I think that she was down by the riverside to see if there was anything she could do.  Powerless to change her father's will and unable to stop the horror upstream she went down by the riverside and immersed herself in the problem.  With hope she sent her attendants walking along the shore in search of a miracle.

She hoped beyond hope that one of the little ones had survived. 

As she bathed she sought to subvert the system.  And the she saw the basket, had it brought to her and when the lid was opened she felt "sorry" the crying little one.  "Sorry," that is compassion from her womb.  It was then that she knew that she had to do something.

Have you been down by the riverside lately?