सौभराजम् उपेत्याहम् अब्रुवं दुर्वचं वचः ॥
न च मां प्रत्यगृह्णात् स चारित्रपरिशङ्कितः ॥
एतत् सर्वं विनिश्चित्य स्वबुद्ध्या भृगुनन्दन ॥
यद् अत्रौपयिकं कार्यं तच् चिन्तयितुम् अर्हसि ॥
ममात्र व्यसनस्यास्य भीष्मो मूलं महाव्रतः ॥
येनाहं वशम् आनीता समुत्क्षिप्य बलात् तदा ॥
भीष्मं जहि महाबाहो यत्कृते दुःखम् ईदृशम् ॥
प्राप्ताहं भृगुशार्दूल चराम्य् अप्रियम् उत्तमम् ॥
स हि लुब्धश् च मानी च जितकाशी च भार्गव ॥
तस्मात् प्रतिक्रिया कर्तुं युक्ता तस्मै त्वयानघ ॥
saubharājam upetyāham abruvaṃ durvacaṃ vacaḥ ||
na ca māṃ pratyagṛhṇāt sa cāritrapariśaṅkitaḥ ||
etat sarvaṃ viniścitya svabuddhyā bhṛgunandana ||
yad atraupayikaṃ kāryaṃ tac cintayitum arhasi ||
mamātra vyasanasyāsya bhīṣmo mūlaṃ mahāvrataḥ ||
yenāhaṃ vaśam ānītā samutkṣipya balāt tadā ||
bhīṣmaṃ jahi mahābāho yatkṛte duḥkham īdṛśam ||
prāptāhaṃ bhṛguśārdūla carāmy apriyam uttamam ||
sa hi lubdhaś ca mānī ca jitakāśī ca bhārgava ||
tasmāt pratikriyā kartuṃ yuktā tasmai tvayānagha ||
"Having come to the king of Saubha, I spoke harsh words to him, but he would not accept me, doubting my chastity. Having determined all this with your own understanding, O descendant of Bhrigu, you should consider what is fitting to be done here. O you who are great in your vow, the root of this misfortune of mine is Bhishma: it was he who then seized me by force and brought me under his power. O mighty-armed one, kill Bhishma, because of whom I have come to such suffering. O tiger among the Bhrigus, I endure the utmost torment. O Bhargava, he is greedy, proud, and has conquered Kashi; therefore, O sinless one, it behooves you to take retribution upon him."
6f16d10578a5 · published Jul 17, 2026, 6:36:31 AM UTC
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In this chapter Amba's wish crystallizes into a clearly stated demand: not merely to find protection, but to obtain retribution against Bhishma. Akritavrana distinguishes two possible courses of action — compelling Shalva or punishing Bhishma — and shows that the root of Shalva's doubt lay precisely in the forcible abduction of Amba. The appearance of Rama Jamadagnya moves the matter into the realm of high dharma: an ascetic bearing arms listens to a woman's suffering, seeks a just resolution, and is prepared first to send word, and then, if that word is rejected, to use force. Amba names Bhishma as the source of her misfortune and asks Rama to fulfill her long-held inner vow.