05.175
Hotravāhana uvāca॥
Hotravahana spoke:
rāmaṃ drakṣyasi vatse tvaṃ jāmadagnyaṃ mahāvane। ugre tapasi vartantaṃ satyasandhaṃ mahābalam ॥5-175-1॥
Dear, you will encounter Rama, the son of Jamadagni, in the vast forest, where he is engaged in intense penance, known for his truthfulness and great strength.
mahendre vai giriśreṣṭhe rāmaṃ nityamupāsate। ṛṣayo vedaviduṣo gandharvāpsarasastathā ॥5-175-2॥
In the best of mountains, Mahendra, Rama is perpetually worshiped by sages, Vedic scholars, Gandharvas, and Apsaras.
tatra gacchasva bhadraṃ te brūyāś cainaṃ vaco mama। abhivādya pūrvaṃ śirasā tapovṛddhaṃ dṛḍhavratam ॥5-175-3॥
Go there and convey my words, offering your respects first to the ascetic elder who is firm in his vows. May blessings be upon you.
brūyāś cainaṃ punar bhadre yat te kāryaṃ manīṣitam। mayi saṅkīrtite rāmaḥ sarvaṃ tat te kariṣyati ॥5-175-4॥
O auspicious one, you should tell him again what task you desire. When I am mentioned, Rama will accomplish everything for you.
mama rāmaḥ sakhā vatse prītiyuktaḥ suhṛcca me। jamadagnisuto vīraḥ sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ ॥5-175-5॥
My friend Rama is dear and affectionate, and he is my well-wisher. The son of Jamadagni is a hero and the best among all weapon bearers.
evaṃ bruvati kanyāṃ tu pārthive hotravāhane। akṛtavraṇaḥ prādurāsīdrāmasyānucaraḥ priyaḥ ॥5-175-6॥
As the maiden spoke to the king in the sacrificial chariot, Rama's dear and unwounded follower appeared.
tataste munayaḥ sarve samuttasthuḥ sahasraśaḥ। sa ca rājā vayovṛddhaḥ sṛñjayo hotravāhanaḥ ॥5-175-7॥
Then all the sages rose in thousands, and the aged king Sṛñjaya, Hotravāhana, was present.
tataḥ pṛṣṭvā yathānyāyam anyonyaṃ te vanaukasaḥ। sahitā bharataśreṣṭha niṣeduḥ parivārya tam ॥5-175-8॥
Then, after inquiring according to the rules, those forest dwellers, together with the best of the Bharatas, sat down surrounding him.
tataste kathayāmāsuḥ kathāstāstā manoramāḥ। kāntā divyāśca rājendra prītiharṣamudā yutāḥ ॥5-175-9॥
Then they narrated those delightful and divine stories, O King, filled with joy and happiness.
tataḥ kathānte rājarṣirmahātmā hotravāhanaḥ। rāmaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ maharṣīṇāmapṛcchadakṛtavraṇam ॥5-175-10॥
At the conclusion of the tale, the noble sage Hotravāhana, a great soul, inquired of Rama, the foremost of the great sages, who remained unscathed.
kva samprati mahābāho jāmadagnyaḥ pratāpavān। akṛtavraṇa śakyo vai draṣṭuṃ vedavidāṃ varaḥ ॥5-175-11॥
O mighty-armed one, where is the powerful son of Jamadagni now? The unwounded one, indeed, is capable of being seen, as he is the best among the knowers of the Veda.
akṛtavraṇa uvāca॥
Akritavrana spoke:
bhavantameva satataṃ rāmaḥ kīrtayati prabho। sṛñjayo me priyasakho rājarṣiriti pārthiva ॥5-175-12॥
Rama constantly sings your praises, O lord. Sṛñjaya, my dear friend, is known as a royal sage, O king.
iha rāmaḥ prabhāte śvo bhaviteti matirmama। draṣṭāsyenamihāyāntaṃ tava darśanakāṅkṣayā ॥5-175-13॥
Here, I believe Rama will be here tomorrow morning. You will see him coming here eager to see you.
iyaṁ ca kanyā rājarṣe kimarthaṁ vanamāgatā। kasya ceyaṁ tava ca kā bhavatīcchāmi veditum ॥5-175-14॥
O royal sage, I wish to know why this girl has come to the forest. Whose daughter is she, and who are you?
hotravāhana uvāca॥
Hotravahana spoke:
dauhitrīyaṃ mama vibho kāśirājasutā śubhā। jyeṣṭhā svayaṃvare tasthau bhaginībhyāṃ sahānagha ॥5-175-15॥
O lord, this is my granddaughter, the auspicious daughter of the king of Kashi. She stood with her eldest sisters in the self-choice ceremony, O sinless one.
iyam amba iti vikhyātā jyeṣṭhā kāśipateḥ sutā। ambikāmbālike tvanye yavīyasyau tapodhana ॥5-175-16॥
This is the one known as 'Mother', the eldest daughter of the king of Kashi. Ambika and Ambalika are the other younger daughters, O sage.
sametaṃ pārthivaṃ kṣatraṃ kāśipuryāṃ tato'bhavat। kanyānimittaṃ brahmarṣe tatrāsīdutsavo mahān ॥5-175-17॥
In the city of Kāśī, the royal warriors gathered, and then a great festival took place for the maiden, O sage.
tataḥ kila mahāvīryo bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo nṛpān। avākṣipya mahātejāstisraḥ kanyā jahāra tāḥ ॥5-175-18॥
Then, the mighty Bhishma, son of Shantanu, challenged the kings and powerfully abducted the three maidens.
nirjitya pṛthivīpālānatha bhīṣmo gajāhvayam। ājagāma viśuddhātmā kanyābhiḥ saha bhārata ॥5-175-19॥
After defeating the rulers of the earth, the pure-hearted Bhishma arrived at Gajahvaya with the maidens, O Bharata.
satyavatyai nivedyātha vivāhārthamanantaram। bhrāturvicitravīryasya samājñāpayata prabhuḥ ॥5-175-20॥
After informing Satyavati, the lord commanded regarding the marriage of his brother Vichitravirya.
tato vaivāhikaṃ dṛṣṭvā kanyeyaṃ samupārjitam। abravīttatra gāṅgeyaṃ mantrimadhye dvijarṣabha ॥5-175-21॥
Then, having witnessed the marriage, this girl was acquired. There, the best of the twice-born, Bhishma, spoke among the ministers.
mayā śālvapatirvīra manasābhivṛtaḥ patiḥ। na māmarhasi dharmajña paracittāṃ pradāpitum ॥5-175-22॥
I have mentally surrounded the lord of Śālva, a hero. You, who understand dharma, should not give me away to someone else's thoughts.
tacchrutvā vacanaṃ bhīṣmaḥ saṃmantrya saha mantribhiḥ। niścitya visasarjemāṃ satyavatyā mate sthitaḥ ॥5-175-23॥
Upon hearing those words, Bhishma, after consulting with his ministers and making a decision, sent her away, adhering to Satyavati's wishes.
anujñātā tu bhīṣmeṇa śālvaṃ saubhapatiṃ tataḥ। kanyeyaṃ muditā vipra kāle vacanamabravīt ॥5-175-24॥
Permitted by Bhishma, Shalva, the lord of Saubha, then this joyful maiden spoke to the Brahmin at the right time.
visarjitāsmi bhīṣmeṇa dharmaṃ māṃ pratipādaya। manasābhivṛtaḥ pūrvaṃ mayā tvaṃ pārthivarṣabha ॥5-175-25॥
I have been released by Bhishma, so please instruct me in my duty. Previously, my mind was enveloped by you, O best of kings.
pratyācakhyau ca śālvo'pi cāritrasyābhiśaṅkitaḥ. seyaṃ tapovanaṃ prāptā tāpasye'bhiratā bhṛśam ॥5-175-26॥
Śālva, suspecting her character, rejected her. She arrived at the hermitage and was deeply engaged in penance.
mayā ca pratyabhijñātā vaṃśasya parikīrtanāt। asya duḥkhasya cotpattiṃ bhīṣmameveha manyate ॥5-175-27॥
I have recognized, through the mention of the lineage, that Bhishma is considered the origin of this sorrow here.
ambovāca॥
The mother spoke:
bhagavannevamevaitadyathāha pṛthivīpatiḥ। śarīrakartā māturme sṛñjayo hotravāhanaḥ ॥5-175-28॥
O Lord, it is exactly as the king said. Sṛñjaya Hotravāhana, the creator of my mother's body.
na hy utsahe svanagaraṃ pratiyātuṃ tapodhana। avamānabhayāccaiva vrīḍayā ca mahāmune ॥5-175-29॥
I am unable to return to my city, O revered sage, due to the fear of disrespect and shame, O great sage.
yattu māṃ bhagavān rāmo vakṣyati dvijasattama। tanme kāryatamaṃ kāryam iti me bhagavanmatiḥ ॥5-175-30॥
O best of the twice-born, whatever the divine Rama tells me, that I consider my foremost duty, as per my divine understanding.
