Chapter 178

“Bhishma said, ‘Those virtuous ascetics then set themselves about theirusual avocations, thinking all the while as to what they should do forthat maiden. And some amongst them said, ‘Let her be taken to herfather’s abode.’ And some amongst them set their hearts upon reproachingourselves. And some thought that repairing to the ruler of the Salwas, heshould be solicited to accept the maiden. And some said, ‘No, that shouldnot be done, for she hath been rejected by him.’ And after some time hadpassed thus, those ascetics of rigid vows once more said unto her, ‘What,O blessed lady, can ascetics with senses under control do? Do not devotethyself to a life in the woods, renouncing the world! O blessed lady,listen to these words that are beneficial to thee! Depart hence, blessedbe thou, to thy father’s mansion! The king, thy father, will do whatshould next be done. O auspicious one, surrounded by every comfort, thoumayest live there in happiness. Thou art a woman! At present, therefore,O blessed one, thou hast no other protector save thy father. O thou ofthe fairest complexion, as regards a woman, she hath her father for herprotector or her husband. Her husband is her protector when she is incomfortable circumstances, but when plunged in misery, she hath herfather for her protector. A life in the woods is exceedingly painful,especially to one that is delicate. Thou art a princess by birth; overthis, thou art, again, very delicate, O beautiful dame! O blessed lady,there are numerous discomforts and difficulties attaching to a life in a(woody) retreat, none of which, O thou of the fairest complexion, shaltthou have to bear in thy father’s abode!’ Other ascetics, beholding thathelpless girl said to her, ‘Seeing thee alone in deep and solitary woods,kings may court thee! Therefore, set not thy heart upon such a course!’

“Hearing these words, Amva said, ‘I am incapable of going back to myfather’s abode in the city of Kasi, for without doubt I shalt then bedisregarded by all my relatives. Ye ascetics, I lived there, in myfather’s abode, during my childhood. I cannot, however, now go to thitherwhere my father is. Protected by the ascetics, I desire to practiseascetic austerities, so that in even future life of mine such soreafflictions may not be mine! Ye best of ascetics, I desire, therefore, topractise ascetic austerities!’

“Bhishma continued, ‘When those Brahmanas were thinking thus about her,there came into that forest that best of ascetics, the royal sageHotravahana. Then those ascetics reverenced the king with worship,enquiries of welcome and courtesy, a seat, and water. And after he wasseated and had rested for a while, those denizens of the forest once morebegan to address that maiden in the hearing of that royal sage. Hearingthe story of Amva and the king of Kasi, that royal sage of great energybecame very anxious at heart. Hearing her speak in that strain, andbeholding her (distressed), that royal sage of rigid austerities, viz.,the high-souled Hotravahana, was filled with pity. Then, O lord, thatmaternal grandsire of her rose up with trembling frame and causing thatmaiden to sit on his lap, began to comfort her. He then acquired of herin details about that distress of hers from its beginning. And she,thereupon, represented to him minutely all that had happened. Hearing allshe said, the royal sage was filled with pity and grief. And that greatsage settled in mind what she would do. Trembling from agitation headdressed the afflicted maiden sunk in woe, saying, ‘Do not go back tothy father’s abode, O blessed lady! I am the father of thy mother. I willdispel thy grief. Rely on me, O daughter! Great, indeed, must thyaffliction he when thou art so emaciated! At my advice, go unto theascetic Rama, the son of Jamadagni. Rama will dispel this greataffliction and grief of thine. He will slay Bhishma in battle if thelatter obeyeth not his behest. Go, therefore, unto that foremost one ofBhrigu’s race who resembleth the Yuga-fire itself in energy! That greatascetic will place thee once more on the right track!’ Hearing this, thatmaiden, shedding tears all the while, saluted her maternal grandsire,Hotravahana, with a bend of her head and addressed him, saying, ‘Go Iwill at thy command! But shall I succeed in obtaining a sight of thatreverend sire celebrated over the world? How will he dispel this poignantgrief of mine? And how shall I go to that descendant of Bhrigu? I desireto know all this.’

“Hotravahana said, ‘O blessed maiden, thou wilt behold Jamadagni’s son,Rama, who is devoted to truth and endued with great might and engaged inaustere penances in the great forest. Rama always dwelleth in thatforemost of the mountains called Mahendra. Many Rishis, learned in theVedas, and many Gandharvas and Apsaras also dwell there. Go, blessed bethou, and tell him these words of mine, having saluted with thy bent headthat sage of rigid vows and great ascetic merit. Tell him also, O blessedgirl, all that thou seekest. If thou namest me, Rama will do everythingfor thee, for Rama, the heroic son of Jamadagni, that foremost of allbearers of arms, is a friend of mine highly pleased with me, and alwayswisheth me well!’ And while king Hotravahana, was saying all this untothat maiden, thither appeared Akritavrana, a dear companion of Rama. Andon his advent those Munis by hundreds, and the Srinjaya king Hotravahana,old in years, all stood up. And those denizens of the forest, unitingwith one another, did him all the rites of hospitality. And they all tooktheir seats surrounding him. And filled, O monarch, with gratificationand joy, they then started various delightful, laudable, and charmingsubjects of discourse. And after their discourse was over, that royalsage, the high-souled Hotravahana enquired of Akritavrana about Rama thatforemost of great sages, saying, ‘O thou of mighty arms, where, OAkritavrana, may that foremost of persons acquainted with the Vedas,viz., Jamadagni’s son of great prowess be seen?’ Akritavrana answered himsaying, ‘O lord, Rama always speaketh of thee, O king, saying,–Thatroyal sage of the Srinjayas is my dear friend,–I believe, Rama will behere tomorrow morning. Thou wilt see him even here when he cometh tobehold thee. As regards this maiden, for what, O royal sage, hath shecome to the wood? Whose is she, and what is she to thee? I desire to knowall this.’ Hotravahana. said, ‘The favourite daughter of the ruler ofKasi, she is, O lord, my daughter’s child! The eldest daughter of theking of Kasi, she is known by the name of Amva. Along with her twoyounger sisters, O sinless one, she was in the midst of her Swayamvaraceremonies. The names of her two younger sisters are Amvika and Amvalika,O thou endued with wealth of asceticism! All the Kshatriya kings of theearth were assembled together at the city of Kasi. And, O regenerateRishi, great festivities were going on there on account of (theself-choice of) these maidens. In the midst of these, Santanu’s son,Bhishma, of mighty valour, disregarding all the kings, abducted thegirls. Vanquishing all the monarchs, the pure-souled prince Bhishma ofBharata’s race then reached Hastinapura, and representing everything untoSatyavati, ordered his brother Vichitravirya’s marriage to take placewith the girls he had brought. Beholding the arrangements for thosenuptials complete, this maiden, O bull among Brahmanas, then addressedGanga’s son in the presence of his ministers and said,–I have, O hero,within my heart chosen the lord of the Salwas to be my husband.Conversant as thou art with morality, it behoveth thee not to bestow meon thy brother, whose heart is given away to another!–Hearing thesewords of hers, Bhishma took counsel with his ministers. Deliberating onthe matter, he, at last, with Satyavati’s consent, dismissed this maiden,Permitted thus by Bhishma, this girl gladly repaired to Salwa, the lordof Saubha, and approaching him said,–Dismissed I have been by Bhishma.See that I do not fall off from righteousness! In my heart, I have chosenthee for my lord, O bull among kings. Salwa, however, rejected her,suspecting the purity of her conduct. Even she hath come to these woods,sacred for asceticism, being ardently inclined to devote herself toascetic penances! She was recognised by me from the account that she gaveof her parentage. As regards her sorrow, Bhishma is considered by her tobe its root!’ After Hotravahana had ceased, Amva herself said, ‘O holyone, it is even so as this lord of earth, this author of my mother’sbody, Hotravahana of the Srinjaya race hath said. I cannot venture to goback to my own city, O thou that art endued with wealth of asceticism,for shame and fear of disgrace, O great Muni! At present, O holy one,even this is what hath been my determination, viz., that that would be myhighest duty which the holy Rama, O best of Brahmanas, might point out tome!'”