Ambopakhyana Parva — Story of the fight between Rama and Bhishma

Bhishma said Then when I had thus made up my mind there arose a mighty din of tumultuous voices in the sky, O king, saying, “O Bhishma, O son of Kuru's race do not let go that weapon Prasvapa."

But for all that I still aimed that weapon at the descendant of Bhrigu. As I was aiming it, Narada addressed me, saying

These gods are stationed yonder in the sky, O son of Kuru's race. They are forbidding you today, do not aim the weapon Prasvapa.

Rama is an ascetic, possessed of the attributes of Brahma; he is a Brahmana, and moreover your preceptor. Do not son of Kuru, inflict humiliation on him, by any means,

Then I saw those eight speakers of the Brahma, stationed in the sky. O great king, smilingly they spoke these words to me slowly.

O best among Bharata's race, do as Narada has spoken to you, for this, O best among the Bharatas, is highly beneficial to all creatures.

Thereupon, withdrawing that mighty weapon Prasvapa, I made the Brahma weapon to blaze forth according to the ordinance.

Thereupon Rama, beholding that the Prasvapa weapon was withdrawn, was greatly excited and suddenly gave out these words, Fool that I am, I am vanquished, O Bhishma. Then the son of Jamadagni saw his father, and the venerable father of his father, who stood there surrounding him, and consoling him,

The father said Do not display such rashness again 0 son, by any means, especially of going to battle with Bhishma, who is a Kshatriya.

This is the duty of a Kshatriya, viz., to fight; O descendant of Bhrigu, study and the observance of religious austerities are the best wealth of the Brahmanas.

This (taking up of arms) was ordered by us to you for some special reasons before this. Then you had taken up your arms most fiercely and performed that unenviable deed (the extermination of the whole Kshatriya race).

What time you have fought with Bhishma has been enough, O son. 0 you of mighty arms, desist from this combat, leave the battlefield.

Blessing be to you, let this be enough of taking up the bow. But desist from this now, O invincible Practice austerities, 0 Bhargava.

Here is Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, who has been made to desist from battle by all the gods, who are endeavoring to pacify him by saying "Desist from this battle."

"Do not fight with Rama, your preceptor", again and again (saying this). It is not becoming for you, O perpetuator of the race of Kuru, to vanquish Rama in battle. one.

O son of Ganga, do honour to this Brahmana on the field of battle. We are your superiors and therefore forbid you.

Bhishma is one of the foremost of the Vasus. It is only by good luck that you are still living. This Shantanu's son by Ganga is a celebrated Vasu,

How can he be vanquished by you? Desist at this point, O descendant of Bhrigu. That best among Pandavas, Arjuna, who is the powerful son of Indra,

Who is Nara, who is the lord of all creatures, a hero, who was before this a god, who is without beginning and end, and who, mighty as he is, is known throughout the three worlds as Savyasachin, is ordained by the selfcreate (Brahma) to be the death of Bhishma in the ripeness of time.

Bhishma said Being thus spoken by his ancestors, Rama thus spoken to them, “I will not desist from the combat, this is the vow I have taken upon myself.

Before this, I had never been made to turn beak (from combat) on the field of battle. O grandsires, make the Ganga's son of desist from the battle, if it so pleases you.

"But as for me, I will never hold back from this combat.” Then those ascetics, O king, with Richeeka at their head,

And accompanied by Narada, came up (to me) and thus spoke "Desist from the battle, O son. Honour that foremost of Brahmanas.

“No” I said to them “according to the duty of a Kshatriya, this is my vow, that never from battle, I will turn back or suffer my back to be wondered by arrows. Not from covering any objects of desire, nor from fear, nor for the sake of wealth,

Shall i abandon my eternal duty, this is my fixed resolution.” Then all those ascetics, O king, with Narada at their head,

And Bhagirathi, my mother, occupied the field of battle (between myself and Rama). I however, stood with my bow and arrows as before, and with fixed resolution as before, on the battle-field, to go on fighting. Then they said to Rama.

Once more, all them together, going up to the descendant of Bhrigu, on the battle-field said, “The hearts of the Brahmanas are as soft as butter, O son of Bhrigu; be pacified.

O Rama, O Rama, O best of Brahmanas, desist from this battle. Bhishma is incapable of being killed by you, as you by Bhishma, O son of Bhrigu's race.”

Addressing him with these words, and obstructing the battle-field, his forefathers made the descendant of Bhrigu lay aside his weapons.

And then I again saw those eight revealers of Brahmana, blazing like eight constellations risen (in the sky).

They then spoke these words with affection to me, who stood on the field of combat, “O you of mighty arms, go up to Rama, your preceptor. Do what is good to all the world."

Beholding that Rama desisted (from battle) at the words of his well-wishers, I also, for the good of the worlds, accepted (their) words.

Thereupon severely wondered as I was, I went up to Rama, and bowed down to him. Rama also that great ascetic, smiling with love, spoke to me.

"There is no Kshatriya among all men equal to you on the face of the earth. Go you, O Bhishma, for in this combat I have been highly pleased with you.

Then in my presence, summoning that maiden (the daughter of Kashi), the descendant of Bhrigu, spoke (to her) in these modest words, before all the high-souled ones.