तं प्रयान्तं नरव्याघ्रं भीष्मस्य शिबिरं प्रति ॥
अनुजग्मुर् महेष्वासाः सर्वलोकस्य धन्विनः ॥
भ्रातरश् च महेष्वासास् त्रिदशा इव वासवम् ॥
हयान् अन्ये समारुह्य गजान् अन्ये च भारत ॥
रथैर् अन्ये नरश्रेष्ठाः परिवव्रुः समन्ततः ॥
आत्तशस्त्राश् च सुहृदो रक्षणार्थं महीपतेः ॥
प्रादुर्बभूवुः सहिताः शक्रस्येवामरा दिवि ॥
संपूज्यमानः कुरुभिः कौरवाणां महारथः ॥
प्रययौ सदनं राजन् गाङ्गेयस्य यशस्विनः ॥
अन्वीयमानः सहितैः सोदरैः सर्वतो नृपः ॥
दक्षिणं दक्षिणः काले संभृत्य स्वभुजं तदा ॥
हस्तिहस्तोपमं शैक्षं सर्वशत्रुनिबर्हणम् ॥
प्रगृह्णन्न् अञ्जलीन् नॄणाम् उद्यतान् सर्वतोदिशम् ॥
शुश्राव मधुरा वाचो नानादेशनिवासिनाम् ॥
संस्तूयमानः सूतैश् च मागधैश् च महायशाः ॥
पूजयानश् च तान् सर्वान् सर्वलोकेश्वरेश्वरः ॥
प्रदीपैः काञ्चनैस् तत्र गन्धतैलावसेचनैः ॥
परिवव्रुर् महात्मानं प्रज्वलद्भिः समन्ततः ॥
स तैः परिवृतो राजा प्रदीपैः काञ्चनैः शुभैः ॥
शुशुभे चन्द्रमा युक्तो दीप्तैर् इव महाग्रहैः ॥
कञ्चुकोष्णीषिणस् तत्र वेत्रझर्झरपाणयः ॥
प्रोत्सारयन्तः शनकैस् तं जनं सर्वतोदिशम् ॥
संप्राप्य तु ततो राजा भीष्मस्य सदनं शुभम् ॥
अवतीर्य हयाच् चापि भीष्मं प्राप्य जनेश्वरः ॥
अभिवाद्य ततो भीष्मं निषण्णः परमासने ॥
काञ्चने सर्वतोभद्रे स्पर्ध्यास्तरणसंवृते ॥
उवाच प्राञ्जलिर् भीष्मं बाष्पकण्ठो ऽश्रुलोचनः ॥
taṃ prayāntaṃ naravyāghraṃ bhīṣmasya śibiraṃ prati ||
anujagmur maheṣvāsāḥ sarvalokasya dhanvinaḥ ||
bhrātaraś ca maheṣvāsās tridaśā iva vāsavam ||
hayān anye samāruhya gajān anye ca bhārata ||
rathair anye naraśreṣṭhāḥ parivavruḥ samantataḥ ||
āttaśastrāś ca suhṛdo rakṣaṇārthaṃ mahīpateḥ ||
prādurbabhūvuḥ sahitāḥ śakrasyevāmarā divi ||
saṃpūjyamānaḥ kurubhiḥ kauravāṇāṃ mahārathaḥ ||
prayayau sadanaṃ rājan gāṅgeyasya yaśasvinaḥ ||
anvīyamānaḥ sahitaiḥ sodaraiḥ sarvato nṛpaḥ ||
dakṣiṇaṃ dakṣiṇaḥ kāle saṃbhṛtya svabhujaṃ tadā ||
hastihastopamaṃ śaikṣaṃ sarvaśatrunibarhaṇam ||
pragṛhṇann añjalīn nṝṇām udyatān sarvatodiśam ||
śuśrāva madhurā vāco nānādeśanivāsinām ||
saṃstūyamānaḥ sūtaiś ca māgadhaiś ca mahāyaśāḥ ||
pūjayānaś ca tān sarvān sarvalokeśvareśvaraḥ ||
pradīpaiḥ kāñcanais tatra gandhatailāvasecanaiḥ ||
parivavrur mahātmānaṃ prajvaladbhiḥ samantataḥ ||
sa taiḥ parivṛto rājā pradīpaiḥ kāñcanaiḥ śubhaiḥ ||
śuśubhe candramā yukto dīptair iva mahāgrahaiḥ ||
kañcukoṣṇīṣiṇas tatra vetrajharjharapāṇayaḥ ||
protsārayantaḥ śanakais taṃ janaṃ sarvatodiśam ||
saṃprāpya tu tato rājā bhīṣmasya sadanaṃ śubham ||
avatīrya hayāc cāpi bhīṣmaṃ prāpya janeśvaraḥ ||
abhivādya tato bhīṣmaṃ niṣaṇṇaḥ paramāsane ||
kāñcane sarvatobhadre spardhyāstaraṇasaṃvṛte ||
uvāca prāñjalir bhīṣmaṃ bāṣpakaṇṭho 'śrulocanaḥ ||
Following that tiger among men as he set out toward Bhishma's camp came the great archers, bowmen of every land, and his mighty brothers, as the gods follow Vasava. Some, O Bharata, mounted horses, others mounted elephants, and yet other foremost warriors surrounded him on every side upon chariots. Armed friends came forth together to guard the lord of the earth, like immortals gathered around Shakra in heaven. Honored by the Kurus, the great chariot-warrior of the Kauravas went, O king, to the dwelling of glorious Gangeya; his own brothers, gathered together, accompanied him on every side. Skillfully and in good time raising his right arm—trained like an elephant's trunk and able to destroy every foe—he received the folded hands of the people, raised toward him from every side, and listened to the sweet words of the inhabitants of many lands. The most glorious Duryodhana was praised by the sutas and the magadha bards, and he, lord of the lords of all the world, paid honor to them all. There golden lamps, filled with fragrant oil, surrounded the great-souled king, blazing on every side. Surrounded by these beautiful golden lamps, he shone like the moon amid bright, great planets. Men in armor and turbans, holding staffs and rattles, gently parted the crowd on every side. Then the king arrived at the fair dwelling of Bhishma, dismounted from his horse, and came before Bhishma. Having bowed to Bhishma, the lord of men sat down on a lofty golden seat, auspicious on every side and covered with an excellent spread; then, with joined hands, his voice choked with tears and his eyes streaming, he spoke to Bhishma.
5ed148491b84 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:47:12 PM UTC
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The procession to Bhishma is painted as a royal triumph, yet it ends in tears. The grander the outward scene, the more visible becomes Duryodhana's dependence on the favor of one whose heart cannot be wholly on his side.