Ambopakhyana Parva — Fight between Rama and Bhishma

Bhishma said Laughingly I said to him who stood there for battle: Myself riding on a chariot I do not venture to fight with you who are on the ground.

Mount on a chariot, O hero, and adjust your coat of mail, O you of long arms if, O Rama, you desire to fight with me.

Then did Rama say to me laughingly in the field of battle: "The earth is chariot, O Bhishma, and the Vedas carry me like good horses.

The wind is my driver, and the mothers of the Vedas (Gayatri, Savitri and Sarasvati) constitute my coat of mail. Well protected by these, in battle, I shall fight, O you delighter of the Kurus."

Saying thus, O son of Gandhari, Rama of true prowess covered me on all sides with a thick shower of arrows.

Then did I see the son of Jamadagni seated on a car holding all the principal weapons, endued with beauty and appearing wonderful to the sight.

The car was created by his will force and was like a holy and spacious city with celestial horses yoked to it and well protected and ornamented with gold.

He was also clad in a coat of mail, O you of long arms, looking like the sun and moon, wielding a bow furnished with a quiver and with his fingers protected by gloves.

Akritavrana, desirous of fighting, performed the office of the charioteer in that battle. He was the dear friend of that descendant Bhrigu and very well versed in Vedas.

When he challenged me to fight my heart was very much pleased. The descendant of Bhrigu said to me again and again "come, come.”

Then did I approach him who was blazing like the sun, incapable of being vanquished and endued with great strength. Alone I approached Rama, the exterminator of the Kshatriya race.

After receiving three showers of arrows I stopped my horses and dismounting and putting aside my bow, I went on foot to that best among the Rishis.

And coming before him I worshipped Rama the best among the twice born and after saluting him addressed him suitably in these excellent words.

Whether you are equal to me or superior I shall fight with you, my lord, though you are my virtuous preceptor. Bless me that I may obtain victory.

Rama said O foremost among the Kurus, such should be done by one who desires prosperity. It is virtuous, O you of long arms, to fight with those that are well known.

If, O lord of the universe, you had not thus come to me I would have cursed you; fight you in battle with patience, O son of Kuru.

I cannot bless you for victory, for I myself am standing here to vanquish you Go, fight fairly, I am pleased with your conduct.

Then did I, after saluting him, quickly mount my chariot and again blew loudly my conch in the field of battle, a conch set with gold.

Then did the fight take place between myself and him, O Bharata for a great many days, O king, during which each was desirous of vanquishing the other.

In the battle, he first struck me with straight arrows with wings of vulture to the number of six hundred and nine.

By that shower, my four horses as also my chariot, O lord of the universe, completely covered; but clad in a coat of mail, I myself remained calm.

Bowing to the gods and especially to the Brahmanas I laughingly said to him who was standing there for battle. were

I have shown sufficient respect to yourself as a preceptor, though you have paid little regard to me. Listen again, O Brahmana, to what should be done if you want to acquire virtue.

The Vedas that are in your body and the great spirit of Brahma that is there and the great asceticism practiced by you, I do not strike at.

I shall strike at your Kshatriya-hood since, O Rama, you have adopted the life of a Kshatriya; a Brahmana becomes a Kshatriya owing to his taking up arms.

Behold now the strength of my bow; and behold the might of my arms. O hero, I shall cut asunder this bow of yours by my arrows.

Then did I hurl towards him a broad headed arrow and by it his bow broke into a million pieces and fell to the ground.

In the same way, I shot a hundred arrows furnished with the wings of a vulture on the son of Jamadagni.

Piercing through his body and carried along by the wind the arrows sped along dropping blood and acting like serpents.

Rama, then with all his body wondered and covered all over with blood, shone in battle like a mountain dropping melted metal.

He looked like the Ashoka tree, at the end of winter, covered with bunches of red flowers or, O king, like the Kinshuka tree when laden with flowers.

Then did Rama, wrathfully taking up another bow, shoot forth arrows well sharpened and furnished with golden wings.

Those fierce arrows, which were like flames and poisonous serpents coming from several sides, caused me to tremble at their great force and pierced my very vitals.

Then did I, with wrath, shoot on Rama arrows, hundred in number after summoning all my patience and addressing myself to battle.

Rama, struck with those arrows which were like fire or the sun and like poisonous snakes, became like one senseless.

Then was I filled with pity and stopped of my own will and said: "Fie, fie on battle and on Kshatriya practices." O Bharata.

Being filled with grief I said, “I am a vicious man and what sins have been committed by me for observing the duties of a Kshatriya. one

For I have hurt with my arrows my preceptor who is a Brahmana of a virtuous soul. After that O Bharata I did not strike at Jamadagni's son.

At this time, at the end of day, the sun of a thousand rays after heating the earth, went to his rooms and the fight too closed for the day.