Shloka 8

अम्बोपाख्याने तापसानां विचारः तथा होत्रवाहनस्य उपदेशः

Ambā among ascetics; Hotravāhana directs her to Paraśurāma

Devanagari script

नाहं त्वय्यन्यपूर्वायां भार्यार्थी वरवर्णिनि | कथमस्मद्विधो राजा परपूर्वा प्रवेशयेत्‌,“वरवर्णिनि! जो पहले औरकी हो चुकी हो, ऐसी स्त्रीको मैं अपनी पत्नी बनाऊँ, यह मेरी इच्छा नहीं है। जिस नारीपर पहले किसी दूसरे पुरुषका अधिकार हो गया हो, उसे सारी बातोंको ठीक-ठीक जाननेवाला मेरे-जैसा राजा जो दूसरोंको धर्मका उपदेश करता है, कैसे अपने घरमें प्रविष्ट करायेगा। भद्रे! तुम्हारी जहाँ इच्छा हो, चली जाओ। तुम्हारा यह समय यहाँ व्यर्थ न बीते”

Transliteration

nāhaṁ tvayy anyapūrvāyāṁ bhāryārthī varavarṇini | katham asmadvidho rājā parapūrvāṁ praveśayet ||

Translation

नाहं त्वय्यन्यपूर्वायां भार्यार्थी वरवर्णिनि। कथमस्मद्विधो राजा परपूर्वा प्रवेशयेत्॥

Word by Word

नnot

अहम्I

त्वयिin you / with respect to you

अन्यपूर्वायाम्in (one) previously belonging to another

भार्यार्थीdesiring (you as) wife / seeking a wife

वरवर्णिनिO fair-complexioned one

कथम्how

अस्मद्विधःone like me

राजाking

परपूर्वाम्(a woman) previously of another

प्रवेशयेत्would admit / should bring in

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma frames personal conduct as inseparable from public moral authority: a ruler who teaches dharma must also embody social-ethical restraint, especially in matters of marriage and household legitimacy.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses a woman who seeks entry into his household as a wife; he refuses on the ground that she has had a prior association with another man, and he advises her to go wherever she chooses rather than remain there in vain.