Mahabharata — Volume III (Dutt edition) — Chapter 244
MBh 3 244.1
भीष्म उवाच ततोऽहं समनुज्ञाप्य काली गन्धवतीं तदा। मन्त्रिणचर्विजश्चैव तथैव च पुरोहितान्॥
bhīṣma uvāca tato'haṃ samanujñāpya kālī gandhavatīṃ tadā| mantriṇacarvijaścaiva tathaiva ca purohitān||
Bhishma said Then did I, submitted the matter before our advisers, priests and spiritual guides,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.2
समनुज्ञासिषं कन्यामम्बां ज्येष्ठां नराधिप। अनुज्ञाता ययौ सा तु कन्या शाल्वपतेः पुरम्॥
samanujñāsiṣaṃ kanyāmambāṃ jyeṣṭhāṃ narādhipa| anujñātā yayau sā tu kanyā śālvapateḥ puram||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.3
वृद्धैर्द्विजातिभिर्गुप्ता धात्र्या चानुगता तदा। अतीत्य च तमध्वानमासाद्य नृपति तथा॥
vṛddhairdvijātibhirguptā dhātryā cānugatā tadā| atītya ca tamadhvānamāsādya nṛpati tathā||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.4
सा तमासाद्य राजानं शाल्वं वचनमब्रवीत्। आगताऽहं महाबाहो त्वामुद्दिश्य महामते॥
sā tamāsādya rājānaṃ śālvaṃ vacanamabravīt| āgatā'haṃ mahābāho tvāmuddiśya mahāmate||
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."
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.5
तामब्रवीच्छाल्वपतिः स्मयन्निव विशाम्पते। त्वयान्यपूर्वया नाहं भार्यार्थी वरवर्णिनि॥
tāmabravīcchālvapatiḥ smayanniva viśāmpate| tvayānyapūrvayā nāhaṃ bhāryārthī varavarṇini||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.6
गच्छ भद्रे पुनस्तत्र सकाशंभीष्मकस्य वै। नाहमिच्छामि भीष्मेण गृहीतां त्वां प्रसह्य वै॥
gaccha bhadre punastatra sakāśaṃbhīṣmakasya vai| nāhamicchāmi bhīṣmeṇa gṛhītāṃ tvāṃ prasahya vai||
Go therefore, gentle lady, again to Bhishma. I dot desire to have you who had been taken away by Bhishma by force.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.7
त्वं हि भीष्मेण निर्जित्य नीता प्रीतिमती तदा। परामृश्य महायुद्धे निर्जित्य पृथिवीपतीन्॥
tvaṃ hi bhīṣmeṇa nirjitya nītā prītimatī tadā| parāmṛśya mahāyuddhe nirjitya pṛthivīpatīn||
At that time were you cheerfully led away by Bhishma who vanquished all the kings.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.8
नाहं त्वय्यन्यपूर्वायां भार्यार्थी वरवर्णिनि। कथमस्मद्विधो राजा परपूर्वां प्रवेशयेत्॥
nāhaṃ tvayyanyapūrvāyāṃ bhāryārthī varavarṇini| kathamasmadvidho rājā parapūrvāṃ praveśayet||
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
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.9
नारी विदितविज्ञानः परेषां धर्ममादिशन्। यथेष्टं गम्यतां भद्रे मा त्वां कालोऽत्यगादयम्॥
nārī viditavijñānaḥ pareṣāṃ dharmamādiśan| yatheṣṭaṃ gamyatāṃ bhadre mā tvāṃ kālo'tyagādayam||
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.”
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.10
अम्बा तमब्रवीद् राजन्ननङ्गशरपीडिता। नैवं वद महीपाल नैतदेवं कथंचन॥
ambā tamabravīd rājannanaṅgaśarapīḍitā| naivaṃ vada mahīpāla naitadevaṃ kathaṃcana||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.11
नास्मि प्रीतिमती नीता भीष्मेणामित्रकर्शन। बलान्नीताऽस्मि रुदती विद्राव्य पृथिवीपतीन्॥
nāsmi prītimatī nītā bhīṣmeṇāmitrakarśana| balānnītā'smi rudatī vidrāvya pṛthivīpatīn||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.12
भजस्व मां शाल्वपते भक्ता बालामनागसम्। भक्तानां हि परित्यागो न धर्मेषु प्रशस्यते॥
bhajasva māṃ śālvapate bhaktā bālāmanāgasam| bhaktānāṃ hi parityāgo na dharmeṣu praśasyate||
Accept me, O lord of the Shalvas, accept a girl who is innocent. No religion approves of the direction of the devoted.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.13
साऽहमामन्त्र्य गाङ्गेयं समरेष्वनिवर्तिनम्। अनुज्ञाता च तेनैव ततोऽहं भृशमागता॥
sā'hamāmantrya gāṅgeyaṃ samareṣvanivartinam| anujñātā ca tenaiva tato'haṃ bhṛśamāgatā||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.14
न स भीष्मो महाबाहुर्मामिच्छति विशाम्पते। भ्रातृहेतोः समारम्भो भीष्मस्येति श्रुतं मया॥
na sa bhīṣmo mahābāhurmāmicchati viśāmpate| bhrātṛhetoḥ samārambho bhīṣmasyeti śrutaṃ mayā||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.15
भगिन्यौ मम ये नीते अम्बिकाम्बालिके नृप। प्रादाद् विचित्रवीर्याय गाङ्गेयो हि यवीयसे॥
bhaginyau mama ye nīte ambikāmbālike nṛpa| prādād vicitravīryāya gāṅgeyo hi yavīyase||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.16
यथा शाल्वपते नान्यं वरं व्यामि कथंचन। त्वामृते पुरुषव्याघ्र तथा मूर्धानमालभे॥
yathā śālvapate nānyaṃ varaṃ vyāmi kathaṃcana| tvāmṛte puruṣavyāghra tathā mūrdhānamālabhe||
I do not, O lord of the Shalvas, desire any husband save yourself, O foremost among men, I swear by my heart.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.17
न चान्यपूर्वा राजेन्द्र त्वामहं समुपस्थिता। सत्यं ब्रवीमि शाल्वैतत् सत्येनात्मानमालभे॥
na cānyapūrvā rājendra tvāmahaṃ samupasthitā| satyaṃ bravīmi śālvaitat satyenātmānamālabhe||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.18
भजस्व मां विशालाक्ष स्वयं कन्यामुपस्थिताम्। अनन्यपूर्वां राजेन्द्र त्वत्प्रसादाभिकाक्षिणीम्॥
bhajasva māṃ viśālākṣa svayaṃ kanyāmupasthitām| ananyapūrvāṃ rājendra tvatprasādābhikākṣiṇīm||
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."
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.19
तामेवं भाषमाणां तु शाल्व: काशिपते: सुताम्। अत्यजद् भरतश्रेष्ठ जीर्णां त्वचमिवोरगः॥
tāmevaṃ bhāṣamāṇāṃ tu śālva: kāśipate: sutām| atyajad bharataśreṣṭha jīrṇāṃ tvacamivoragaḥ||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.20
एवं बहुविधैर्वाक्यैर्याच्यमानस्तया नृपः। नाश्रद्दधच्छाल्वपतिः कन्यायां भरतर्षभ।॥
evaṃ bahuvidhairvākyairyācyamānastayā nṛpaḥ| nāśraddadhacchālvapatiḥ kanyāyāṃ bharatarṣabha|||
The king of the Shalvas did not look graciously on that girl who spoke in this and several other strains.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.21
ततः सा मन्युनाऽऽविष्टा ज्येष्ठा काशिपतेः सुता। अब्रवीत् साश्रुनयना बाष्यविप्लुतया गिरा।॥
tataḥ sā manyunā''viṣṭā jyeṣṭhā kāśipateḥ sutā| abravīt sāśrunayanā bāṣyaviplutayā girā|||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.22
त्वया त्यक्ता गमिष्यामि यत्र तत्र विशाम्पते। तत्र मे गतयः सन्तु सन्तः सत्यं यथा ध्रुवम्॥
tvayā tyaktā gamiṣyāmi yatra tatra viśāmpate| tatra me gatayaḥ santu santaḥ satyaṃ yathā dhruvam||
Being abandoned by you I shall go wherever I please, O lord of the universe, making the righteous my refuge, for truth is indestructible.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.23
एवं तां भाषमाणां तु कन्यां शाल्वपतिस्तदा। परितत्याज कौरव्य करुणं परिदेवतीम्॥
evaṃ tāṃ bhāṣamāṇāṃ tu kanyāṃ śālvapatistadā| paritatyāja kauravya karuṇaṃ paridevatīm||
At that time the lord of the Shalvas thus abandoned that girl, O Kaurava, who spoke to him plaintively.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.24
गच्छ गच्छेति तां शाल्वः पुनः पुनरभाषत। बिभेमि भीष्मात् सुश्रोणि त्वं च भीष्मपरिग्रहः॥
gaccha gaccheti tāṃ śālvaḥ punaḥ punarabhāṣata| bibhemi bhīṣmāt suśroṇi tvaṃ ca bhīṣmaparigrahaḥ||
Shalva said to her again and again “go, go, I fear Bhishma, O you of beautiful hips, for you are Bhishma's capture."
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.25
एवमुक्ता तु सा तेन शाल्वेनादीर्घदर्शिना। निश्चक्राम पुराद् दीना रुदती कुररी यथा॥
evamuktā tu sā tena śālvenādīrghadarśinā| niścakrāma purād dīnā rudatī kurarī yathā||
Being thus spoken to by that Shalva of short foresight, she issued out of that city sorrowing, weeping like a she osprey.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.26
भीष्म उवाच निष्क्रामन्ती तु नगराच्चिन्तयामास दुःखिता। पृथिव्यां नास्ति युवतिर्विषमस्थतरा मया॥
bhīṣma uvāca niṣkrāmantī tu nagarāccintayāmāsa duḥkhitā| pṛthivyāṃ nāsti yuvatirviṣamasthatarā mayā||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.27
बन्धुभिर्विप्रहीणास्मि शाल्वेन च निराकृता। न च शक्यं पुनर्गन्तुं मया वारणसाह्वयम्॥
bandhubhirviprahīṇāsmi śālvena ca nirākṛtā| na ca śakyaṃ punargantuṃ mayā vāraṇasāhvayam||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.28
अनुज्ञाता तु भीष्मेण शाल्वमुद्दिश्य कारणम्। किं नु गर्हाम्यथात्मानमथ भीष्मं दुरासदम्॥
anujñātā tu bhīṣmeṇa śālvamuddiśya kāraṇam| kiṃ nu garhāmyathātmānamatha bhīṣmaṃ durāsadam||
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,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.29
अथवा पितरं मूढं यो मेऽकार्षीत् स्वयंवरम्। मयाऽयं स्वकृतो दोषो याऽहं भीष्मरथात् तदा॥
athavā pitaraṃ mūḍhaṃ yo me'kārṣīt svayaṃvaram| mayā'yaṃ svakṛto doṣo yā'haṃ bhīṣmarathāt tadā||
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,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.30
प्रवृत्ते दारुणे युद्धे शाल्वार्थं नापतं पुरा। तस्येयं । ननिर्वृत्तिर्यदापन्नाऽस्मि मूढवत्॥
pravṛtte dāruṇe yuddhe śālvārthaṃ nāpataṃ purā| tasyeyaṃ | nanirvṛttiryadāpannā'smi mūḍhavat||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.31
धिग् भीष्मं धिक् च मे मन्दं पितरं मूढचेतसम्। येनाहं वीर्यशुल्केन पण्यस्त्रीव प्रचोदिता॥
dhig bhīṣmaṃ dhik ca me mandaṃ pitaraṃ mūḍhacetasam| yenāhaṃ vīryaśulkena paṇyastrīva pracoditā||
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,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.32
धिमां धिक् शाल्वराजानं धिग् धातारमथापि वा। येषां दुर्नीतभावे प्राप्ताऽस्यापदमुत्तमाम्॥
dhimāṃ dhik śālvarājānaṃ dhig dhātāramathāpi vā| yeṣāṃ durnītabhāve prāptā'syāpadamuttamām||
Shame on myself, shame on king Shalva, shame also on the creator through whose fault I am now placed in this difficulty.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.33
सर्वथा भागधेयानि स्वानि प्राप्नोति मानवः। अनयस्यास्य तु मुखं भीष्मः शान्तनवो मम॥
sarvathā bhāgadheyāni svāni prāpnoti mānavaḥ| anayasyāsya tu mukhaṃ bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo mama||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.34
सा भीष्मे प्रतिकर्तव्यमहं पश्यामि साम्प्रतम्। तपसा वा युधा वाऽपि दुःखहेतुः स मतः॥
sā bhīṣme pratikartavyamahaṃ paśyāmi sāmpratam| tapasā vā yudhā vā'pi duḥkhahetuḥ sa mataḥ||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.35
को नु भीष्मं युधा चेदुमुत्सहेत महीपतिः। एवं सा परिनिश्चित्य जगाम नगराद् बहिः॥
ko nu bhīṣmaṃ yudhā cedumutsaheta mahīpatiḥ| evaṃ sā pariniścitya jagāma nagarād bahiḥ||
What ruler of the earth would venture to fight with Bhishma." Thinking thus she went out of the city,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.36
आश्रमं पुण्यशीलानां तापसानां महात्मनाम्। ततस्तामवसद् रात्रिं तापसैः परिवारिता॥
āśramaṃ puṇyaśīlānāṃ tāpasānāṃ mahātmanām| tatastāmavasad rātriṃ tāpasaiḥ parivāritā||
To a hermitage of a great souled anchorite of virtuous ways of life and she stayed there for the night surrounded by anchorites.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.37
मे आचख्यौ च यथावृत्तं सर्वमात्मनि भारत। विस्तरेण महाबाहो निखिलेन शुचिस्मिता। हरणं च विसर्गं च शाल्वेन च विसर्जनम्॥
me ācakhyau ca yathāvṛttaṃ sarvamātmani bhārata| vistareṇa mahābāho nikhilena śucismitā| haraṇaṃ ca visargaṃ ca śālvena ca visarjanam||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.38
ततस्तत्र महानासीद् ब्राह्मणः संशितव्रतः। शैखावत्यस्तपोवृद्धः शास्त्रे चारण्यके गुरुः॥
tatastatra mahānāsīd brāhmaṇaḥ saṃśitavrataḥ| śaikhāvatyastapovṛddhaḥ śāstre cāraṇyake guruḥ||
There lived a great Brahmana of rigid vows Shaikhavatya by name, old in devotion and a preceptor of the holy books and the Arariyakas.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.39
आर्ती तामाह स मुनिः शैखावत्यो महातपाः। निःश्वसन्ती सती बालां दुःखशोकपरायणाम्॥
ārtī tāmāha sa muniḥ śaikhāvatyo mahātapāḥ| niḥśvasantī satī bālāṃ duḥkhaśokaparāyaṇām||
That anchorite, of eminent devotion, said to that chaste lady who was in extreme difficuity and who was sighing in grief and distress.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.40
एवं गते तु किं भद्रे शक्यं कर्तुं तपस्विभिः। आश्रमस्थैर्महाभागे तपोयुक्तर्महात्मभिः॥
evaṃ gate tu kiṃ bhadre śakyaṃ kartuṃ tapasvibhiḥ| āśramasthairmahābhāge tapoyuktarmahātmabhiḥ||
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?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.41
सा त्वेनमब्रवीद् राजन् क्रियतां मदनुग्रहः। प्राव्राज्यमहमिच्छामि तपस्तप्स्यामि दुश्चरम्॥
sā tvenamabravīd rājan kriyatāṃ madanugrahaḥ| prāvrājyamahamicchāmi tapastapsyāmi duścaram||
She however thus replied, O king: "Show me this favour. I desire to wander about and to practice hard devotion.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.42
मयैव यानि कर्माणि पूर्वदेहे तु मूढया। कृतानि नूनं पापानि तेषामेतत् फलं ध्रुवम्॥
mayaiva yāni karmāṇi pūrvadehe tu mūḍhayā| kṛtāni nūnaṃ pāpāni teṣāmetat phalaṃ dhruvam||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.43
नोत्सहे तु पुनर्गन्तुं स्वजनं प्रति तापसाः। प्रत्याग्याता निरानन्दा शाल्वेन च निराकृता॥
notsahe tu punargantuṃ svajanaṃ prati tāpasāḥ| pratyāgyātā nirānandā śālvena ca nirākṛtā||
I do not venture to go back to my kindred, O devctees, rejected and rendered cheerless and y. nged by Shalva.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.44
उपदिष्टमिहेच्छामि तापस्यं वीतकल्मषाः। युष्माभिर्देवसंकाशैः कृपा भवतु वो मयि॥
upadiṣṭamihecchāmi tāpasyaṃ vītakalmaṣāḥ| yuṣmābhirdevasaṃkāśaiḥ kṛpā bhavatu vo mayi||
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."
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 244.45
स तामाश्वासयत् कन्यां दृष्टान्तागमहेतुभिः। सान्त्वयामास कार्यं च प्रतिजज्ञे द्विजैः सह॥
sa tāmāśvāsayat kanyāṃ dṛṣṭāntāgamahetubhiḥ| sāntvayāmāsa kāryaṃ ca pratijajñe dvijaiḥ saha||
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.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)