Scene 1
Sage Parasurama is sitting in meditation outside his hermitage. Amba approaches the sage and offers her prostrations. She introduces herself as the daughter of the king of Kashi.Sage Parasurama
: King of Kashi is a great devotee of Lord Shiva. How is he?Amba
: I cannot say he is fine. He is beset with worries about myself.Sage
: Is it so? What is your problem?Amba
: A Kshatriya entered my life and my life disintegrated and scattered away like a flower garden caught in a raging tempest. If Kshatriya dharma goes counter to humanitarian dharma, what will a helpless girl like me do?Amba recounts the incidents that happened during the Swayamvaram and the subsequent events leading to her rejection by King Shalwa, Bhishma and by her own father. Sage is moved by her condition and sends for Bhishma. Bhishma arrives soon and Sage Parasurama asks Bhishma to marry Amba. Bhishma refuses, citing his vow as the reason.
Parasurama
: If so, why did you go to Kashi and hold the girls captive?Bhishma
: I did it for the sake of my brother Vichitraveerya.Parasurama
: Then, shouldn't he have gone in person?Bhishma
: He was not fit physically and mentally to do that.Parasurama
: Isn't it an uncivilized act to hold a girl's hand in full public view of representatives from 56 countries?Bhishma
: I consulted Sage Vyasa before doing this. Victory and dharma follow different routes. For the welfare of my country, I followed the Kshatriya dharma and held the girls captive. Isn't that in accordance with dharma?Parasurama
: That poor girl came to your court pleading and demanding justice, but you drove her out.Bhishma
: My swa-dharma did not allow me to marry her. I have vowed life-long celibacy.Parasurama
: Then you should not have gone to Swayamvara. You sowed the seeds; you should reap the harvest as well. That is the dharma of humanity.Bhishma
: When Kshatriya dharma and humanitarian dharma conflict with each other, I have to take the path of Kshatriya dharma. I cannot see any other path for myself.Parasurama
: You are not on the path of righteousness. You are acting on the basis of your physical might. Don't forget that when physical might and truth clash with each other, it is the truth that will prevail ultimately. Like the mist before the sun, all your valour will disappear when confronting every drop of tear that this girl sheds. There is no place for an arrogant person like you in the list of my disciples.Bhishma
: You had so far considered me your son. This cunning girl has turned you against me. She ought to be punished.Parasurama
: You accuse her for the crime you did? There is no use arguing with you. Let our weapons speak now and decide on the justice.Bhishma
: Oh Guru! I am afraid of the sinfulness of this act. Please calm down and consider my situation.Parasurama
: You already became a sinner the day you dragged her by hand in front of all the assembled kings. You added to your sins when you disgraced and turned her away when she had come seeking justice. No more arguments now. Pull out your weapons and let them do the talking.Bhishma
: You are my spiritual Guru who enlightened me and gave me the knowledge of weapons. How can I fight with you?Parasurama
: Bhishma! This is my command. Marry Amba or fight with me.Bhishma
: I am sorry, mu Guru. I cannot follow your command.Parasurama
: Then the bond of Guru-disciple has already snapped. Let us fight now.Scene 2
As Parasurama and Bhishma get ready for war, dark clouds fill the sky and all the seas become turbulent. Mountains crumble and forests turn into cinder as the fierce fight progresses. Earth cracks up and there is all-round destruction.Bhishma realizes the folly of his action and approaches the guru. He lays down his sword and surrenders himself asking the guru to take away his life.
Sage Parasurama is pleased.
Parasurama
: I saw you renouncing the power to rul the country; I saw you renouncing the pleasures related to women; and now I see you renouncing your life for your Guru. You have reached the pinnacle of renunciation. Nobody can ever defeat you. Dharma itself shields your life. Not Accepting Amba is your dharma. I will speak to her. You will be immortal.Sage Parasurama blesses Bhishma.
Amba
: Guru Parasurama has forsaken me. Now I can seek only Paramashiva's refuge.Scene 3
Ambika and Ambalika are riding a chariot. On the way they witness the gory scene of a young girl being burnt on the pyre of her dead husband. As women pour turmeric water over her and anoint her with sandalwood paste and vermilion, the girl protests that she is afraid of the fire. Her mother protests too, but other folks drag the girl and push her into the burning firewood.Scene 4
Queen Satyavati, along with Princess Ambalika, is offering prayers to Goddess Durga for the successful conduct of the first nuptial night of Vichitraveerya whose condition has improved with the treatment the physicians have done on him. She is however filled with ill foreboding as the plate carrying the puja item trips and falls on the ground.Vichitraveerya meets Bhishma practicing archery in the armoury. Bhishma blesses him with long life.
Vichitraveeya
: My elder brother, when I see this armoury, I am filled with a longing to learn and master all the weapons and become a brave warrior like you.Bhishma
: You are already a brave warrior. It is not only the one who wields the bow is a brave warrior but also the one who faces difficult circumstances. You are peerless. You lack nothing. Even your health has improved now.Vichitraveeya
: Bless me, elder brother, so that I get you as my elder brother in my next birth as well.
Scene 5
Vichitraveerya is in a great poetic mood. He talks to Ambika romantically, appreciating her peerless beauty. He shows her the portrait he has made from the mental image he had of her even without looking at her. He leads her to the bed and they retire for the night.Scene 6
A maid comes running to the temple where Queen Satyavati is offering prayers to goddess Durga. She informs her that Princess Ambika has asked the Queen to come to see Prince Vichitraveerya's condition.Queen rushes in to Prince's chambers only to find the prince dead. She weeps inconsolably and sends for Bhishma.
For sometime she laments that she has to perform the funeral rites so soon after the marriage. She also laments that the two young princesses have to be burned at the funeral pyre too.
Then suddenly her expression changes and she wipes away her tears. She declares hysterically that her son is not dead. She tells her daughters-in-law that nothing had changed. They should not cry as their husband was not dead. She tells the maid not to allow anybody, including Bhishma, inside the chambers. She orders that the word of Vichitraveerya's death shouldn't leak out and to treat it as a royal secret.
Scene 7
The next morning, Bhishma goes to Vichitraveerya's chambers but the maid stops him from entering it citing Queen's instructions.Bhishma goes to the Queen for clarification. The queen tells him about Vichitraveerya's death. She tells him that she has decided not to perform the funeral rites of the prince yet, as she needed time to think how best to deal with the situation.
She asks him to arrange for the physicians to preserve Vichitra's body by embalming it with medicated oils.
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