Scene 1
Bhishma sets out to consult Sage Vyasa on the next course of action. Outside the hermitage, sage Vyasa is discoursing on dharma, "Dharma varies from person to person. Brahmin is one who is devoted to selfless service. Kshatriya is known not by his birth but by his strength. He uses his strength for the welfare of his country. It is expected that he acts without being influenced by personal likes and dislikes."Bheeshma enters, salutes and tells him that he has come to receive his advice on matters of great importance.
Vyasa
: What is the problem, Bhishma?
Bhishma
: You know that very well. One of my brothers is dead, and the other is incapable of producing a progeny.
Vyasa
: Hmm. Is there a more curious tale than that happening in the Kuru dynasty?
Bhishma
: Every clan has its ups and down. Hastinapur is without a king today. We have sent word to other states stating we are observing one year's condolence following Chitrangada's death and it is coming to a close now. Other kings may attack us anytime unless we proclaim Vichitraveerya as the next king. He has to get married for this purpose. But no Kshatriya king has come forward to offer their daughter to him.
Vyasa
: What does the queen have to say on this?
Bhishma
: The king of Kashi is holding a 'Swayamvaram' in a couple of days. The queen wants me to go and bring those girls for Vichitraveerya.
Vyasa
: Isn't that in accordance with Kshatriya dharma?
Bhishma
: There may be some merit in that argument for dharma if Vichitraveerya himself went to bring home the bride. My going on his behalf doesn't seem to be right. Is there no place for the dreams and aspirations of those girls? Is it ok to abduct those girls for the welfare of our own country?
Vyasa
: It is a big mistake, no doubt. To overpower with our might someone who is not physically strong is not right at all.
Bhishma
: So what should I do?
Vyasa
: You know the scriptures well. What does the kshtriya dharma say?
Bhishma
: A kshatriya should be prepared lay down life for the country. He should be prepared to sacrifice his own interests and those of his family for the sake of the country. The same thing holds for a kshatriya girl. She should have no personal likes and dislikes beyond that for her country. She should be prepared to do anything for the welfare of her own country. It is permitted to bring girls from other countries for benefit of one's own country. But to bring them against their wishes is certainly not permissible.
Vyasa
: You are thinking both like a kshatriya as well as like a common man. That's what your problem is.
Bhishma
: That's not so. I am thinking how shocking it must be for those innocent girls to be brought by force. How can I face them afterwards?
Vyasa
: Then do nothing and keep quiet.
Bhishma
: How can I do that and face the queen who is indeed like my mother?Vyasa says nothing but continues his discourse before the assembled students.
Vyasa
: What was I lecturing you about? The kshatriya dharma. As an illustration, let's assume an old lion is hungry and kills a cow. Is that a sin? You may think it is a sin to kill a cow, but that is permissible by the swa-dharma of lions.Vyasa looks meaningfully at Bhishma who understands the message. He them mounts his horse and leaves the place.
Scene 2
Kahi maharaja's palace. Kings from various countries arrive and are received with showers of flowers and shown their seat. The three girls watch the assembled kings from the balcony.
Bhishma approaches the scene, riding on a horse. He enters the assembly and everybody stands up in awe and confusion. The King of Kashi is baffled and worried.
The three girls enter the hall, carrying garlands in their hands. As Amba, the eldest, is about to garland King Shalwa (friend of Jarasandha and Shishupala) whom she loves, Bhishma intervenes and stops her.
Bhishma
: Is there no one who knows the rules of Swayamvara? Is there no minister or a learned man who knows the Shastras? If so, ask me and I shall explain. This method of selection is possible only if all the assembled kings agree unanimously to the modalities. Even if one kshatriya king disagrees, he has to be defeated by others before they can proceed further. Right now, I challenge all of you. I am going to take away these girls. Those of you who can stop me can try their might.
Bhishma orders the girls to follow him. Shalwa challenges Bhishma and there is a brief combat in which he is defeated by Bhishma and he retreats.
The girls follow Bhishma and reach the forest outside the city where they have parked the chariot. Bhishma thinks the girls could rest for sometime.
Amba decides to talk to Bhishma. The other girls try to dissuade her, saying her refusal to go along with Bhishma's wishes could result in his attacking and destroying their home country. Amba protests saying she doesn't care, since she is in love with King Shalwa and she would marry no one else.
She goes to Bhishma saying she doesn't agree with this kind of abduction. Bhishma agrees, but says he had to follow the dictates of the welfare of his country.
Amba
: You may do so but you cannot constrain me to follow it. I am going away.
Bhishma
: No, I cannot permit that.
Amba
: Who are you to give me permission? Just because you win against a few people do you think you get any authority over my mind or body? Nobody has any authority over my body save me. If somebody trespasses, I shall kill myself. I vow so in the name of Holy Ganges.
Bhishma
: Ganges! My Mother!! Amba, all this is a political game and like you I am a pawn in this chess game. Come, let's go to hastinapura.
Amba
: No, I shall not come. I am going to King Shalwa whom I love and want to marry.
Bhishma
: Listen Amba, the king of Saubha (Shalwa) is also a kshatriya who cannot come out of this political game.
Amba
: I have made my decision and nobody can stop me.
Bhisma
: Ohh. Go ahead and do as you please. You are a young girl and have a lot to learn about politics. Carry on.Amba leaves. Bhishma arrives at Hastinapur with Amika and Ambalika. Queen Satyavati welcomes them and introduces herself. She expresses the hope that the fortune of Hastinapur would rise with the arrival of the brides from Kashi.
The girls are irritated and show their displeasure to the queen who is left watching them going to their chambers.
Scene 3
The palace of King Shalwa. Shalwa is seen talking to his minister. He is happy he could prove his valour by rising against Bheeshma and at the same time, avoid a big war and confrontation with the great warrior which would have resulted in a great destruction.
A messenger arrives and tells him the eldest princess of Kashi has come alone to meet him.
The minister reminds King Shalwa that he should have no special attachment that interferes with his royal duties. He also wonders if sending Amba was Bhishma's ploy.
Scene 4
Queen Satyavati is talking to Ambika and Ambalika.
Satyavati
: What you did was right. You should not agree to the marriage easily. If you had done so, I would have been surprised. After all, you are kshatriya girls and should not have been brought by force by Bhishma.
Scene 5
King Shalwa is cold to Amba. Amba explains she never went to Hastinapur but came back to him because she believed that she belonged to him. She was no property to be lifted and carried away. She came to Shalwa because she loved him. Shalwa says he does not want to antagonize Bhishma who would consider him his enemy if he married Amba; he did not want to endanger his country by making Bhishma his adversary.
Amba is disgusted. She accuses Shalwa of being cowardly and says she is ashamed of falling in love with such a man who cannot stand for the woman he once claimed he loved. She leaves the palace angrily and dejectedly.
Queen Satyavati extols the military supremacy of Hastinapur to Ambika and Ambalika and tries to win them over by appreciating their virtues that made them eminently suitable to become the future queens of a great country. She tells them the citizens of Hastinapur have been constantly singing praises of the princesses of Kashi. She mollifies their fear of Vichitraveerya's health, saying she would engage the services of the best physicians in the country. She reminds them the duties of a Kshatriya wife who should put the interests of the country above personal emotions. That was also the reason why Vichitaveerya himself agreed for the marriage in the first place. Satyavati thus uses persuasion, all the time interjecting it with 'I leave the decision to you'.
Scene 6
Prince Vichitraveerya is lying on the bed brooding over the condition of his health that has made him unfit for marriage. Queen Satyavati talks to him about the many sacrifices Bhishma had to make to make all this possible and about the sleepless nights she had to endure thinking about the next steps to protect the welfare of the country. The only reason that kept her alive was the dream to see him as the king.She infuses him with the confidence that his illness was treatable and the royal physicians had assured her about this. She then directs him to cheer up, wear silk robes and then visit her.
Scene 7
Amba reaches Kashi and accosts her parents happily, saying she has returned to her native place. But the king addresses her formally as the the princess of Hastinapur.
King
:
You should have sent us a formal message of your visit and then come here, Oh princess of Hastinapur. I did not get sufficient time to welcome you with appropriate honour.
Amba
: Don't tease me this way, Father! I have taken Bhishma's permission to return back. King Shalwa has turned me down. I have no place to go.
King
: What comfort and pleasures can the princess of a great country like Hastinapur find in this small land?The queen intervenes, but the king forbids her from taking Amba inside. He does not want to endanger his country in the name of filial love. Amba now belonged to Hastinapur and that's where she had to go.
Amba leaves Kashi, sadly but resolutely.
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