05.172
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said:
tato'haṁ samanujñāpya kālīṁ satyavatīṁ tadā। mantriṇaśca dvijāṁścaiva tathaiva ca purohitān ॥ samanujñāsiṣaṁ kanyāṁ jyeṣṭhāmambāṁ narādhipa ॥5-172-1॥
Then, O king, I took leave of Kali, Satyavati, the ministers, brahmins, priests, and the eldest maiden Amba.
anujñātā yayau sā tu kanyā śālvapateḥ puram। vṛddhairdvijātibhirguptā dhātryā cānugatā tadā ॥ atītya ca tamadhvānamāsasāda narādhipam ॥5-172-2॥
The maiden, having been permitted, went to the city of the lord of Śālva, accompanied and protected by the elders and the twice-born, along with her nurse. After crossing the path, she reached the king.
sā tam āsādya rājānaṃ śālvaṃ vacanam abravīt। āgatāhaṃ mahābāho tvām uddiśya mahādyute ॥5-172-3॥
She approached King Śālva and said, "I have come, O mighty-armed and great effulgent one, for you."
tām abravīt śālvapatiḥ smayan niva viśāṃ pate। tvayānyapūrvayā nāhaṃ bhāryārthī varavarṇini ॥5-172-4॥
The lord of Śālva, with a smile, said to her, "O lord of men, I do not seek a wife through you, O beautiful lady, who is unlike any other."
gaccha bhadre punastatra sakāśaṃ bhāratasya vai। nāhamicchāmi bhīṣmeṇa gṛhītāṃ tvāṃ prasahya vai ॥5-172-5॥
Go back, dear lady, to the presence of Bharata. I do not wish for you to be taken by Bhishma against your will.
tvaṁ hi nirjitya bhīṣmeṇa nītā prītimatī tadā। parāmṛśya mahāyuddhe nirjitya pṛthivīpatīn ॥ nāhaṁ tvayyanyapūrvāyāṁ bhāryārthī varavarṇini ॥5-172-6॥
Indeed, you were led by Bhishma after conquering, and were pleased then. Reflecting on the great battle, having conquered the rulers of the earth, I am not seeking a wife in you, O beautiful lady, who belonged to another before.
kathamasmadvidho rājā parapūrvāṃ praveśayet। nārīṃ viditavijñānaḥ pareṣāṃ dharmamādiśan ॥ yatheṣṭaṃ gamyatāṃ bhadre mā te kālo'tyagādayam ॥5-172-7॥
How could a king like us allow another man's wife to enter? A wise person instructing others on their duty. Go as you wish, dear lady, do not let your time pass away.
ambā tam abravīd rājan anaṅga-śara-pīḍitā। maivaṃ vada mahīpāla naitad evaṃ kathañcana ॥5-172-8॥
The mother, struck by the arrow of love, addressed him, saying, "O king, do not speak in such a manner, O ruler of the earth, this is not the case at all."
nāsmi prītimatī nītā bhīṣmeṇāmitrakarśana। balānnītāsmi rudatī vidrāvya pṛthivīpatīn ॥5-172-9॥
I am not happy, O tormentor of enemies, being taken away by Bhishma. I am forcibly led away, crying, after having defeated the kings of the earth.
bhajasva māṃ śālvapate bhaktāṃ bālāmanāgasam। bhaktānāṃ hi parityāgo na dharmeṣu praśasyate ॥5-172-10॥
O lord of the Śālvas, worship me, an innocent and devoted girl, for abandoning devotees is not considered virtuous in any duty.
sāham āmantrya gāṅgeyaṃ samareṣv anivartinam। anujñātā ca tenaiva tavaiva gṛham āgatā ॥5-172-11॥
After addressing the steadfast warrior born of the Ganges, and receiving his permission, she returned to your home.
na sa bhīṣmo mahābāhurmāmicchati viśāṃ pate। bhrātṛhetoḥ samārambho bhīṣmasyeti śrutaṃ mayā ॥5-172-12॥
I have heard that the mighty-armed Bhishma does not wish for me, O lord of the people, due to the endeavor for the sake of his brother.
bhaginyau mama ye nīte ambikāmbālike nṛpa। prādādvicitravīryāya gāṅgeyo hi yavīyase ॥5-172-13॥
The son of Ganga indeed gave my sisters, Ambika and Ambalika, to the younger Vichitravirya, O king.
yathā śālvapate nānyaṃ naraṃ dhyāmi kathaṃcana। tvāmṛte puruṣavyāghra tathā mūrdhānamālabhe ॥5-172-14॥
O lord of the Śālvas, I consider no other man but you, O tiger among men, and thus I bow my head.
na cānyapūrvā rājendra tvāmahaṁ samupasthitā। satyaṁ bravīmi śālvaitatsatyenātmānamālabhe ॥5-172-15॥
O King, I have approached you without any precedent. I speak the truth, O Śālva, and I affirm myself by the truth.
bhajasva māṁ viśālākṣa svayaṁ kanyāmupasthitām। ananyapūrvāṁ rājendra tvatprasādābhikāṅkṣiṇīm ॥5-172-16॥
O King, worship me, the large-eyed one, who is present here as an unprecedented daughter, desiring your favor.
tāmevaṃ bhāṣamāṇāṃ tu śālvaḥ kāśipateḥ sutām। atyajadbharataśreṣṭha tvacaṃ jīrṇāmivoragaḥ ॥5-172-17॥
Śālva, after hearing her speak in such a manner, abandoned the daughter of the king of Kāśi, just as a serpent sheds its old skin, O best of the Bharatas.
evaṃ bahuvidhair vākyair yācyamānas tayānagha। nāśraddadhac chālvapatiḥ kanyāyā bharatarṣabha ॥5-172-18॥
Despite being earnestly requested in many ways by her, the lord of the Śālvas, O sinless one, did not believe the maiden, O best of the Bharatas.
tataḥ sā manyunāviṣṭā jyeṣṭhā kāśipateḥ sutā। abravītsāśrunayanā bāṣpavihvalayā girā ॥5-172-19॥
Then the eldest daughter of the king of Kashi, overwhelmed with anger, spoke with tear-filled eyes and a voice trembling with emotion.
tvayā tyaktā gamiṣyāmi yatra yatra viśāṃ pate। tatra me santu gatayaḥ santaḥ satyaṃ yathābruvam ॥5-172-20॥
O lord of men, having been abandoned by you, I shall go wherever I can; may my paths be righteous there, as I have truthfully declared.
evaṃ sambhāṣamāṇāṃ tu nṛśaṃsaḥ śālvarāṭ tadā। paryatyajata kauravya karuṇaṃ paridevatīm ॥5-172-21॥
Thus, while they were speaking, the cruel king of the Śālvas abandoned the lamenting and pitiful descendant of Kuru.
gaccha gaccheti tāṃ śālvaḥ punaḥ punarabhāṣata। bibhemi bhīṣmātsuśroṇi tvaṃ ca bhīṣmaparigrahaḥ ॥5-172-22॥
Śālva repeatedly urged her to go, saying, 'Go, go.' O beautiful-hipped one, I fear Bhīṣma, and you are under Bhīṣma's protection.
evamuktā tu sā tena śālvenādīrghadarśinā। niścakrāma purāddīnā rudatī kurarī yathā ॥5-172-23॥
Having been addressed in this manner by Śālva, the far-sighted one, she left the city, sorrowful and crying, like a female curlew.
