Shloka 10

अम्बोपाख्याने तापसानां विचारः तथा होत्रवाहनस्य उपदेशः

Ambā among ascetics; Hotravāhana directs her to Paraśurāma

Devanagari script

अम्बा तमब्रवीद्‌ राजन्ननड्रशरपीडिता । नैवं वद महीपाल नैतदेवं कथंचन

Transliteration

ambā tam abravīd rājann anaṅgaśara-pīḍitā | naivaṁ vada mahīpāla naitad evaṁ kathaṁcana ||

Translation

అనంగుని బాణాలతో బాధపడుతున్న అంబ అతనితో ఇలా చెప్పింది—“రాజా, ఇలా అనకు. భూపాలా, ఇది ఏ విధంగానూ అలా కాదు. నేను భీష్మునితో ఆనందంగా గానీ స్వచ్ఛందంగా గానీ వెళ్లలేదు; సమస్త రాజులను తరిమివేసి ఆయన బలవంతంగా నన్ను అపహరించాడు, నేను కన్నీళ్లతోనే ఆయన వెంట వెళ్లాను।”

Word by Word

• अम्बा: Amba
• अम्बा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• अनड्रशरपीडिता: afflicted by the arrows of Anadra (i.e., of Love)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनड्र-शर-पीडित
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• एवम्: thus/in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• वद: speak/say
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद्
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महीपाल: O protector of the earth (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपाल
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• एतत्: this (thing)
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• कथंचन: in any way/at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Amba
• Shalva (Śālva)
• Bhishma (Bhīṣma)
• Kama (Anaṅga/Kāmadeva)
• assembled kings (samasta rājānaḥ; implied in the prose continuation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage foregrounds ethical accountability in relationships and political decisions: Amba insists on truthfully stating that her removal by Bhishma was not voluntary, highlighting the moral weight of consent and the consequences of force even within royal customs.

What is happening in the narrative?

Amba, distressed by love and rejection, addresses King Shalva and refutes any claim that she went to Bhishma willingly. She clarifies that Bhishma forcibly abducted her after routing other kings, and she accompanied him only while crying.