ते हयाश् चोदितास् तेन सूतेन परमाहवे ॥
अवहन् मां भृशं राजन् मनोमारुतरंहसः ॥
गत्वाहं तत् कुरुक्षेत्रं स च रामः प्रतापवान् ॥
युद्धाय सहसा राजन् पराक्रान्तौ परस्परम् ॥
ततः संदर्शने ऽतिष्ठं रामस्यातितपस्विनः ॥
प्रगृह्य शङ्खप्रवरं ततः प्राधमम् उत्तमम् ॥
ततस् तत्र द्विजा राजंस् तापसाश् च वनौकसः ॥
अपश्यन्त रणं दिव्यं देवाः सर्षिगणास् तदा ॥
ततो दिव्यानि माल्यानि प्रादुरासन् मुहुर् मुहुः ॥
वादित्राणि च दिव्यानि मेघवृन्दानि चैव ह ॥
te hayāś coditās tena sūtena paramāhave ||
avahan māṃ bhṛśaṃ rājan manomārutaraṃhasaḥ ||
gatvāhaṃ tat kurukṣetraṃ sa ca rāmaḥ pratāpavān ||
yuddhāya sahasā rājan parākrāntau parasparam ||
tataḥ saṃdarśane 'tiṣṭhaṃ rāmasyātitapasvinaḥ ||
pragṛhya śaṅkhapravaraṃ tataḥ prādhamam uttamam ||
tatas tatra dvijā rājaṃs tāpasāś ca vanaukasaḥ ||
apaśyanta raṇaṃ divyaṃ devāḥ sarṣigaṇās tadā ||
tato divyāni mālyāni prādurāsan muhur muhuḥ ||
vāditrāṇi ca divyāni meghavṛndāni caiva ha ||
The horses, urged on by that charioteer toward the great battle, swiftly bore me onward, O king, swift as thought and wind. Having reached Kurukshetra, I and the mighty Rama suddenly advanced against each other for combat, O king. Then I took my stand in full view of Rama, that great ascetic, raised the finest of conches, and blew it. Then, O king, the twice-born, the ascetics, the forest-dwellers, and the gods together with hosts of rishis beheld that divine battle. Again and again divine garlands, celestial musical instruments, and banks of clouds appeared.
192b0664d37e · published Jul 17, 2026, 6:36:32 AM UTC
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In this chapter the dispute finally takes the form of a ritually staged duel. Bhishma accepts Rama's challenge not as a personal quarrel but as a kshatriya's duty: with blessings, a white chariot, weapons, and a public departure for Kurukshetra. The color white marks that he goes into battle not out of base fury but as one who holds himself true to his vow. Yet Ganga's appearance reveals the tragic side of dharma: a mother sees that two great vows are leading to ruin, and she tries to stop the fight. Neither Rama nor Bhishma can now yield without betraying his own understanding of truth.