तं श्रुत्वा निनदं घोरं तस्य भीष्मस्य रक्षसः ॥
आचार्यम् उपसंगम्य भीष्मः शांतनवो ऽब्रवीत् ॥
यथैष निनदो घोरः श्रूयते राक्षसेरितः ॥
हैडिम्बो युध्यते नूनं राज्ञा दुर्योधनेन ह ॥
नैष शक्यो हि संग्रामे जेतुं भूतेन केन चित् ॥
तत्र गच्छत भद्रं वो राजानं परिरक्षत ॥
अभिद्रुतं महाभागं राक्षसेन दुरात्मना ॥
एतद् धि परमं कृत्यं सर्वेषां नः परंतपाः ॥
पितामहवचः श्रुत्वा त्वरमाणा महारथाः ॥
उत्तमं जवम् आस्थाय प्रययुर् यत्र कौरवः ॥
द्रोणश् च सोमदत्तश् च बाह्लिकश् च जयद्रथः ॥
कृपो भूरिश्रवाः शल्यश् चित्रसेनो विविंशतिः ॥
अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश् च आवन्त्यश् च बृहद्बलः ॥
रथाश् चानेकसाहस्रा ये तेषाम् अनुयायिनः ॥
अभिद्रुतं परीप्सन्तः पुत्रं दुर्योधनं तव ॥
तद् अनीकम् अनाधृष्यं पालितं लोकसत्तमैः ॥
आततायिनम् आयान्तं प्रेक्ष्य राक्षससत्तमः ॥
नाकम्पत महाबाहुर् मैनाक इव पर्वतः ॥
प्रगृह्य विपुलं चापं ज्ञातिभिः परिवारितः ॥
शूलमुद्गरहस्तैश् च नानाप्रहरणैर् अपि ॥
taṃ śrutvā ninadaṃ ghoraṃ tasya bhīṣmasya rakṣasaḥ ||
ācāryam upasaṃgamya bhīṣmaḥ śāṃtanavo 'bravīt ||
yathaiṣa ninado ghoraḥ śrūyate rākṣaseritaḥ ||
haiḍimbo yudhyate nūnaṃ rājñā duryodhanena ha ||
naiṣa śakyo hi saṃgrāme jetuṃ bhūtena kena cit ||
tatra gacchata bhadraṃ vo rājānaṃ parirakṣata ||
abhidrutaṃ mahābhāgaṃ rākṣasena durātmanā ||
etad dhi paramaṃ kṛtyaṃ sarveṣāṃ naḥ paraṃtapāḥ ||
pitāmahavacaḥ śrutvā tvaramāṇā mahārathāḥ ||
uttamaṃ javam āsthāya prayayur yatra kauravaḥ ||
droṇaś ca somadattaś ca bāhlikaś ca jayadrathaḥ ||
kṛpo bhūriśravāḥ śalyaś citraseno viviṃśatiḥ ||
aśvatthāmā vikarṇaś ca āvantyaś ca bṛhadbalaḥ ||
rathāś cānekasāhasrā ye teṣām anuyāyinaḥ ||
abhidrutaṃ parīpsantaḥ putraṃ duryodhanaṃ tava ||
tad anīkam anādhṛṣyaṃ pālitaṃ lokasattamaiḥ ||
ātatāyinam āyāntaṃ prekṣya rākṣasasattamaḥ ||
nākampata mahābāhur maināka iva parvataḥ ||
pragṛhya vipulaṃ cāpaṃ jñātibhiḥ parivāritaḥ ||
śūlamudgarahastaiś ca nānāpraharaṇair api ||
Hearing that dreadful roar of the fearsome rakshasa, Bhishma, son of Shantanu, approached the teacher Drona and said: 'Since such a terrible roar is heard, uttered by the rakshasa, surely Haidimba is fighting with king Duryodhana. No being can conquer him in battle. Go there, may it be well with you, protect the king. The great king has been attacked by an evil-souled rakshasa; this is now the foremost task for all of us, scorchers of foes.' Hearing the grandsire's words, the maharathas hastened and set out at the utmost speed to where the Kaurava was: Drona, Somadatta, Bahlika, Jayadratha, Kripa, Bhurishravas, Shalya, Chitrasena, Vivimshati, Ashvatthaman, Vikarna, the king of Avanti, and Brihadbala, along with many thousands of chariots of their followers. They sought to protect your son Duryodhana, who was under attack. Seeing that unassailable army, guarded by the finest of the world, advancing as an aggressor, the foremost of the rakshasas, the mighty-armed one, did not tremble, like the mountain Mainaka. He took up his great bow, surrounded by kinsmen holding spears, maces, and various other weapons.
33c08b84a836 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:46:25 PM UTC
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Bhishma soberly assesses the threat: Ghatotkacha is no ordinary foe, and the king must be saved by the whole front. Meanwhile Ghatotkacha's stillness before an entire army reveals a strength born not only of bodily might but of inner resolve.