DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.638#0249
i7o INDIAN MYTH AND LEGEND
lenge, and Bhishma fought against them with great fury.
Bows were bent and ten thousand arrows were discharged
against him, but he broke their flight with innumerable
darts from his own mighty bow. Strong and brave was
he indeed; there was none who could overcome him; he
fought and conquered all, until not a rajah was left to
contend against him.1
Thus did Bhishma, the terrible son of the ocean-
going Ganga, take captive after battle the three fair
daughters of the King of Kasi; and he drove away with
them in his chariot towards Hastinapur.*
When he reached the royal palace he presented the
maidens unto Queen Satyavati, who was well pleased,
and at once gave many costly gifts to Bhishma. She
decided that the captives should become the wives of her
son, King Vichitra-virya.
Ere the wedding ceremony was held, the eldest
maiden, whose name was Amba, pleaded with the queen
to be set free, saying:
" I have been betrothed already by my sire unto the
Rajah of Sanva. Oh, send me unto him now, for I can-
not marry a second time."
Her prayer was granted, and Bhishma sent her with
an escort unto the Rajah of Sanva. Then the fair Amba
related unto him how she had been taken captive; but
the rajah exclaimed, with anger: "Thou hast already
dwelt in the house of a strange man, and I cannot take
thee for my wife."
The maiden wept bitterly, and she knelt before the
monarch and said : " No man hath wronged me, O
1 The Kasi tribe was Aryan bat was disliked by the eastern Aryans because its
beliefe were not according to the standards imposed by the Brahmans. Conflicts were
frequent.
2fVra. has-teen'a-poor. Marriage by capture was called a Rikshas marriage, an
was sanctioned by Manu.
lenge, and Bhishma fought against them with great fury.
Bows were bent and ten thousand arrows were discharged
against him, but he broke their flight with innumerable
darts from his own mighty bow. Strong and brave was
he indeed; there was none who could overcome him; he
fought and conquered all, until not a rajah was left to
contend against him.1
Thus did Bhishma, the terrible son of the ocean-
going Ganga, take captive after battle the three fair
daughters of the King of Kasi; and he drove away with
them in his chariot towards Hastinapur.*
When he reached the royal palace he presented the
maidens unto Queen Satyavati, who was well pleased,
and at once gave many costly gifts to Bhishma. She
decided that the captives should become the wives of her
son, King Vichitra-virya.
Ere the wedding ceremony was held, the eldest
maiden, whose name was Amba, pleaded with the queen
to be set free, saying:
" I have been betrothed already by my sire unto the
Rajah of Sanva. Oh, send me unto him now, for I can-
not marry a second time."
Her prayer was granted, and Bhishma sent her with
an escort unto the Rajah of Sanva. Then the fair Amba
related unto him how she had been taken captive; but
the rajah exclaimed, with anger: "Thou hast already
dwelt in the house of a strange man, and I cannot take
thee for my wife."
The maiden wept bitterly, and she knelt before the
monarch and said : " No man hath wronged me, O
1 The Kasi tribe was Aryan bat was disliked by the eastern Aryans because its
beliefe were not according to the standards imposed by the Brahmans. Conflicts were
frequent.
2fVra. has-teen'a-poor. Marriage by capture was called a Rikshas marriage, an
was sanctioned by Manu.