अम्बायास्तां कथां श्रुत्वा काशिराज्ञश्च भारत। राजर्षिः स महातेजा बभूवोद्विग्रमानसः
Hearing the story of Amba and the king of Kashi, O Bharata, that royal sage of great splendor became troubled in mind.
तां तथावादिनीं श्रुत्वा दृष्ट्वा च स महातपाः । राजर्षिः कृपयाविष्टो महात्मा होत्रवाहनः
Hearing her speak thus and seeing her, the great ascetic, the royal sage Hotravahana, was filled with compassion.
स वेपमान उत्थाय मातुस्तस्याः पिता तदा। तां कन्यामङ्कमारोप्य पर्यश्वासयत प्रभो
Then, her father rose trembling, and lifting that maiden onto his lap, he sought to comfort her, O lord.
स तामपृच्छत्कार्त्स्न्येन व्यसनोत्पत्तिमादितः । सा च तस्मै यथावृत्तं विस्तरेण न्यवेदयत्
He questioned her thoroughly about the origin of her misfortune, and she related to him in detail all that had happened.
ततः स राजर्षिरभूद्दुःखशोकसमन्वितः। कार्यं च प्रतिपेदे तन्मनसां सुमहातपाः
Thereupon, that royal sage was overcome with sorrow and grief, and that great ascetic resolved in his mind what should be done.
अब्रवीद्वेपमानश्च कन्यामार्तां सुदुःखितः । मा गाः पितुर्गृहं भद्रे मातुस्ते जनको ह्यहम्
Trembling and deeply afflicted, he spoke to the suffering maiden: 'Do not go to your father's house, dear one; for I am your mother's father.'
दुःखं छिन्द्यामहं ते वै मयि वर्तस्व पुत्रिके। पर्याप्तं ते मनो वत्से यदेवं परिशुष्यसि
'I will remove your sorrow—remain with me, my child. Enough, dear one, let your mind not be so parched with grief.'
गच्छ मद्वचनाद्रामं जामदग्न्यं तपस्विनम् । रामस्ते सुमहद्दुःखं शोकं चैवापनेष्यति
'Go, at my word, to the ascetic Rāma, son of Jamadagni. Rāma will dispel your great sorrow and grief.'
हनिष्यति रणे भीष्मं न करिष्यति चेद्वचः । तं गच्छ भार्गवश्रेष्ठं कालाग्निसमतेजसम्
'If Bhīṣma does not heed his words, he will slay him in battle. Go to that foremost of Bhārgavas, whose brilliance equals the fire of time.'
प्रतिष्ठापयिता स त्वां समे पथि महातपाः । ततस्तु सुस्वरं बाष्पसुत्सृजन्ती पुनः पुनः
'That great ascetic will establish you on the right path.' Then, her voice choked with tears, she spoke again and again—
अब्रवीत्पितरं मातुः मा तदा होत्रवाहनम् । अभिवादयित्वा शिरसा गमिष्ये तव शासनात्
She said to her mother's father, Hotravāhana: 'Having bowed my head in reverence, I shall go at your command.'
अपि नामाद्य पश्येयमार्यं तं लोकविश्रुतम् । कथं च तीव्रं दुःकं मे नाशकयिष्यति भार्गवः। एतदिच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं यथा यास्यमि तत्र वैः
'Perhaps today I may see that noble one, renowned in the world. How will Bhārgava remove my intense sorrow? This I wish to know, and how I shall go there.'
रामं द्रक्ष्यसि भद्रे त्वं जामदग्न्यं महावने। उग्रे तपसि वर्तन्तं सत्यसन्धं महाबलम्
'You will see Rāma, O blessed one, son of Jamadagni, in the great forest—engaged in fierce austerity, steadfast in truth, of great might.'
महेन्द्रं वै गिरिश्रेष्ठं रामो नित्यमुपास्ति ह। ऋषयो वेदविद्वांसो गन्धर्वाप्सरसस्तथा
'Rāma constantly worships Mahendra, the best of mountains. There, seers learned in the Vedas, Gandharvas, and Apsarases also gather.'
तत्र गच्छस्व भद्रं ते ब्रूयाश्चैनं वचो मम। अभिवाद्य च तं मूंर्ध्ना तपोवृद्धं दृढव्रतम्
'Go there, may good befall you, and speak to him these words of mine. Bowing your head, address that elder in asceticism, firm in his vows.'
ब्रूयाश्चैनं पुनर्भद्रे यत्ते कार्यं मनीषितम् । मयि संकीर्तिते रामः सर्वं तत्ते करिष्यति
'Say to him again, dear one, what you desire to accomplish. If you mention my name to Rāma, he will do everything for you.'
मम रामः सखा वत्से प्रीतियुक्तः सुहृच्च मे। जमदग्निसुतो वीरः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः
'Rāma is my friend, dear child, affectionate and a true companion to me—the heroic son of Jamadagni, the foremost among all bearers of arms.'
एवं ब्रुवति कन्यां तु पार्थिवे होत्रवाहने । अकृतव्रणः प्रादुरासीद्रामस्यानुचरः प्रियः
As Hotravāhana, the king, spoke thus to the maiden, Akṛtavraṇa, Rāma's dear companion, appeared.
ततस्ते मनुयः सर्वे समुत्तस्थुः महस्रशः । स च राजा वयोवृद्धः सृञ्ययो होत्रवाहनः
Then all those men rose up together in great numbers, and the aged king Hotravāhana of the Sṛñjayas also stood up.
ततो दृष्ट्वा कृतातिथ्यमन्योन्यं ते वनौकसः । सहिता भरतश्रेष्ठ निषेदुः परिवार्य तम्
Then, having shown each other due hospitality, those dwellers of the forest, together with the best of the Bharatas, sat down surrounding him.
ततस्ते कथयामासुः कथास्तास्ता मनोरमाः । धन्या दिव्याश्च राजेन्द्र प्रीतिहर्षमुदा युताः
Then they began to recount those delightful stories, O king, blessed and celestial, filled with joy and happiness.
ततः कथान्ते राजर्षिर्महात्मा होत्रवाहनः । रामं श्रेष्ठं महर्षीणामपृच्छदकृतव्रणम्
At the end of the stories, the royal sage, the great-souled Hotravahana, asked Rama, the foremost among great seers, about Akritavrana.
क्व संप्रति महाबाहो जामदग्न्यः प्रतापवान् । अकृतव्रण शक्यो वै द्रुष्टुं वेदविदां वर
Where now, O mighty-armed and illustrious son of Jamadagni, is Akritavrana, best among knowers of the Veda, whom one may see?
भवन्तमेव सततं रामः कीर्तयति प्रभो। सृञ्जयो मे प्रियसखो राजर्षिरिति पार्थिव
It is you alone, O lord, whom Rama always praises, saying, 'Srinjaya is my dear friend, the royal sage,' O king.
इह रामः प्रभाते श्वो भवितेति मतिर्मम। द्रष्टस्येनमिहायान्तं तव दर्शनकाङ्क्षया
It is my thought that Rama will be here tomorrow morning; you will see him coming here, eager for your audience.
इयं च कन्या राजर्षे किमर्थं वनमागता। कस्य चेयं तव च का भवतीच्छामि वेदितुम्
And this maiden, O royal sage, for what reason has she come to the forest? Whose is she, and what is she to you? I wish to know.
दौहित्रीयं मम विभो काशिराजसुता प्रिया। ज्येष्ठा स्वयंवरे तस्थौ भगिनीभ्यां सहानध
She is my granddaughter, O lord, the beloved daughter of the king of Kashi; at her own choosing, she stood with her sisters, not below them.
इयमम्बेति विख्याता ज्येष्ठा काशिपतेः सुता। अम्बिकाम्बालिके कन्ये कनीयस्यौ तपोधन
She is known as Amba, the eldest daughter of the king of Kashi; Ambika and Ambalika are her younger sisters, O possessor of austerities.
समेतं पार्थिवं क्षत्रं काशिपुर्यां ततोऽभवत्। कन्यानिमित्तं विप्रर्षे तत्रासीदुत्सवो महान्
Then all the assembled kings gathered in the city of Kashi, O sage, for the sake of the maiden; there was a great festival.
तता किल महावीर्यो भीष्मः शान्तनवो नृपान् । अधिक्षिप्य महातेजास्तिस्त्रः कन्या जहार ताः
There, indeed, the mighty Bhishma, son of Shantanu, after defeating the kings with his great energy, carried off those three maidens.