Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच ततोऽहं समनुज्ञाप्य कालीं सत्यवतीं तदा मन्त्रिणश्च द्विजांश्चैव तथैव च पुरोहितान् समनुज्ञासिषं कन्यां ज्येष्ठामम्बां नराधिप
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Then did I, submitted the matter before our advisers, priests and spiritual guides,
अनुज्ञाता ययौ सा तु कन्या शाल्वपतेः पुरम् वृद्धैर्द्विजातिभिर्गुप्ता धात्र्या चानुगता तदा अतीत्य च तमध्वानमाससाद नराधिपम्
M. N. Dutt: 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.
सा तमासाद्य राजानं शाल्वं वचनमब्रवीत् आगताहं महाबाहो त्वामुद्दिश्य महाद्युते
M. N. Dutt: 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."
Supplementary Passages:
5.172.3 After 3, D2 (om. line 1) T G M1 ins.: *572 अभिनन्दस्व मां राजन्सदा प्रियहिते रताम् प्रतिपालय मां राजन्धर्मादींश्चर धर्मतः त्वं हि मे मनसा ध्यातस्त्वया चाप्युपमन्त्रिता
तामब्रवीच्छाल्वपतिः स्मयन्निव विशां पते त्वयान्यपूर्वया नाहं भार्यार्थी वरवर्णिनि
M. N. Dutt: 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.
गच्छ भद्रे पुनस्तत्र सकाशं भारतस्य वै नाहमिच्छामि भीष्मेण गृहीतां त्वां प्रसह्य वै
M. N. Dutt: Go therefore, gentle lady, again to Bhishma. I dot desire to have you who had been taken away by Bhishma by force.
त्वं हि निर्जित्य भीष्मेण नीता प्रीतिमती तदा परामृश्य महायुद्धे निर्जित्य पृथिवीपतीन् नाहं त्वय्यन्यपूर्वायां भार्यार्थी वरवर्णिनि
M. N. Dutt: At that time were you cheerfully led away by Bhishma who vanquished all the kings.
कथमस्मद्विधो राजा परपूर्वां प्रवेशयेत् नारीं विदितविज्ञानः परेषां धर्ममादिशन् यथेष्टं गम्यतां भद्रे मा ते कालोऽत्यगादयम्
M. N. Dutt: 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.”
अम्बा तमब्रवीद्राजन्ननङ्गशरपीडिता मैवं वद महीपाल नैतदेवं कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: 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.
नास्मि प्रीतिमती नीता भीष्मेणामित्रकर्शन बलान्नीतास्मि रुदती विद्राव्य पृथिवीपतीन्
M. N. Dutt: 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.
भजस्व मां शाल्वपते भक्तां बालामनागसम् भक्तानां हि परित्यागो न धर्मेषु प्रशस्यते
M. N. Dutt: Accept me, O lord of the Shalvas, accept a girl who is innocent. No religion approves of the direction of the devoted.
साहमामन्त्र्य गाङ्गेयं समरेष्वनिवर्तिनम् अनुज्ञाता च तेनैव तवैव गृहमागता
M. N. Dutt: 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.
न स भीष्मो महाबाहुर्मामिच्छति विशां पते भ्रातृहेतोः समारम्भो भीष्मस्येति श्रुतं मया
M. N. Dutt: 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.
भगिन्यौ मम ये नीते अम्बिकाम्बालिके नृप प्रादाद्विचित्रवीर्याय गाङ्गेयो हि यवीयसे
M. N. Dutt: 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.
यथा शाल्वपते नान्यं नरं ध्यामि कथंचन त्वामृते पुरुषव्याघ्र तथा मूर्धानमालभे
M. N. Dutt: I do not, O lord of the Shalvas, desire any husband save yourself, O foremost among men, I swear by my heart.
न चान्यपूर्वा राजेन्द्र त्वामहं समुपस्थिता सत्यं ब्रवीमि शाल्वैतत्सत्येनात्मानमालभे
M. N. Dutt: 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.
भजस्व मां विशालाक्ष स्वयं कन्यामुपस्थिताम् अनन्यपूर्वां राजेन्द्र त्वत्प्रसादाभिकाङ्क्षिणीम्
M. N. Dutt: 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."
तामेवं भाषमाणां तु शाल्वः काशिपतेः सुताम् अत्यजद्भरतश्रेष्ठ त्वचं जीर्णामिवोरगः
M. N. Dutt: 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.
एवं बहुविधैर्वाक्यैर्याच्यमानस्तयानघ नाश्रद्दधच्छाल्वपतिः कन्याया भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: The king of the Shalvas did not look graciously on that girl who spoke in this and several other strains.
ततः सा मन्युनाविष्टा ज्येष्ठा काशिपतेः सुता अब्रवीत्साश्रुनयना बाष्पविह्वलया गिरा
M. N. Dutt: 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.
त्वया त्यक्ता गमिष्यामि यत्र यत्र विशां पते तत्र मे सन्तु गतयः सन्तः सत्यं यथाब्रुवम्
M. N. Dutt: Being abandoned by you I shall go wherever I please, O lord of the universe, making the righteous my refuge, for truth is indestructible.
एवं संभाषमाणां तु नृशंसः शाल्वराट्तदा पर्यत्यजत कौरव्य करुणं परिदेवतीम्
M. N. Dutt: At that time the lord of the Shalvas thus abandoned that girl, O Kaurava, who spoke to him plaintively.
गच्छ गच्छेति तां शाल्वः पुनः पुनरभाषत बिभेमि भीष्मात्सुश्रोणि त्वं च भीष्मपरिग्रहः
M. N. Dutt: Shalva said to her again and again “go, go, I fear Bhishma, O you of beautiful hips, for you are Bhishma's capture."
एवमुक्ता तु सा तेन शाल्वेनादीर्घदर्शिना निश्चक्राम पुराद्दीना रुदती कुररी यथा
M. N. Dutt: Being thus spoken to by that Shalva of short foresight, she issued out of that city sorrowing, weeping like a she osprey.