01.065
Library: Dushyanta meets Shakuntala and is curious to know her background.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
tato gacchanmahābāhurekaḥ' mātyānvisṛjya tān। nāpaśyadāśrame tasmiṁstamṛṣiṁ saṁśitavratam ॥1-65-1॥
Then, the mighty-armed hero, after dismissing his ministers, went alone and did not find the sage of firm vows in the hermitage.
so'paśyamānastamṛṣiṃ śūnyaṃ dṛṣṭvā tamāśramam| uvāca ka ihetyuccairvanaṃ saṃnādayanniva ॥1-65-2॥
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.
śrutvātha tasya taṃ śabdaṃ kanyā śrīriva rūpiṇī। niścakrāmāśramāttasmāttāpasīveṣadhāriṇī ॥1-65-3॥
Upon hearing his sound, the girl, as beautiful as Lakshmi, emerged from the hermitage, dressed in ascetic garments.
sā taṃ dṛṣṭvaiva rājānaṃ duḥṣantamasitekṣaṇā। svāgataṃ ta iti kṣipramuvāca pratipūjya ca ॥1-65-4॥
Upon seeing King Duṣyanta, the dark-eyed lady quickly greeted him with respect, saying, "Welcome to you."
āsanena arcayitvā ca pādyena arghyeṇa ca eva hi। papraccha nāma yaṃ rājan kuśalaṃ ca narādhipam ॥1-65-5॥
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.
yathāvadarcayitvā sā pṛṣṭvā cānāmayaṃ tadā| uvāca smayamāneva kiṃ kāryaṃ kriyatāmiti ॥1-65-6॥
After properly worshipping and inquiring about the welfare, she then, as if smiling, said, "What task should be done?"
tām abravīt tato rājā kanyāṃ madhurabhāṣiṇīm. dṛṣṭvā sarvānavadyāṅgīṃ yathāvat pratipūjitaḥ ॥1-65-7॥
The king, having seen the maiden who spoke sweetly and was honored properly, addressed her, noting her flawless form.
āgato'haṃ mahābhāgamṛṣiṃ kaṇvamupāsitum। kva gato bhagavānbhadre tanmamācakṣva śobhane ॥1-65-8॥
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?
śakuntalovāca॥
Śakuntalā said:
gataḥ pitā me bhagavān phalāny āhartum āśramāt। muhūrtaṃ sampratīkṣasva drakṣyasy enam ihāgatam ॥1-65-9॥
My revered father has gone to fetch fruits from the hermitage. Please wait for a moment, you will see him arriving here.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
apaśyamānastamṛṣiṃ tayā coktastathā nṛpaḥ। tāṃ ca dṛṣṭvā varārohāṃ śrīmatīṃ cāruhāsinīm ॥1-65-10॥
The king, unable to see the sage, was addressed by her. Upon seeing her, he noticed her beautiful form, prosperity, and charming smile.
vibhrājamānāṃ vapuṣā tapasā ca damena ca। rūpayauvanasampannāmityuvāca mahīpatiḥ ॥1-65-11॥
The king, observing her shining form, her austerity, restraint, and her beauty and youth, spoke thus.
kāsi kasyāsi suśroṇi kimarthaṃ cāgatā vanam। evaṃrūpaguṇopetā kutastvamasi śobhane ॥1-65-12॥
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?
darśanādeva hi śubhe tvayā me'pahṛtaṃ manaḥ. icchāmi tvāmahaṃ jñātuṃ tanmamācakṣva śobhane ॥1-65-13॥
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.
evamuktā tadā kanyā tena rājñā tadāśrame| uvāca hasatī vākyamidaṃ sumadhurākṣaram ॥1-65-14॥
Thus addressed by the king in that hermitage, the girl smilingly spoke these very sweet words.
kaṇvaṣyāhaṃ bhagavato duḥṣanta duhitā matā। tapasvino dhṛtimato dharmajñasya yaśasvinaḥ ॥1-65-15॥
I am regarded as the daughter of the venerable Duḥṣanta, known for his asceticism, steadfastness, knowledge of dharma, and illustriousness, by Kaṇva.
duḥṣanta uvāca॥
Duḥṣanta spoke:
ūrdhvaretā mahābhāgo bhagavāṁllokapūjitaḥ। caleddhi vṛttāddharmo'pi na caletsaṁśitavrataḥ ॥1-65-16॥
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.
kathaṁ tvaṁ tasya duhitā sambhūtā varavarṇinī। saṁśayo me mahānattra taṁ me chettumihārhasi ॥1-65-17॥
How did you, his beautiful daughter, come to be born? I have a great doubt here, and you should clear it for me.
śakuntalovāca॥
Shakuntala said:
yathāyamāgamo mahyaṃ yathā cedamabhūtpurā। śṛṇu rājanyathātattvaṃ yathāsmi duhitā muneḥ ॥1-65-18॥
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.
ṛṣiḥ kaścidihāgamya mama janmābhyacodayat। tasmai provāca bhagavānyathā tacchṛṇu pārthiva ॥1-65-19॥
A certain sage came here and asked about my birth. To him, the Lord replied, "Listen to that, O king."
tapyamānaḥ kila purā viśvāmitro mahattapaḥ। subhṛśaṃ tāpayāmāsa śakraṃ suragaṇeśvaram ॥1-65-20॥
Once upon a time, Viśvāmitra, through his great penance, intensely tormented Indra, the lord of the gods.
tapasā dīptavīryo'yaṃ sthānānmāṃ cyāvayediti| bhītaḥ puraṃdarastasmānmenakāmidamabravīt ॥1-65-21॥
Afraid that this person, with his blazing energy from penance, might displace him from his position, Purandara (Indra) spoke to Menaka.
guṇairdivyairapsarasāṃ menake tvaṃ viśiṣyase। śreyo me kuru kalyāṇi yattvāṃ vakṣyāmi tacchṛṇu ॥1-65-22॥
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.
asāvādityasaṅkāśo viśvāmitro mahātapāḥ। tapyamānastapo ghoraṃ mama kampayate manaḥ ॥1-65-23॥
The great ascetic Viśvāmitra, who is as radiant as the sun, is performing such intense penance that it unsettles my mind.
menake tava bhāro'yaṃ viśvāmitraḥ sumadhyame। saṃśitātmā sudurdharṣa ugre tapasi vartate ॥1-65-24॥
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.
sa māṃ na cyāvayetsthānāttaṃ vai gatvā pralobhaya। cara tasya tapovighnaṃ kuru me priyamuttamam ॥1-65-25॥
He should not displace me from my position. Indeed, go and entice him. Create an obstacle to his penance and fulfill my best wish.
rūpayauvanamādhuryaceṣṭitasmitabhāṣitaiḥ। lobhayitvā varārohe tapasaḥ saṃnivartaya ॥1-65-26॥
O beautiful lady, using your form, youth, sweetness, movements, smile, and words, entice and turn him away from his penance.
menakovāca॥
Menaka spoke:
mahātejāḥ sa bhagavānsadaiva ca mahātapāḥ। kopanaśca tathā hyenaṃ jānāti bhagavānapi ॥1-65-27॥
The greatly powerful and austere Lord, who is always angry, also knows him well.
tejasastapasaścaiva kopasya ca mahātmanaḥ। tvamapyudvijase yasya nodvijeyamahaṃ katham ॥1-65-28॥
How can you, who are afraid of the brilliance, penance, and anger of the great soul, expect me not to be afraid?
mahābhāgaṃ vasiṣṭhaṃ yaḥ putrairiṣṭairvyayojayat. kṣatre jātaśca yaḥ pūrvamabhavadbrāhmaṇo balāt ॥1-65-29॥
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.
śaucārthaṃ yo nadīṃ cakre durgamāṃ bahubhirjalaiḥ। yāṃ tāṃ puṇyatamāṃ loke kauśikīti vidurjanāḥ ॥1-65-30॥
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.
babhāra yatrāsya purā kāle durge mahātmanaḥ। dārānmaṭaṅgo dharmātmā rājarṣirvyādhatāṃ gataḥ ॥1-65-31॥
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.
atītakāle durbhikṣe yatraitya punarāśramam। muniḥ pāreti nadyā vai nāma cakre tadā prabhuḥ ॥1-65-32॥
In the past, during a famine, when the sage returned to the hermitage, he named the river 'Pāra', indeed, then the lord did so.
mataṅgaṃ yājayāṃ cakre yatra prītamanāḥ svayam। tvaṃ ca somaṃ bhayādyasya gataḥ pātuṃ śureśvara ॥1-65-33॥
The elephant was sacrificed by himself where he was pleased. And you, O lord of heroes, went to drink Soma out of fear.
ati nakṣatravaṃśāṃśca kruddho nakṣatrasampadā। prati śravaṇapūrvāṇi nakṣatrāṇi sasarja yaḥ ॥1-65-34॥
In his excessive anger, endowed with the wealth of stars, he created the lineages of stars and the stars that precede Śravaṇa.
etāni yasya karmāṇi tasyāhaṃ bhṛśamudvije। yathā māṃ na dahetkruddhastathājñāpaya māṃ vibho ॥1-65-35॥
I am greatly afraid of his actions. Please command me, O lord, so that the angry one does not harm me.
tejasā nirdahel lokān kampayed dharaṇīṃ padā। saṅkṣipecca mahāmeruṃ tūrṇam āvartayettaṭhā ॥1-65-36॥
With his brilliance, he should burn the worlds, shake the earth with his foot, compress the great Meru, and quickly whirl it around.
tādṛśaṃ tapasā yuktaṃ pradīptamiva pāvakam। kathamasmadvidhā bālā jitendriyamabhispṛśet ॥1-65-37॥
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?
hutāśanamukhaṃ dīptaṃ sūryacandrākṣitārakam। kālajihvaṃ suraśreṣṭha kathamasmadvidhā spṛśet ॥1-65-38॥
O best of gods, how could someone like us touch the blazing, fire-faced, sun-moon-eyed stars with the tongue of time?
yamaśca somaśca maharṣayaśca; sādhyā viśve vālakhilyāśca sarve| ete'pi yasyodvijante prabhāvā; tkasmāttasmānmādṛśī nodvijeta ॥1-65-39॥
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?
tvayaivamuktā ca kathaṁ samīpa; mṛṣerna gaccheyamahaṁ surendra. rakṣāṁ tu me cintaya devarāja; yathā tvadarthaṁ rakṣitāhaṁ careyam ॥1-65-40॥
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.
kāmaṃ tu me mārutastatra vāsaḥ; prakrīḍitāyā vivṛṇotu deva। bhavecca me manmathastatra kārye; sahāyabhūtastava devaprasādāt ॥1-65-41॥
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.
vanācca vāyuḥ surabhiḥ pravāye; ttasminkāle tamṛṣiṃ lobhayantyāḥ. tathetyuktvā vihite caiva tasmiṃ; stato yayau sāśramaṃ kauśikasya ॥1-65-42॥
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.
