Week #10 Story: Three Sisters

Three Sisters

Bhishma was out for a stroll in the woods one quiet evening. He was collecting some nuts, as his stomach got a little rumbly and he wanted a midnight snack. Suddenly, he hears a rustle in the bushes. He prepares his dagger and sees a figure walk out. 

Bhishma squinted his eyes and realized that it was the court messenger. He lowered his dagger and spoke, "What are you doing here at this hour? I didn't think that anybody could follow me."

"No offense, sire, but you were literally dropping shells behind you. I think even a squirrel could have tracked you in your sleep," the messenger replied. "But that's not why I'm here," he continued, "I have some terrible news. Your father, Shantanu, has passed."

This news did not come as a surprise to Bhishma. He father was not in good health. However, this was a tragedy for more than one reason. Not only did he have to contend with his father's passing, but Bhishma now had to worry about finding his half-brother Vichitravirya a wife so that he could have kids and thus have successors to the throne. 

'That is a problem for tomorrow,' Bhishma thought. He returned back to town with the messenger, where he sat next to his father and wept. Bhishma caressed his father's cold, lifeless hand until he fell asleep on the floor next to his father's bed. 

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The next day, Bhishma wiped the dried tears from his face and he set out to figure out a solution to his Vichitravirya problem. As he was eating breakfast in the court dining hall, he heard talk of a Swayamvara for the daughters of Kashya, the king of Kashi. Bhishma sat there in silence, listening carefully for details of the Swayamvara and planning his actions out. The event so happened to be later that day, so he headed to the kingdom of Kashi with a plenty-spacious chariot. 

When Bhishma arrived at the Swayamvara, he set out to work. He immediately snuck up behind Kashya and seized his three daughters, Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika. He dragged them back to his chariot and dared anyone present to stop him. Kashya and a few other kings flung arrows at Bhishma but Bhishma deflected them and launched a counterattack to create some cover. He fled with the princesses and took them back to Hastinapur.

Upon arriving at Hastinapur, Amba was infuriated. "I'm already engaged to somebody else, you dingus! What makes you think that you can kidnap me?!"

"If you are already engaged, then why was the Swayamvara for you, too?" Bhishma coyly replied. "Were you not also looking for a suitor like your sisters here?"

"No!" screamed Amba. "My heart belongs to Salva, the king of Saubata. My father doesn't know but I was going to place the medal on Salva's chest and let him officially court me. Until you RUINED everything!"

Seeing that she was clearly upset and emotionally distressed, Bhishma let Amba go. He turned to Ambika and Ambalika and explained his story and Vichitravirya's story.

When he was done explaining, the two sisters exchanged an eye-roll at each other. Ambika spoke: "And... what do you want us to do about that, hmm big guy?" Her words cut through Bhishma like a dagger through soft flesh.

Bhishma mumbled out a reply, though it seemed like he was tripping on his words out of embarrassment: "I was... er... hoping that you two would marry my half brother, Vichitravirya."

Ambalika spoke this time, "So what, buddy boy? You think because you're some wannabe prince of Hastinapur that you can just go around abducting princesses whenever you feel like it? That's kinda sad. Did you ever consider that we don't WANT to marry you or your half-brother? Didja consider that, hmm bud? No, you didn't? Yeah of course you didn't. Let us go now before our father catches up with you and gives you hell for kidnapping us."

Bhihsma internalized her words, as pointed as they were. He realized that the sisters were right. He couldn't just kidnap whoever and force them to marry out of their will. He uncuffed the sisters and brought them back to Kashi, where he apologized to all three sisters and the king.

Bhishma hung his head in defeat. It would be a long and quiet ride back to Hastinapur, but it would give him plenty of time to reflect on his actions and to figure out a new plan of attack. 

Author's Note:

This story is obviously derived from the Mahabharata (PDE Edition), but this part of the story never sat right with me. I understand Bhishma's situation, and I think that his intentions were good-hearted, but you can't just go around kidnapping princesses and violating consent. It just doesn't work that way. So I wanted to kinda create a version where Bhishma gets a huge helping of humble pie from the princesses. 

Sources used: Arnold, Besant, Devee, Dutt, Ganguli, Kincaid, Macfie, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Seeger, and Tagore.

(Swayamvara in Kashi - image credit - Wiki)