Virgins

महाभरत

Mahābharata

As retold by

Michael Dolan, B.V. Mahāyogi

Three Sisters

Amba, Ambika, Ambalika

Saying this, I rode like the wind, clutching those damsels to my heart as they tried to escape my chariot. The gathered kings were enraged.  They impatiently donned their armor and shields, mounted their war chariots and whipped their horses into the frenzy of battle. These young and arrogant princes, desperate for the virgins I had plundered appeared like raging meteors, their eyes red with fury, their swords and armor dazzling in the sun.

Ancient War Chariot

They pursued me by the banks of the river Ganges, my mother, and into the valleys of Varanasi outside the city of Kashi. I had bound the girls to my chariot and rushed on with my horses, fiery steeds who had seen many a battle.

When at last they caught me on the plains of Varanasi, I wheeled my chariot and stood my ground. The assembled princes blackened the sky with their arrows, so I unleashed a shower of my own arrows, guided by the mantras I was taught by the terrible Paraśurāma, my arrows blocked the onslaught of darts. They attacked me on all sides and rained more arrows down on me like masses of thunderclouds. I fired back, piercing the noble chests of those great monarchs and sending them to the kingdom of Yamaraja, he who judges all. 

Men of courage and valor cringed to see such terrifying battle. I cut men down with my arrows, slicing their heads off and piercing their armor. Their screams were terrifying as men fell all around, shocked at seeing their entrails spilled upon the thirsty earth.

My skill at destroying my enemies was so great that even the contending warriors now began to applaud me as I sped away, returning to Hastinapura. I had not yet escaped danger. As I fired my shafts at the retreating wariorrs, all the while holding the three virgins closely in my grasp, a mighty chariot warrior appeared on the field of battle.

 It was Shalva of great might, and as I rode away he called from behind the dust of my chariot enraged, saying, “Stay! Hold! Do not run like a dog from Shalva, who challenges you to a fair test of arms! Stay, you dog of Bharata, who dares steal my wife!”  I wheeled my chariot and turned to face him in a duel of arms. I told him, “This is no dog you face! It is I, Bhiṣma, tiger among men, grinder of hostile armies, who will now chastise you like the dog you are.” I waited for him.

Thousands of warriors now stood quiet and still as spectators, waiting to see our great duel at arms. I set the girls down at a little distance where they could not run, but could see the battle. Then we closed, the mighty Shalva like a raging bull, and I, Bhiṣma, the tiger of men.  Shalva was a formidable foe. He covered me with darts from his bow. The gathered kings and princes were in awe to see such intense clouds of arrows issue from the bow of Shalva and cover me.

 They applauded his speed and agility. I thought I might fall before his onslaught.  The virgin daughters of King Kashi were now weeping and wailing hysterically to see such slaughter.  The spirit of the tiger overwhelmed me, I was shaken with wrath and guided my chariot to Shalva. I said, “Hold, Shalva, and do not run like the dog you are.

 “As an eagle takes a snake and cuts him to pieces, I shall now rob you of your life.  As Garuda slays a serpent, I shall now slay you.” So saying, and without thinking, I fixed the weapon of Varuna on my bow-string and shot down the four horses of Shalva’s chariot. As they fell in death, I killed Shalva’s chariot-driver. Helpless, Shalva was left standing on the ground.  Shalva, now stripped of his weapons, I left to fight another day and I rode fast to where the girls stood, weeping, and grabbed them onto my chariot. As the sun was low in the sky, I made hard for Hastinapura.