05.173
भीष्म उवाच॥
bhīṣma uvāca॥
[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhishma; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
(Bhishma said:)
Bhishma said:
सा निष्क्रमन्ती नगराच्चिन्तयामास भारत। पृथिव्यां नास्ति युवतिर्विषमस्थतरा मया ॥ बान्धवैर्विप्रहीनास्मि शाल्वेन च निराकृता ॥५-१७३-१॥
sā niṣkramantī nagarāccintayāmāsa bhārata. pṛthivyāṃ nāsti yuvatirviṣamasthataraā mayā ॥ bāndhavairviprahīnāsmi śālvena ca nirākṛtā ॥5-173-1॥
[सा (sā) - she; निष्क्रमन्ती (niṣkramantī) - departing; नगरात् (nagarāt) - from the city; चिन्तयामास (cintayāmāsa) - thought; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata; पृथिव्यां (pṛthivyāṃ) - on earth; न (na) - not; अस्ति (asti) - there is; युवति: (yuvatiḥ) - a young woman; विषमस्थतरा (viṣamasthataraā) - more troubled; मया (mayā) - than I; बान्धवैः (bāndhavaiḥ) - by relatives; विप्रहीना (viprahīnā) - deprived; अस्मि (asmi) - I am; शाल्वेन (śālvena) - by Śālva; च (ca) - and; निराकृता (nirākṛtā) - rejected;]
(She, departing from the city, thought, O Bhārata, there is no young woman on earth more troubled than I. I am deprived by relatives and rejected by Śālva.)
As she left the city, she pondered, 'O Bhārata, there is no woman on earth more distressed than I am. I have been abandoned by my family and rejected by Śālva.'
न च शक्यं पुनर्गन्तुं मया वारणसाह्वयम्। अनुज्ञातास्मि भीष्मेण शाल्वमुद्दिश्य कारणम् ॥५-१७३-२॥
na ca śakyaṃ punargantuṃ mayā vāraṇasāhvayam। anujñātāsmi bhīṣmeṇa śālvamuddiśya kāraṇam ॥5-173-2॥
[न (na) - not; च (ca) - and; शक्यं (śakyaṃ) - possible; पुनः (punaḥ) - again; गन्तुं (gantuṃ) - to go; मया (mayā) - by me; वारणसाह्वयम् (vāraṇasāhvayam) - Vārāṇasāhvaya; अनुज्ञातास्मि (anujñātāsmi) - I am permitted; भीष्मेण (bhīṣmeṇa) - by Bhīṣma; शाल्वम् (śālvam) - Śālva; उद्दिश्य (uddiśya) - regarding; कारणम् (kāraṇam) - reason;]
(And it is not possible for me to go again to Vārāṇasāhvaya. I am permitted by Bhīṣma regarding the reason for Śālva.)
I cannot return to Vārāṇasāhvaya again. Bhīṣma has permitted me concerning the matter of Śālva.
किं नु गर्हाम्यथात्मानमथ भीष्मं दुरासदम्। आहो स्वित्पितरं मूढं यो मेऽकार्षीत्स्वयंवरम् ॥५-१७३-३॥
kiṁ nu garhāmyathātmānamatha bhīṣmaṁ durāsadam। āho svitpitaraṁ mūḍhaṁ yo me'kārṣītsvayaṁvaram ॥5-173-3॥
[किं (kiṁ) - what; नु (nu) - indeed; गर्हामि (garhāmi) - do I blame; अथ (atha) - or; आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - myself; अथ (atha) - or; भीष्मम् (bhīṣmam) - Bhishma; दुरासदम् (durāsadam) - unapproachable; आहो (āho) - or; स्वित् (svit) - perhaps; पितरम् (pitaram) - father; मूढम् (mūḍham) - foolish; यः (yaḥ) - who; मे (me) - my; अकार्षीत् (akārṣīt) - made; स्वयंवरम् (svayaṁvaram) - self-choice ceremony;]
(What indeed do I blame, myself or the unapproachable Bhishma? Or perhaps my foolish father who arranged my self-choice ceremony?)
What should I blame, myself, the formidable Bhishma, or perhaps my foolish father who arranged my self-choice ceremony?
ममायं स्वकृतो दोषो याहं भीष्मरथात्तदा। प्रवृत्ते वैशसे युद्धे शाल्वार्थं नापतं पुरा ॥ तस्येयं फलनिर्वृत्तिर्यदापन्नास्मि मूढवत् ॥५-१७३-४॥
mamāyaṃ svakṛto doṣo yāhaṃ bhīṣmarathāttadā। pravṛtte vaiśase yuddhe śālvārthaṃ nāpataṃ purā ॥ tasye(yaṃ) phalanirvṛttiryadāpannāsmi mūḍhavat ॥5-173-4॥
[मम (mama) - my; अयम् (ayam) - this; स्वकृतः (svakṛtaḥ) - self-made; दोषः (doṣaḥ) - fault; यः (yaḥ) - which; अहम् (aham) - I; भीष्मरथात् (bhīṣmarathāt) - from Bhishma's chariot; तदा (tadā) - then; प्रवृत्ते (pravṛtte) - engaged; वैशसे (vaiśase) - in a terrible; युद्धे (yuddhe) - battle; शाल्वार्थम् (śālvārtham) - for Shalva's sake; न (na) - not; अपतं (apataṃ) - fell; पुरा (purā) - before; तस्य (tasya) - of that; इयम् (iyam) - this; फलनिर्वृत्तिः (phalanirvṛttiḥ) - result; यत् (yat) - that; आपन्नः (āpannaḥ) - fallen; अस्मि (asmi) - am; मूढवत् (mūḍhavat) - like a fool;]
(This self-made fault of mine, which I did not fall from Bhishma's chariot then, engaged in a terrible battle for Shalva's sake before. This is the result of that, that I have fallen like a fool.)
This is my self-made fault that I did not fall from Bhishma's chariot during the terrible battle for Shalva's sake in the past. This is the consequence of that, as I have now fallen like a fool.
धिग्भीष्मं धिक्च मे मन्दं पितरं मूढचेतसम्। येनाहं वीर्यशुल्केन पण्यस्त्रीवत्प्रवेरिता ॥५-१७३-५॥
dhigbhīṣmaṃ dhikca me mandaṃ pitaraṃ mūḍhacetasam। yenāhaṃ vīryaśulkena paṇyastrīvatpraveritā ॥5-173-5॥
[धिक् (dhik) - shame; भीष्मम् (bhīṣmam) - Bhishma; धिक् (dhik) - shame; च (ca) - and; मे (me) - my; मन्दम् (mandam) - foolish; पितरम् (pitaram) - father; मूढचेतसम् (mūḍhacetasam) - dull-minded; येन (yena) - by whom; अहम् (aham) - I; वीर्यशुल्केन (vīryaśulkena) - for a price of valor; पण्यस्त्रीवत् (paṇyastrīvat) - like a purchased woman; प्रवेरिता (praveritā) - was given away;]
(Shame on Bhishma, and shame on my foolish father, dull-minded, by whom I was given away like a purchased woman for a price of valor.)
Shame on Bhishma and my foolish father, who, being dull-minded, gave me away like a purchased woman for a price of valor.
धिङ्मां धिक्षाल्वराजानं धिग्धातारमथापि च। येषां दुर्नीतभावेन प्राप्तास्म्यापदमुत्तमाम् ॥५-१७३-६॥
dhiṅ māṃ dhik śālv(a)-rājānaṃ dhig dhātāram athāpi ca | yeṣāṃ durnīta-bhāvena prāptāsmy āpadam uttamām ॥ 5-173-6 ॥
[धिक् (dhik) - shame; माम् (mām) - me; धिक् (dhik) - shame; शाल्वराजानम् (śālv(a)-rājānam) - the king of the Śālvas; धिक् (dhik) - shame; धातारम् (dhātāram) - the creator; अथ (atha) - and; अपि (api) - also; च (ca) - and; येषाम् (yeṣām) - by whose; दुर्नीतभावेन (durnīta-bhāvena) - by the wicked conduct; प्राप्तास्मि (prāptāsmi) - I have obtained; आपदम् (āpadam) - calamity; उत्तमाम् (uttamām) - great;]
(Shame on me, shame on the king of the Śālvas, shame on the creator, and also on those by whose wicked conduct I have obtained this great calamity.)
I am ashamed of myself, the king of the Śālvas, and even the creator, for it is through their wicked conduct that I have encountered this dire calamity.
सर्वथा भागधेयानि स्वानि प्राप्नोति मानवः। अनयस्यास्य तु मुखं भीष्मः शान्तनवो मम ॥५-१७३-७॥
sarvathā bhāgadheyāni svāni prāpnoti mānavaḥ। anasyāsya tu mukhaṃ bhīṣmaḥ śāṃtanavo mama ॥5-173-7॥
[सर्वथा (sarvathā) - in every way; भागधेयानि (bhāgadheyāni) - destinies; स्वानि (svāni) - own; प्राप्नोति (prāpnoti) - obtains; मानवः (mānavaḥ) - man; अनयस्य (anayasya) - of this misfortune; अस्य (asya) - this; तु (tu) - but; मुखं (mukhaṃ) - face; भीष्मः (bhīṣmaḥ) - Bhishma; शान्तनवः (śāṃtanavaḥ) - son of Shantanu; मम (mama) - my;]
(In every way, a man obtains his own destinies. But the face of this misfortune is Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, my.)
In every way, a man achieves his own fate. However, the cause of this misfortune is Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, who is mine.
सा भीष्मे प्रतिकर्तव्यमहं पश्यामि साम्प्रतम्। तपसा वा युधा वापि दुःखहेतुः स मे मतः ॥ को नु भीष्मं युधा जेतुमुत्सहेत महीपतिः ॥५-१७३-८॥
sā bhīṣme pratikartavyamahaṃ paśyāmi sāmpratam। tapasā vā yudhā vāpi duḥkhahetuḥ sa me mataḥ ॥ ko nu bhīṣmaṃ yudhā jetumutsaheta mahīpatiḥ ॥5-173-8॥
[सा (sā) - she; भीष्मे (bhīṣme) - in Bhishma; प्रतिकर्तव्यम् (pratikartavyam) - to be countered; अहम् (aham) - I; पश्यामि (paśyāmi) - see; साम्प्रतम् (sāmpratam) - now; तपसा (tapasā) - by penance; वा (vā) - or; युधा (yudhā) - by battle; वा (vā) - or; अपि (api) - also; दुःखहेतुः (duḥkhahetuḥ) - cause of sorrow; सः (saḥ) - he; मे (me) - my; मतः (mataḥ) - opinion; कः (kaḥ) - who; नु (nu) - indeed; भीष्मम् (bhīṣmam) - Bhishma; युधा (yudhā) - by battle; जेतुम् (jetum) - to conquer; उत्सहेत (utsaheta) - can dare; महीपतिः (mahīpatiḥ) - king;]
(She sees now that Bhishma is to be countered by penance or by battle, also he is the cause of sorrow, that is my opinion. Who indeed can dare to conquer Bhishma by battle, the king?)
She perceives that Bhishma must be opposed either through penance or combat, as he is the source of distress, in her view. Which king indeed would dare to defeat Bhishma in battle?
एवं सा परिनिश्चित्य जगाम नगराद्बहिः। आश्रमं पुण्यशीलानां तापसानां महात्मनाम् ॥ ततस्तामवसद्रात्रिं तापसैः परिवारिता ॥५-१७३-९॥
evaṃ sā pariniścitya jagāma nagarādbahiḥ। āśramaṃ puṇyaśīlānāṃ tāpasānāṃ mahātmanām ॥ tatastāmavasadrātriṃ tāpasaiḥ parivāritā ॥5-173-9॥
[एवं (evaṃ) - thus; सा (sā) - she; परिनिश्चित्य (pariniścitya) - having decided; जगाम (jagāma) - went; नगरात् (nagarāt) - from the city; बहिः (bahiḥ) - outside; आश्रमं (āśramaṃ) - hermitage; पुण्यशीलानां (puṇyaśīlānāṃ) - of virtuous; तापसानां (tāpasānāṃ) - of ascetics; महात्मनाम् (mahātmanām) - of great souls; ततः (tataḥ) - then; ताम् (tām) - her; अवसत् (avasat) - stayed; रात्रिं (rātriṃ) - night; तापसैः (tāpasaiḥ) - with ascetics; परिवारिता (parivāritā) - surrounded;]
(Thus, having decided, she went outside the city to the hermitage of virtuous ascetics of great souls. Then she stayed the night surrounded by ascetics.)
Having made up her mind, she left the city and went to the hermitage of the virtuous and great-souled ascetics. There, she spent the night in the company of the ascetics.
आचख्यौ च यथा वृत्तं सर्वमात्मनि भारत। विस्तरेण महाबाहो निखिलेन शुचिस्मिता ॥ हरणं च विसर्गं च शाल्वेन च विसर्जनम् ॥५-१७३-१०॥
ācakhyau ca yathā vṛttaṃ sarvamātmani bhārata। vistareṇa mahābāho nikhilena śucismitā ॥ haraṇaṃ ca visargaṃ ca śālvena ca visarjanam ॥5-173-10॥
[आचख्यौ (ācakhyau) - narrated; च (ca) - and; यथा (yathā) - as; वृत्तं (vṛttaṃ) - happened; सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; आत्मनि (ātmani) - in himself; भारत (bhārata) - O Bharata; विस्तरेण (vistareṇa) - in detail; महाबाहो (mahābāho) - O mighty-armed one; निखिलेन (nikhilena) - completely; शुचिस्मिता (śucismitā) - with a pure smile; हरणं (haraṇaṃ) - abduction; च (ca) - and; विसर्गं (visargaṃ) - release; च (ca) - and; शाल्वेन (śālvena) - by Shalva; च (ca) - and; विसर्जनम् (visarjanam) - dismissal;]
(Narrated and as happened all in himself, O Bharata, in detail, O mighty-armed one, completely with a pure smile, abduction and release and by Shalva and dismissal.)
O Bharata, the mighty-armed one narrated in detail everything that happened within himself, with a pure smile, including the abduction, release, and dismissal by Shalva.
ततस्तत्र महानासीद्ब्राह्मणः संशितव्रतः। शैखावत्यस्तपोवृद्धः शास्त्रे चारण्यके गुरुः ॥५-१७३-११॥
tatastatra mahānāsīdbrāhmaṇaḥ saṃśitavrataḥ। śaikhāvatyastapovṛddhaḥ śāstre cāraṇyake guruḥ ॥5-173-11॥
[ततः (tataḥ) - then; तत्र (tatra) - there; महान् (mahān) - great; आसीत् (āsīt) - was; ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - Brahmin; संशितव्रतः (saṃśitavrataḥ) - of firm vows; शैखावत्यः (śaikhāvatyaḥ) - of the Śaikhāvata lineage; तपःवृद्धः (tapo-vṛddhaḥ) - grown in austerity; शास्त्रे (śāstre) - in the scriptures; च (ca) - and; आरण्यके (āraṇyake) - in the forest texts; गुरुः (guruḥ) - teacher;]
(Then there was a great Brahmin of firm vows, of the Śaikhāvata lineage, grown in austerity, a teacher in the scriptures and in the forest texts.)
Then, there was a great Brahmin, known for his firm vows, belonging to the Śaikhāvata lineage, who had grown in austerity and was a teacher of both the scriptures and the forest texts.
आर्तां तामाह स मुनिः शैखावत्यो महातपाः। निःश्वसन्तीं सतीं बालां दुःखशोकपरायणाम् ॥५-१७३-१२॥
ārtāṃ tām āha sa muniḥ śaikhāvatyo mahātapāḥ। niḥśvasantīṃ satīṃ bālāṃ duḥkhaśokaparāyaṇām ॥5-173-12॥
[आर्ताम् (ārtām) - distressed; ताम् (tām) - her; आह (āha) - said; सः (saḥ) - he; मुनिः (muniḥ) - sage; शैखावत्यः (śaikhāvatyaḥ) - of Śaikhāvati; महातपाः (mahātapāḥ) - great ascetic; निःश्वसन्तीम् (niḥśvasantīm) - sighing; सतीम् (satīm) - virtuous; बालाम् (bālām) - young girl; दुःखशोकपरायणाम् (duḥkhaśokaparāyaṇām) - immersed in sorrow and grief;]
(The great ascetic sage of Śaikhāvati said to her, the distressed, sighing, virtuous young girl immersed in sorrow and grief.)
The great sage of Śaikhāvati, a man of great penance, addressed the young, virtuous girl who was deeply distressed and sighing, overwhelmed by sorrow and grief.
एवं गते किं नु भद्रे शक्यं कर्तुं तपस्विभिः। आश्रमस्थैर्महाभागैस्तपोनित्यैर्महात्मभिः ॥५-१७३-१३॥
evaṃ gate kiṃ nu bhadre śakyaṃ kartuṃ tapasvibhiḥ। āśramasthairmahābhāgaistapanityairmahātmabhiḥ ॥5-173-13॥
[एवं (evaṃ) - thus; गते (gate) - gone; किं (kiṃ) - what; नु (nu) - indeed; भद्रे (bhadre) - O auspicious one; शक्यं (śakyaṃ) - possible; कर्तुं (kartuṃ) - to do; तपस्विभिः (tapasvibhiḥ) - by ascetics; आश्रमस्थैः (āśramasthaiḥ) - by those dwelling in hermitages; महाभागैः (mahābhāgaiḥ) - by the fortunate ones; तपोनित्यैः (tapanityaiḥ) - by those constantly engaged in penance; महात्मभिः (mahātmabhiḥ) - by the great souls;]
(Thus gone, what indeed, O auspicious one, is possible to do by ascetics, by those dwelling in hermitages, by the fortunate ones, by those constantly engaged in penance, by the great souls?)
O auspicious one, in such a situation, what indeed can be accomplished by ascetics, those residing in hermitages, the fortunate, and the great souls who are constantly engaged in penance?
सा त्वेनमब्रवीद्राजन्क्रियतां मदनुग्रहः। प्रव्राजितुमिहेच्छामि तपस्तप्स्यामि दुश्चरम् ॥५-१७३-१४॥
sā tvenamabravīdrājankriyatāṃ madanugrahaḥ। pravrājitumihecchāmi tapastapsyāmi duścaram ॥5-173-14॥
[सा (sā) - she; तू (tu) - but; एनम् (enam) - him; अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - said; राजन् (rājan) - O king; क्रियताम् (kriyatām) - let it be done; मदनुग्रहः (madanugrahaḥ) - my favor; प्रव्राजितुम् (pravrājitum) - to renounce; इह (iha) - here; इच्छामि (icchāmi) - I wish; तपः (tapaḥ) - penance; तप्स्यामि (tapsyāmi) - I will perform; दुश्चरम् (duścaram) - difficult;]
(She, however, said to him, "O king, let my favor be done. I wish to renounce here and perform difficult penance.")
She then said to the king, "Please grant me this favor. I wish to renounce worldly life here and undertake a difficult penance."
मयैवैतानि कर्माणि पूर्वदेहेषु मूढया। कृतानि नूनं पापानि तेषामेतत्फलं ध्रुवम् ॥५-१७३-१५॥
mayaivaitāni karmāṇi pūrvadeheṣu mūḍhayā। kṛtāni nūnaṃ pāpāni teṣāmetatphalaṃ dhruvam ॥5-173-15॥
[मया (mayā) - by me; एव (eva) - indeed; एतानि (etāni) - these; कर्माणि (karmāṇi) - actions; पूर्व (pūrva) - previous; देहेषु (deheṣu) - in bodies; मूढया (mūḍhayā) - by the deluded one; कृतानि (kṛtāni) - done; नूनं (nūnaṃ) - certainly; पापानि (pāpāni) - sins; तेषाम् (teṣām) - of them; एतत् (etat) - this; फलं (phalaṃ) - result; ध्रुवम् (dhruvam) - certainly;]
(By me indeed these actions were done in previous bodies by the deluded one. Certainly, the sins of them, this is the result.)
It is certain that these sinful actions were performed by me in previous bodies when I was deluded, and this is their definite result.
नोत्सहेयं पुनर्गन्तुं स्वजनं प्रति तापसाः। प्रत्याख्याता निरानन्दा शाल्वेन च निराकृता ॥५-१७३-१६॥
notsaheyaṃ punargantuṃ svajanaṃ prati tāpasāḥ। pratyākhyātā nirānandā śālvena ca nirākṛtā ॥5-173-16॥
[नोत्सहेयं (notsaheyaṃ) - I am unable; पुनः (punaḥ) - again; गन्तुम् (gantum) - to go; स्वजनम् (svajanam) - to own people; प्रति (prati) - towards; तापसाः (tāpasāḥ) - sages; प्रत्याख्याता (pratyākhyātā) - rejected; निरानन्दा (nirānandā) - joyless; शाल्वेन (śālvena) - by Śālva; च (ca) - and; निराकृता (nirākṛtā) - dismissed;]
(I am unable to go again towards my own people, O sages. Rejected and joyless, dismissed by Śālva.)
I cannot return to my people, O sages, as I have been rejected and left joyless by Śālva.
उपदिष्टमिहेच्छामि तापस्यं वीतकल्मषाः। युष्माभिर्देवसङ्काशाः कृपा भवतु वो मयि ॥५-१७३-१७॥
upadiṣṭam ihecchāmi tāpasyaṃ vītakalmaṣāḥ। yuṣmābhir devasaṅkāśāḥ kṛpā bhavatu vo mayi ॥5-173-17॥
[उपदिष्टम् (upadiṣṭam) - instructed; इह (iha) - here; इच्छामि (icchāmi) - I wish; तापस्यं (tāpasyaṃ) - penance; वीतकल्मषाः (vītakalmaṣāḥ) - free from sins; युष्माभिः (yuṣmābhiḥ) - by you all; देवसङ्काशाः (devasaṅkāśāḥ) - god-like; कृपा (kṛpā) - grace; भवतु (bhavatu) - be; वः (vaḥ) - your; मयि (mayi) - on me;]
(Instructed here I wish penance free from sins by you all god-like grace be your on me.)
I wish to be instructed here in penance, free from sins, by you all who are god-like. May your grace be upon me.
स तामाश्वासयत्कन्यां दृष्टान्तागमहेतुभिः। सान्त्वयामास कार्यं च प्रतिजज्ञे द्विजैः सह ॥५-१७३-१८॥
sa tām āśvāsayat kanyāṃ dṛṣṭāntāgamahetubhiḥ। sāntvayām āsa kāryaṃ ca pratijajñe dvijaiḥ saha ॥5-173-18॥
[स (sa) - he; ताम् (tām) - her; आश्वासयत् (āśvāsayat) - consoled; कन्यां (kanyāṃ) - the girl; दृष्टान्त (dṛṣṭānta) - examples; आगम (āgama) - scriptures; हेतुभिः (hetubhiḥ) - with reasons; सान्त्वयामास (sāntvayām āsa) - pacified; कार्यं (kāryaṃ) - the task; च (ca) - and; प्रतिजज्ञे (pratijajñe) - promised; द्विजैः (dvijaiḥ) - with the brahmins; सह (saha) - together;]
(He consoled her, the girl, with examples, scriptures, and reasons. He pacified and promised the task together with the brahmins.)
He comforted the girl with logical examples and scriptural references, assuring her and promising to accomplish the task with the help of the brahmins.
