Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच ततस्ते तापसाः सर्वे कार्यवन्तोऽभवंस्तदा तां कन्यां चिन्तयन्तो वै किं कार्यमिति धर्मिणः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Then did all those anchorites engage themselves in their respective duties and those virtuous ones thought as to what they should do for that lady.
केचिदाहुः पितुर्वेश्म नीयतामिति तापसाः केचिदस्मदुपालम्भे मतिं चक्रुर्द्विजोत्तमाः
M. N. Dutt: Some among them then said “Let us take her to her father's place," and some of the anchorites thought of finding fault with ourselves.
केचिच्छाल्वपतिं गत्वा नियोज्यमिति मेनिरे नेति केचिद्व्यवस्यन्ति प्रत्याख्याता हि तेन सा
M. N. Dutt: Some thought of going to the king of the Shalvas and ask him to accept the girl: some said 'nay' to this proposal for she was rejected by him.
एवं गते किं नु शक्यं भद्रे कर्तुं मनीषिभिः पुनरूचुश्च ते सर्वे तापसाः संशितव्रताः
M. N. Dutt: Then did all those anchorites say again to her:-It being so, gentle lady, what can these anchorites do for you, endued with intelligence and self-control though they are?
अलं प्रव्रजितेनेह भद्रे शृणु हितं वचः इतो गच्छस्व भद्रं ते पितुरेव निवेशनम्
M. N. Dutt: There is no need for you to roam about in these woods: Listen to wards that are of benefit to you and go hence to your father's place; may you fare well.
प्रतिपत्स्यति राजा स पिता ते यदनन्तरम् तत्र वत्स्यसि कल्याणि सुखं सर्वगुणान्विता न च तेऽन्या गतिर्न्याय्या भवेद्भद्रे यथा पिता
M. N. Dutt: The king, your father, will do what is proper for you and, O blessed lady, you will live there in happiness, endued with all accomplishments as you are.
पतिर्वापि गतिर्नार्याः पिता वा वरवर्णिनि गतिः पतिः समस्थाया विषमे तु पिता गतिः
AI Translation: O you of beautiful complexion, the husband or the father is the refuge of a woman. The husband is the refuge of a woman who is in a good state, but the father is the refuge in a bad state.
प्रव्रज्या हि सुदुःखेयं सुकुमार्या विशेषतः राजपुत्र्याः प्रकृत्या च कुमार्यास्तव भामिनि
AI Translation: This renunciation is very difficult, especially for a delicate person. For a princess, by nature a young girl, and for you, a beautiful woman.
भद्रे दोषा हि विद्यन्ते बहवो वरवर्णिनि आश्रमे वै वसन्त्यास्ते न भवेयुः पितुर्गृहे
AI Translation: O fortunate one, O you of excellent complexion, there are many faults in you. They would not be there if you were to live in a hermitage, not in your father's house.
ततस्तु तेऽब्रुवन्वाक्यं ब्राह्मणास्तां तपस्विनीम् त्वामिहैकाकिनीं दृष्ट्वा निर्जने गहने वने प्रार्थयिष्यन्ति राजेन्द्रास्तस्मान्मैवं मनः कृथाः
M. N. Dutt: Seeing yourself alone in these dreary and solitary woods kings will court you; therefore do not set your heart on such a life.
अम्बोवाच न शक्यं काशिनगरीं पुनर्गन्तुं पितुर्गृहान् अवज्ञाता भविष्यामि बान्धवानां न संशयः
M. N. Dutt: Amba said I cannot go to the city of Kashi to my father's place for I shall doubtless to disgraced by my friends.
उषिता ह्यन्यथा बाल्ये पितुर्वेश्मनि तापसाः नाहं गमिष्ये भद्रं वस्तत्र यत्र पिता मम तपस्तप्तुमभीप्सामि तापसैः परिपालिता
M. N. Dutt: O ascetics, in my childhood did I live in my father's place but now I shall not go where my father is; may you fare well.
यथा परेऽपि मे लोके न स्यादेवं महात्ययः दौर्भाग्यं ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठास्तस्मात्तप्स्याम्यहं तपः
M. N. Dutt: I desire to practice asceticism protected by anchorites so that in the next world too I may not meet with such dire calamities. O foremost among ascetics, therefore am I desirous of practicing asceticism.
भीष्म उवाच इत्येवं तेषु विप्रेषु चिन्तयत्सु तथा तथा राजर्षिस्तद्वनं प्राप्तस्तपस्वी होत्रवाहनः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said While those regenerate persons were thus thinking of the merit of the case, the royal sage Hotravahana came into that forest.
Supplementary Passages:
5.174.14 After 14, S ins.: *573 तां तथा भामिनीं दृष्ट्वा श्रुत्वा चोद्विग्नमानसः
ततस्ते तापसाः सर्वे पूजयन्ति स्म तं नृपम् पूजाभिः स्वागताद्याभिरासनेनोदकेन च
M. N. Dutt: Then did all those ascetics worship that ruler of men and welcome him with their greetings, seat and water.
तस्योपविष्टस्य ततो विश्रान्तस्योपशृण्वतः पुनरेव कथां चक्रुः कन्यां प्रति वनौकसः
M. N. Dutt: Then did those dwellers of the forest again address that lady in the hearing of that sage after he had taken his seat and rested himself a little.
अम्बायास्तां कथां श्रुत्वा काशिराज्ञश्च भारत स वेपमान उत्थाय मातुरस्याः पिता तदा तां कन्यामङ्कमारोप्य पर्याश्वासयत प्रभो
AI Translation: Having heard that story of his mother and of the king of Kāśi, O descendant of Bharata, his father, trembling, rose up then, and, O lord, having placed
Supplementary Passages:
5.174.17 After 17ab, N (except B5; K4 D3.4 om. lines 1-2) G3 ins.: *574 राजर्षिः स महातेजा बभूवोद्विग्नमानसः तां तथावादिनीं श्रुत्वा दृष्ट्वा च स महातपाः राजर्षिः कृपयाविष्टो महात्मा होत्रवाहनः
स तामपृच्छत्कार्त्स्न्येन व्यसनोत्पत्तिमादितः सा च तस्मै यथावृत्तं विस्तरेण न्यवेदयत्
M. N. Dutt: He asked her the story of her wrongs from its origin and in detail and she too submitted to him everything as it had happened in detail.
ततः स राजर्षिरभूद्दुःखशोकसमन्वितः कार्यं च प्रतिपेदे तन्मनसा सुमहातपाः
M. N. Dutt: Then was that royal sage filled with grief and distress and that one of great asceticism resolved, within himself, on his course of action.
अब्रवीद्वेपमानश्च कन्यामार्तां सुदुःखितः मा गाः पितृगृहं भद्रे मातुस्ते जनको ह्यहम्
M. N. Dutt: Trembling, he said to that distressed and sorrowful girl: "Do not go to your father's place, gentle lady. I am the father of your mother.
दुःखं छेत्स्यामि तेऽहं वै मयि वर्तस्व पुत्रिके पर्याप्तं ते मनः पुत्रि यदेवं परिशुष्यसि
M. N. Dutt: I shall remove your sorrow, depend on me, dear daughter. You have enough of grief, child, since you are so lean.
गच्छ मद्वचनाद्रामं जामदग्न्यं तपस्विनम् रामस्तव महद्दुःखं शोकं चापनयिष्यति हनिष्यति रणे भीष्मं न करिष्यति चेद्वचः
M. N. Dutt: By my advice go to the ascetic Rama, the son of Jamadagni. Rama will remove this heavy and horrible grief of yours.
तं गच्छ भार्गवश्रेष्ठं कालाग्निसमतेजसम् प्रतिष्ठापयिता स त्वां समे पथि महातपाः
AI Translation: Go to him, O best of Bhārgavas, of equal brilliance to the fire of time, He, the great ascetic, will establish you on the even path.
ततस्तु सस्वरं बाष्पमुत्सृजन्ती पुनः पुनः अब्रवीत्पितरं मातुः सा तदा होत्रवाहनम्
AI Translation: Then, shedding tears with a loud sound again and again, she then spoke to her mother's father, Hotravahana.
अभिवादयित्वा शिरसा गमिष्ये तव शासनात् अपि नामाद्य पश्येयमार्यं तं लोकविश्रुतम्
AI Translation: Having bowed my head, I shall go by your command. Perhaps I may see today that noble one, renowned in the world,
कथं च तीव्रं दुःखं मे हनिष्यति स भार्गवः एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुमथ यास्यामि तत्र वै
M. N. Dutt: But shall I be able to see that respected man known throughout the world and how shall he of Bhrigu's race remove my grave sorrow? I desire to know this since I am going there.