nivatakavachas who were incapable of defeat by Vasava himself. That is a sufficient indication. Who, indeed, is capable of vanquishing in battle the son of Pandu by force, him, viz., that hath for his protector the Protector of the Universe armed with conch, discus, and mace? Vasudeva is possessed of infinite power, and is the Destroyer of the Universe. He is the highest Lord of all, the God of gods, the Supreme Soul and eternal. He hath been variously described, O king, by Narada and other great Rishis. In consequence of thy folly, however, O Suyodhana, thou knowest not what should be said and what should not. The man on the point of death beholdeth all trees to be made of gold. So thou also, O son of Gandhari, seest everything inverted. Having provoked fierce hostilities with the Pandavas and the Srinjayas, fight now (thyself) with them in battle. Let us see thee act like a man. As regards myself, I will, O tiger among men, slay all the Somakas and the Panchalas assembled together, avoiding Sikhandin alone. Slain by them in battle, I will go to Yama's abode, or slaying them in battle, I will give thee joy. Sikhandin was born in Drupada's palace as female at first. She became a male in consequence of the grant of a boon. After all, however, she is Sikhandini. Him I will not slay even if I have to lose my life, O Bharata. She is the same Sikhandini that the Creator had first made her. Pass the night in happy sleep, O son of Gandhari. Tomorrow I will fight a fierce battle about which men will speak as long as the world lasts.' Thus addressed by him, thy son, O monarch, came away. And saluting his signior with a bow of the head, he came back to his own tent. Coming back, the king dismissed his attendants. And soon then that destroyer of foes entered his abode. And having entered (his tent) the monarch passed the night (in. sleep). And when the night dawned, rising up, the king, ordered all the royal warriors, saying, Draw up the forces. Today Bhishma, excited with wrath, will slay all the Somakas.'

6.94.2

sa dhyātvā suciraṃ kālaṃ duḥkharoṣasamanvitaḥ |
śvasamāno yathā nāgaḥ praṇunno vai śalākayā || 2 ||

6.94.3

udvṛtya cakṣuṣī kopānnirdahanniva bhārata |
sadevāsuragandharvaṃ lokaṃ lokavidāṃ varaḥ |
abravīttava putraṃ tu sāmapūrvamidaṃ vacaḥ || 3 ||

6.94.4

kiṃ nu duryodhanaivaṃ māṃ vākśalyairupavidhyasi |
ghaṭamānaṃ yathāśakti kurvāṇaṃ ca tava priyam |
juhvānaṃ samare prāṇāṃstavaiva hitakāmyayā || 4 ||

6.94.5

yadā tu pāṇḍavaḥ śūraḥ khāṇḍave'gnimatarpayat |
parājitya raṇe śakraṃ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam || 5 ||

6.94.6

yadā ca tvāṃ mahābāho gandharvairhṛtamojasā |
amocayatpāṇḍusutaḥ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam || 6 ||

6.94.7

dravamāṇeṣu śūreṣu sodareṣu tathābhibho |
sūtaputre ca rādheye paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam || 7 ||

6.94.8

yacca naḥ sahitānsarvānvirāṭanagare tadā |
eka eva samudyātaḥ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam || 8 ||

6.94.9

droṇaṃ ca yudhi saṃrabdhaṃ māṃ ca nirjitya saṃyuge |
karṇaṃ ca tvāṃ ca drauṇiṃ ca kṛpaṃ ca sumahāratham |
vāsāṃsi sa samādatta paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam || 9 ||

6.94.10

nivātakavacānyuddhe vāsavenāpi durjayān |
jitavānsamare pārthaḥ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam || 10 ||

6.94.11

ko hi śakto raṇe jetuṃ pāṇḍavaṃ rabhasaṃ raṇe |
tvaṃ tu mohānna jānīṣe vācyāvācyaṃ suyodhana || 11 ||

6.94.12

mumūrṣurhi naraḥ sarvānvṛkṣānpaśyati kāñcanān |
tathā tvamapi gāndhāre viparītāni paśyasi || 12 ||

6.94.13

svayaṃ vairaṃ mahatkṛtvā pāṇḍavaiḥ sahasṛñjayaiḥ |
yudhyasva tānadya raṇe paśyāmaḥ puruṣo bhava || 13 ||

6.94.14

ahaṃ tu somakānsarvānsapāñcālānsamāgatān |
nihaniṣye naravyāghra varjayitvā śikhaṇḍinam || 14 ||

6.94.15

tairvāhaṃ nihataḥ saṃkhye gamiṣye yamasādanam |
tānvā nihatya saṃgrāme prītiṃ dāsyāmi vai tava || 15 ||

6.94.16

pūrvaṃ hi strī samutpannā śikhaṇḍī rājaveśmani |
varadānātpumāñjātaḥ saiṣā vai strī śikhaṇḍinī || 16 ||

6.94.17

tāmahaṃ na haniṣyāmi prāṇatyāge'pi bhārata |
yāsau prāṅnirmitā dhātrā saiṣā vai strī śikhaṇḍinī || 17 ||

6.94.18

sukhaṃ svapihi gāndhāre śvo'smi kartā mahāraṇam |
yajjanāḥ kathayiṣyanti yāvatsthāsyati medinī || 18 ||

6.94.19

evamuktastava suto nirjagāma janeśvara |
abhivādya guruṃ mūrdhnā prayayau svaṃ niveśanam || 19 ||

6.94.20

āgamya tu tato rājā visṛjya ca mahājanam |
praviveśa tatastūrṇaṃ kṣayaṃ śatrukṣayaṃkaraḥ |
praviṣṭaḥ sa niśāṃ tāṃ ca gamayāmāsa pārthivaḥ || 20 ||