ततो महेन्द्रं सहितैरमुनिभिर्भृगुसत्तमः । यथाऽऽगतं तथा सोऽगन्मामुपामन्त्र्य भारत
Then, O best of Bhrigus, together with those sages, I went to Mahendra as I had come, having taken leave of you, O Bharata.
ततो रथं समारुह्य स्तूयमानो द्विजातिभिः । प्रविश्य नगरं मात्रे सत्यवत्यै न्यवेदयम्
Then, mounting my chariot, praised by the twice-born, I entered the city and reported everything to my mother Satyavati.
यथावृत्तं महाराज सा च मां प्रत्यनन्दत। पुरुषांश्चादिशं प्राज्ञान्कन्यावृत्तान्तकर्मणि
As it happened, O great king, she welcomed me; and she instructed wise men regarding the maiden’s affairs.
दिवसे दिवसे ह्यस्या गतिजल्पितचेष्टितम् । प्रत्याहरंश्च मे युक्ताः स्थिताः प्रियहिते सदा
Day by day, those who were attentive to my welfare reported to me her movements, words, and actions.
यदैव हि वनं प्रायात्सा कन्या तपसे धृता। तदैव व्यथितो दीनो गतचेता इवाभवम्
Indeed, when that maiden set out for the forest, resolved on austerity, I became distressed, dejected, as if bereft of sense.
न हि मां क्षत्रियः कश्चिद्वीर्येण व्यजयद्युधि । ऋते ब्रह्मविदस्तात तपसा संशितव्रतात्
No kshatriya has ever defeated me in battle by valor, except for that brahmin, steadfast in vow and penance.
अपि चैतन्मया राजन्नारदेऽपि निवेदितम् । व्यासे चैव तथा कार्यं तौ चोभौ मामवोचताम्
Moreover, O king, I reported this matter to Narada as well as to Vyasa; both of them spoke to me accordingly.
न विषादस्त्वया कार्यो भीष्म काशिसुतां प्रति। दैवं पुरुषकारेण को निवर्तितुमुत्सहेत्
Do not grieve, Bhishma, concerning the daughter of the king of Kashi; who can turn back destiny by human effort?
सा कन्या तु महाराज प्रविश्याश्रममण्डलम् । यमुनातीरमाश्रित्य तपस्तेपेऽतिमानुषम्
That maiden, O king, entered the hermitage grounds and, settling on the bank of the Yamuna, undertook austerities beyond human measure.
निराहारा कृशा रूक्षा जटिला मलपङ्किनी । षण्मासान्वायुभक्षा च स्थाणुभूता तपोधना
Fasting, emaciated, harsh, matted-haired, and smeared with filth, for six months she subsisted on air alone, unmoving like a pillar, rich in ascetic power.
यमुनाजलमाश्रित्य संवत्सरमथाऽपरम् । उदवासं निराहारा पारयामास भामिनी
Relying on the waters of the Yamuna, for another year, that radiant woman remained without food, sustaining herself only by drinking.
शीर्णपर्णेन चैकेन पारयामास सा परम् । संवत्सरं तीव्रकोपा पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रधिष्ठिता
With only a single dried leaf, she sustained herself for a year, standing firmly on the tip of her toe, filled with intense wrath.
एवं द्वादश वर्षाणि तापयामास रोदसी । निवर्त्यमानापि च सा ज्ञातिभिर्नैव शक्यते
In this way, for twelve years, she afflicted the earth and sky; though her relatives tried to dissuade her, they were unable to do so.
ततोऽगमद्वत्सभूमिं सिद्धचारणसेविताम् । आश्रमं पुण्यशीलानां तापसानां महात्मनाम्
Then she went to the land of the cattle, frequented by perfected beings and celestial wanderers, to the hermitage of the virtuous ascetics of great soul.
तत्र पुण्येषु तीर्थेषु साऽऽप्लुताङ्गी दिवानिशम् । व्यचरत्काशिकन्या सा यथाकामविचारिणी
There, at the sacred bathing places, she immersed her body day and night; the maiden of Kashi wandered as she pleased.
नन्दाश्रमे महाराज तथोलूकाश्रमे शुभे । च्यवनस्याश्रमे चैव ब्रह्मणः स्थान एव च
In the hermitage of Nanda, O king, and likewise in the auspicious hermitage of Uluka, in the hermitage of Cyavana, and at the abode of Brahma as well.
त्रयागे देवयजने देवारण्येषु चैव ह । भोगवत्यां महाराज कौशिकस्याश्रमे तथा
At the triple fire sacrifice, at the divine offerings, and in the forests of the gods, O king, and also in the hermitage of Kaushika in Bhogavati.
माण्डव्यस्याश्रमे राजन्दिलीपस्याश्रमे तथा । रामह्रदे च कौरव्य पैलगर्गस्य चाश्रमे
In the hermitage of Mandavya, O king, and likewise in the hermitage of Dilipa, at the lake of Rama, and in the hermitage of Paila and Garga.
एतेषु तीर्थेषु तदा काशिकन्या विशांपते । आप्लावयत गात्राणि व्रतमास्थाय दुष्करम्
At these sacred places, O lord of men, the maiden of Kashi bathed her limbs, undertaking a difficult vow.
तामब्रवीच्च कौरव्य मम माता जले स्थिता । किमर्थं क्लिश्यसे भद्रे तथ्यमेव वदस्व मे
Then, O Kaurava, my mother, standing in the water, addressed her: 'Why do you afflict yourself, O blessed one? Tell me truly.'
सैनामथाब्रवीद्राजन्कृताञ्जलिरनिन्दिता भीष्मेण समरे रामो निर्जितश्चारुलोचनि
Sena then replied, O king, blameless, with joined palms: 'Rama was defeated by Bhishma in battle, O beautiful-eyed one.'
कोऽन्यस्तमुत्सहेञ्जेतुमुद्यतेषुं महीपतिः । साहं भीष्मविनाशाय तपस्तप्स्ये सुदारुणम्
What other king could dare to conquer him when he has taken up arms? Therefore, for Bhishma's destruction, I shall perform severe austerities.
विचरामि महीं देवि यथा हन्यामहं नृपम् । एतद्व्रतफलं देवि परमस्मिन्यथा हि मे
I wander the earth, O goddess, so that I may slay that king; this is the fruit of my vow, O goddess, as I desire.
ततोऽब्रवीत्सागरगा जिह्मं चरसि भामिनि। नैष कामोऽनवद्याङ्गि शक्यः प्राप्तुं त्वयाऽबले
Then the river-goddess spoke: 'You act crookedly, O radiant one; this wish, O flawless-limbed, cannot be attained by you, O weak one.'
यदि भीष्मविनाशाय काश्ये चरसि वै व्रतम्। व्रतस्था च शरीरं त्वं यदि नाम विमोक्ष्यसि
If you undertake this vow for Bhishma's destruction, and should you abandon your body while steadfast in your vow—
नदी भविष्यसि शुभे कुटिला वार्षिकोदका। दुस्तीर्था न तु विज्ञेया वार्षिकी नाष्टमासिकी
You will become a river, O auspicious one, winding, with waters only in the rainy season, difficult to cross; you will not be known as perennial, but only as seasonal.
भीमग्राहवती घोरा सर्वभूतभयंकरी । एवमुक्त्वा ततो राजन्काशिकन्यां न्यवर्तत
Like a river with a terrible current, dreadful and causing fear to all beings—having spoken thus, O King, the princess of Kashi turned back.
माता मम महाभागा स्मयमानेव भामिनी । कदाचिदष्टमे मासि कदाचिद्दशमे तथा। न प्राश्नीतोदकमपि पुनः सा वरवर्णिनी
My blessed mother, radiant and smiling, sometimes in the eighth month, sometimes in the tenth, did not even drink water again, O beautiful one.
सा वत्सभूमिं कौरव्य तीर्थलोभात्ततस्ततः । पतिता परिधावन्ती पुनः काशिपतेः सुता
That daughter of the king of Kashi, driven by desire for holy places, wandered here and there, running along the land of the Vatsas.
सा नदी वत्सभूम्यां तु प्रथिताम्बेति भारत । वार्षिकी ग्राहबहुला दुस्तीर्था कुटिला तथा
That river, O Bharata, became known as Ambā in the land of the Vatsas—swollen in the rainy season, full of crocodiles, difficult to ford, and winding.