सो ऽन्यत् कार्मुकम् आदाय भीष्मस्य प्रमुखे स्थितः ॥
अर्जुनं पञ्चविंशत्या बाह्वोर् उरसि चार्पयत् ॥
तस्य क्रुद्धो महाराज पाण्डवः शत्रुकर्शनः ॥
अप्रैषीद् विशिखान् घोरान् यमदण्डोपमान् बहून् ॥
अप्राप्तान् एव तान् बाणांश् चिच्छेद तनयस् तव ॥
यतमानस्य पार्थस्य तद् अद्भुतम् इवाभवत् ॥
पार्थं च निशितैर् बाणैर् अविध्यत् तनयस् तव ॥
ततः क्रुद्धो रणे पार्थः शरान् संधाय कार्मुके ॥
प्रेषयाम् आस समरे स्वर्णपुङ्खाञ् शिलाशितान् ॥
न्यमज्जंस् ते महाराज तस्य काये महात्मनः ॥
यथा हंसा महाराज तडागं प्राप्य भारत ॥
पीडितश् चैव पुत्रस् ते पाण्डवेन महात्मना ॥
हित्वा पार्थं रणे तूर्णं भीष्मस्य रथम् आश्रयत् ॥
अगाधे मज्जतस् तस्य द्वीपो भीष्मो ऽभवत् तदा ॥
प्रतिलभ्य ततः संज्ञां पुत्रस् तव विशां पते ॥
अवारयत् ततः शूरो भूय एव पराक्रमी ॥
शरैः सुनिशितैः पार्थं यथा वृत्रः पुरंदरम् ॥
निर्बिभेद महावीर्यो विव्यथे नैव चार्जुनात् ॥
so 'nyat kārmukam ādāya bhīṣmasya pramukhe sthitaḥ ||
arjunaṃ pañcaviṃśatyā bāhvor urasi cārpayat ||
tasya kruddho mahārāja pāṇḍavaḥ śatrukarśanaḥ ||
apraiṣīd viśikhān ghorān yamadaṇḍopamān bahūn ||
aprāptān eva tān bāṇāṃś ciccheda tanayas tava ||
yatamānasya pārthasya tad adbhutam ivābhavat ||
pārthaṃ ca niśitair bāṇair avidhyat tanayas tava ||
tataḥ kruddho raṇe pārthaḥ śarān saṃdhāya kārmuke ||
preṣayām āsa samare svarṇapuṅkhāñ śilāśitān ||
nyamajjaṃs te mahārāja tasya kāye mahātmanaḥ ||
yathā haṃsā mahārāja taḍāgaṃ prāpya bhārata ||
pīḍitaś caiva putras te pāṇḍavena mahātmanā ||
hitvā pārthaṃ raṇe tūrṇaṃ bhīṣmasya ratham āśrayat ||
agādhe majjatas tasya dvīpo bhīṣmo 'bhavat tadā ||
pratilabhya tataḥ saṃjñāṃ putras tava viśāṃ pate ||
avārayat tataḥ śūro bhūya eva parākramī ||
śaraiḥ suniśitaiḥ pārthaṃ yathā vṛtraḥ puraṃdaram ||
nirbibheda mahāvīryo vivyathe naiva cārjunāt ||
Standing before Bhishma, Duhshasana took up another bow and struck Arjuna with twenty-five arrows in the arms and chest. Then the enraged Pandava, tormentor of enemies, sent forth against him a multitude of terrible arrows, like the staff of Yama. But your son cut these arrows apart before they even arrived; even amid Partha's utmost effort, this seemed like a wonder. And your son again wounded Partha with sharp arrows. Then the enraged Partha, in the battle, fitted arrows to his bow and loosed gold-feathered, honed arrows upon the field. They sank into the body of the great-souled Duhshasana, great king, as swans sink into a lake, o Bharata. Your son, tormented by the great-souled Pandava, quickly left Partha in the battle and took refuge at Bhishma's chariot. For him, sinking in the depths, Bhishma then became an island. Then, having regained his senses, your valorous son, o lord of the people, once more showed his strength: he held Partha back with very sharp arrows, pierced him as Vritra pierced Purandara, and did not waver before Arjuna."
8848788ae601 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:55:41 PM UTC
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Even retreating to Bhishma as to an island, Duhshasana returns to the fight. This chapter holds off Bhishma's fall for one more stretch: before Arjuna can reach the grandsire, he must pass through the steadfastness of his defenders.