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.
सा कन्या तपसा तेन देहार्धेन व्यजायत । नदी च राजन्वत्सेषु कन्या चैवाभवत्तदा
By that austerity, half her body became a maiden, and half a river among the Vatsas, O King; thus she was both a river and a maiden at that time.
ततस्ते तापसाः सर्वे तपसे धृतनिश्चयाम्। दृष्ट्वा न्यवर्तयंस्तात किं कार्यमिति चाब्रुवन्
Then all the ascetics, firm in their vows of austerity, seeing her, withdrew and asked, 'What should be done?'
तानुवाच ततः कन्या तपोवृद्धानृषींस्तदा । निराकृतास्मि भीष्मेण भ्रंशिता पतिधर्मतः
Then that maiden spoke to those ascetics, grown powerful in austerity: 'I have been rejected by Bhishma and deprived of the duties of a wife.'
वधार्थं तस्य दीक्षा मे न लोकार्थं तपोधनाः । निहत्य भीष्मं गच्छेयं शान्तिमित्येव निश्चयः
'My vow is for his destruction, not for worldly purposes, O possessors of austerity. My resolve is only this: having slain Bhishma, I shall attain peace.'
यत्कृते दुःखवसतिमिमां प्राप्तऽस्मि शाश्वतीम् । पतिलोकाद्विहीना च नैव स्त्री न पुमानिह
'For the sake of which I have come to this perpetual abode of sorrow—deprived of the world of husbands, I am neither woman nor man here.'
नाहत्वा युधि गाङ्गेयं निवर्तिष्ये तपोधनाः । एष मे हृदि संकल्पो यदिदं कथितं मया
'Without slaying the son of Ganga in battle, I shall not turn back, O possessors of austerity. This is my resolve in my heart, as I have spoken.'
स्त्रीभावे परिनिर्विण्णा पुंस्त्वार्थे कृतनिश्चया । भीष्मे प्रतिचिकीर्षामि नास्मि वार्येति वै पुनः
'Disgusted with womanhood, I am firmly resolved to obtain manhood. I wish to act against Bhishma; I shall not be restrained again.'
तां देवो दर्शयामास शूलपाणिरुमापतिः । मध्ये तेषां महार्षीणां स्वेन रूपेण तापसीम्
Then the god Shiva, the wielder of the trident, the husband of Uma, revealed himself to her in his own form among those great sages, as she practiced austerity.
छन्द्यमाना वरेणाथ सा वव्रे मत्पराजयम् । हनिष्यसीति तां देवः प्रत्युवाच मनस्विनीम्
When offered a boon, she chose my defeat; and the god said to that resolute woman, 'You shall slay him.'
ततः सा पुनरेवाथ कन्या रुद्रमुवाच ह। उपपद्येत्कथं देव स्त्रिया युधि जयो मम
Then again that maiden spoke to Rudra: 'How, O god, can victory in battle come to me, a woman?'