SECTION CLXXIV
"Duryodhana said, 'For what reason, O chief of the Bharatas, wilt thou
not slay Sikhandin even if you beholdest him approach you as a foe with
arms upraised? Thou hadst, O mighty-armed one, formerly told me,--I will
slay the Panchalas with the Somakas'--O son of Ganga, tell me, O
grandsire (the reason of the present reservation),'
"Bhishma said, 'Listen, O Duryodhana, to this history, with all these
lords of earth, as to why I will not slay Sikhandin even if I behold him
in battle! My father, Santanu, O king, was celebrated over all the world.
O bull of the Bharata race, that king of virtuous soul paid his debt to
nature in time, Observing my pledge, O chief of the Bharatas, I then
installed my brother, Chitrangada, on the throne of the extensive kingdom
of the Kurus. After Chitrangada's demise, obedient to the counsels of
Satyavati, I installed, according to the ordinance, Vichitravirya as
king. Although young in age, yet being installed duly by me, O monarch,
the virtuous Vichitravirya looked up to me in everything. Desirous of
marrying him, I set my heart upon procuring daughters from a suitable
family. (At that time) I heard, O you of mighty arms, that three
maidens, all unrivalled for beauty, daughters of the ruler of Kasi, by
name Amva, Amvika, and Amvalika would select husbands for themselves, and
that all the kings of the earth, O bull of the Bharata's race, had been
invited. Amongst those maidens Amva was the eldest, Amvika the second,
while the princess Amvalika, O monarch, was the youngest. Myself
repairing on a single car to the city of the ruler of Kasi, I beheld, O
thou of mighty arms, the three maidens adorned with ornaments and also
all the kings of the earth invited thither on the occasion. Then, O bull
of Bharata's race, challenging to battle all those kings who were ready
for the encounter, I took up those maidens on my car and repeatedly said
unto all the kings assembled there these words--Bhishma, the son of
Santanu, is carrying away by force these maidens. Ye kings, strive the all
to the best of your power for rescuing them! By force do I take them
away, the bulls among men, making you spectators of my act!--At these
words of mine those rulers of the earth sprang up with weapons
unsheathed. And they angrily urged the drivers of their cars, saying,
'Make ready the cars,--Make ready the cars.' And those monarchs sprang up
to the rescue, with weapons unsheathed; car-warriors on their cars
resembling masses of clouds, those fighting from elephants, on their
elephants, and others on their stout and plump steeds. Then all those
kings, O monarch, surrounded me on all sides with a multitudinous number
of cars. With a shower of arrows, I stopped their onrush on all sides and
vanquished them like the chief of celestials vanquishing hordes of
Danavas. Laughingly, with easiness I cut down the variegated standards,
decked with gold, of the advancing kings, with blazing shafts, O bull of
Bharata's race! In that combat I overthrew their steeds and elephants and
car-drivers, each with a single arrow. Beholding that lightness (of hand)
of mine, they desisted (from the fight) and broke. And having vanquished
all those rulers of the earth, I came back to Hastinapura, I then, O thou
of mighty arms, made over those maidens, intending them for my brothers
to Satyavati and represented unto her everything I had done.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 5 : UPA-PARVA 174 ---------------------
