ततो वैवाहिकं दृष्ट्वा कन्येयं समुपार्जितम् ॥
अब्रवीत् तत्र गाङ्गेयं मन्त्रिमध्ये द्विजर्षभ ॥
मया शाल्वपतिर् वीर मनसाभिवृतः पतिः ॥
न माम् अर्हसि धर्मज्ञ परचित्तां प्रदापितुम् ॥
तच् छ्रुत्वा वचनं भीष्मः संमन्त्र्य सह मन्त्रिभिः ॥
निश्चित्य विससर्जेमां सत्यवत्या मते स्थितः ॥
अनुज्ञाता तु भीष्मेण शाल्वं सौभपतिं ततः ॥
कन्येयं मुदिता विप्र काले वचनम् अब्रवीत् ॥
विसर्जितास्मि भीष्मेण धर्मं मां प्रतिपादय ॥
मनसाभिवृतः पूर्वं मया त्वं पार्थिवर्षभ ॥
tato vaivāhikaṃ dṛṣṭvā kanyeyaṃ samupārjitam ||
abravīt tatra gāṅgeyaṃ mantrimadhye dvijarṣabha ||
mayā śālvapatir vīra manasābhivṛtaḥ patiḥ ||
na mām arhasi dharmajña paracittāṃ pradāpitum ||
tac chrutvā vacanaṃ bhīṣmaḥ saṃmantrya saha mantribhiḥ ||
niścitya visasarjemāṃ satyavatyā mate sthitaḥ ||
anujñātā tu bhīṣmeṇa śālvaṃ saubhapatiṃ tataḥ ||
kanyeyaṃ muditā vipra kāle vacanam abravīt ||
visarjitāsmi bhīṣmeṇa dharmaṃ māṃ pratipādaya ||
manasābhivṛtaḥ pūrvaṃ mayā tvaṃ pārthivarṣabha ||
"When the wedding preparations had been made ready, this maiden, O best of the twice-born, said to the son of Gaṅgā in the midst of his counselors: 'O hero, the lord of Śālva was chosen by me in my heart as husband before. O knower of dharma, you ought not give me in marriage when my heart belongs to another.' Hearing this speech, Bhīṣma took counsel with his ministers, came to a decision, and, following Satyavatī's judgment, released her. Released by Bhīṣma, this maiden, O brahman, joyfully went to Śālva, lord of Saubha, and at the proper time said: 'I have been released by Bhīṣma; establish me in dharma. O bull among kings, you were chosen by me in my heart before.'"
a9f2afa74cec · published Jul 17, 2026, 6:36:31 AM UTC
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Hotravāhana sends Ambā not merely to a mighty warrior, but to Rāma Jāmadagnya — an ascetic, a keeper of vows, and an unsurpassed wielder of arms. The account given before Akṛtavraṇa gathers the whole chain of causes anew: Bhīṣma's abduction of the princesses, Ambā's confession about Śālva, her release, Śālva's refusal, and her arrival in the forest. The precision of this retelling matters: before seeking redress, one must clearly name the source of the suffering and the measure of each party's responsibility. Ambā resolves to submit to Rāma's word, because her personal pain now enters the domain of dharma, of vows, and of righteous judgment.