Shloka 54

Amba approaches the Paraśurāma context; Hotravāhana’s counsel and Akṛtavraṇa’s report (अम्बोपाख्यानम्—रामदर्शनप्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

विसर्जितास्मि भीष्मेण धर्म मां प्रतिपादय । मनसाभिवृत: पूर्व मया त्वं पार्थिवर्षभ,“नृपश्रेष्ठ! भीष्मने मुझे छोड़ दिया है; क्योंकि पूर्वकालमें मैंने अपने मनसे आपको ही पति चुन लिया था, अत: आप मुझे धर्मपालनका अवसर दें"

Transliteration

visarjitāsmi bhīṣmeṇa dharma māṃ pratipādaya | manasābhivṛtaḥ pūrvaṃ mayā tvaṃ pārthivarṣabha ||

Translation

Hotravāhana sprach: „Bhīṣma hat mich freigegeben. Darum, o König, der das Dharma wahrt, gewähre mir den rechtmäßigen Weg des Handelns. Denn längst schon hatte ich dich in meinem Herzen erwählt—o Stier unter den Königen.“

Word by Word

• विसर्जिता: released, dismissed
• विसर्जिता: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: विसृज् (धातु) → विसर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन, क्त (past passive participle)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तम, एकवचन

• भीष्मेण: by Bhishma
• भीष्मेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• धर्मम्: dharma, rightful course
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रतिपादय: establish/guide (me), instruct
• प्रतिपादय: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + पद् (धातु) (प्रत्यय: णिच्) → प्रतिपादय
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यम, एकवचन

• मनसा: by mind, mentally
• मनसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• अभिवृतः: chosen, selected
• अभिवृतः: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + वृ (धातु) → अभिवृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन, क्त (past passive participle)

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: true

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, तृतीया, एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पार्थिवर्षभ: O bull among kings (best of rulers)
• पार्थिवर्षभ: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

होत्रवाहन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Hotravāhana
• Bhīṣma
• pārthivarṣabha (addressed king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames personal intention (having chosen someone in one’s heart) within the demand for dharma: the king is asked to respond not merely by desire or power, but by establishing a rightful, socially and ethically valid course of action.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker states that Bhīṣma has released her and she now approaches a king, reminding him that she had already chosen him earlier in her mind, and asks him to grant her a dharmic resolution—implicitly, recognition and acceptance in a lawful manner.