Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 5.175
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5.175.1
ततोऽहं समनुज्ञाप्य कालीं गन्धवतीं तदा ।
मन्त्रिणश्चर्त्विजश्चैव तथैव च पुरोहितान्।
समनुज्ञामिषं कन्यामम्बां ज्येष्ठां नराधिप ॥ ५.१७५.१ ॥
Then, having obtained permission from Kālī and Gandhavatī, and from the ministers, the sacrificial priests and the household priests, I had permission granted for the eldest maiden Ambā, O lord of men.
5.175.2
अनुज्ञाता ययौ सा तु कन्या साल्वपतेः पुरम् ।
वृद्धैर्द्विजातिभिर्गुप्ता धात्र्या चानुगता तदा ॥ ५.१७५.२ ॥
Having been given permission, that maiden went to the city of the lord of Sālva, protected by elders and twice-born men, and accompanied at that time by a nurse.
5.175.3
अतीत्य च तमध्वानमासमाद नराधिपम ।
सा तमासाद्य राजानं साल्वं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ ५.१७५.३ ॥
Having crossed that road, she reached the lord of men; approaching King Sālva, she spoke these words.
5.175.4
आगताहं महाबाहो त्वामुद्दिश्य महामते ।
अभिनन्दस्व मां राजन्सदा प्रियहिते रताम् ॥ ५.१७५.४ ॥
O mighty-armed one, O great-minded one, I have come seeking you; O king, welcome me, who am always devoted to what is dear and good to you.
5.175.5
प्रतिपादय मां राजन्धर्मादींश्चर धर्मतः ।
त्वं हि मे मनसा ध्यातस्त्वया चाप्युपमन्त्रिता ॥ ५.१७५.५ ॥
O king, take me to yourself and follow the duties of dharma and the rest rightly. It is you whom I have held in my mind, and by you I have been addressed.
5.175.6
तामब्रवीत्साल्वपतिः स्मयन्निव विशांपते ।
त्वयाऽन्यपूर्वया नाहं भार्यार्थी वरवर्णिनि ॥ ५.१७५.६ ॥
O lord of the people, the lord of Sālva, as if smiling, said to her: O fair-complexioned one, I do not desire a wife who has already been chosen by another before you.
5.175.7
गच्छ भद्रे पुनस्तत्र सकाशं भीष्मकस्य वै ।
नाहमिच्छामि भीष्मेण गृहीतां त्वां प्रसह्य वै ॥ ५.१७५.७ ॥
Go, gentle one, back there to the presence of Bhīṣmaka. I do not desire you, seized forcibly by Bhīṣma.
5.175.8
त्वं हि भीष्मेण निर्जित्य नीता प्रीतिमती तदा ।
परामृश्य महायुद्धे निर्जित्य पृथिवीपतीन् ॥ ५.१७५.८ ॥
For Bhīṣma, having conquered you then, took you away, O fond one. In the great battle, having vanquished the lords of the earth, he seized you.
5.175.9
नाहं त्वय्यन्यपूर्वायां भार्यार्थी वरवर्णिनि ।
कथमस्मद्विधो राजा परपूर्वां प्रवेशयेत् ॥ ५.१७५.९ ॥
I do not desire you as a wife, O fair-complexioned one, you who once belonged to another. How would a king such as I bring into his house one formerly belonging to another?
5.175.10
नारीं विदितविज्ञानः परेषां धर्ममादिशन् ।
यथेष्टं गम्यतां भद्रे मा त्वां कालोऽत्यगादयम् ॥ ५.१७५.१० ॥
Knowing the discernment of the law of others, I prescribe: go wherever you wish, gentle one. Let this time not pass you by.
5.175.11
अम्बा तमब्रवीद्राजन्ननङ्गशरपीडिता ।
नैवं वद महीपाल नैतदेवं कथंचन ॥ ५.१७५.११ ॥
Ambā, afflicted by the arrows of Love, said to him, O king: do not speak thus, O protector of the earth. This is not so in any way.
5.175.12
नास्मि प्रीतिमती नीता भीष्मेणामित्रकर्शन ।
बलान्नीतास्मि रुदती विद्राव्य पृथिवीपतीन् ॥ ५.१७५.१२ ॥
I was not taken by Bhīṣma willingly, O destroyer of foes. Weeping, having routed the lords of the earth, I was carried off by force.
5.175.13
भजस्व मां साल्वपते भक्तां बालामनागसम् ।
भक्तानां हि परित्यागो न धर्मेषु प्रशस्यते ॥ ५.१७५.१३ ॥
O lord of Sālva, accept me, devoted, a young woman, blameless. Abandoning the devoted is not praised among the duties of dharma.
5.175.14
साहमामन्त्र्य गाङ्गेयं समरेष्वनिवर्तिनम् ।
अनुज्ञाता च तेनैव ततोऽहं भृशमागता ॥ ५.१७५.१४ ॥
Having taken leave of Gāṅgeya, who never turns back in battles, and having been permitted by him alone, I have come here at once.
5.175.15
न स भीष्मो महाबाहुर्मामिच्छति विशांपते ।
भ्रातृहेतोः समारम्भो भीष्मस्येति श्रुतं मया ॥ ५.१७५.१५ ॥
O lord of men, that mighty-armed Bhīṣma does not desire me. I have heard that Bhīṣma's undertaking is for the sake of a brother.
5.175.16
भगिन्यौ मम ये नीते अम्बिकाम्बालिके नृप ।
प्रादाद्विचित्रवीर्याय गाङ्गेयो हि यवीयसे ॥ ५.१७५.१६ ॥
O king, my two sisters Ambikā and Ambālikā were taken, and the son of Gaṅgā gave them to his younger brother Vicitravīrya.
5.175.17
यथा साल्वपते नान्यं वरं यामि कथंचन ।
त्वामृते पुरुषव्याघ्र तथा मूर्धानमालभे ॥ ५.१७५.१७ ॥
O lord of Sālva, just as I shall not go to any other husband in any way except you, O tiger among men, so I swear, touching my head.
5.175.18
न चान्यपूर्वा राजेन्द्र त्वामहं समुपस्थिता ।
सत्यं ब्रवीमि साल्वैतत्सत्येनात्मानमालभे ॥ ५.१७५.१८ ॥
O king of kings, I have never before belonged to another, and I have come before you. O Sālva, I speak this truth; by truth I swear, touching myself.
5.175.19
भजस्व मां विशालाक्ष स्वयं कन्यामुपस्थिताम् ।
अनन्यपूर्वां राजेन्द्र त्वत्प्रसादाभिकाङ्क्षिणीम् ॥ ५.१७५.१९ ॥
O broad-eyed one, O lord of kings, accept this maiden who has come forward of her own accord, never before given to another, desiring your favour.
5.175.20
तामेवं भाषमाणां तु साल्वः काशिपतेः सुताम् ।
अत्यजद्भरतश्रेष्ठ जीर्णां त्वचमिवोरगः ॥ ५.१७५.२० ॥
O best of the Bharatas, as she spoke thus, Sālva cast off the daughter of the king of Kāśi, as a serpent casts off its worn-out skin.
5.175.21
एवं बहुविधैर्वाक्यैर्याच्यमानस्तया नृपः ।
नाश्रद्दधत्साल्वपतिः कन्यायां भरतर्षभ ॥ ५.१७५.२१ ॥
O bull of the Bharatas, though she entreated him thus with many kinds of words, the lord of Sālva did not believe the maiden.
5.175.22
ततः सा मन्युनाऽऽविष्टा ज्येष्ठा काशिपतेः सुता ।
अब्रवीत्साश्रुनयना बाष्पविप्लुतया गिरा ॥ ५.१७५.२२ ॥
Then the eldest daughter of the king of Kāśi, filled with anger, spoke with tearful eyes and a voice choked with tears.
5.175.23
त्वया त्यक्ता गमिष्यामि यत्र तत्र विशांपते ।
तत्र मे गतयः सन्तु सन्तः सत्यं यथा ध्रुवम् ॥ ५.१७५.२३ ॥
O lord of men, abandoned by you, wherever I go, may there be my destinations; may the good be so, as truly as it is certain.
5.175.24
एवं तां भाषमाणां तु कन्यां साल्वपतिस्तदा ।
परितत्याज कौरव्य करुणं परिदेवतीम् ॥ ५.१७५.२४ ॥
O descendant of Kuru, as she spoke thus and lamented piteously, the lord of Sālva then utterly abandoned the maiden.
5.175.25
गच्छ गच्छेति तां साल्वः पुनः पुनरभाषत ।
बिभेमि भीष्मात्सुश्रोणि त्वं च भीष्मपरिग्रहः ॥ ५.१७५.२५ ॥
Again and again Sālva said to her, "Go, go. Fair-hipped one, I fear Bhīṣma; you too are one taken by Bhīṣma."
5.175.26
एवमुक्ता तु सा तेन साल्वेनादीर्घदर्शिना ।
निश्चक्राम पुराद्दीना रुदती कुररी यथा ॥ ५.१७५.२६ ॥
Thus addressed by the short-sighted Sālva, she went out of the city, wretched and weeping like an osprey.
5.175.27
निष्क्रामन्ती तु नगराच्चिन्तयामास दुःखिता ।
पृथिव्यां नास्ति युवतिर्विषमस्थतरा मया ॥ ५.१७५.२७ ॥
Going out of the city, grieving, she thought: "On earth there is no young woman in a more ill-fated state than I."
5.175.28
बन्धुर्भिर्विप्रहीणास्मि साल्वेन च निराकृता ।
न च शक्यं पुनर्गन्तुं मया वारणसाह्वयम् ॥ ५.१७५.२८ ॥
Forsaken by my kinsmen and rejected by Sālva, I cannot now return to the city Vāraṇasāhvaya.
5.175.29
अनुज्ञाता तु भीष्मेण साल्वमुद्दिश्य कारणम् ।
किं नु गर्हाम्यथात्मानमथ भीष्मं दुरासदम् ॥ ५.१७५.२९ ॥
Permitted by Bhīṣma, and with Sālva as the cause, shall I blame myself, or Bhīṣma, who is hard to approach?
5.175.30
अथवा पितरं मूढं यो मेऽकार्षीत्स्वयंवरम् ।
मयाऽयं स्वकृतो दोषो याऽहं भीष्मरथात्तदा ॥ ५.१७५.३० ॥
Or shall I blame my foolish father, who arranged my svayaṃvara? This fault is my own, for at that time I descended from Bhīṣma's chariot.
5.175.31
प्रवृत्ते दारुणे युद्धे साल्वार्थं नापतं पुरा ।
तस्येयं फलनिर्वृत्तिर्यदापन्नाऽस्मि मूढवत् ॥ ५.१७५.३१ ॥
When the terrible battle had begun, formerly I did not go for Sālva; this is the fruit of that, that I have fallen into this state like a fool.
5.175.32
धिग्भीष्मं धिक्क मे मन्दं पितरं मूढचेतसम् ।
येनाहं वीर्यशुल्केन पण्यस्त्रीव प्रचोदिता ॥ ५.१७५.३२ ॥
Shame on Bhīṣma, shame on me, the foolish one, and shame on my father of deluded mind, by whom I was driven, like a prostitute, with valour as the bride-price.
5.175.33
धिङ्मां धिक्साल्वराजानं धिग्धातारमथापि वा ।
येषां दुर्नीतभावेन प्राप्तास्म्यापदमुत्तमाम् ॥ ५.१७५.३३ ॥
Shame on me, shame on King Sālva, and shame on the creator too, or on those by whose wicked intent I have reached this supreme calamity.
5.175.34
सर्वथा भागधेयानि स्वानि प्राप्नोति मानवः ।
अनयस्यास्य तु मुखं भीष्मः शान्तनवो मम ॥ ५.१७५.३४ ॥
A person obtains in every way his own lot; but the source of this misfortune, for me, is Bhīṣma, the son of Śantanu.
5.175.35
सा भीष्मे प्रतिकर्तव्यमहं पश्यामि सांप्रतम् ।
तपसा वा युधा वापि दुःखहेतुः स मे मतः ॥ ५.१७५.३५ ॥
Now I see what must be done in return toward Bhīṣma, whether by austerity or by battle; he is the cause of my suffering, I consider.
5.175.36
को नु भीष्मं युधा जेतुमुत्सहेत महीपतिः ।
एवं सा परिनिश्चित्य जगाम नगराद्बहिः ॥ ५.१७५.३६ ॥
Which king would dare to conquer Bhīṣma in battle? Having thus resolved, she went out from the city.
5.175.37
आश्रमं पुण्यशीलानां तापसानां महात्मनाम् ।
ततस्तामवसद्रात्रिं तापसैः परिवारिता ॥ ५.१७५.३७ ॥
In the hermitage of the great-souled ascetics of pure conduct, surrounded by the ascetics, she passed that night.
5.175.38
आचख्यौ च यथावृत्तं सर्वमात्मनि भारत ।
विस्तरेण महाबाहो निखिलेन शुचिस्मिता ।
हरणं च विसर्गं च साल्वेन च विसर्जनम् ॥ ५.१७५.३८ ॥
O Bhārata, she related in full detail everything that had happened to her: the abduction, the release, and her dismissal by Sālva, O mighty-armed one, she of the pure smile.
5.175.39
ततस्तत्र महानासीद्ब्राह्मणः संशितव्रतः ।
शैखावत्यस्तपोबृद्धः शास्त्रे चारण्यके गुरुः ॥ ५.१७५.३९ ॥
There was then a great brahmin, firm in his vows, Śaikhāvatya, aged in asceticism, a teacher of the scriptures and of the Āraṇyakas.
5.175.40
आर्ता तामाह स मुनिः शैखावत्यो महातपाः ।
निःश्वसन्तीं सतीं बालां दुःखशोकपरायणाम् ॥ ५.१७५.४० ॥
The great ascetic sage Śaikhāvatya spoke to her, afflicted, sighing, the virtuous young woman absorbed in sorrow and grief.
5.175.41
एवं गते तु किं भद्रे शक्यं कर्तुं तपस्विभिः ।
आश्रमस्थैर्महाभागे तपोयुक्तैर्महात्मभिः ॥ ५.१७५.४१ ॥
Once this has come to pass, O good woman, what can ascetics dwelling in the hermitage, devoted to austerity and great-souled, do? O greatly fortunate one.
5.175.42
सा त्वेनमब्रवीद्राजन्क्रियतां मदनुग्रहः ।
प्राव्राज्यमहमिच्छामि तपस्तप्स्यामि दुश्चरम् ॥ ५.१७५.४२ ॥
But she said to him: O king, show me your favour. I desire renunciation, and I shall perform a difficult austerity.
5.175.43
मयैव यानि कर्माणि पूर्वदेहे तु मूढया ।
कृतानि नूनं पापानि तेषामेतत्फलं ध्रुवम् ॥ ५.१७५.४३ ॥
Surely this is the certain fruit of the sinful deeds I myself did in my former body, in my delusion.
5.175.44
नोत्सहे तु पुनर्गन्तुं स्वजनं प्रति तापसाः ।
प्रत्याख्याता निरानन्दा साल्वेन च निराकृता ॥ ५.१७५.४४ ॥
Ascetics, I have no courage to go back to my own people again — rejected and joyless, and spurned by Sālva as well.
5.175.45
उपदिष्टमिहेच्छामि तापस्यं वीतकल्मषाः ।
युष्माभिर्देवसंकाशैः कृपा भवतु वो मयि ॥ ५.१७५.४५ ॥
Stainless ones, I wish to practise asceticism here as you have instructed; godlike as you are, may you show compassion toward me.
5.175.46
स तामाश्वासयत्कन्यां दृष्टान्तागमहेतुभिः ।
सान्त्वयामास कार्यं च प्रतिजज्ञे द्विजैः सह ॥ ५.१७५.४६ ॥
He comforted that maiden with examples, tradition and reasons, soothed her, and pledged to act together with the Brahmins.