Shloka 51
Amba approaches the Paraśurāma context; Hotravāhana’s counsel and Akṛtavraṇa’s report (अम्बोपाख्यानम्—रामदर्शनप्रसङ्गः)
मया शाल्वपतिर्वीरो मनसाभिवृत: पति: । न मामहसि धर्मज्ञ दातुं भ्रात्रेडनयमानसाम्,“धर्मज्ञ! मैंने मन-ही-मन वीरवर शाल्वराजको अपना पति चुन लिया है; अतः मेरा मन अन्यत्र अनुरक्त होनेके कारण आपको अपने भाईके साथ मेरा विवाह नहीं करना चाहिये”
mayā śālvapatir vīro manasābhivṛtaḥ patiḥ | na mām arhasi dharmajña dātuṃ bhrātre ’nayamānasām ||
Nàng nói: “Bậc am tường dharma! Trong lòng ta, ta đã chọn vị vua anh hùng xứ Śālva làm phu quân. Vậy nên, vì tâm ta đã gửi nơi khác, ngài chớ gả ta cho em trai ngài.”
होत्रवाहन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dharma in marriage: a woman’s inner choice and willingness are ethically significant, and a guardian should not arrange a marriage against her settled attachment.
Hotravāhana declares that she has already accepted the king of Śālva in her heart as her husband and therefore urges the addressed ‘knower of dharma’ not to give her to his brother in marriage.