महाभारतम् — ५.१८७

राम उवाच ।

प्रत्यक्षमेतल्लोकानां सर्वेषामेव भामिनि ।
यथा मया परं शक्त्या कृतं वै पौरुषं महत् ॥

M N Dutt Bhishma said In the very sight of all these persons O maiden, I have done better, according to the best of my power, and displayed my highest prowess.

५.१८७.२

न चैव युधि शक्नोमि भीष्मं शस्त्रभृतां वरम् ।
विशेषयितुमत्यर्थमुत्तमास्त्राणि दर्शयन् ॥

M N Dutt And yet I have been unable to gain any superiority over Bhishma, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, though I have exerted to the very of my power.

५.१८७.३

एषा मे परमा शक्तिरेतन्मे परमं बलम् ।
यथेष्टं गम्यतां भद्रे किमन्यद्वा करोमि ते ॥

M N Dutt This (which you have seen) is my highest might, this is greatest strength. Go whiter you like, O blessed lady. What else can I do for you?

५.१८७.४

भीष्ममेव प्रपद्यस्व न तेऽन्या विद्यते गतिः ।
निर्जितो ह्यस्मि भीष्मेण महास्त्राणि प्रमुञ्चता ॥

M N Dutt Take refuge even with Bhishma himself; there exists no other for you. I am vanquished by Bhishma on account of his using such mighty weapons.

भीष्म उवाच ।

५.१८७.५

एवमुक्त्वा ततो रामो विनिःश्वस्य महामनाः ।
तूष्णीमासीत्तदा कन्या प्रोवाच भृगुनन्दनम् ॥

M N Dutt Then the high-souled Rama, having thus spoken, fetched a deep sign and remained silent. Then that maiden spoke to the descendant of Bhrigu.

५.१८७.६

भगवन्नेवमेवैतद्यथाह भगवांस्तथा ।
अजेयो युधि भीष्मोऽयमपि देवैरुदारधीः ॥

M N Dutt "O holy one, it is even as your holy self has said. This Bhishma, of varied intelligence, is invincible in battle even by the very gods.

५.१८७.७

यथाशक्ति यथोत्साहं मम कार्यं कृतं त्वया ।
अनिधाय रणे वीर्यमस्त्राणि विविधानि च ॥

M N Dutt To the best of your power and to the best of your energy you have accomplished my work, and in this battle you have shown irresistible might and diverse kinds of weapons.

५.१८७.८

न चैष शक्यते युद्धे विशेषयितुमन्ततः ।
न चाहमेनं यास्यामि पुनर्भीष्मं कथंचन ॥

M N Dutt You have yet been unable to show any superiority (over Bhishma). As for me I shall not go again to this Bhishma. Thither, however, shall I repair, where, O you whose wealth is asceticism, I shall be able myself to (obtain the means to fell down in battle this Bhishma, O you the perpetuator of the race of Bhrigu."

५.१८७.९

गमिष्यामि तु तत्राहं यत्र भीष्मं तपोधन ।
समरे पातयिष्यामि स्वयमेव भृगूद्वह ॥

M N Dutt You have yet been unable to show any superiority (over Bhishma). As for me I shall not go again to this Bhishma. Thither, however, shall I repair, where, O you whose wealth is asceticism, I shall be able myself to (obtain the means to fell down in battle this Bhishma, O you the perpetuator of the race of Bhrigu."

५.१८७.१०

एवमुक्त्वा ययौ कन्या रोषव्याकुललोचना ।
तपसे धृतसंकल्पा मम चिन्तयती वधम् ॥

M N Dutt Having spoken thus, that maid went away with eyes agitated with wrath, and intending to bring about my death she firmly resolved to practice asceticism,

५.१८७.११

ततो महेन्द्रं सह तैर्मुनिभिर्भृगुसत्तमः ।
यथागतं ययौ रामो मामुपामन्त्र्य भारत ॥

M N Dutt Then that foremost one among Bhrigu's defendants, accompanied by those ascetics, departed, after bidding me farewell for the mountain of Mahendra, O Bharata, whence he had come.

५.१८७.१२

ततोऽहं रथमारुह्य स्तूयमानो द्विजातिभिः ।
प्रविश्य नगरं मात्रे सत्यवत्यै न्यवेदयम् ।
यथावृत्तं महाराज सा च मां प्रत्यनन्दत ॥

M N Dutt Thereupon, sending my chariot, and praised by the twice-born, I entered the city and immediately informed Satyavati, my mother,

५.१८७.१३

पुरुषांश्चादिशं प्राज्ञान्कन्यावृत्तान्तकर्मणि ।
दिवसे दिवसे ह्यस्या गतजल्पितचेष्टितम् ।
प्रत्याहरंश्च मे युक्ताः स्थिताः प्रियहिते मम ॥

M N Dutt Day after day, they went and learnt whatever she did, being devoted and always stationed at their duty, and brought them to me, always their well-wisher.

५.१८७.१४

यदैव हि वनं प्रायात्कन्या सा तपसे धृता ।
तदैव व्यथितो दीनो गतचेता इवाभवम् ॥

M N Dutt Even at the time when that maiden went to the woods best on practicing asceticism, I became melancholy and poorly with pain.

५.१८७.१५

न हि मां क्षत्रियः कश्चिद्वीर्येण विजयेद्युधि ।
ऋते ब्रह्मविदस्तात तपसा संशितव्रतात् ॥

M N Dutt No Kshatriya has ever by mere prowess vanquished me in battle, except one acquainted with Brahma, O my son and observant of vows and austerities.

५.१८७.१६

अपि चैतन्मया राजन्नारदेऽपि निवेदितम् ।
व्यासे चैव भयात्कार्यं तौ चोभौ मामवोचताम् ॥

M N Dutt I then informed even Narada, O king, and also Vyasa of the doings (of that daughter of the king of Kashi), and both of them said to me.

५.१८७.१७

न विषादस्त्वया कार्यो भीष्म काशिसुतां प्रति ।
दैवं पुरुषकारेण को निवर्तितुमुत्सहेत् ॥

M N Dutt "O Bhishma, you need not be depressed on account of the daughter of Kashi. Who can have the power to alter the course of destiny by individual resolution?

५.१८७.१८

सा तु कन्या महाराज प्रविश्याश्रममण्डलम् ।
यमुनातीरमाश्रित्य तपस्तेपेऽतिमानुषम् ॥

M N Dutt That maiden, O great king, having entered the pale of a secluded pot, began practicing austerities of superhuman endurance, on the banks of the Yamuna,

५.१८७.१९

निराहारा कृशा रूक्षा जटिला मलपङ्किनी ।
षण्मासान्वायुभक्षा च स्थाणुभूता तपोधना ॥

M N Dutt And she remained in the water of the Yamuna for one year, and another year, that lady remained fasting without food. Without food and emaciated, rough skined, and bronzed, with matted locks, and begrimed with the mud (of the river), that lady, whose wealth consisted in asceticism, remained fixed and motionless for six months, her only food being the air.

५.१८७.२०

यमुनातीरमासाद्य संवत्सरमथापरम् ।
उदवासं निराहारा पारयामास भामिनी ॥

M N Dutt And she remained in the water of the Yamuna for one year, and another year, that lady remained fasting without food. Without food and emaciated, rough skined, and bronzed, with matted locks, and begrimed with the mud (of the river), that lady, whose wealth consisted in asceticism, remained fixed and motionless for six months, her only food being the air.

५.१८७.२१

शीर्णपर्णेन चैकेन पारयामास चापरम् ।
संवत्सरं तीव्रकोपा पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रधिष्ठिता ॥

M N Dutt And after this she broke her fast by eating a single dry leaf, and then she the great river on one foot fire with indignation as she was.

५.१८७.२२

एवं द्वादश वर्षाणि तापयामास रोदसी ।
निवर्त्यमानापि तु सा ज्ञातिभिर्नैव शक्यते ॥

M N Dutt And thus she continued for twelve years (her austerities) and made the heaven not. Nor could she be made to desist from the course by her relatives.

५.१८७.२३

ततोऽगमद्वत्सभूमिं सिद्धचारणसेविताम् ।
आश्रमं पुण्यशीलानां तापसानां महात्मनाम् ॥

M N Dutt Then she went to Vatsabhumi, resorted to by Siddhas and Charanas, and the retreat of high-souled ascetics of pious deeds.

५.१८७.२४

तत्र पुण्येषु देशेषु साप्लुताङ्गी दिवानिशम् ।
व्यचरत्काशिकन्या सा यथाकामविचारिणी ॥

M N Dutt And there, in the sacred waters of pilgrimages, she bathed herself night and day, and that daughter of the lord of Kashi roamed about, fierce as she was, according to her desire.

५.१८७.२५

नन्दाश्रमे महाराज ततोलूकाश्रमे शुभे ।
च्यवनस्याश्रमे चैव ब्रह्मणः स्थान एव च ॥

M N Dutt Proceeding next to the hermitage of Narada, and then to the auspicious hermitage of Uluka, and to that of Chyavana, and even to the sacred spot of Brahma,

५.१८७.२६

प्रयागे देवयजने देवारण्येषु चैव ह ।
भोगवत्यां तथा राजन्कौशिकस्याश्रमे तथा ॥

M N Dutt And to Prayaga, the sacrificial spot of the gods, and to the forest sacred to the gods and to Bhogavati, O monarch, as also to the hermitage of Kaushika,

५.१८७.२७

माण्डव्यस्याश्रमे राजन्दिलीपस्याश्रमे तथा ।
रामह्रदे च कौरव्य पैलगार्ग्यस्य चाश्रमे ॥

M N Dutt And to the hermitage of Mandvya O king, as also to the hermitage of Dilipa to the (sacred) water of Rama's lake, O Kauravya, and to the hermitage of Pailagarga,

५.१८७.२८

एतेषु तीर्थेषु तदा काशिकन्या विशां पते ।
आप्लावयत गात्राणि तीव्रमास्थाय वै तपः ॥

M N Dutt In these sacred places of pilgrimages that maiden of Kashi, O lord of earth, bathed her body, and all this while practicing the austerities difficult of performance.

५.१८७.२९

तामब्रवीत्कौरवेय मम माता जलोत्थिता ।
किमर्थं क्लिश्यसे भद्रे तथ्यमेतद्ब्रवीहि मे ॥

M N Dutt (One day) my mother, (Ganga) while in the waters, spoke these words, O Kaurava why do you take so much pains, O blessed one! Tell me the truth.

५.१८७.३०

सैनामथाब्रवीद्राजन्कृताञ्जलिरनिन्दिता ।
भीष्मो रामेण समरे न जितश्चारुलोचने ॥

M N Dutt She then spoke, of whom no one can speak evil, with hands folded to my mother “O faireyed one, Rama has been vanquished in battle by Bhishma.

५.१८७.३१

कोऽन्यस्तमुत्सहेज्जेतुमुद्यतेषुं महीपतिम् ।
साहं भीष्मविनाशाय तपस्तप्स्ये सुदारुणम् ॥

M N Dutt Who else, though a lord of earth, can attempt to vanquish him when he stands forward with his arrows? And I am practicing these sever austerities for the destruction of Bhishma.

५.१८७.३२

चरामि पृथिवीं देवि यथा हन्यामहं नृपम् ।
एतद्व्रतफलं देहे परस्मिन्स्याद्यथा हि मे ॥

M N Dutt I wander about in the earth, O goddess, with the one purpose of obtaining the means of death of that king, and this is the vow I have taken, O goddess, in everything else that I do.”

५.१८७.३३

ततोऽब्रवीत्सागरगा जिह्मं चरसि भामिनि ।
नैष कामोऽनवद्याङ्गि शक्यः प्राप्तुं त्वयाबले ॥

M N Dutt Thereupon the ocean, going (Ganga my mother) spoke: “O lady, you are acting crookedly. O faultless one, this object of yours you shall not be able to attain, O weak one.

५.१८७.३४

यदि भीष्मविनाशाय काश्ये चरसि वै व्रतम् ।
व्रतस्था च शरीरं त्वं यदि नाम विमोक्ष्यसि ।
नदी भविष्यसि शुभे कुटिला वार्षिकोदका ॥

M N Dutt O daughter of Kashi, if you hold to this vow for the destruction of Bhishma, and even if you take leave of your body while performing these austerities.

५.१८७.३५

दुस्तीर्था चानभिज्ञेया वार्षिकी नाष्टमासिकी ।
भीमग्राहवती घोरा सर्वभूतभयंकरी ॥

५.१८७.३६

एवमुक्त्वा ततो राजन्काशिकन्यां न्यवर्तत ।
माता मम महाभागा स्मयमानेव भामिनी ॥

M N Dutt Filled with dreadful alligators and yourself dreadful, and inspiring terror in all creatures." Having thus spoken, O king, my mother, that lady of great fortune pretending to smile, dismissed the daughter of Kashi. Thereupon that highly fair one did not even drink water, sometimes for eight months and sometimes for ten months.

५.१८७.३७

कदाचिदष्टमे मासि कदाचिद्दशमे तथा ।
न प्राश्नीतोदकमपि पुनः सा वरवर्णिनी ॥

M N Dutt Filled with dreadful alligators and yourself dreadful, and inspiring terror in all creatures." Having thus spoken, O king, my mother, that lady of great fortune pretending to smile, dismissed the daughter of Kashi. Thereupon that highly fair one did not even drink water, sometimes for eight months and sometimes for ten months.

५.१८७.३८

सा वत्सभूमिं कौरव्य तीर्थलोभात्ततस्ततः ।
पतिता परिधावन्ती पुनः काशिपतेः सुता ॥

M N Dutt And the daughter of the king of Kashi, o Kauravya, on account of her love of pilgrimage came to Vatsabhumi, and there she fell down and began to run down (as a river.)

५.१८७.३९

सा नदी वत्सभूम्यां तु प्रथिताम्बेति भारत ।
वार्षिकी ग्राहबहुला दुस्तीर्था कुटिला तथा ॥

M N Dutt And O Bharata, it is recorded that the river in Vatsabhumi, was filled with water only during the rains, and abounded in alligators, was difficult to ford and tortuous in her course).

५.१८७.४०

सा कन्या तपसा तेन भागार्धेन व्यजायत ।
नदी च राजन्वत्सेषु कन्या चैवाभवत्तदा ॥

M N Dutt O king, by merit of her austerities that maiden became a river by only half her body, while by the other half she remained a maiden in Vatsabhumi, as before.

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