भीष्म उवाच ततोऽहं समनुज्ञाप्य काली गन्धवतीं तदा। मन्त्रिणचर्विजश्चैव तथैव च पुरोहितान्॥
Bhishma said Then did I, submitted the matter before our advisers, priests and spiritual guides,
समनुज्ञासिषं कन्यामम्बां ज्येष्ठां नराधिप। अनुज्ञाता ययौ सा तु कन्या शाल्वपतेः पुरम्॥
Grant that eldest among the girls, Amba to go away, 0 ruler of men; and the girl too, obtaining the permission, went to the capital of the king of the Shalvas.
वृद्धैर्द्विजातिभिर्गुप्ता धात्र्या चानुगता तदा। अतीत्य च तमध्वानमासाद्य नृपति तथा॥
She was escorted by old twice born men and followed by maid servants; and after traveling the whole distance she reached the presence of that king.
सा तमासाद्य राजानं शाल्वं वचनमब्रवीत्। आगताऽहं महाबाहो त्वामुद्दिश्य महामते॥
She, going to the king of the “Shalvas, said these words:-"I have come, O you of long arms, expecting to be united with you, O you of great intelligence."
तामब्रवीच्छाल्वपतिः स्मयन्निव विशाम्पते। त्वयान्यपूर्वया नाहं भार्यार्थी वरवर्णिनि॥
The king of the Shalvas, however said to him with a laughter, O lord of the universe, "O you of good complexion, I do not desire to take you for my wife for you had before been taken by another.
गच्छ भद्रे पुनस्तत्र सकाशंभीष्मकस्य वै। नाहमिच्छामि भीष्मेण गृहीतां त्वां प्रसह्य वै॥
Go therefore, gentle lady, again to Bhishma. I dot desire to have you who had been taken away by Bhishma by force.
त्वं हि भीष्मेण निर्जित्य नीता प्रीतिमती तदा। परामृश्य महायुद्धे निर्जित्य पृथिवीपतीन्॥
At that time were you cheerfully led away by Bhishma who vanquished all the kings.
नाहं त्वय्यन्यपूर्वायां भार्यार्थी वरवर्णिनि। कथमस्मद्विधो राजा परपूर्वां प्रवेशयेत्॥
O you of fair complexion, I do not desire as my wife, yourself who had been accepted by another, for how can a king like us accept a girl
नारी विदितविज्ञानः परेषां धर्ममादिशन्। यथेष्टं गम्यतां भद्रे मा त्वां कालोऽत्यगादयम्॥
A king, who is familiar with every science and who lays down laws for others. Go wherever you please, gentle lady, and do not waste your time.”
अम्बा तमब्रवीद् राजन्ननङ्गशरपीडिता। नैवं वद महीपाल नैतदेवं कथंचन॥
Amba, being struck with the darts of love, said to that king:-“Do not speak thus, O ruler of the earth, it can not be so by any means.
नास्मि प्रीतिमती नीता भीष्मेणामित्रकर्शन। बलान्नीताऽस्मि रुदती विद्राव्य पृथिवीपतीन्॥
Never was I cheerfully led away by Bhishma, O chastiser of enemies. Weeping, I was led away by force after he had vanquished the lords of the earth.
भजस्व मां शाल्वपते भक्ता बालामनागसम्। भक्तानां हि परित्यागो न धर्मेषु प्रशस्यते॥
Accept me, O lord of the Shalvas, accept a girl who is innocent. No religion approves of the direction of the devoted.
साऽहमामन्त्र्य गाङ्गेयं समरेष्वनिवर्तिनम्। अनुज्ञाता च तेनैव ततोऽहं भृशमागता॥
I have come here without any loss of time after taking leave of the son of Ganga, who never turns back from the field of battle and with his permission.
न स भीष्मो महाबाहुर्मामिच्छति विशाम्पते। भ्रातृहेतोः समारम्भो भीष्मस्येति श्रुतं मया॥
That Bhishma of long arms does not want me, O lord of the universe and this exertion of Bhishma is for the sake of his brother, I have heard.
भगिन्यौ मम ये नीते अम्बिकाम्बालिके नृप। प्रादाद् विचित्रवीर्याय गाङ्गेयो हि यवीयसे॥
Those two sisters of mine, Ambika, and Ambalika, who had been led away, have been made over by the son of Ganga to his younger brother Vichitravirya.
यथा शाल्वपते नान्यं वरं व्यामि कथंचन। त्वामृते पुरुषव्याघ्र तथा मूर्धानमालभे॥
I do not, O lord of the Shalvas, desire any husband save yourself, O foremost among men, I swear by my heart.
न चान्यपूर्वा राजेन्द्र त्वामहं समुपस्थिता। सत्यं ब्रवीमि शाल्वैतत् सत्येनात्मानमालभे॥
O chief among kings, I do not come to you as one who has before been ravished by another. I am speaking the truth, O lord of the Shalvas, I swear by my soul and by truth.
भजस्व मां विशालाक्ष स्वयं कन्यामुपस्थिताम्। अनन्यपूर्वां राजेन्द्र त्वत्प्रसादाभिकाक्षिणीम्॥
Accept me, O you of big eyes, who am a girl and have come of my own will desirous of your favours, and without having been ravished by another, O chief among kings."
तामेवं भाषमाणां तु शाल्व: काशिपते: सुताम्। अत्यजद् भरतश्रेष्ठ जीर्णां त्वचमिवोरगः॥
Shalva however abandoned that daughter of the ruler of the Kashis who spoke thus, O chief among the Bharatas, like a serpent casting off its slough.
एवं बहुविधैर्वाक्यैर्याच्यमानस्तया नृपः। नाश्रद्दधच्छाल्वपतिः कन्यायां भरतर्षभ।॥
The king of the Shalvas did not look graciously on that girl who spoke in this and several other strains.
ततः सा मन्युनाऽऽविष्टा ज्येष्ठा काशिपतेः सुता। अब्रवीत् साश्रुनयना बाष्यविप्लुतया गिरा।॥
Then did that eldest daughter of the ruler of the Kashis struck with grief say with eyes bathed in tears in a voice choked with tears.
त्वया त्यक्ता गमिष्यामि यत्र तत्र विशाम्पते। तत्र मे गतयः सन्तु सन्तः सत्यं यथा ध्रुवम्॥
Being abandoned by you I shall go wherever I please, O lord of the universe, making the righteous my refuge, for truth is indestructible.
एवं तां भाषमाणां तु कन्यां शाल्वपतिस्तदा। परितत्याज कौरव्य करुणं परिदेवतीम्॥
At that time the lord of the Shalvas thus abandoned that girl, O Kaurava, who spoke to him plaintively.
गच्छ गच्छेति तां शाल्वः पुनः पुनरभाषत। बिभेमि भीष्मात् सुश्रोणि त्वं च भीष्मपरिग्रहः॥
Shalva said to her again and again “go, go, I fear Bhishma, O you of beautiful hips, for you are Bhishma's capture."
एवमुक्ता तु सा तेन शाल्वेनादीर्घदर्शिना। निश्चक्राम पुराद् दीना रुदती कुररी यथा॥
Being thus spoken to by that Shalva of short foresight, she issued out of that city sorrowing, weeping like a she osprey.
भीष्म उवाच निष्क्रामन्ती तु नगराच्चिन्तयामास दुःखिता। पृथिव्यां नास्ति युवतिर्विषमस्थतरा मया॥
Bhishma said As she sorrowfully issued out of the capital she thought within herself: “In this world there is no young woman in a more difficult situation than myself.
बन्धुभिर्विप्रहीणास्मि शाल्वेन च निराकृता। न च शक्यं पुनर्गन्तुं मया वारणसाह्वयम्॥
I have been robbed of my friends and wronged by Shalva nor am I capable of going back to the city called after the elephant.
अनुज्ञाता तु भीष्मेण शाल्वमुद्दिश्य कारणम्। किं नु गर्हाम्यथात्मानमथ भीष्मं दुरासदम्॥
The reason being that I was permitted by Bhishma to leave him with the object of going to Shalva. Whom shall I blame, myself or Bhishma who is hard to be approached,
अथवा पितरं मूढं यो मेऽकार्षीत् स्वयंवरम्। मयाऽयं स्वकृतो दोषो याऽहं भीष्मरथात् तदा॥
Or that foolish father who made arrangements for the selection of a husband by myself. It was a fault of mine own that at that time from Bhishma's chariot,
प्रवृत्ते दारुणे युद्धे शाल्वार्थं नापतं पुरा। तस्येयं । ननिर्वृत्तिर्यदापन्नाऽस्मि मूढवत्॥
I did not leap down to join Shalva, when Bhishma was engaged in fierce battle. The result of that is this, namely that I have been made a fool of.
धिग् भीष्मं धिक् च मे मन्दं पितरं मूढचेतसम्। येनाहं वीर्यशुल्केन पण्यस्त्रीव प्रचोदिता॥
Shame on Bhishma, shame on my idiotic father of foolish heart that fixed velour to be my dower as if I were a woman who could be sold at a price,
धिमां धिक् शाल्वराजानं धिग् धातारमथापि वा। येषां दुर्नीतभावे प्राप्ताऽस्यापदमुत्तमाम्॥
Shame on myself, shame on king Shalva, shame also on the creator through whose fault I am now placed in this difficulty.
सर्वथा भागधेयानि स्वानि प्राप्नोति मानवः। अनयस्यास्य तु मुखं भीष्मः शान्तनवो मम॥
In all circumstances does a man go through his share of worldly happiness and misery but Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, is the prime cause of this difficulty.
सा भीष्मे प्रतिकर्तव्यमहं पश्यामि साम्प्रतम्। तपसा वा युधा वाऽपि दुःखहेतुः स मतः॥
I now see that for the present I should have revenge on that Bhishma either by austerities or by battle, for in my opinion he is the cause of my misery.
को नु भीष्मं युधा चेदुमुत्सहेत महीपतिः। एवं सा परिनिश्चित्य जगाम नगराद् बहिः॥
What ruler of the earth would venture to fight with Bhishma." Thinking thus she went out of the city,
आश्रमं पुण्यशीलानां तापसानां महात्मनाम्। ततस्तामवसद् रात्रिं तापसैः परिवारिता॥
To a hermitage of a great souled anchorite of virtuous ways of life and she stayed there for the night surrounded by anchorites.
मे आचख्यौ च यथावृत्तं सर्वमात्मनि भारत। विस्तरेण महाबाहो निखिलेन शुचिस्मिता। हरणं च विसर्गं च शाल्वेन च विसर्जनम्॥
That lady of sweet smiles told them, everything about herself in due order, O Bharata, in detail, the story of her abduction, her liberation and her abandonment by Shalva.
ततस्तत्र महानासीद् ब्राह्मणः संशितव्रतः। शैखावत्यस्तपोवृद्धः शास्त्रे चारण्यके गुरुः॥
There lived a great Brahmana of rigid vows Shaikhavatya by name, old in devotion and a preceptor of the holy books and the Arariyakas.
आर्ती तामाह स मुनिः शैखावत्यो महातपाः। निःश्वसन्ती सती बालां दुःखशोकपरायणाम्॥
That anchorite, of eminent devotion, said to that chaste lady who was in extreme difficuity and who was sighing in grief and distress.
एवं गते तु किं भद्रे शक्यं कर्तुं तपस्विभिः। आश्रमस्थैर्महाभागे तपोयुक्तर्महात्मभिः॥
Such being the case, gentle lady, what can be done by devotees residing in this hermitage, of great parts and great souled though they be?
सा त्वेनमब्रवीद् राजन् क्रियतां मदनुग्रहः। प्राव्राज्यमहमिच्छामि तपस्तप्स्यामि दुश्चरम्॥
She however thus replied, O king: "Show me this favour. I desire to wander about and to practice hard devotion.
मयैव यानि कर्माणि पूर्वदेहे तु मूढया। कृतानि नूनं पापानि तेषामेतत् फलं ध्रुवम्॥
The deeds that had been done by me in a previous life out of folly are certainly misdeeds and this is surely the result of that.
नोत्सहे तु पुनर्गन्तुं स्वजनं प्रति तापसाः। प्रत्याग्याता निरानन्दा शाल्वेन च निराकृता॥
I do not venture to go back to my kindred, O devctees, rejected and rendered cheerless and y. nged by Shalva.
उपदिष्टमिहेच्छामि तापस्यं वीतकल्मषाः। युष्माभिर्देवसंकाशैः कृपा भवतु वो मयि॥
I wish to be instructed here (in asceticism), O ascetics, whose sins have been washed off by you who are god-like; let kindness be shown to me."
स तामाश्वासयत् कन्यां दृष्टान्तागमहेतुभिः। सान्त्वयामास कार्यं च प्रतिजज्ञे द्विजैः सह॥
He then comforted that lady by citing instances and examples and consoled her by promising to do her work along with others among the twice-born.