Chapter 94

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
sa evaṃ śaṃtanurdhīmāndevarājarṣisatkṛtaḥ |
dharmātmā sarvalokeṣu satyavāgiti viśrutaḥ || 1 ||
[Analyze grammar]

damo dānaṃ kṣamā buddhirhrīrdhṛtisteja uttamam |
nityānyāsanmahāsattve śaṃtanau puruṣarṣabhe || 2 ||
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evaṃ sa guṇasaṃpanno dharmārthakuśalo nṛpaḥ |
āsīdbharatavaṃśasya goptā sādhujanasya ca || 3 ||
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kambugrīvaḥ pṛthuvyaṃso mattavāraṇavikramaḥ |
dharma eva paraḥ kāmādarthācceti vyavasthitaḥ || 4 ||
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etānyāsanmahāsattve śaṃtanau bharatarṣabha |
na cāsya sadṛśaḥ kaścitkṣatriyo dharmato'bhavat || 5 ||
[Analyze grammar]

vartamānaṃ hi dharme sve sarvadharmavidāṃ varam |
taṃ mahīpā mahīpālaṃ rājarājye'bhyaṣecayan || 6 ||
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vītaśokabhayābādhāḥ sukhasvapnavibodhanāḥ |
prati bhāratagoptāraṃ samapadyanta bhūmipāḥ || 7 ||
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śaṃtanupramukhairgupte loke nṛpatibhistadā |
niyamātsarvavarṇānāṃ brahmottaramavartata || 8 ||
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brahma paryacaratkṣatraṃ viśaḥ kṣatramanuvratāḥ |
brahmakṣatrānuraktāśca śūdrāḥ paryacaranviśaḥ || 9 ||
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sa hāstinapure ramye kurūṇāṃ puṭabhedane |
vasansāgaraparyantāmanvaśādvai vasuṃdharām || 10 ||
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sa devarājasadṛśo dharmajñaḥ satyavāgṛjuḥ |
dānadharmatapoyogācchriyā paramayā yutaḥ || 11 ||
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arāgadveṣasaṃyuktaḥ somavatpriyadarśanaḥ |
tejasā sūryasaṃkāśo vāyuvegasamo jave |
antakapratimaḥ kope kṣamayā pṛthivīsamaḥ || 12 ||
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vadhaḥ paśuvarāhāṇāṃ tathaiva mṛgapakṣiṇām |
śaṃtanau pṛthivīpāle nāvartata vṛthā nṛpa || 13 ||
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dharmabrahmottare rājye śaṃtanurvinayātmavān |
samaṃ śaśāsa bhūtāni kāmarāgavivarjitaḥ || 14 ||
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devarṣipitṛyajñārthamārabhyanta tadā kriyāḥ |
na cādharmeṇa keṣāṃcitprāṇināmabhavadvadhaḥ || 15 ||
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asukhānāmanāthānāṃ tiryagyoniṣu vartatām |
sa eva rājā bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāmabhavatpitā || 16 ||
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tasminkurupatiśreṣṭhe rājarājeśvare sati |
śritā vāgabhavatsatyaṃ dānadharmāśritaṃ manaḥ || 17 ||
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sa samāḥ ṣoḍaśāṣṭau ca catasro'ṣṭau tathāparāḥ |
ratimaprāpnuvanstrīṣu babhūva vanagocaraḥ || 18 ||
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tathārūpastathācārastathāvṛttastathāśrutaḥ |
gāṅgeyastasya putro'bhūnnāmnā devavrato vasuḥ || 19 ||
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sarvāstreṣu sa niṣṇātaḥ pārthiveṣvitareṣu ca |
mahābalo mahāsattvo mahāvīryo mahārathaḥ || 20 ||
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sa kadācinmṛgaṃ viddhvā gaṅgāmanusarannadīm |
bhāgīrathīmalpajalāṃ śaṃtanurdṛṣṭavānnṛpaḥ || 21 ||
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tāṃ dṛṣṭvā cintayāmāsa śaṃtanuḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ |
syandate kiṃ nviyaṃ nādya saricchreṣṭhā yathā purā || 22 ||
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tato nimittamanvicchandadarśa sa mahāmanāḥ |
kumāraṃ rūpasaṃpannaṃ bṛhantaṃ cārudarśanam || 23 ||
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divyamastraṃ vikurvāṇaṃ yathā devaṃ puraṃdaram |
kṛtsnāṃ gaṅgāṃ samāvṛtya śaraistīkṣṇairavasthitam || 24 ||
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tāṃ śarairāvṛtāṃ dṛṣṭvā nadīṃ gaṅgāṃ tadantike |
abhavadvismito rājā karma dṛṣṭvātimānuṣam || 25 ||
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jātamātraṃ purā dṛṣṭaṃ taṃ putraṃ śaṃtanustadā |
nopalebhe smṛtiṃ dhīmānabhijñātuṃ tamātmajam || 26 ||
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sa tu taṃ pitaraṃ dṛṣṭvā mohayāmāsa māyayā |
saṃmohya tu tataḥ kṣipraṃ tatraivāntaradhīyata || 27 ||
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tadadbhutaṃ tadā dṛṣṭvā tatra rājā sa śaṃtanuḥ |
śaṅkamānaḥ sutaṃ gaṅgāmabravīddarśayeti ha || 28 ||
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darśayāmāsa taṃ gaṅgā bibhratī rūpamuttamam |
gṛhītvā dakṣiṇe pāṇau taṃ kumāramalaṃkṛtam || 29 ||
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alaṃkṛtāmābharaṇairarajombaradhāriṇīm |
dṛṣṭapūrvāmapi satīṃ nābhyajānātsa śaṃtanuḥ || 30 ||
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gaṅgovāca |
yaṃ putramaṣṭamaṃ rājaṃstvaṃ purā mayyajāyithāḥ |
sa te'yaṃ puruṣavyāghra nayasvainaṃ gṛhāntikam || 31 ||
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vedānadhijage sāṅgānvasiṣṭhādeva vīryavān |
kṛtāstraḥ parameṣvāso devarājasamo yudhi || 32 ||
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surāṇāṃ saṃmato nityamasurāṇāṃ ca bhārata |
uśanā veda yacchāstramayaṃ tadveda sarvaśaḥ || 33 ||
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tathaivāṅgirasaḥ putraḥ surāsuranamaskṛtaḥ |
yadveda śāstraṃ taccāpi kṛtsnamasminpratiṣṭhitam |
tava putre mahābāhau sāṅgopāṅgaṃ mahātmani || 34 ||
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ṛṣiḥ parairanādhṛṣyo jāmadagnyaḥ pratāpavān |
yadastraṃ veda rāmaśca tadapyasminpratiṣṭhitam || 35 ||
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maheṣvāsamimaṃ rājanrājadharmārthakovidam |
mayā dattaṃ nijaṃ putraṃ vīraṃ vīra gṛhānnaya || 36 ||
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vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
tayaivaṃ samanujñātaḥ putramādāya śaṃtanuḥ |
bhrājamānaṃ yathādityamāyayau svapuraṃ prati || 37 ||
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pauravaḥ svapuraṃ gatvā puraṃdarapuropamam |
sarvakāmasamṛddhārthaṃ mene ātmānamātmanā |
pauraveṣu tataḥ putraṃ yauvarājye'bhyaṣecayat || 38 ||
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pauravāñśaṃtanoḥ putraḥ pitaraṃ ca mahāyaśāḥ |
rāṣṭraṃ ca rañjayāmāsa vṛttena bharatarṣabha || 39 ||
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sa tathā saha putreṇa ramamāṇo mahīpatiḥ |
vartayāmāsa varṣāṇi catvāryamitavikramaḥ || 40 ||
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sa kadācidvanaṃ yāto yamunāmabhito nadīm |
mahīpatiranirdeśyamājighradgandhamuttamam || 41 ||
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tasya prabhavamanvicchanvicacāra samantataḥ |
sa dadarśa tadā kanyāṃ dāśānāṃ devarūpiṇīm || 42 ||
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tāmapṛcchatsa dṛṣṭvaiva kanyāmasitalocanām |
kasya tvamasi kā cāsi kiṃ ca bhīru cikīrṣasi || 43 ||
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sābravīddāśakanyāsmi dharmārthaṃ vāhaye tarīm |
piturniyogādbhadraṃ te dāśarājño mahātmanaḥ || 44 ||
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rūpamādhuryagandhaistāṃ saṃyuktāṃ devarūpiṇīm |
samīkṣya rājā dāśeyīṃ kāmayāmāsa śaṃtanuḥ || 45 ||
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sa gatvā pitaraṃ tasyā varayāmāsa tāṃ tadā |
paryapṛcchattatastasyāḥ pitaraṃ cātmakāraṇāt || 46 ||
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sa ca taṃ pratyuvācedaṃ dāśarājo mahīpatim |
jātamātraiva me deyā varāya varavarṇinī |
hṛdi kāmastu me kaścittaṃ nibodha janeśvara || 47 ||
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yadīmāṃ dharmapatnīṃ tvaṃ mattaḥ prārthayase'nagha |
satyavāgasi satyena samayaṃ kuru me tataḥ || 48 ||
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samayena pradadyāṃ te kanyāmahamimāṃ nṛpa |
na hi me tvatsamaḥ kaścidvaro jātu bhaviṣyati || 49 ||
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śaṃtanuruvāca |
śrutvā tava varaṃ dāśa vyavasyeyamahaṃ na vā |
dātavyaṃ cetpradāsyāmi na tvadeyaṃ kathaṃcana || 50 ||
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dāśa uvāca |
asyāṃ jāyeta yaḥ putraḥ sa rājā pṛthivīpatiḥ |
tvadūrdhvamabhiṣektavyo nānyaḥ kaścana pārthiva || 51 ||
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vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
nākāmayata taṃ dātuṃ varaṃ dāśāya śaṃtanuḥ |
śarīrajena tīvreṇa dahyamāno'pi bhārata || 52 ||
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sa cintayanneva tadā dāśakanyāṃ mahīpatiḥ |
pratyayāddhāstinapuraṃ śokopahatacetanaḥ || 53 ||
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tataḥ kadācicchocantaṃ śaṃtanuṃ dhyānamāsthitam |
putro devavrato'bhyetya pitaraṃ vākyamabravīt || 54 ||
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sarvato bhavataḥ kṣemaṃ vidheyāḥ sarvapārthivāḥ |
tatkimarthamihābhīkṣṇaṃ pariśocasi duḥkhitaḥ |
dhyāyanniva ca kiṃ rājannābhibhāṣasi kiṃcana || 55 ||
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evamuktaḥ sa putreṇa śaṃtanuḥ pratyabhāṣata |
asaṃśayaṃ dhyānaparaṃ yathā māttha tathāsmyuta || 56 ||
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apatyaṃ nastvamevaikaḥ kule mahati bhārata |
anityatā ca martyānāmataḥ śocāmi putraka || 57 ||
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kathaṃcittava gāṅgeya vipattau nāsti naḥ kulam |
asaṃśayaṃ tvamevaikaḥ śatādapi varaḥ sutaḥ || 58 ||
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na cāpyahaṃ vṛthā bhūyo dārānkartumihotsahe |
saṃtānasyāvināśāya kāmaye bhadramastu te |
anapatyataikaputratvamityāhurdharmavādinaḥ || 59 ||
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agnihotraṃ trayo vedā yajñāśca sahadakṣiṇāḥ |
sarvāṇyetānyapatyasya kalāṃ nārhanti ṣoḍaśīm || 60 ||
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evameva manuṣyeṣu syācca sarvaprajāsvapi |
yadapatyaṃ mahāprājña tatra me nāsti saṃśayaḥ |
eṣā trayī purāṇānāmuttamānāṃ ca śāśvatī || 61 ||
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tvaṃ ca śūraḥ sadāmarṣī śastranityaśca bhārata |
nānyatra śastrāttasmātte nidhanaṃ vidyate'nagha || 62 ||
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so'smi saṃśayamāpannastvayi śānte kathaṃ bhavet |
iti te kāraṇaṃ tāta duḥkhasyoktamaśeṣataḥ || 63 ||
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tatastatkāraṇaṃ jñātvā kṛtsnaṃ caivamaśeṣataḥ |
devavrato mahābuddhiḥ prayayāvanucintayan || 64 ||
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abhyagacchattadaivāśu vṛddhāmātyaṃ piturhitam |
tamapṛcchattadābhyetya pitustacchokakāraṇam || 65 ||
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tasmai sa kurumukhyāya yathāvatparipṛcchate |
varaṃ śaśaṃsa kanyāṃ tāmuddiśya bharatarṣabha || 66 ||
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tato devavrato vṛddhaiḥ kṣatriyaiḥ sahitastadā |
abhigamya dāśarājānaṃ kanyāṃ vavre pituḥ svayam || 67 ||
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taṃ dāśaḥ pratijagrāha vidhivatpratipūjya ca |
abravīccainamāsīnaṃ rājasaṃsadi bhārata || 68 ||
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tvameva nāthaḥ paryāptaḥ śaṃtanoḥ puruṣarṣabha |
putraḥ putravatāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ kiṃ nu vakṣyāmi te vacaḥ || 69 ||
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ko hi saṃbandhakaṃ ślāghyamīpsitaṃ yaunamīdṛśam |
atikrāmanna tapyeta sākṣādapi śatakratuḥ || 70 ||
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apatyaṃ caitadāryasya yo yuṣmākaṃ samo guṇaiḥ |
yasya śukrātsatyavatī prādurbhūtā yaśasvinī || 71 ||
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tena me bahuśastāta pitā te parikīrtitaḥ |
arhaḥ satyavatīṃ voḍhuṃ sarvarājasu bhārata || 72 ||
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asito hyapi devarṣiḥ pratyākhyātaḥ purā mayā |
satyavatyā bhṛśaṃ hyarthī sa āsīdṛṣisattamaḥ || 73 ||
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kanyāpitṛtvātkiṃcittu vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha |
balavatsapatnatāmatra doṣaṃ paśyāmi kevalam || 74 ||
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yasya hi tvaṃ sapatnaḥ syā gandharvasyāsurasya vā |
na sa jātu sukhaṃ jīvettvayi kruddhe paraṃtapa || 75 ||
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etāvānatra doṣo hi nānyaḥ kaścana pārthiva |
etajjānīhi bhadraṃ te dānādāne paraṃtapa || 76 ||
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evamuktastu gāṅgeyastadyuktaṃ pratyabhāṣata |
śṛṇvatāṃ bhūmipālānāṃ piturarthāya bhārata || 77 ||
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idaṃ me matamādatsva satyaṃ satyavatāṃ vara |
naiva jāto na vājāta īdṛśaṃ vaktumutsahet || 78 ||
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evametatkariṣyāmi yathā tvamanubhāṣase |
yo'syāṃ janiṣyate putraḥ sa no rājā bhaviṣyati || 79 ||
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ityuktaḥ punarevātha taṃ dāśaḥ pratyabhāṣata |
cikīrṣurduṣkaraṃ karma rājyārthe bharatarṣabha || 80 ||
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tvameva nāthaḥ paryāptaḥ śaṃtanoramitadyuteḥ |
kanyāyāścaiva dharmātmanprabhurdānāya ceśvaraḥ || 81 ||
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idaṃ tu vacanaṃ saumya kāryaṃ caiva nibodha me |
kaumārikāṇāṃ śīlena vakṣyāmyahamariṃdama || 82 ||
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yattvayā satyavatyarthe satyadharmaparāyaṇa |
rājamadhye pratijñātamanurūpaṃ tavaiva tat || 83 ||
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nānyathā tanmahābāho saṃśayo'tra na kaścana |
tavāpatyaṃ bhavedyattu tatra naḥ saṃśayo mahān || 84 ||
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tasya tanmatamājñāya satyadharmaparāyaṇaḥ |
pratyajānāttadā rājanpituḥ priyacikīrṣayā || 85 ||
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devavrata uvāca |
dāśarāja nibodhedaṃ vacanaṃ me nṛpottama |
śṛṇvatāṃ bhūmipālānāṃ yadbravīmi pituḥ kṛte || 86 ||
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rājyaṃ tāvatpūrvameva mayā tyaktaṃ narādhipa |
apatyahetorapi ca karomyeṣa viniścayam || 87 ||
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adya prabhṛti me dāśa brahmacaryaṃ bhaviṣyati |
aputrasyāpi me lokā bhaviṣyantyakṣayā divi || 88 ||
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vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā saṃprahṛṣṭatanūruhaḥ |
dadānītyeva taṃ dāśo dharmātmā pratyabhāṣata || 89 ||
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tato'ntarikṣe'psaraso devāḥ sarṣigaṇāstathā |
abhyavarṣanta kusumairbhīṣmo'yamiti cābruvan || 90 ||
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tataḥ sa piturarthāya tāmuvāca yaśasvinīm |
adhiroha rathaṃ mātargacchāvaḥ svagṛhāniti || 91 ||
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evamuktvā tu bhīṣmastāṃ rathamāropya bhāminīm |
āgamya hāstinapuraṃ śaṃtanoḥ saṃnyavedayat || 92 ||
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tasya tadduṣkaraṃ karma praśaśaṃsurnarādhipāḥ |
sametāśca pṛthakcaiva bhīṣmo'yamiti cābruvan || 93 ||
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taddṛṣṭvā duṣkaraṃ karma kṛtaṃ bhīṣmeṇa śaṃtanuḥ |
svacchandamaraṇaṃ tasmai dadau tuṣṭaḥ pitā svayam || 94 ||
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