Shloka 7
अम्बा–राम–भीष्म संवादः
Amba–Rama–Bhishma Dialogue on Vow and Refuge
परशुरामजी बोले--काशिराजकी पुत्री! तू पुन: सोचकर बता। यद्यपि भीष्म तेरे लिये वन्दनीय है, तथापि मेरे कहनेसे वह तेरे चरणोंको अपने सिरपर उठा लेगा ।।
rāma uvāca—kāśirājakī putri! tvaṁ punaḥ socayitvā vada. yadyapi bhīṣmas te vandanīyaḥ, tathāpi mama vacanād asau tava caraṇau śirasi dhārayiṣyati.
ambovāca—jahi bhīṣmaṁ raṇe rāma garjantam asuraṁ yathā. samāhūto raṇe rāma mama ced icchasi priyam. pratiśrutaṁ ca yad api tat satyaṁ kartum arhasi.
Rāma (Paraśurāma) sprach: „Tochter des Königs von Kāśī, bedenke es noch einmal und sage es mir. Obgleich Bhīṣma deiner Verehrung würdig ist, wird er doch auf mein Wort hin deine Füße auf sein Haupt heben.“ Ambā erwiderte: „Wenn du tun willst, was mir lieb ist, o Rāma, dann tritt in die Schlacht; strecke Bhīṣma nieder, der wie ein Asura brüllt, nachdem du ihn zum Kampf herausgefordert hast, und erfülle als Wahrheit das Gelübde, das du abgelegt hast.“
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage foregrounds satya (truthfulness) and the moral weight of a pratiśruti (pledge). Ambā appeals to Paraśurāma’s duty to uphold his word, even when it entails confronting a venerable elder like Bhīṣma—showing how dharma can demand difficult action when honor, promises, and justice collide.
Paraśurāma urges Ambā to reconsider, asserting that Bhīṣma—though reverable—would submit out of respect for Paraśurāma’s command. Ambā rejects mere submission and asks Paraśurāma to challenge Bhīṣma in battle, kill him, and thereby fulfill the promise he has undertaken on her behalf.