दुर्योधनेन संपृष्ट एतम् अर्थं पितामहः ॥
दृष्ट्वा भ्रातॄन् रणे सर्वान् निर्जितान् सुमहारथान् ॥
शोकसंमूढहृदयो निशाकाले स्म कौरवः ॥
पितामहं महाप्राज्ञं विनयेनोपगम्य ह ॥
यद् अब्रवीत् सुतस् ते ऽसौ तन् मे शृणु जनेश्वर ॥
दुर्योधन उवाच
त्वं च द्रोणश् च शल्यश् च कृपो द्रौणिस् तथैव च ॥
कृतवर्मा च हार्दिक्यः काम्बोजश् च सुदक्षिणः ॥
भूरिश्रवा विकर्णश् च भगदत्तश् च वीर्यवान् ॥
महारथाः समाख्याताः कुलपुत्रास् तनुत्यजः ॥
त्रयाणाम् अपि लोकानां पर्याप्ता इति मे मतिः ॥
पाण्डवानां समस्ताश् च न तिष्ठन्ति पराक्रमे ॥
तत्र मे संशयो जातस् तन् ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः ॥
यं समाश्रित्य कौन्तेया जयन्त्य् अस्मान् पदे पदे ॥
भीष्म उवाच
शृणु राजन् वचो मह्यं यत् त्वां वक्ष्यामि कौरव ॥
बहुशश् च ममोक्तो ऽसि न च मे तत्त्वया कृतम् ॥
क्रियतां पाण्डवैः सार्धं शमो भरतसत्तम ॥
एतत् क्षमम् अहं मन्ये पृथिव्यास् तव चाभिभो ॥
भुञ्जेमां पृथिवीं राजन् भ्रातृभिः सहितः सुखी ॥
दुर्हृदस् तापयन् सर्वान् नन्दयंश् चापि बान्धवान् ॥
न च मे क्रोशतस् तात श्रुतवान् असि वै पुरा ॥
तद् इदं समनुप्राप्तं यत् पाण्डून् अवमन्यसे ॥
यश् च हेतुर् अवध्यत्वे तेषाम् अक्लिष्टकर्मणाम् ॥
तं शृणुष्व महाराज मम कीर्तयतः प्रभो ॥
नास्ति लोकेषु तद् भूतं भविता नो भविष्यति ॥
यो जयेत् पाण्डवान् संख्ये पालिताञ् शार्ङ्गधन्वना ॥
यत् तु मे कथितं तात मुनिभिर् भावितात्मभिः ॥
पुराणगीतं धर्मज्ञ तच् छृणुष्व यथातथम् ॥
duryodhanena saṃpṛṣṭa etam arthaṃ pitāmahaḥ ||
dṛṣṭvā bhrātṝn raṇe sarvān nirjitān sumahārathān ||
śokasaṃmūḍhahṛdayo niśākāle sma kauravaḥ ||
pitāmahaṃ mahāprājñaṃ vinayenopagamya ha ||
yad abravīt sutas te 'sau tan me śṛṇu janeśvara ||
duryodhana uvāca
tvaṃ ca droṇaś ca śalyaś ca kṛpo drauṇis tathaiva ca ||
kṛtavarmā ca hārdikyaḥ kāmbojaś ca sudakṣiṇaḥ ||
bhūriśravā vikarṇaś ca bhagadattaś ca vīryavān ||
mahārathāḥ samākhyātāḥ kulaputrās tanutyajaḥ ||
trayāṇām api lokānāṃ paryāptā iti me matiḥ ||
pāṇḍavānāṃ samastāś ca na tiṣṭhanti parākrame ||
tatra me saṃśayo jātas tan mamācakṣva pṛcchataḥ ||
yaṃ samāśritya kaunteyā jayanty asmān pade pade ||
bhīṣma uvāca
śṛṇu rājan vaco mahyaṃ yat tvāṃ vakṣyāmi kaurava ||
bahuśaś ca mamokto 'si na ca me tattvayā kṛtam ||
kriyatāṃ pāṇḍavaiḥ sārdhaṃ śamo bharatasattama ||
etat kṣamam ahaṃ manye pṛthivyās tava cābhibho ||
bhuñjemāṃ pṛthivīṃ rājan bhrātṛbhiḥ sahitaḥ sukhī ||
durhṛdas tāpayan sarvān nandayaṃś cāpi bāndhavān ||
na ca me krośatas tāta śrutavān asi vai purā ||
tad idaṃ samanuprāptaṃ yat pāṇḍūn avamanyase ||
yaś ca hetur avadhyatve teṣām akliṣṭakarmaṇām ||
taṃ śṛṇuṣva mahārāja mama kīrtayataḥ prabho ||
nāsti lokeṣu tad bhūtaṃ bhavitā no bhaviṣyati ||
yo jayet pāṇḍavān saṃkhye pālitāñ śārṅgadhanvanā ||
yat tu me kathitaṃ tāta munibhir bhāvitātmabhiḥ ||
purāṇagītaṃ dharmajña tac chṛṇuṣva yathātatham ||
Sanjaya continued: 'When Duryodhana saw all his brothers, great chariot-warriors, defeated in battle, his heart grew bewildered with grief. At nightfall he, the Kaurava, approached the wisest grandsire with humility. What your son said to him, O lord of men, hear from me. Duryodhana said: "You, Drona, Shalya, Kripa, Drauni, Kritavarman son of Hridika, Sudakshina of the Kambojas, Bhurishravas, Vikarna, and the valiant Bhagadatta — all of you are called great chariot-warriors, noble men ready to give up their bodies. In my opinion, you would suffice even for the three worlds; yet gathered together against the Pandavas, you cannot withstand their onslaught. From this a doubt has arisen in me. Tell me, since I ask: on whom do the sons of Kunti rely, that they defeat us at every step?" Bhishma said: "Listen, O king, to the word I shall speak to you, Kaurava. I have told you many times, but you have not acted upon it: make peace with the Pandavas, best of the Bharatas. I consider this right both for the earth and for you, mighty one. Possess this earth happily together with your brothers, tormenting all your foes and delighting your kinsmen. But you did not heed me before, my son, though I cried out to you. And so this has now overtaken you, because you scorned the Pandavas. As for the cause of the invulnerability of those men of unblemished deeds, hear it, great king, as I proclaim it, my lord: there is no such being in the worlds, there has not been, nor will there be, who could conquer the Pandavas in battle, protected as they are by the wielder of Sharnga's bow. Now hear in full truth, knower of dharma, the ancient song that was told to me by sages of purified soul."'
fe6dd9da55e0 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:35:51 PM UTC
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Duryodhana asks the right question, but too late. Bhishma once again turns him back toward peace with the Pandavas, and at once reveals the higher cause of their strength: they are protected by Sharngadhanvan, Vishnu-Krishna.