गदया वीरघातिन्या फलानीव वनस्पतेः ॥
कालेन परिपक्वानि तावच् छाम्यतु वैशसम् ॥
नकुलः सहदेवश् च धृष्टद्युम्नश् च पार्षतः ॥
विराटश् च शिखण्डी च शैशुपालिश् च दंशिताः ॥
यावन् न प्रविशन्त्य् एते नक्रा इव महार्णवम् ॥
कृतास्त्राः क्षिप्रम् अस्यन्तस् तावच् छाम्यतु वैशसम् ॥
यावन् न सुकुमारेषु शरीरेषु महीक्षिताम् ॥
गार्ध्रपत्राः पतन्त्य् उग्रास् तावच् छाम्यतु वैशसम् ॥
चन्दनागरुदिग्धेषु हारनिष्कधरेषु च ॥
नोरःसु यावद् योधानां महेष्वासैर् महेषवः ॥
gadayā vīraghātinyā phalānīva vanaspateḥ ||
kālena paripakvāni tāvac chāmyatu vaiśasam ||
nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca dhṛṣṭadyumnaś ca pārṣataḥ ||
virāṭaś ca śikhaṇḍī ca śaiśupāliś ca daṃśitāḥ ||
yāvan na praviśanty ete nakrā iva mahārṇavam ||
kṛtāstrāḥ kṣipram asyantas tāvac chāmyatu vaiśasam ||
yāvan na sukumāreṣu śarīreṣu mahīkṣitām ||
gārdhrapatrāḥ patanty ugrās tāvac chāmyatu vaiśasam ||
candanāgarudigdheṣu hāraniṣkadhareṣu ca ||
noraḥsu yāvad yodhānāṃ maheṣvāsair maheṣavaḥ ||
'"…with his mace that slays heroes as time ripens fruit upon a tree, let the slaughter cease. While Nakula, Sahadeva, Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata, Virata, Shikhandin, and the son of Shishupala, clad in armor, have not yet plunged in like crocodiles into the great ocean, skilled in arms and swiftly hurling their weapons, let the slaughter cease. While fearsome arrows fletched with vulture feathers have not yet fallen upon the tender bodies of the lords of the earth, let the slaughter cease. While the great arrows, swiftly loosed by skilled and mighty archers, far-flying, iron, and unerring in aim, have not yet fallen upon the chests of warriors anointed with sandal and aloe, wearing necklaces and golden ornaments…"'
56212e83592f · published Jul 17, 2026, 5:51:08 AM UTC
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Bhishma and Drona speak not in the abstract but with urgency: while the weapons of the Pandavas have not yet begun their harvest, peace is still possible. Their words mark the last point at which dharma can still halt the bloodshed: to receive Yudhishthira, embrace the brothers, and preserve the earth through brotherhood rather than slaughter.