Shloka 20
Amba approaches the Paraśurāma context; Hotravāhana’s counsel and Akṛtavraṇa’s report (अम्बोपाख्यानम्—रामदर्शनप्रसङ्गः)
स वेपमान उत्थाय मातुस्तस्या: पिता तदा । तां कन्यामड्कमारोप्य पर्यश्चासयत प्रभो,वे अम्बाके नाना थे। राजन! वे काँपते हुए उठे और उस राजकन्याको गोदमें बिठाकर उसे सान्त्वना देने लगे
sa vepamāna utthāya mātus tasyāḥ pitā tadā | tāṃ kanyām aṅkam āropya paryaśvāsayat prabhuḥ ||
അപ്പോൾ അവളുടെ പിതാവ് (അംബയുടെ നാന) വിറച്ചുകൊണ്ട് എഴുന്നേറ്റ്, ആ കന്യകയെ മടിയിൽ ഇരുത്തി, പ്രഭുവെന്നപോലെ അവൾക്ക് ആശ്വാസവും ധൈര്യവും നൽകി.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a basic ethical impulse within dharma: those with authority—especially parents and rulers—should respond to vulnerability not with harshness but with protection, reassurance, and compassionate steadiness.
Bhishma describes a moment where the girl’s father, visibly shaken, stands up, takes the maiden onto his lap, and comforts her—indicating her distress and his immediate paternal response.