Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 5.186
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5.186.1
प्रत्यक्षमेतल्लोकानां सर्वेषामेव भामिनि ।
यथाशक्त्या मया युद्धं कृतं वै पौरुषं परम् ॥ ५.१८६.१ ॥
O radiant lady, it is plainly seen by all the worlds that I fought in battle with supreme manly effort, according to my strength.
5.186.2
न चैवमपि शक्नोमि भीष्मं शस्त्रभृतां वरम् ।
विशेषयितुमत्यर्थमुत्तमास्त्राणि दर्शयन् ॥ ५.१८६.२ ॥
Yet even so I am not able to overcome Bhīṣma, the best of weapon-bearers, though I displayed my supreme weapons.
5.186.3
एषा मे परमा शक्तिरेतन्मे परमं बलम् ।
यथेष्टं गम्यतां भद्रे किमन्यद्वा करोमि ते ॥ ५.१८६.३ ॥
This is my supreme power, this is my greatest strength. O gentle lady, go wherever you wish; what else can I do for you?
5.186.4
भीष्ममेव प्रपद्यस्व न तेऽन्या विद्यते गतिः ।
निर्जितो ह्यस्मि भीष्मेण महास्त्राणि प्रमुञ्चता ॥ ५.१८६.४ ॥
Take refuge in Bhīṣma alone; there is no other course for you. I have indeed been defeated by Bhīṣma, who discharges the great weapons.
5.186.5
एवमुक्त्वा ततो रामो विनिःश्वस्य महामनाः ।
तूष्मीमासीत्ततः कनक्या प्रोवाच भृगुनन्दनम् ॥ ५.१८६.५ ॥
Having spoken thus, Rāma, the great-minded one, sighed deeply and fell silent; then Kanakī spoke to the son of Bhṛgu.
5.186.6
भगवन्नेवमेवैतद्यथाऽऽह भगवांस्तथा ।
अजेयो युधि भीष्मोऽयमपि देवैरुदारधीः ॥ ५.१८६.६ ॥
Venerable one, it is just as the venerable one has said: Bhīṣma, of noble mind, is unconquerable in battle, even by the gods.
5.186.7
यथाशक्ति यथोत्साहं मम कार्यं कृतं त्वया ।
अनिवार्यं रणे वीर्यमस्त्राणि विविधानि च ॥ ५.१८६.७ ॥
I have done my duty according to my strength and zeal. In battle your valour was unavoidable, and so were your many weapons.
5.186.8
ने चैव शक्यते युद्धे विशेषयितुमन्ततः ।
न चाहमेनं यास्यामि पुनर्भीष्मं कथंचन ॥ ५.१८६.८ ॥
In battle it is not possible, in the end, to make one surpass the other; and I shall not go to this Bhīṣma again in any way.
5.186.9
गमिष्यामि तु तत्राहं यत्र भीष्मं तपोधन ।
समरे पातयिष्यामि स्वयमेव भृगूद्वह ॥ ५.१८६.९ ॥
O ascetic-wealthy one, I shall go to where Bhīṣma is; and in battle I myself shall bring him down, O best of the Bhṛgus.
5.186.10
एवमुक्त्वा ययौ कन्या रोषव्याकुललोचना ।
तापस्ये धृतसंकल्पा सा मे चिन्तयती वधम् ॥ ५.१८६.१० ॥
Having said this, the maiden departed with eyes troubled by anger, resolute in her asceticism, brooding upon my death.
5.186.11
ततो महेन्द्रं सहितैरमुनिभिर्भृगुसत्तमः ।
यथाऽऽगतं तथा सोऽगन्मामुपामन्त्र्य भारत ॥ ५.१८६.११ ॥
Then the best of the Bhṛgus, together with the other sages from Mount Mahendra, took leave of me and departed, O Bhārata, just as he had come.
5.186.12
ततो रथं समारुह्य स्तूयमानो द्विजातिभिः ।
प्रविश्य नगरं मात्रे सत्यवत्यै न्यवेदयम् ॥ ५.१८६.१२ ॥
Then, mounting my chariot and praised by the twice-born, I entered the city and reported everything to my mother Satyavatī.
5.186.13
यथावृत्तं महाराज सा च मां प्रत्यनन्दत ।
पुरुषांश्चादिशं प्राज्ञान्कन्यावृत्तान्तकर्मणि ॥ ५.१८६.१३ ॥
Great king, just as it happened, she too approved of me. And I directed wise men to the matter of the maiden's affairs.
5.186.14
दिवसे दिवसे ह्यस्या गतिजल्पितचेष्टितम् ।
प्रत्याहरंश्च मे युक्ताः स्थिताः प्रियहिते सदा ॥ ५.१८६.१४ ॥
Day after day they brought me news of her movements, speech and conduct; those appointed for her welfare and good stayed there always.
5.186.15
यदैव हि वनं प्रायात्सा कन्या तपसे धृता ।
तदैव व्यथितो दीनो गतचेता इवाभवम् ॥ ५.१८६.१५ ॥
The very moment that maiden went to the forest, resolved upon penance, I became distressed, wretched, as if bereft of my senses.
5.186.16
न हि मां क्षत्रियः कश्चिद्वीर्येण व्यजयद्युधि ।
ऋते ब्रह्मविदस्तात तपसा संशितव्रतात् ॥ ५.१८६.१६ ॥
No kṣatriya in battle ever defeated me in valour, dear one, except the knowers of Brahman whose vows are sharpened by asceticism.
5.186.17
अपि चैतन्मया राजन्नारदेऽपि निवेदितम् ।
व्यासे चैव तथा कार्यं तौ चोभौ मामवोचताम् ॥ ५.१८६.१७ ॥
Moreover, king, I reported this even to Nārada, and it must likewise be done for Vyāsa; those two both told me so.
5.186.18
न विषादस्त्वया कार्यो भीष्म काशिसुतां प्रति ।
दैवं पुरुषकारेण को निवर्तितुमुत्सहेत् ॥ ५.१८६.१८ ॥
Bhīṣma, you must not grieve over the daughter of Kāśi. Who would dare to turn back fate by human effort?
5.186.19
सा कन्या तु महाराज प्रविश्याश्रममण्डलम् ।
यमुनातीरमाश्रित्य तपस्तेपेऽतिमानुषम् ॥ ५.१८६.१९ ॥
Great king, that maiden entered the circle of hermitages, took refuge on the bank of the Yamunā, and performed a superhuman penance.
5.186.20
निराहारा कृशा रूक्षा जटिला मलपङ्किनी ।
षण्मासान्वायुभक्षा च स्थाणुभूता तपोधना ॥ ५.१८६.२० ॥
Fasting, emaciated, rough, matted-haired, caked with dirt, that wealth of austerity lived on air for six months and became like a stump.
5.186.21
यमुनाजलमाश्रित्य संवत्सरमथाऽपरम् ।
उदवासं निराहारा पारयामास भामिनी ॥ ५.१८६.२१ ॥
Taking refuge in the water of the Yamunā, the proud lady completed her penance, living in water without food for one year and then for another.
5.186.22
शीर्णपर्णेन चैकेन पारयामास सा परम् ।
संवत्सरं तीव्रकोपा पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रधिष्ठिता ॥ ५.१८६.२२ ॥
With a single withered leaf, fiercely angry, standing on the tip of one big toe, she completed a further year of penance.
5.186.23
एवं द्वादश वर्षाणि तापयामास रोदसी ।
निवर्त्यमानापि च सा ज्ञातिभिर्नैव शक्यते ॥ ५.१८६.२३ ॥
Thus for twelve years she scorched heaven and earth, and though her kinsmen tried to turn her back, she could not be turned.
5.186.24
ततोऽगमद्वत्सभूमिं सिद्धचारणसेविताम् ।
आश्रमं पुण्यशीलानां तापसानां महात्मनाम् ॥ ५.१८६.२४ ॥
Then she went to the land of Vatsa, frequented by siddhas and cāraṇas, to the hermitage of the virtuous, great-souled ascetics.
5.186.25
तत्र पुण्येषु तीर्थेषु साऽऽप्लुताङ्गी दिवानिशम् ।
व्यचरत्काशिकन्या सा यथाकामविचारिणी ॥ ५.१८६.२५ ॥
There, bathing her limbs in the holy fords, the princess of Kāśi wandered day and night, moving as she pleased.
5.186.26
नन्दाश्रमे महाराज तथोलूकाश्रमे शुभे ।
च्यवनस्याश्रमे चैव ब्रह्मणः स्थान एव च ॥ ५.१८६.२६ ॥
O great king, at Nanda's hermitage, and at the auspicious hermitage of Ulūka, at Cyavana's hermitage, and also at the place of Brahmā.
5.186.27
त्रयागे देवयजने देवारण्येषु चैव ह ।
भोगवत्यां महाराज कौशिकस्याश्रमे तथा ॥ ५.१८६.२७ ॥
At Trayāga, at the sacrificial ground of the gods, and in the divine forests; O great king, at Bhogavatī and likewise at Kauśika's hermitage.
5.186.28
माण्डव्यस्याश्रमे राजन्दिलीपस्याश्रमे तथा ।
रामह्रदे च कौरव्य पैलगर्गस्य चाश्रमे ॥ ५.१८६.२८ ॥
At Māṇḍavya's hermitage, O king, and likewise at Dilīpa's hermitage; O descendant of Kuru, at Rāma's lake and at Pailagarga's hermitage.
5.186.29
एतेषु तीर्थेषु तदा काशिकन्या विशांपते ।
आप्लावयत गात्राणि व्रतमास्थाय दुष्करम् ॥ ५.१८६.२९ ॥
At these sacred fords the princess of Kāśi then, O lord of men, bathed her limbs, undertaking a difficult vow.
5.186.30
तामब्रवीच्च कौरव्य मम माता जले स्थिता ।
किमर्थं क्लिश्यसे भद्रे तथ्यमेव वदस्व मे ॥ ५.१८६.३० ॥
And, O descendant of Kuru, he said to her: "My mother stands in the water. O gentle one, why do you suffer? Tell me the truth."
5.186.31
सैनामथाब्रवीद्राजन्कृताञ्जलिरनिन्दिता ।
भीष्मेण समरे रामो निर्जितश्चारुलोचनि ॥ ५.१८६.३१ ॥
O king, then the blameless one, folding her hands, said to her: 'O beautiful-eyed one, in battle Bhīṣma defeated Rāma.'
5.186.32
कोऽन्यस्तमुत्सहेञ्जेतुमुद्यतेषुं महीपतिः ।
साहं भीष्मविनाशाय तपस्तप्स्ये सुदारुणम् ॥ ५.१८६.३२ ॥
'Who else among the ready kings would dare to conquer him? Therefore, for the destruction of Bhīṣma, I will perform a most severe austerity.'
5.186.33
विचरामि महीं देवि यथा हन्यामहं नृपम् ।
एतद्व्रतफलं देवि परमस्मिन्यथा हि मे ॥ ५.१८६.३३ ॥
'O goddess, I will wander the earth so that I may slay that king. O goddess, this is the fruit of my vow, which is supreme for me.'
5.186.34
ततोऽब्रवीत्सागरगा जिह्मं चरसि भामिनि ।
नैष कामोऽनवद्याङ्गि शक्यः प्राप्तुं त्वयाऽबले ॥ ५.१८६.३४ ॥
Then the river flowing to the ocean said: 'O lady, you wander a crooked path. O faultless-limbed, weak one, this desire is not possible for you to attain.'
5.186.35
यदि भीष्मविनाशाय काश्ये चरसि वै व्रतम् ।
व्रतस्था च शरीरं त्वं यदि नाम विमोक्ष्यसि ॥ ५.१८६.३५ ॥
'O princess of Kāśi, if you undertake this vow for the destruction of Bhīṣma, and if, steadfast in the vow, you give up your body—'
5.186.36
नदी भविष्यसि शुभे कुटिला वार्षिकोदका ।
दुस्तीर्था न तु विज्ञेया वार्षिकी नाष्टमासिकी ॥ ५.१८६.३६ ॥
'O auspicious one, you will become a crooked river with rainy-season waters, hard to cross; but know that it is a river of the rainy season only, not of eight months.'
5.186.37
भीमग्राहवती घोरा सर्वभूतभयंकरी ।
एवमुक्त्वा ततो राजन्काशिकन्यां न्यवर्तत ॥ ५.१८६.३७ ॥
Full of terrible crocodiles, dreadful and fearsome to all creatures. O king, having said this, she turned away from the Kāśi princess.
5.186.38
माता मम महाभागा स्मयमानेव भामिनी ।
कदाचिदष्टमे मासि कदाचिद्दशमे तथा।
न प्राश्नीतोदकमपि पुनः सा वरवर्णिनी ॥ ५.१८६.३८ ॥
My mother, greatly fortunate, lovely and smiling as if in mirth — sometimes in the eighth month, sometimes in the tenth, that fair-complexioned lady would not even drink water.
5.186.39
सा वत्सभूमिं कौरव्य तीर्थलोभात्ततस्ततः ।
पतिता परिधावन्ती पुनः काशिपतेः सुता ॥ ५.१८६.३९ ॥
She, O descendant of Kuru, running hither and thither on the land of Vatsa out of greed for a holy ford, fell — the daughter of the lord of Kāśi, again.
5.186.40
सा नदी वत्सभूम्यां तु प्रथिताम्बेति भारत ।
वार्षिकी ग्राहबहुला दुस्तीर्था कुटिला तथा ॥ ५.१८६.४० ॥
That river is famed in the land of Vatsa as Ambā, O Bhārata. It is a rain-fed river, full of crocodiles, hard to cross at its fords, and winding.
5.186.41
सा कन्या तपसा तेन देहार्धेन व्यजायत ।
नदी च राजन्वत्सेषु कन्या चैवाभवत्तदा ॥ ५.१८६.४१ ॥
That maiden was born by that austerity with half her body; and then, O king, among the Vatsas she became both a river and a maiden.