Shloka 7
अम्बाया निर्वेदः तपोव्रताभ्यर्थना च
Ambā’s Despair and Petition for Ascetic Vows
कथं मामन्यकामां त्वं राजधर्ममतीत्य वै | वासयेथा गृहे भीष्म कौरव: सन् विशेषत:,'भीष्म! मैं दूसरेकी कामना करनेवाली राजकन्या हूँ। तुम विशेषतः कुरुवंशी होकर राजधर्मका उल्लंघन करके मुझे अपने घरमें कैसे रखोगे?
kathaṁ mām anyakāmāṁ tvaṁ rājadharmam atītya vai | vāsayethā gṛhe bhīṣma kauravaḥ san viśeṣataḥ ||
“Wahai Bhīṣma, aku ini puteri raja yang menginginkan orang lain. Lebih-lebih lagi engkau seorang Kaurava; bagaimana engkau dapat melanggar dharma raja lalu menahan aku di rumahmu?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Royal dharma (rājadharma) includes protecting a woman’s stated choice and maintaining moral legitimacy; even a powerful elder like Bhīṣma must not override consent or propriety under the pretext of authority or lineage.
A woman (contextually, Amba) addresses Bhīṣma, declaring she desires another man and challenges him: as a Kaurava committed to rājadharma, how could he keep her in his household by violating the ethical code of kings and nobles.