होत्रवाहन उवाच रामं द्रक्ष्यसि भद्रे त्वं जामदग्न्यं महावने। उग्रे तपसि वर्तन्तं सत्यसंधं महाबलम्॥
Hotravahana said “You will see Rama, the son of Jamadagni, devoted to truth and endued with great strength in the great forest, practicing hard asceticism.
महेन्द्रं वै गिरिश्रेष्ठं रामो नित्यमुपास्ति ह। ऋषयो वेदविद्वांसो गन्धर्वाप्सरसस्तथा।।
Rama ever dwells on that highest among the mountains, called Mahendra. Rishis conversant with the Vedas and Gandharavas and Apsaras also live there.
तत्र गच्छस्व भद्रं ते ब्रूयाश्चैनं वचो मम। अभिवाद्य च तं मूर्धां तपोवृद्धं दृढव्रतम्॥
Go there and may you fare well. Tell him these words of mine after saluting that old devotee of firm vows by bowing down your head.
ब्रूयाचैनं पुनर्भद्रे यत् ते कार्यं मनीषितम्। मयि संकीतिते रामः सर्वं तत् ते करिष्यति॥
Tell him what you want, gentle ladyhearing my name Rama will do all you ask of him.
मम रामः सखा वत्से प्रीतियुक्तः सुहृच्च मे। जमदग्निसुतो वीरः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः॥
Rama is my friend, child, and he is my well-wisher and is highly pleased with me that hero, the son Jamadagni and the foremost of all wielders of weapons.
एवं ब्रुवति कन्यां तु पार्थिवे होत्रवाहने। अकृतव्रणः प्रादुरासीद् रामस्यानुचरः प्रियः॥
While Hotravahana that ruler of the earth was thus speaking to that girl, the devoted follower of Rama, Akritavrana, presented himself there.
ततस्ते मुनयः सर्वे समुत्तस्थुः सहस्रशः। स च राजा वयोवृद्धः सृञ्जयो होत्रवाहनः॥
Then did all those Rishis by thousands as also Hotravahana, the king of the Srinjayas, old in years, stand up.
ततो दृष्ट्वा कृतातिथ्यमन्योन्यं ते वनौकसः। सहिता भरतश्रेष्ठ निषेदुः परिवार्य तम्॥
Seeing him those dwellers of the forest united together did him the rites of hospitality and then sat down surrounding him, O chief among the Bharatas.
ततस्ते कथयामासुः कथास्तास्ता मनोरमाः। धन्या दिव्याश्च राजेन्द्र प्रीतिहर्षमुदा युताः॥
Then they began to converse cheerfully and delightfully on subjects that delighted one's heart and which were blessed and divine, O chief among kings.
ततः कथान्ते राजर्षिर्महात्मा होत्रवाहनः। राम श्रेष्ठं महर्षीणामपृच्छदकृतव्रणम्॥
Then at the end of the conversation, the royal sage Hotravahana, endued with a large soul, asked Akritavrana about Rama the foremost among the great Rishis.
क्व सम्प्रति महाबाहो जामदग्न्यः प्रतापवान्। अकृतव्रण शक्यो वै दुष्टुं वेदविदां वरः॥
“Where can I see at present the mighty son of Jamadagni, O you of long arms, 0 Akritavrana, that foremost among those conversant with the Vedas.
अकृतव्रण उवाच भवन्तमेव सततं रामः कीर्तयति प्रभो। सृञ्जयो मे प्रियसखो राजर्षिरिति पार्थिव॥
Akritavrana said Rama ever speaks of you, my lord, saying: The royal sage Srinjaya, that ruler of the earth, is my dear friend.
इह रामः प्रभाते श्वो भवितेति मतिर्मम। द्रष्टास्येनमिहायान्तं तवं दर्शनकाझ्या॥
I think Rama will be here on the morrow. You will see him come here owing to your desire for seeing him.
इयं च कन्या राजर्षे किमर्थं वनमागता। कस्य चेयं तव च का भवतीच्छामि वेदितुम्॥
O royal sage, why is the lady come to the forest, whose daughter is she and what is she to you? I desire to know it.
होत्रवाहन उवाच दौहित्रीयं मम विभो काशिराजसुता प्रिया। ज्येष्ठा स्वयंवरे तस्थौ भगिनीभ्यां सहानघ॥
Hotravahana said She is my grand child, my lord, the beloved daughter of the king of the Kashis. O sinless one, she was desirous of choosing her own husband along with her two sisters.
इयमम्बेति विख्याता ज्येष्ठा काशिपतेः सुता। अम्बिकाम्बालिके कन्ये कनीयस्यौ तपोधन॥
This eldest daughter of the ruler of the Kashis is known as Amba and, O you whose only wealth is devotion, his two younger daughters are called Ambika and Ambalika.
समेतं पार्थिवं क्षत्रं काशिपूर्यां ततोऽभवत्। कन्यानिमित्तं विप्रर्षे तत्रासीदुत्सवो महान्॥
Then was there assembled in the city of Kashi, the entire body of Kshatriya rulers of the earth and there were great rejoicing there, O regenerate Rishi of those princes.
ततः किल महावीर्यो भीष्मः शान्तनवो नृपान्। अधिक्षिप्य महातेजास्तिस्रः कन्या जहारताः॥
Then did Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, endued with great heroism and energy overthrowing all those rulers of the earth, take away the three girls by force.
निर्जित्य पृथिवीपालानथं भीष्मो गजाह्वयम्। आजगाम विशुद्धात्मा कन्याभिः सह भारतः॥
Bhishma of sinless soul, having conquered those rulers of the earth came to the city called after the elephant in company with those girls, OBharata.
सत्यवत्यै निवेद्याथ विवाहं समनन्तरम्। भ्रातुर्विचित्रवीर्यस्य समाज्ञापयत प्रभुः॥
That lord after submitting the case to Satyavati ordered for the wedding of his brother Vichitravirya.
तं तु वैवाहिकं दृष्ट्वा कन्येयं समुपार्जितम्। अब्रवीत् तत्र गाङ्गेयं मन्त्रिमध्ये द्विजर्षभ॥
This girl, seeing all the arrangements made for the wedding, said there to the son of Ganga in the midst of his councillors, O best among the twice-born.
मया शाल्वपतिर्वीरो मनसाभिवृतः पतिः। न मामर्हसि धर्मज्ञ दातुं भ्रात्रेऽन्यमानसाम्॥
The heroic king of Shalva has been chosen by me as my husband; O you conversant with virtue, it is not proper that you should give me, who am desirous of another, up in your brother.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं भीष्मः सम्मन्त्र्य सह मन्त्रिभिः। निश्चित्य विससर्जेमां सत्यवत्या मते स्थितः॥
Bhishma, hearing those words and consulting with his ministers, came to a decision and following the opinion of Satyavati sent her away,
अनुज्ञाता तु भीष्मेण शाल्वं सौभपतिं ततः। कन्येयं मुदिता तत्र काले वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Permitted by Bhishma this girl rejoicing went to Shalva the lord of Saubha in due time and said these words:
विसर्जिताऽस्मि भीष्मेण धर्मं मां प्रतिपादय। मनसाभिवृतः पूर्वं मया त्वं पार्थिवर्षभ॥
I have been dismissed by Bhishma; act righteously towards me for you had before been chosen by me as my husband, O best among the rulers of the earth.
प्रत्याचख्यौ च शाल्वोऽस्याश्चारित्रस्याभिशङ्कितः। सेयं तपोवनं प्राप्ता तापस्येऽभिरता भृशम्॥
Shalva, however being suspicious about her character, rejected her and she, coming to this hermitage, has become greatly bent on practicing asceticism.
मया च प्रत्यभिज्ञाता वंशस्य परिकीर्तनात्। अस्य दुःखस्य चोत्पत्तिं भीष्ममेवेह मन्यते॥
She was recognized by me owing to her describing her parentage and she thinks Bhishma as the origin of this calamity of hers.
अम्बोवाच भगवन्नेवमेवेह यथाऽऽह पृथिवीपतिः। शरीरकर्ता मातुर्मे सृञ्जयो होत्रवाहनः॥
Amba said O lord, it is even as this ruler of the earth has said; the progenitor of my mother's self is this Hotravahana of the Srinjaya race.
न झुत्सहे स्वनगरं प्रतियातुं तपोधन। अपमानभयाच्चैव व्रीडया च महामुने॥
I do not desire to go back to my father's city, O you whose wealth consists in asceticism, from fear of disgrace and out of shame, O great Muni.
यत् तु मां भगवान् रामो वक्ष्यति द्विजसत्तम। तन्मे कार्यतमं कार्यमिति मे भगवन् मतिः॥
0 best among the twice-born, it is my opinion that what the lord Rama points out to me would be my supreme duty, my lord.