Mahabharata: Vol. 5 (15 page)

This parva has 994 shlokas and twenty-seven chapters.

Chapter 874(14): 13 shlokas
Chapter 875(15): 75 shlokas
Chapter 876(16): 46 shlokas
Chapter 877(17): 39 shlokas
Chapter 878(18): 18 shlokas
Chapter 879(19): 44 shlokas
Chapter 880(20): 20 shlokas
Chapter 881(21): 17 shlokas
Chapter 882(22): 22 shlokas
Chapter 883(23): 47 shlokas
Chapter 884(24): 72 shlokas
Chapter 885(25): 43 shlokas
Chapter 886(26): 42 shlokas
Chapter 887(27): 29 shlokas
Chapter 888(28): 47 shlokas
Chapter 889(29): 30 shlokas
Chapter 890(30): 28 shlokas
Chapter 891(31): 34 shlokas
Chapter 892(32): 42 shlokas
Chapter 893(33): 55 shlokas
Chapter 894(34): 20 shlokas
Chapter 895(35): 34 shlokas
Chapter 896(36): 27 shlokas
Chapter 897(37): 20 shlokas
Chapter 898(38): 24 shlokas
Chapter 899(39): 28 shlokas
Chapter 900(40): 78 shlokas

This section is so named because it includes the Song Celestial or the
Bhagavad Gita, the teachings of Krishna to Arjuna. The section begins with
the dramatic news that Bhishma has been killed. When Sanjaya tells
Dhritarashtra this, Dhritarashtra (and the reader) is astounded, wishing to
know how this came to be. After a description of the
arrangements for war, the rest of this section is the Bhagavad Gita.

Vaishampayana said, ‘Sanjaya,
Gavalgana’s son, was wise. He could see everything, the past, the present
and the future. In great distress, he suddenly rushed from the field of battle to
where Dhritarashtra was immersed in thought and told him that Bhishma, the
intermediate one of the Bharata lineage, had been killed.
¹
“O bull among the Bharata lineage! I am Sanjaya and I bow down before
you. Shantanu’s son, Bhishma, the grandfather of the Bharatas, has been
slain. He was foremost among all warriors. He was the resort of all archers. That
grandfather of the Kurus is now lying down on a bed of arrows. Depending on his
valour, your son embarked on that game of dice. O king! That Bhishma is now lying
down, having been killed on the field of battle by Shikhandi. On a single chariot,
that maharatha had earlier defeated all the lords of the earth in a great battle in
Kashi.
²
Descended from the Vasus, he fought with Rama, Jamadagni’s son, in a
battle. Jamadagni’s son could not kill him. But he has now been slain by
Shikhandi. He was like the great Indra in his valour and like the Himalayas in his
steadfastness. He was like the ocean in his gravity and like the earth in his
patience. Arrows were like his teeth. The bow was his mouth. The sword was his
tongue. He was invincible. He was a lion among men. Today, your father
³
has been brought down by the one from Panchala.
⁴
On seeing him ready for battle, the large army of the Pandavas trembled in
fear, like a herd of cattle on seeing a lion. He protected your army and formations
for ten nights. He performed extremely difficult deeds and has now departed, like
the setting sun. Like Shakra,
⁵
he calmly showered thousands of arrows. For ten days, every day, he killed ten
thousand warriors in battle. Like a tree struck by the wind, he has been killed and
is lying down on the ground. O king! O descendant of the Bharata lineage! He did not
deserve this and this is because of your evil counsel.”’

‘Dhritarashtra asked,
“How has Bhishma, bull among the Kurus, been killed by Shikhandi? My
father was the equal of Vasava. How has he been brought down from his chariot? O
Sanjaya! What happened to my sons when they were deprived of Bhishma? He was
powerful and was like the gods. He observed brahmacharya for the sake of his
superior.
⁶
He was great in spirit and great in strength, a great archer. When that
maharatha, a tiger among men, was killed, what was the state of their
⁷
minds then? My mind is pierced with great grief on hearing that he has been
killed. He was a bull among the Kuru lineage. He was a brave one who did not waver.
He was a bull among men. When he advanced, who followed him? Who were the ones who
preceded him? O Sanjaya! Who was at his side and who advanced with him? He was a
bull among kshatriyas who could not be dislodged. Which brave ones were with that
bull among rathas when he suddenly penetrated the formation of chariots? Who were
at the rear?
⁸
That destroyer of enemies, who was like the sun and an equal of the one with
the thousand rays, suddenly attacked the enemy soldiers and spread terror amidst the
enemy. On the instructions of Kourava,
⁹
he performed difficult deeds in battle. He devoured their ranks. Who tried to
repulse him? O Sanjaya! He was accomplished and unassailable. When
Shantanu’s son advanced against them in battle, how did the Pandavas
counter him? He slaughtered the soldiers. He possessed arrows for his teeth. He was
swift. The bow was his gaping mouth. The terrible sword was his tongue. He was
invincible. He was the ultimate of tigers among men. He was modest. He had never
been vanquished. How could Kounteya bring down such an unvanquished one in battle?
He was a terrible and fierce archer. He was stationed on his supreme chariot. With
his sharp arrows, he sliced off the heads of enemies. On seeing him ready in battle,
like the invincible fire of destruction, the great army of the Pandavas always
trembled. That destroyer of troops destroyed the soldiers for ten nights. After
having accomplished extremely difficult deeds, he has now departed like the setting
sun. Like Shakra, he created a shower of inexhaustible arrows. In ten days, he
slaughtered a hundred million warriors in battle. He is lying down on the bare
ground, like a tree destroyed by the wind. This is because of my evil counsel. That
descendant of the Bharata lineage did not deserve this. On witnessing the terrible
valour of Bhishma, Shantanu’s son, how was the army of the Pandavas
capable of striking him down? How did the sons of Pandu engage with Bhishma in
battle? O Sanjaya! While Drona was still alive, how could Bhishma not be victorious?
When Kripa was near him, and so was Bharadvaja’s son,
¹⁰
how could Bhishma, supreme among warriors, be killed? Bhishma was an
atiratha
.
¹¹
Even the gods were incapable of withstanding him. How
could
Shikhandi of Panchala kill him in battle? He always rivalled Jamadagni’s
extremely powerful son
¹²
in battle. Jamadagni’s son, who was Shakra’s equal in
valour, could not defeat him. How could Bhishma, with the strength of a maharatha,
be killed in battle? O Sanjaya! Without knowing about that brave one, I cannot
obtain any peace. O Sanjaya! Which of my great archers did not desert that
undecaying one? On Duryodhana’s instructions, which brave ones surrounded
him? When all the Pandavas advanced against the undecaying Bhishma, with Shikhandi
at the forefront, were the Kurus frightened? Did they abandon him? The roar of his
bow, with its shower of arrows, was like a giant cloud. The great twang of his bow
was like a tall and mighty cloud. He showered arrows on the Kounteyas, together with
the Panchalas and the Srinjayas. He slaughtered the brave warriors of the enemy,
like the wielder of the vajra against the danavas.

‘“He was like a
terrible and surging ocean, with his invincible arrows like crocodiles. The bows
were like waves. That interminable ocean was without boats and without islands. The
clubs and swords were like whirling sharks.
¹³
The masses of horses and elephants were like crocodiles. There were many
spirited horses, elephants, infantry and chariots. All those warriors of the enemy
were immersed in that battle. Through his energy and anger, that scorcher of enemies
consumed them. Which brave one could repulse him, like the shore against the abode
of sharks?
¹⁴
O Sanjaya! For Duryodhana’s sake, Bhishma, the destroyer of enemies,
performed deeds in battle. Who were in front of him then? Bhishma was infinitely
energetic. Who protected his right axle? With devotion and care, who guarded him at
the back from enemy warriors? So as to protect him, who were immediately in front of
Bhishma? When that brave one fought in battle, which brave ones protected his front
axle? O Sanjaya! Who were stationed at his left axle and attacked the Srinjayas? Who
protected his unassailable advance guard? Who protected his sides?
He has traversed along the difficult path.
¹⁵
O Sanjaya! Who were the ones who fought with the enemy warriors in general? If
our brave ones protected him and were protected by him, how did he not swiftly
vanquish that invincible army
¹⁶
in battle? He was like the lord of all the worlds, the supreme god Prajapati. O
Sanjaya! How were the Pandavas capable of striking him? He was our refuge and the
Kurus resorted to him when fighting with the enemy. O Sanjaya! You have told me that
Bhishma, tiger among men, has fallen. My son resorted to the great strength of that
valiant one and ignored the Pandavas. How could he have been slain by the enemy? My
father was great in his vows. He was unassailable in battle. In earlier times,
desiring to slay the danavas, all the gods sought his help. When he was born, the
immensely valiant Shantanu, the protector of the world, gave up sorrow, grief and
dejection. He possessed the qualities of a son. He was wise. He was devoted. He was
a refuge. He was devoted to his own dharma. He was pure. He knew the truth about the
Vedas and the
Vedanga
s.
¹⁷
How could he have been killed? He was skilled in all weapons. He was modest. He
was self-controlled. He was calm. He was spirited. On hearing that
Shantanu’s son has been killed, I think that the rest of my army has
already been slain. It is my view that adharma has become stronger than dharma. The
Pandavas desire the kingdom and have killed their aged senior. Jamadagni’s
son, Rama, is supreme among those who know all weapons. In earlier times, when he
raised his weapons for the sake of Amba, he was defeated by Bhishma in battle.
¹⁸
He was the equal of Indra in deeds. He was foremost among all archers. You have
said that Bhishma has been killed. What can be a greater misery than this?
Jamadagni’s valiant son, Rama, the destroyer of enemy warriors, who made
it a vow to kill kshatriyas, could not defeat him in battle. That
extremely intelligent one has now been killed by Shikhandi. It is thus evident
that Drupada’s son, Shikhandi, is superior in energy, valour and strength
to the immensely valorous Bhargava,
¹⁹
invincible in battle. That brave one
²⁰
was accomplished in battle. He was skilled in the use of all weapons. He was
knowledgeable about supreme weapons. That bull among the Bharata lineage has been
killed. In that assembly of enemies, who were the brave ones who followed that
destroyer of foes? Tell me how the battle between Bhishma and the Pandavas
proceeded.

‘“O Sanjaya! With
that brave one killed, my army is like a woman without a son. My soldiers are like a
demented herd of cattle, without a protector. In a great battle, his manliness was
supreme in the worlds. When he fell, what was the state of my army then? O Sanjaya!
Despite being alive, what strength remains in us now? We have caused our greatly
valorous father to be killed, chief among virtuous ones in the world. We are
immersed in fathomless water, without seeing a boat that we can use to cross. I
think that my sons must be grief-stricken, extremely miserable at
Bhishma’s death. My heart must be made out of extremely hard stone. On
hearing about the death of Bhishma, tiger among men, it is not being rent asunder.
He was a bull among the Bharata lineage and possessed weapons, intelligence and
policy. He was immeasurable and unassailable. How was he killed in battle? One
cannot be freed from death through weapons, valour, austerities, intelligence,
steadfastness or giving up. Destiny is extremely powerful and cannot be transgressed
by anyone in the world. O Sanjaya! You have told me that Bhishma,
Shantanu’s son, has been killed. Tormented by grief on account of my sons,
I thought of the great misery and sought salvation from Shantanu’s son,
Bhishma. O Sanjaya! When he saw Shantanu’s son lying down on the ground
like a sun, to whom did Duryodhana resort? O Sanjaya! When I reflect with my
intelligence on the lords of the earth who are on my side and those of the enemy, I
do not see what remnants
will be left in either army. The dharma
of kshatriyas, as instructed by the rishis, is terrible, since, desiring the
kingdom, the Pandavas have killed Shantanu’s son. We also desired the
kingdom and have killed our grandfather. The Parthas, and my sons, are established
in the dharma of kshatriyas and no crime attaches to them. O Sanjaya! When there is
a great calamity, even a virtuous person should perform this task. One should
exhibit ultimate valour, to the best of one’s capacity. This has been laid
down. He was modest and unvanquished. O son!
²¹
When he was engaged in slaughtering soldiers, how did the sons of Pandu counter
Shantanu’s son? How were the soldiers arrayed and how did he fight with
the great-souled ones?

‘“O Sanjaya! How was
my father, Bhishma, killed by the enemies? When Bhishma was killed, what did
Duryodhana, Karna, Shakuni Soubala and Duhshasana say? This gambling board is strewn
with the bodies of men, elephants and horses. There are terrible arrows, lances,
clubs, swords and spikes as dice. Those evil ones have entered the assembly hall of
this difficult war. Those bulls among men are gambling and have offered their lives
as stakes. Who was won? Who won? O Sanjaya! Who was successful in his objective?
Other than Bhishma, Shantanu’s son, who else has been brought down? Tell
me. After hearing that Devavrata
²²
has been slain, I cannot obtain peace. My father
²³
was the performer of terrible deeds. On hearing this, I am grief-stricken.
Thinking about the great injury that will befall my sons, my heart was anguished. O
Sanjaya! You have made that fire blaze, by sprinkling clarified butter on it. On
seeing that Bhishma, famous in all the worlds, and the one who had accepted a great
burden, has been slain, I think that my sons must be grieving. I wish to hear about
the misery that has arisen from Duryodhana’s deeds. O Sanjaya! Therefore,
tell me everything exactly as it has happened in that war that will destroy the
earth, brought about by the evil intelligence of my son. O Sanjaya! Tell me
everything, whether it is good or bad. In his desire for victory,
what did Bhishma finally accomplish in the battle? He possessed energy. He was
skilled in weapons. How was the battle between the soldiers of the Kurus and the
Pandavas? Tell me exactly, in due order, with the time of
occurrence.”’