01.065
Library: Dushyanta meets Shakuntala and is curious to know her background.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
ततो गच्छन्महाबाहुरेकोऽमात्यान्विसृज्य तान्। नापश्यदाश्रमे तस्मिंस्तमृषिं संशितव्रतम् ॥१-६५-१॥
Then, the mighty-armed hero, after dismissing his ministers, went alone and did not find the sage of firm vows in the hermitage.
सोऽपश्यमानस्तमृषिं शून्यं दृष्ट्वा तमाश्रमम्। उवाच क इहेत्युच्चैर्वनं संनादयन्निव ॥१-६५-२॥
He looked around and, not seeing the sage, observed the empty hermitage. He called out loudly, 'Who is here?' making the forest echo with his voice.
श्रुत्वाथ तस्य तं शब्दं कन्या श्रीरिव रूपिणी। निश्चक्रामाश्रमात्तस्मात्तापसीवेषधारिणी ॥१-६५-३॥
Upon hearing his sound, the girl, as beautiful as Lakshmi, emerged from the hermitage, dressed in ascetic garments.
सा तं दृष्ट्वैव राजानं दुःषन्तमसितेक्षणा। स्वागतं त इति क्षिप्रमुवाच प्रतिपूज्य च ॥१-६५-४॥
Upon seeing King Duṣyanta, the dark-eyed lady quickly greeted him with respect, saying, "Welcome to you."
आसनेनार्चयित्वा च पाद्येनार्घ्येण चैव हि। पप्रच्छानामयं राजन्कुशलं च नराधिपम् ॥१-६५-५॥
After offering a seat and worshipping with water for the feet and an offering, he certainly asked the king about his name and welfare, O ruler.
यथावदर्चयित्वा सा पृष्ट्वा चानामयं तदा। उवाच स्मयमानेव किं कार्यं क्रियतामिति ॥१-६५-६॥
After properly worshipping and inquiring about the welfare, she then, as if smiling, said, "What task should be done?"
तामब्रवीत्ततो राजा कन्यां मधुरभाषिणीम्। दृष्ट्वा सर्वानवद्याङ्गीं यथावत्प्रतिपूजितः ॥१-६५-७॥
The king, having seen the maiden who spoke sweetly and was honored properly, addressed her, noting her flawless form.
आगतोऽहं महाभागमृषिं कण्वमुपासितुम्। क्व गतो भगवान्भद्रे तन्ममाचक्ष्व शोभने ॥१-६५-८॥
I have come to see the greatly revered sage Kaṇva. O gentle lady, could you please tell me where the revered one has gone, O beautiful one?
शकुन्तलोवाच॥
Śakuntalā said:
गतः पिता मे भगवान्फलान्याहर्तुमाश्रमात्। मुहूर्तं सम्प्रतीक्षस्व द्रक्ष्यस्येनमिहागतम् ॥१-६५-९॥
My revered father has gone to fetch fruits from the hermitage. Please wait for a moment, you will see him arriving here.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
अपश्यमानस्तमृषिं तया चोक्तस्तथा नृपः। तां च दृष्ट्वा वरारोहां श्रीमतीं चारुहासिनीम् ॥१-६५-१०॥
The king, unable to see the sage, was addressed by her. Upon seeing her, he noticed her beautiful form, prosperity, and charming smile.
विभ्राजमानां वपुषा तपसा च दमेन च। रूपयौवनसम्पन्नामित्युवाच महीपतिः ॥१-६५-११॥
The king, observing her shining form, her austerity, restraint, and her beauty and youth, spoke thus.
कासि कस्यासि सुश्रोणि किमर्थं चागता वनम्। एवंरूपगुणोपेता कुतस्त्वमसि शोभने ॥१-६५-१२॥
Who are you and to whom do you belong, O beautiful-hipped lady? What is the reason for your arrival in the forest? With such beauty and qualities, where do you come from, O charming one?
दर्शनादेव हि शुभे त्वया मेऽपहृतं मनः। इच्छामि त्वामहं ज्ञातुं तन्ममाचक्ष्व शोभने ॥१-६५-१३॥
O auspicious one, just by seeing you, my mind has been captivated by you. I wish to know you; please tell me about yourself, O beautiful one.
एवमुक्ता तदा कन्या तेन राज्ञा तदाश्रमे। उवाच हसती वाक्यमिदं सुमधुराक्षरम् ॥१-६५-१४॥
Thus addressed by the king in that hermitage, the girl smilingly spoke these very sweet words.
कण्वष्याहं भगवतो दुःषन्त दुहिता मता। तपस्विनो धृतिमतो धर्मज्ञस्य यशस्विनः ॥१-६५-१५॥
I am regarded as the daughter of the venerable Duḥṣanta, known for his asceticism, steadfastness, knowledge of dharma, and illustriousness, by Kaṇva.
दुःषन्त उवाच॥
Duḥṣanta spoke:
ऊर्ध्वरेता महाभागो भगवाँल्लोकपूजितः। चलेद्धि वृत्ताद्धर्मोऽपि न चलेत्संशितव्रतः ॥१-६५-१६॥
The blessed one, who is greatly fortunate and worshipped by the world, possesses upward-flowing energy and firm vows, and would indeed deviate from conduct; however, even righteousness would not deviate.
कथं त्वं तस्य दुहिता सम्भूता वरवर्णिनी। संशयो मे महानत्र तं मे छेत्तुमिहार्हसि ॥१-६५-१७॥
How did you, his beautiful daughter, come to be born? I have a great doubt here, and you should clear it for me.
शकुन्तलोवाच॥
Shakuntala said:
यथायमागमो मह्यं यथा चेदमभूत्पुरा। शृणु राजन्यथातत्त्वं यथास्मि दुहिता मुनेः ॥१-६५-१८॥
O king, listen to the truth of how this arrival came to me and how I am the daughter of the sage, as it was in the past.
ऋषिः कश्चिदिहागम्य मम जन्माभ्यचोदयत्। तस्मै प्रोवाच भगवान्यथा तच्छृणु पार्थिव ॥१-६५-१९॥
A certain sage came here and asked about my birth. To him, the Lord replied, "Listen to that, O king."
तप्यमानः किल पुरा विश्वामित्रो महत्तपः। सुभृशं तापयामास शक्रं सुरगणेश्वरम् ॥१-६५-२०॥
Once upon a time, Viśvāmitra, through his great penance, intensely tormented Indra, the lord of the gods.
तपसा दीप्तवीर्योऽयं स्थानान्मां च्यावयेदिति। भीतः पुरंदरस्तस्मान्मेनकामिदमब्रवीत् ॥१-६५-२१॥
Afraid that this person, with his blazing energy from penance, might displace him from his position, Purandara (Indra) spoke to Menaka.
गुणैर्दिव्यैरप्सरसां मेनके त्वं विशिष्यसे। श्रेयो मे कुरु कल्याणि यत्त्वां वक्ष्यामि तच्छृणु ॥१-६५-२२॥
O Menaka, you are distinguished among the celestial nymphs by your divine qualities. O auspicious one, please do what I am about to tell you for my benefit, so listen to it.
असावादित्यसङ्काशो विश्वामित्रो महातपाः। तप्यमानस्तपो घोरं मम कम्पयते मनः ॥१-६५-२३॥
The great ascetic Viśvāmitra, who is as radiant as the sun, is performing such intense penance that it unsettles my mind.
मेनके तव भारोऽयं विश्वामित्रः सुमध्यमे। संशितात्मा सुदुर्धर्ष उग्रे तपसि वर्तते ॥१-६५-२४॥
O Menaka, this is your responsibility. Viśvāmitra, who is firm-minded and very difficult to overcome, is engaged in intense penance, O slender-waisted one.
स मां न च्यावयेत्स्थानात्तं वै गत्वा प्रलोभय। चर तस्य तपोविघ्नं कुरु मे प्रियमुत्तमम् ॥१-६५-२५॥
He should not displace me from my position. Indeed, go and entice him. Create an obstacle to his penance and fulfill my best wish.
रूपयौवनमाधुर्यचेष्टितस्मितभाषितैः। लोभयित्वा वरारोहे तपसः संनिवर्तय ॥१-६५-२६॥
O beautiful lady, using your form, youth, sweetness, movements, smile, and words, entice and turn him away from his penance.
मेनकोवाच॥
Menaka spoke:
महातेजाः स भगवान्सदैव च महातपाः। कोपनश्च तथा ह्येनं जानाति भगवानपि ॥१-६५-२७॥
The greatly powerful and austere Lord, who is always angry, also knows him well.
तेजसस्तपसश्चैव कोपस्य च महात्मनः। त्वमप्युद्विजसे यस्य नोद्विजेयमहं कथम् ॥१-६५-२८॥
How can you, who are afraid of the brilliance, penance, and anger of the great soul, expect me not to be afraid?
महाभागं वसिष्ठं यः पुत्रैरिष्टैर्व्ययोजयत्। क्षत्रे जातश्च यः पूर्वमभवद्ब्राह्मणो बलात् ॥१-६५-२९॥
The greatly fortunate Vasiṣṭha, who was deprived of his desired sons, was originally born in the Kshatriya caste and later became a Brahmin by force.
शौचार्थं यो नदीं चक्रे दुर्गमां बहुभिर्जलैः। यां तां पुण्यतमां लोके कौशिकीति विदुर्जनाः ॥१-६५-३०॥
For the purpose of purification, he created a river that was difficult to cross due to its many waters, which people in the world know as the most sacred river Kauśikī.
बभार यत्रास्य पुरा काले दुर्गे महात्मनः। दारान्मतङ्गो धर्मात्मा राजर्षिर्व्याधतां गतः ॥१-६५-३१॥
In ancient times, in the fort, the great soul Matanga, who was a righteous royal sage, lived with his wives and eventually became a hunter.
अतीतकाले दुर्भिक्षे यत्रैत्य पुनराश्रमम्। मुनिः पारेति नद्या वै नाम चक्रे तदा प्रभुः ॥१-६५-३२॥
In the past, during a famine, when the sage returned to the hermitage, he named the river 'Pāra', indeed, then the lord did so.
मतङ्गं याजयां चक्रे यत्र प्रीतमनाः स्वयम्। त्वं च सोमं भयाद्यस्य गतः पातुं शुरेश्वर ॥१-६५-३३॥
The elephant was sacrificed by himself where he was pleased. And you, O lord of heroes, went to drink Soma out of fear.
अति नक्षत्रवंशांश्च क्रुद्धो नक्षत्रसम्पदा। प्रति श्रवणपूर्वाणि नक्षत्राणि ससर्ज यः ॥१-६५-३४॥
In his excessive anger, endowed with the wealth of stars, he created the lineages of stars and the stars that precede Śravaṇa.
एतानि यस्य कर्माणि तस्याहं भृशमुद्विजे। यथा मां न दहेत्क्रुद्धस्तथाज्ञापय मां विभो ॥१-६५-३५॥
I am greatly afraid of his actions. Please command me, O lord, so that the angry one does not harm me.
तेजसा निर्दहेल्लोकान्कम्पयेद्धरणीं पदा। सङ्क्षिपेच्च महामेरुं तूर्णमावर्तयेत्तथा ॥१-६५-३६॥
With his brilliance, he should burn the worlds, shake the earth with his foot, compress the great Meru, and quickly whirl it around.
तादृशं तपसा युक्तं प्रदीप्तमिव पावकम्। कथमस्मद्विधा बाला जितेन्द्रियमभिस्पृशेत् ॥१-६५-३७॥
How can a young girl like us, who is endowed with penance, even think of approaching one who has conquered his senses and is like a blazing fire?
हुताशनमुखं दीप्तं सूर्यचन्द्राक्षितारकम्। कालजिह्वं सुरश्रेष्ठ कथमस्मद्विधा स्पृशेत् ॥१-६५-३८॥
O best of gods, how could someone like us touch the blazing, fire-faced, sun-moon-eyed stars with the tongue of time?
यमश्च सोमश्च महर्षयश्च; साध्या विश्वे वालखिल्याश्च सर्वे। एतेऽपि यस्योद्विजन्ते प्रभावा; त्कस्मात्तस्मान्मादृशी नोद्विजेत ॥१-६५-३९॥
Even Yama, Soma, and the great sages, along with all the Sādhyas, Viśve, and Vālakhilyas, tremble at his influence; why then should someone like me not tremble?
त्वयैवमुक्ता च कथं समीप; मृषेर्न गच्छेयमहं सुरेन्द्र। रक्षां तु मे चिन्तय देवराज; यथा त्वदर्थं रक्षिताहं चरेयम् ॥१-६५-४०॥
Having been thus addressed by you, O lord of gods, how could I go in vain? Consider my protection, O king of gods, so that I may act for your sake.
कामं तु मे मारुतस्तत्र वासः; प्रक्रीडिताया विवृणोतु देव। भवेच्च मे मन्मथस्तत्र कार्ये; सहायभूतस्तव देवप्रसादात् ॥१-६५-४१॥
O god, may the wind reveal my desire for residence there, of the playful one. And may Cupid be my helper in the task there, by your grace.
वनाच्च वायुः सुरभिः प्रवाये; त्तस्मिन्काले तमृषिं लोभयन्त्याः। तथेत्युक्त्वा विहिते चैव तस्मिं; स्ततो ययौ साश्रमं कौशिकस्य ॥१-६५-४२॥
The fragrant wind blew from the forest, tempting the sage at that moment. Having said thus and arranged everything, he then proceeded to the hermitage of Kauśika.
