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

安芭被无形爱神的箭矢折磨，便对那王说道：“大王，切莫如此言说。大地之主啊，事情并非如此——绝非如此。我并非甘心欢喜随毗湿摩而去；他驱散在场诸王之后，以强力掳我，我只是含泪随行。”

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.