Shloka 54
Amba approaches the Paraśurāma context; Hotravāhana’s counsel and Akṛtavraṇa’s report (अम्बोपाख्यानम्—रामदर्शनप्रसङ्गः)
विसर्जितास्मि भीष्मेण धर्म मां प्रतिपादय । मनसाभिवृत: पूर्व मया त्वं पार्थिवर्षभ,“नृपश्रेष्ठ! भीष्मने मुझे छोड़ दिया है; क्योंकि पूर्वकालमें मैंने अपने मनसे आपको ही पति चुन लिया था, अत: आप मुझे धर्मपालनका अवसर दें"
visarjitāsmi bhīṣmeṇa dharma māṃ pratipādaya | manasābhivṛtaḥ pūrvaṃ mayā tvaṃ pārthivarṣabha ||
Hotravāhana nói: “Thiếp đã được Bhīṣma thả cho. Vậy nên, hỡi bậc quân vương gìn giữ dharma, xin ban cho thiếp con đường hành xử chính đáng. Bởi từ lâu trước đó, trong lòng mình, thiếp đã chọn ngài—hỡi bậc trượng phu kiệt xuất giữa các vua.”
होत्रवाहन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames personal intention (having chosen someone in one’s heart) within the demand for dharma: the king is asked to respond not merely by desire or power, but by establishing a rightful, socially and ethically valid course of action.
The speaker states that Bhīṣma has released her and she now approaches a king, reminding him that she had already chosen him earlier in her mind, and asks him to grant her a dharmic resolution—implicitly, recognition and acceptance in a lawful manner.