Amba Asks Rama to Slay Bhishma

Verse 1 (5.177.1)

दुःखं द्वयोरिदं भद्रे कतरस्य चिकीर्षसि । प्रतिकर्तव्यमबले तत्त्वं वत्से वदस्व मे ॥

duḥkhaṃ dvayoridaṃ bhadre katarasya cikīrṣasi | pratikartavyamabale tattvaṃ vatse vadasva me

Good lady, this sorrow of yours comes from two men. Against which of the two do you want redress taken, frail one? Tell me that truly, child.

Note on the text: Corrected दुःख → दुःखं (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped anusvara: the page's own gloss reads "द्वयोः सकाशात्", i.e. "this sorrow comes from two"). The critical edition has the compound duḥkhadvayam; वदस्व (CE bravīhi) kept as a variant.

Verse 2 (5.177.2)

यदि सौभपतिर्भद्रे नियोक्तव्यो मतस्तव । नियोक्ष्यति महात्मा स रामस्त्वद्धितकाम्यया ॥

yadi saubhapatirbhadre niyoktavyo matastava | niyokṣyati mahātmā sa rāmastvaddhitakāmyayā

If, good lady, you think the lord of Saubha should be made to take you, the great-souled Rama will compel him, for he wishes you well.

Verse 3 (5.177.3)

अथापगेयं भीष्मं त्वं रामेणेच्छसि धीमता । रणे विनिर्जितं द्रष्टुं कुर्यात्तदपि भार्गवः ॥

athāpageyaṃ bhīṣmaṃ tvaṃ rāmeṇecchasi dhīmatā | raṇe vinirjitaṃ draṣṭuṃ kuryāttadapi bhārgavaḥ

Or if you wish to see Bhishma, the son of the river, defeated in battle by the wise Rama, the Bhargava would do that too.

Verse 4 (5.177.4)

सृञ्जयस्य वचः श्रुत्वा तव चैव शुचिस्मिते । यदत्र ते भृशं कार्यं तदद्यैव विचिन्त्यताम् ॥

sṛñjayasya vacaḥ śrutvā tava caiva śucismite | yadatra te bhṛśaṃ kāryaṃ tadadyaiva vicintyatām

Having heard what Srinjaya has said, and what you yourself say, sweet-smiling one, let it be decided this very day what you most need done here.

Verse 5 (5.177.5)

अपनीतास्मि भीष्मेण भगवन्नविजानता । नाभिजानाति मे भीष्मो ब्रह्मन्साल्वगतं मनः ॥

apanītāsmi bhīṣmeṇa bhagavannavijānatā | nābhijānāti me bhīṣmo brahmansālvagataṃ manaḥ

Bhishma carried me off without knowing, blessed one; Bhishma did not know, Brahmin, that my heart was set on Salva.

Verse 6 (5.177.6)

एतद्विचार्य मनसा भवानेतद्विनिश्चयम् । विचिनोतु यथान्यायं विधानं क्रियतां तथा ॥

etadvicārya manasā bhavānetadviniścayam | vicinotu yathānyāyaṃ vidhānaṃ kriyatāṃ tathā

Weigh this in your mind and come to a decision; choose what is just, and let the remedy be carried out accordingly.

Verse 7 (5.177.7)

भीष्मे वा कुरुशार्दूले शाल्वराजेऽथवा पुनः । उभयोरेव वा ब्रह्मन्युक्तं यत्तत्समाचर ॥

bhīṣme vā kuruśārdūle śālvarāje'thavā punaḥ | ubhayoreva vā brahmanyuktaṃ yattatsamācara

Whether against Bhishma, the tiger of the Kurus, or against the king of the Salvas, or against both, Brahmin, do what is fitting.

Verse 8 (5.177.8)

निवेदितं मया ह्येतद्दुःखमूलं यथातथम् । विधानं तत्र भगवन्कर्तुमर्हसि युक्तितः ॥

niveditaṃ mayā hyetadduḥkhamūlaṃ yathātatham | vidhānaṃ tatra bhagavankartumarhasi yuktitaḥ

I have told you the root of my sorrow just as it is. It is for you, blessed one, to devise the remedy with sound judgment.

Verse 9 (5.177.9)

उपपन्नमिदं भद्रे यदेवं वरवर्णिनि । धर्मं प्रतिवचो ब्रूयाः शृणु चेदं वचो मम ॥

upapannamidaṃ bhadre yadevaṃ varavarṇini | dharmaṃ prativaco brūyāḥ śṛṇu cedaṃ vaco mama

It is fitting, good lady, fair one, that you should speak like this with dharma in view. Now hear what I have to say.

Note on the text: Corrected उपपदमिदं → उपपन्नमिदं, श्रृणु → शृणु and चदं → चेदं (misprints in Wikisource; a dropped akshara, श्रृ for शृ, a dropped vowel sign; the critical edition reads upapannam idaṃ, śṛṇu cedaṃ).

Verse 10 (5.177.10)

यदि त्वामापगेयो वै न नयेद्गजसाह्वयम् । साल्वस्त्वा शिरसा भीरु गृह्णीयाद्रामचोदितः ॥

yadi tvāmāpageyo vai na nayedgajasāhvayam | sālvastvā śirasā bhīru gṛhṇīyādrāmacoditaḥ

If the son of the river had not taken you to Hastinapura, Salva, urged by Rama, would have received you with bowed head, timid one.

Verse 11 (5.177.11)

तेन त्वं निर्जिता भद्रे यस्मान्नीतासि भामिनि । संशयः साल्वराजस्य तेन त्वयि सुमध्यमे ॥

tena tvaṃ nirjitā bhadre yasmānnītāsi bhāmini | saṃśayaḥ sālvarājasya tena tvayi sumadhyame

Because he won you and carried you off, good lady, lovely one, the king of the Salvas has come to doubt you, slender-waisted one.

Verse 12 (5.177.12)

भीष्मः पुरुषमानी च जितकाशी तथैव च । तस्मात्प्रतिक्रिया युक्ता भीष्मे कारयितुं तव ॥

bhīṣmaḥ puruṣamānī ca jitakāśī tathaiva ca | tasmātpratikriyā yuktā bhīṣme kārayituṃ tava

Bhishma is proud of his manhood and flushed with victory; so it is right for you to have redress taken against Bhishma.

Verse 13 (5.177.13)

ममाप्येष सदा ब्रह्मन्हृदि कामोऽभिवर्तते । घातयेयं यदि रणे भीष्ममित्येव नित्यदा ॥

mamāpyeṣa sadā brahmanhṛdi kāmo'bhivartate | ghātayeyaṃ yadi raṇe bhīṣmamityeva nityadā

This has always been the wish in my own heart too, Brahmin: that I might have Bhishma slain in battle. It is with me always.

Verse 14 (5.177.14)

भीष्मं वा साल्वराजं वा यं वा दोषेण गच्छसि । प्रशाधि तं महाबाहो यत्कृतेऽहं सुदुःखिता ॥

bhīṣmaṃ vā sālvarājaṃ vā yaṃ vā doṣeṇa gacchasi | praśādhi taṃ mahābāho yatkṛte'haṃ suduḥkhitā

Bhishma or the king of the Salvas, whichever of them you hold to blame, strong-armed one, punish him, on whose account I am so wretched.

Note on the text: Inserted the missing word break in महाबाहो यत्कृतेऽहं (run together in Wikisource).

Verse 15 (5.177.15)

एवं कथयतामेव तेषां स दिवसो गतः । रात्रिश्च भरतश्रेष्ठ सुखशीतोष्णमारुता ॥

evaṃ kathayatāmeva teṣāṃ sa divaso gataḥ | rātriśca bharataśreṣṭha sukhaśītoṣṇamārutā

As they talked thus, that day passed, and the night as well, best of the Bharatas, with its pleasant breezes, cool and warm.

Verse 16 (5.177.16)

ततो रामः प्रादुरासीत्प्रज्वलन्निव तेजसा । शिष्यैः परिवृतो राजञ्जटाचीरधरो मुनिः ॥

tato rāmaḥ prādurāsītprajvalanniva tejasā | śiṣyaiḥ parivṛto rājañjaṭācīradharo muniḥ

Then Rama appeared, blazing as it were with splendour, surrounded by his disciples, O king: the sage with matted locks and bark garments.

Verse 17 (5.177.17)

धनुष्पाणिरदीनात्मा खड्गं बिभ्रत्परश्वधी । विरजा राजशार्दूल सृञ्जयं सोऽभ्ययान्नृपम् ॥

dhanuṣpāṇiradīnātmā khaḍgaṃ bibhratparaśvadhī | virajā rājaśārdūla sṛñjayaṃ so'bhyayānnṛpam

Bow in hand, undaunted, carrying a sword and bearing his axe, free from passion, tiger among kings, he came to King Srinjaya.

Note on the text: Corrected खङ्गं → खड्गं (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads khaḍgaṃ). सृञ्जयं सोऽभ्ययान्नृपम् (CE so 'bhyayāt sṛñjayaṃ nṛpam) kept as a variant word order.

Verse 18 (5.177.18)

ततस्तं तापसा दृष्ट्वा स च राजा महातपाः । तस्थुः प्राञ्जलयो राजन्सा च कन्या तपस्विनी ॥

tatastaṃ tāpasā dṛṣṭvā sa ca rājā mahātapāḥ | tasthuḥ prāñjalayo rājansā ca kanyā tapasvinī

When they saw him, the ascetics and the king, great in austerity, stood with joined palms, O king, and so did the maiden in her ascetic's garb.

Verse 19 (5.177.19)

पूजयामासुरव्यग्रा मधुपर्केण भार्गवम् । अर्चितश्च यथान्यायं निषसाद सहैव तैः ॥

pūjayāmāsuravyagrā madhuparkeṇa bhārgavam | arcitaśca yathānyāyaṃ niṣasāda sahaiva taiḥ

Unhurried, they honoured the Bhargava with the honey-mixture, and, duly worshipped, he sat down with them.

Verse 20 (5.177.20)

ततः पूर्वव्यतीतानि कथयन्तौ स्म तावुभौ । आसातां जामदग्न्यश्च सृञ्जयश्चैव भारत ॥

tataḥ pūrvavyatītāni kathayantau sma tāvubhau | āsātāṃ jāmadagnyaśca sṛñjayaścaiva bhārata

Then the two of them, the son of Jamadagni and Srinjaya, sat talking over the days gone by, O Bharata.

Note on the text: The critical edition's 5.176.20 (left unmatched by the alignment) is the same verse with a different second line (sṛñjayaś ca sa rājarṣir jāmadagnyaś ca bhārata); Wikisource's reading kept as a variant.

Verse 21 (5.177.21)

तथा कथान्ते राजर्षिर्भृगुश्रेष्ठं महाबलम् । उवाच मधुरं काले रामं वचनमर्थवत् ॥

tathā kathānte rājarṣirbhṛguśreṣṭhaṃ mahābalam | uvāca madhuraṃ kāle rāmaṃ vacanamarthavat

Then, at the end of their talk, the royal sage spoke at a fitting moment to Rama, the mighty best of the Bhrigus, words sweet and full of meaning:

Verse 22 (5.177.22)

रामेयं मम दौहित्री काशिराजसुता प्रभो । अस्याः शृणु यथातत्त्वं कार्यं कार्यविशारद ॥

rāmeyaṃ mama dauhitrī kāśirājasutā prabho | asyāḥ śṛṇu yathātattvaṃ kāryaṃ kāryaviśārada

"Rama, my lord, this is my daughter's daughter, the daughter of the king of Kashi. Hear from her truly the task she has, you who are skilled in affairs."

Note on the text: Corrected श्रृणु → शृणु (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads śṛṇu). Speaker set to Hotravahana: the verse is wholly his speech to Rama (Wikisource prints no heading; the input carried भीष्म).

Verse 23 (5.177.23)

परमं कथ्यतां चेति तां रामः प्रत्यभाषत । ततः साभ्यवदद्रामं ज्वलन्तमिव पावकम् ॥

paramaṃ kathyatāṃ ceti tāṃ rāmaḥ pratyabhāṣata | tataḥ sābhyavadadrāmaṃ jvalantamiva pāvakam

"Tell me what matters most to you," Rama said to her. Then she addressed Rama, who blazed like fire.

Verse 24 (5.177.24)

ततोऽभिवाद्य चरणौ रामस्य शिरसा शुभौ । स्पृष्ट्वा पद्मदलाभाभ्यां पाणिभ्यामग्रतः स्थिता ॥

tato'bhivādya caraṇau rāmasya śirasā śubhau | spṛṣṭvā padmadalābhābhyāṃ pāṇibhyāmagrataḥ sthitā

Bowing her head at Rama's auspicious feet and touching them with hands like lotus petals, she stood before him.

Verse 25 (5.177.25)

रुरोद सा शोकवती बाष्पव्याकुललोचना । प्रपेदे शरणं चैव शरण्यं भृगुनन्दनम् ॥

ruroda sā śokavatī bāṣpavyākulalocanā | prapede śaraṇaṃ caiva śaraṇyaṃ bhṛgunandanam

Stricken with grief, her eyes blurred with tears, she wept, and took refuge with the delight of the Bhrigus, the giver of refuge.

Verse 26 (5.177.26)

यथा त्वं सृंजयस्यास्य तथा मे त्वं नृपात्मजे । ब्रूहि यत्ते मनोदुःखं करिष्ये वचनं तव ॥

yathā tvaṃ sṛṃjayasyāsya tathā me tvaṃ nṛpātmaje | brūhi yatte manoduḥkhaṃ kariṣye vacanaṃ tava

As you are to this Srinjaya, so are you to me, princess. Tell me the sorrow of your heart; I will do what you ask.

Verse 27 (5.177.27)

भगवञ्शरणं त्वाद्य प्रपन्नाऽस्मि महाव्रतम् । शोकपङ्कार्णवान्मग्नं घोरादुद्धर मां विभो ॥

bhagavañśaraṇaṃ tvādya prapannā'smi mahāvratam | śokapaṅkārṇavānmagnaṃ ghorāduddhara māṃ vibho

Blessed one, I have come to you for refuge today, you of great vows. Lift me out, my lord, from the dreadful mire and ocean of grief in which I am sunk.

Verse 28 (5.177.28)

तस्याश्च दृष्ट्वा रूपं च वपुश्चाभिनवं पुनः । सौकुमार्यं परं चैव रामश्चिन्तापरोऽभवत् ॥

tasyāśca dṛṣṭvā rūpaṃ ca vapuścābhinavaṃ punaḥ | saukumāryaṃ paraṃ caiva rāmaścintāparo'bhavat

Seeing her beauty, her body in the freshness of youth, and her exceeding delicacy, Rama grew thoughtful.

Verse 29 (5.177.29)

किमियं वक्ष्यतीत्येवं विममर्श भृगूद्वहः । इति दध्यौ चिरं रामः कृपयाभिपरिप्लुतः ॥

kimiyaṃ vakṣyatītyevaṃ vimamarśa bhṛgūdvahaḥ | iti dadhyau ciraṃ rāmaḥ kṛpayābhipariplutaḥ

"What will she say?" the scion of the Bhrigus wondered; and so Rama pondered long, overflowing with compassion.

Verse 30 (5.177.30)

कथ्यतामिति सा भूयो रामेणोक्ता शुचिस्मिता । सर्वमेव यथातत्त्वं कथयामास भार्गवे ॥

kathyatāmiti sā bhūyo rāmeṇoktā śucismitā | sarvameva yathātattvaṃ kathayāmāsa bhārgave

Told once more by Rama, "Speak," the sweet-smiling maiden told the Bhargava everything just as it was.

Verse 31 (5.177.31)

तच्छ्रुत्वा जामदग्न्यस्तु राजपुत्र्या वचस्तदा । उवाच तां वरारोहां निश्चित्यार्थविनिश्चयम् ॥

tacchrutvā jāmadagnyastu rājaputryā vacastadā | uvāca tāṃ varārohāṃ niścityārthaviniścayam

Hearing the princess's words, the son of Jamadagni settled on his purpose and spoke to that fair-hipped woman:

Note on the text: Corrected तच्छुत्वा → तच्छ्रुत्वा and जामदग्र्यस्तु → जामदग्न्यस्तु (misprints in Wikisource; a dropped र and ग्र for ग्न; the critical edition reads tac chrutvā jāmadagnyas tu).

Verse 32 (5.177.32)

प्रेषयिष्यामि भीष्माय कुरुश्रेष्ठाय भामिनि । करिष्यति वचो मह्यं श्रुत्वा च स नराधिपः ॥

preṣayiṣyāmi bhīṣmāya kuruśreṣṭhāya bhāmini | kariṣyati vaco mahyaṃ śrutvā ca sa narādhipaḥ

I will send word to Bhishma, best of the Kurus, lovely one. When that ruler of men hears it, he will do as I say.

Verse 33 (5.177.33)

न चेत्करिष्यति वचो मयोक्तं जाह्नवीसुतः । धक्ष्याम्यहं रणे भद्रे सामात्यं शस्त्रतेजसा ॥

na cetkariṣyati vaco mayoktaṃ jāhnavīsutaḥ | dhakṣyāmyahaṃ raṇe bhadre sāmātyaṃ śastratejasā

If the son of Jahnavi will not do as I have told him, good lady, I will burn him in battle, together with his ministers, with the fire of my weapons.

Verse 34 (5.177.34)

अथवा ते मतिस्तत्र राजपुत्रि न वर्तते । यावत्साल्वपतिं वीरं योजयाम्यत्र कर्मणि ॥

athavā te matistatra rājaputri na vartate | yāvatsālvapatiṃ vīraṃ yojayāmyatra karmaṇi

Or, princess, if your mind is not set on that, then I will set the heroic lord of the Salvas to this task.

Verse 35 (5.177.35)

विसर्जिताऽहं भीष्मेण श्रुत्वैव भृगुनन्दन । साल्वराजगतं भावं मम पूर्वं मनीषितम् ॥

visarjitā'haṃ bhīṣmeṇa śrutvaiva bhṛgunandana | sālvarājagataṃ bhāvaṃ mama pūrvaṃ manīṣitam

Bhishma let me go, delight of the Bhrigus, as soon as he heard that my heart had long been set on the king of the Salvas.

Verse 36 (5.177.36)

सौभराजमुपेत्याहमवोचं दुर्वचं वचः । न च मां प्रत्यगृह्णात्स चारित्र्यपरिशङ्कितः ॥

saubharājamupetyāhamavocaṃ durvacaṃ vacaḥ | na ca māṃ pratyagṛhṇātsa cāritryapariśaṅkitaḥ

I went to the king of Saubha and said words hard for me to say, but he, suspicious of my chastity, would not accept me.

Verse 37 (5.177.37)

एतत्सर्वं विनिश्चित्य स्वबुद्ध्या भृगुनन्दन । यदत्रौपयिकं कार्यं तच्चिन्तयितुमर्हसि ॥

etatsarvaṃ viniścitya svabuddhyā bhṛgunandana | yadatraupayikaṃ kāryaṃ taccintayitumarhasi

Weigh all this with your own judgment, delight of the Bhrigus, and consider what course is fitting here.

Verse 38 (5.177.38)

मम तु व्यसनस्यास्य भीष्मो मूलं महाव्रतः । येनाहं वशमानीता समुत्क्षिप्य बलात्तदा ॥

mama tu vyasanasyāsya bhīṣmo mūlaṃ mahāvrataḥ | yenāhaṃ vaśamānītā samutkṣipya balāttadā

But the root of this misfortune of mine is Bhishma of the great vow, who seized me by force that day and brought me under his power.

Note on the text: Corrected समत्क्षिप्य → समुत्क्षिप्य (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped vowel sign; the critical edition reads samutkṣipya).

Verse 39 (5.177.39)

भीष्मं जहि महाबाहो यत्कृते दुःखमीदृशम् । प्राप्ताहं भृगुशार्दूल चराम्यप्रियमुत्तमम् ॥

bhīṣmaṃ jahi mahābāho yatkṛte duḥkhamīdṛśam | prāptāhaṃ bhṛguśārdūla carāmyapriyamuttamam

Slay Bhishma, strong-armed one, on whose account I have come to such sorrow and wander in utter misery, tiger of the Bhrigus.

Verse 40 (5.177.40)

स हि लुब्धश्च नीचश्च जितकाशी च भार्गव । तस्मात्प्रतिक्रिया कर्तुं युक्ता तस्मै त्वयाऽनघ ॥

sa hi lubdhaśca nīcaśca jitakāśī ca bhārgava | tasmātpratikriyā kartuṃ yuktā tasmai tvayā'nagha

For he is greedy and base and flushed with victory, Bhargava; so it is right for you, sinless one, to take redress against him.

Verse 41 (5.177.41)

एष मे ह्रियमाणाया भारतेन तदा विभो । अभवद्धृदि संकल्पो घातयेयं महाव्रतम् ॥

eṣa me hriyamāṇāyā bhāratena tadā vibho | abhavaddhṛdi saṃkalpo ghātayeyaṃ mahāvratam

When the Bharata was carrying me off that day, my lord, this resolve arose in my heart: that I would have that man of the great vow slain.

Note on the text: Corrected घातयेदं → घातयेयं (misprint in Wikisource; द for य, which leaves no verb for the clause; the critical edition reads ghātayeyaṃ).

Verse 42 (5.177.42)

तस्मात्कामं ममाद्येमं राम संपादयानघ । जहि भीष्मं महाबाहो यथा वृत्रं पुरन्दरः ॥

tasmātkāmaṃ mamādyemaṃ rāma saṃpādayānagha | jahi bhīṣmaṃ mahābāho yathā vṛtraṃ purandaraḥ

So fulfil this wish of mine today, Rama, sinless one. Slay Bhishma, strong-armed one, as Purandara slew Vritra.