All the guards are awake, Bhisma.
With your arrangements, who can sleep?
Greetings, Queen Mother.
Solitude.
I did not wish to insult you.
But mother.... I never feel offended by your words.
I know.
But I also have a request of you.
Do not be so hard on Vichitravirya.
It's not his fault.
When the loving shade of a father is removed from one's head.....
....his experiences of life, its lessons and its seasons are more painful.
To be strict is my duty, Queen Mother.
A teacher is one in whose heart there is forgiveness, and in whose hands there is punishment.
It is imperative that Vichitravirya do arduous work.
The man whose training is soft, his heart becomes hard on its own.
And..... to avoid years of his working hard, such a man gives hardship to others.
No, Queen Mother.
A king with a hard heart cannot be capable of sitting on the throne of Hastinapur.
Then marry him off, Bhisma.
Life's responsibilities is itself life's lessons.
The King of Kashi has arranged for the swayamvar ("ceremony of choosing one's husband from a group of suitors") of his three daughters at this time.
In other big kingdoms, there is no sign of any girl of marriageable age.
If Vichitravirya's marriage is not conducted with the daughters of the King of Kashi, who knows how long we will have to wait?
So...what is the solution Mother?
You go as the representative of Hastinapur and bring those maidens by winning them.
How is this possible, Mother?
A girl marries a powerful man, not a powerful kingdom.
Think of it this way, Bhisma.
We are giving those girls the opportunity of becoming the Queens of a great kingdom like Hastinapur.
We are doing them a favour.
Forgive me Mother, but my mind doesnt agree.
As Hastinapur's Queen Mother, I can also give you an order, Bhisma.
And if you insult the Queen Mother's order, then you will have to leave the kingdom.
And you are bound to this throne.
By your own oath, you cannot even leave this kingdom.
The King of Saubha..... Shalva is entering!
The King of Kosala is entering!
The Ruler of Trigarta, Prasenjit is entering!
Look at this fragrance, Princess.
This is Kampalya.
This is Ambar.
Elder sister (""Jiji") doesnt want your frangrances, maid.
If there is a fragrance of the sea, then bring it.
Why? Why the frangrance of the sea, elder sister Ambika?
She is going to be marrying Shalva, the King close to the sea...isn't it?
Elder sister has chosen her husband. Dont you know?
My hands are though shaking, elder sister.
How to choose a husband.... I though dont even know anything.
And today in the swayamvar, around whose neck will I place the garland?
Ambalika....
When on seeing someone's face, your heart trembles instead of your hands....
And the eyes forget to lower out of bashfulness....
Then place the garland around his neck.
Understood?
But if such a man is not found.... then?
Then understand, life will be filled with sadness and pain.
Elder sister...
But I have complete faith that you two will surely get such husbands....
.... whom upon seeing, all the joys in the world will appear small.
Now no obstacle can even come in the way of our happiness, Ambalika.
All the Crown Princes of the Arya Empire!
Kings!
And Rulers!
You are welcome in Kashi!
By being present in the swayamvar of my three daughters, you have.....
Hastinapur's greatly revered, Ganga's son, Bhisma is entering!
Greetings, King of Kashi.
I have come in the form of representative of the throne of Hastinapur.
To ask the giving away of your daughters ("kanyadaan") for our Crown Prince, Vichitravirya.
But respected Bhisma, I am conducting the swayamvar of my daughters.
I accept this, King of Kashi.
But this is also true....
.... that to win a maiden by one's valour is the tradition of a swayamvar.
Just as a tree always faces it leaves towards the sun.....
........an inteliigent king will marry his daughter to a capable Crown Prince.
And that in the entire world, there is no other kingdom as powerful as Hastinapur.....
...this is also true.
Hence, please give away your daughters to the Crown Prince of Hastinapur, Vichitravirya.
And let them obtain the fortune of becoming the Queens of Hastinapur.
If any of the assembled kings have any objection to my words.....
......then that king has the right to test my strength.
A warrior can never avoid the roll of dice and the twang of an arrow, son of Ganga!
King Shalva!!
Who are you?
Who gave you an invitation?
So that you come here and make a display of your strength?
If we had to choose our husbands on the basis of strength, then our father would have organized a contest in our swayamvar.
Do you see any contest here?
I have mentally accepted King Shalva as my husband.
I want to marry not on the basis of power, but on love.
Then how can you come here and disrupt my swayamvar?
What is this that your daughter is saying, King of Kashi?
Has she already chosen her husband from before?
Yes!
In this swayamvar, I was going to place the garland around King Shalva's neck....this was certain.
Then this is not a swayamvar, but a trick.
So many kings had travelled from their kingdoms to Kashi....
....was all that in vain?
If your daughter had already chosen her husband from before....
.... then she should have been married off.
What was the need to do this swayamvar conspiracy?
In a religious work such as a swayamvar, if there is no purity in thoughts, then the results can be devastating.
Do you not even know this?
Respected Bhisma is saying the truth, King of Kashi.
And this is an insult to all of us kings.
Forgive me, respected Bhisma.
I was not at all aware of this decision of Amba's.
Now that respected Bhisma has won these girls, their marriage will only be in Hastinapur.
No other king in the Arya Empire will accept them.
I agree to this suggestion.
But it is not agreeable to me, King of Kashi.
Solely on the strength of power, Hastinapur cannot write lifelong sorrow and disappointment in any girl's future.
Ask your daughters if they too have already chosen their husbands.
Give an answer, daughters.
No, respected Bhisma.
Then conduct your eldest daughter's marriage with King Shalva.
Hastinapur frees Lady Amba from the bonds of swayamvar.
And gives the promise of bestowing her with presents and honour at her wedding.
Please bid both your daughters farewell as they become Queens of Hastinapur.
The auspicious time of partaking water has come, Queen Mother.
Call the maidens.
The maiden has arrived, respected Bhisma!
Has come to get married on the wedding porch ("mandap") of Hastinapur.
Who are you?
I am the unfortunate daughter of the King of Kashi, Queen Mother.
The very eldest daughter.
Whose entire dreams, entire life has been crushed under respected Bhisma's feet.
But Lady, I had given the permission to go to King Shalva.
You had defeated King Shalva, Bhisma....
In open court!
When I went to him, he said to me....
.... that I am just a prize object....
....not a girl....
....not a woman....
....not a human....
....just a prize object.
King Shalva said to me that you had won me.
So, only you have rights over me.
Whatever I had done, I did with a pure heart Lady.
There is no fault of mine in this.
Whichever girl comes into the swayamvar, she comes without prior decision.
This is what is believed.
But whatever has happened with you, I am sad for it.
And I myself will go with you to King Shalva.
No!!!
In marriage, man is the receiver of alms.
Charity is given to the man.
A woman gets rights, respected Bhisma.
I dont want charity, but my rights.
You had in open court, won me by displaying your strength.
So if my marriage happens, it will only be with you.... Ganga's son, Bhisma!