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.
निर्जित्य पृथिवीपालानथ भीष्मो जगाह्वयम् । आजगाम विशुद्धात्मा कन्याभिः सह भारतः
Having vanquished the lords of the earth, Bhishma, pure in soul, brought the maidens to Hastinapura, O descendant of Bharata.
सत्यवत्यै निवेद्याथ विवाहं समनन्तरम् । भ्रातुर्विचित्रवीर्यस्य समाज्ञापयत प्रभुः
After informing Satyavati, he immediately ordered the marriage of his brother Vichitravirya.
तं तु वैवाहिकं दृष्ट्वा कन्येयं समुपार्जितम् । अब्रवीत्तत्र गाङ्गेयं मन्त्रिमध्ये द्विजर्षभ
But when the marriage was arranged for the maiden, she spoke there to Ganga's son, in the midst of the counselors, O best of twice-born.
मया साल्वपतिर्वीरो मनसाऽभिवृतः पतिः । न ममार्हसि धर्मज्ञ दातुं भ्रात्रेऽन्यमानसाम्
In my heart, I had chosen the valiant king of Salva as my husband; it is not right, O knower of dharma, for you to give me to another.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं भीष्मः संमन्त्र्य सह मन्त्रिभिः । निश्चित्य विससर्जेमां सत्यवत्या मते स्थितः
Hearing these words, Bhishma, after consulting with his counselors and deciding, released her, following the counsel of Satyavati.
अनुज्ञाता तु भीष्मेण साल्वं सौभपतिं ततः। कन्येयं मुदिता तत्र काले वाचनमब्रवीत्
Permitted by Bhishma, the maiden joyfully spoke at that time to the lord of Saubha, king of Salva.
विसर्जितास्मि भीष्मेण धर्मं मां प्रतिपादय। मनसाभिवृत्तः पूर्वं मया त्वं पार्थिवर्षम
I have been released by Bhishma; accept me in accordance with dharma, for you were the one I had previously chosen in my heart, O best of kings.
प्रत्याचख्यौ च साल्वोऽस्याश्चारित्रस्याभिशङ्कितः । सेयं तपोवनं प्राप्ता तापस्येऽभिरता भृशम्
But Salva rejected her, doubting her conduct; so she came to this forest of ascetics, devoted earnestly to austerities.
मया च प्रत्यभिज्ञाता वंशस्य परिकीर्तनात्। अस्य दुःखस्य चोत्पत्तिं भीष्ममेवेह मन्यते
And I too have recognized him by recounting the lineage; and as for the origin of this sorrow, here, everyone considers Bhishma to be the cause.
भगवन्नेवमेवेह यथाह पृथिवीपतिः। शरीरकर्ता मातुर्मे सृञ्जयो होत्रवाहनः
O venerable one, it is just as the lord of the earth has said here: my mother’s husband, the maker of my body, is the Srnjaya, Hotravaahana.
न ह्युत्सहे स्वनगरं प्रतियातुं तपोधन । अपमानभयाच्चैव व्रीडया च महामुने
O sage rich in austerity, I am not able to return to my own city, out of fear of disgrace and shame, O great ascetic.
यत्तु मां भगवान्रामो वक्ष्यति द्विजसत्तम । तन्मे कार्यतमं कार्यमिति मे भगवन्मतिः
Whatever the revered Rama will say to me, O best of twice-born, that I consider to be the most proper course of action, O venerable one.
दुःख द्वयोरिदं भद्रे कतरस्य चिकीर्षसि। प्रतिकर्तव्यमबले तत्त्वं वत्से वदस्व मे
O gentle one, here are two kinds of sorrow; which one do you wish to address? Tell me truly, child, what you would have me do.
यदि सौभपतिर्भद्रे नियोक्तव्यो मतस्तव । नियोक्ष्यति महात्मा स रामस्त्वद्धितकाम्यया
If, O gentle lady, you think the lord of the Saubha people should be appointed, then the great-souled Rama will appoint him, desiring your welfare.
अथापगेयं भीष्मं त्वं रामेणेच्छसि धीमता । रणे विनिर्जितं द्रष्टुं कुर्यात्तदपि भार्गवः
Or, if you wish to see Bhishma, the wise one, defeated in battle by Rama, then Bhargava will do that as well.
सृञ्जयस्य वचः श्रुत्वा तव चैव शुचिस्मिते। यदत्र ते भृशं कार्यं तदद्यैव विचिन्त्यताम्
Having heard the words of Srnjaya and yours as well, O fair-smiling one, whatever is most pressing for you, let it be considered today.
अपनीतास्मि भीष्मेण भगवन्नविजानता। नाभिजानाति मे भीष्मो ब्रह्मन्साल्वगतं मनः
I was taken away by Bhishma, O venerable one, without his knowing; Bhishma does not know, O Brahman, that my heart is with Salva.
एतद्विचार्य मनसा भवानेतद्विनिश्चयम्। विचिनोतु यथान्यायं विधानं क्रियतां तथा
Let your mind consider this, and let your decision be made; let the proper arrangement be devised and carried out accordingly.
भीष्मे वा कुरुशार्दूले शाल्वराजेऽथवा पुनः। उभयोरेव वा ब्रह्मन्युक्तं यत्तत्समाचर
Whether it is Bhishma, O tiger among the Kurus, or the king of Salva, or even both, whatever is proper, O Brahman, do that.
निवेदितं मया ह्येतद्दुःखमूलं यथातथम् । विधानं तत्र भगवन्कर्तुमर्हसि युक्तितः
I have truly explained to you the root of this sorrow; you, O venerable one, ought to make the proper arrangement in this matter.