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Library: Shakuntala marries Dushyanta in Gandharva form.
duḥṣanta uvāca॥
Duḥṣanta spoke:
suvyaktaṃ rājaputrī tvaṃ yathā kalyāṇi bhāṣase। bhāryā me bhava suśroṇi brūhi kiṃ karavāṇi te ॥1-67-1॥
O princess, you speak clearly and auspiciously. Become my wife, O beautiful-hipped one, and tell me what I should do for you.
suvarṇamālā vāsāṃsi kuṇḍale parihāṭake। nānāpattanaje śubhre maṇiratne ca śobhane ॥1-67-2॥
A golden garland, garments, earrings, and armlets from various cities, adorned with pure and beautiful gemstones.
āharāmi tavādyāhaṃ niṣkādīnyajināni ca। sarvaṃ rājyaṃ tavādyāstu bhāryā me bhava śobhane ॥1-67-3॥
Today, I bring your necklaces and deer skins. Let your entire kingdom be mine today. O beautiful one, become my wife.
gāndharveṇa ca māṃ bhīru vivāhena iha sundari। vivāhānāṃ hi rambhoru gāndharvaḥ śreṣṭha ucyate ॥1-67-4॥
O timid one, marry me here by the Gandharva method, beautiful one. Indeed, O lovely-thighed one, the Gandharva marriage is said to be the best of marriages.
śakuntalovāca॥
Śakuntalā said:
phalāhāro gato rājanpitā me ita āśramāt। taṃ muhūrtaṃ pratīkṣasva sa māṃ tubhyaṃ pradāsyati ॥1-67-5॥
O king, my father, the fruit-eater, has left the hermitage. Please wait for a moment; he will give me to you.
duḥṣanta uvāca॥
Duḥṣanta spoke:
icchāmi tvāṃ varārohe bhajamānāmanindite। tvadarthaṃ māṃ sthitaṃ viddhi tvadgataṃ hi mano mama ॥1-67-6॥
I long for you, O beautiful and faultless lady, who is worshipped. Know that I am here for you, as my mind is indeed focused on you.
ātmano bandhuraatmaiva gatiraatmaiva caātmanaḥ। ātmanaivātmano dānaṃ kartumarhasi dharmataḥ ॥1-67-7॥
One's own self is truly one's friend and goal. Therefore, by oneself, one should righteously give of oneself.
aṣṭāveva samāsena vivāhā dharmataḥ smṛtāḥ| brāhmo daivastathaivārṣaḥ prājāpatyastathāsuraḥ ॥1-67-8॥
There are eight types of marriages considered righteous: Brāhma, Daiva, Ārṣa, Prājāpatya, and Asura.
gāndharvo rākṣasaścaiva paiśācaścāṣṭamaḥ smṛtaḥ| teṣāṃ dharmānyathāpūrvaṃ manuḥ svāyambhuvo'bravīt ॥1-67-9॥
Manu Svayambhuva described the laws of Gandharva, Rakshasa, and Paishacha marriages, remembering them as the eighth in order, as previously stated.
praśastāṃś caturaḥ pūrvān brāhmaṇasyopadhāraya। ṣaḍ ānupūrvya kṣatrasya viddhi dharmyān anindite ॥1-67-10॥
Reflect on the four excellent qualities that were formerly of the Brahmin. Understand the six righteous and blameless qualities of the Kshatriya in their proper order.
rājñāṃ tu rākṣaso'pyukto viṭśūdreṣvāsuraḥ smṛtaḥ| pañcānāṃ tu trayo dharmyā dvāvadharmyau smṛtāviha ॥1-67-11॥
Among kings, the demon is also considered to be remembered as demonic among merchants and Shudras. Out of the five, three are considered righteous and two unrighteous here.
paiśācaścāsuraścaiva na kartavyau kathañcana। anena vidhinā kāryo dharmasyaiṣā gatiḥ smṛtā ॥1-67-12॥
Demonic acts and those of demons should never be performed. This method is considered the path of righteousness.
gāndharvarākṣasau kṣatre dharmyau tau mā viśaṅkithāḥ| pṛthagvā yadi vā miśrau kartavyau nātra saṃśayaḥ ॥1-67-13॥
Do not doubt the righteousness of the Gandharva and Rakshasa in the Kshatriya. Whether separately or together, there is no doubt they should be done.
sā tvaṃ mama sakāmasya sakāmā varavarṇini। gāndharveṇa vivāhena bhāryā bhavitumarhasi ॥1-67-14॥
O beautiful one, you, who are desirous, deserve to become my wife through a Gandharva marriage.
śakuntalovāca॥
Śakuntalā said:
yadi dharmapathastveṣa yadi cātmā prabhurmama। pradāne pauravaśreṣṭha śṛṇu me samayaṃ prabho ॥1-67-15॥
If this is the path of righteousness and my soul is indeed the lord, then, O best of the Pauravas, listen to my promise, O lord.
satyaṁ me pratijānīhi yattvāṁ vakṣyāmyahaṁ rahaḥ। mama jāyeta yaḥ putraḥ sa bhavettvadanantaram ॥1-67-16॥
Promise me truthfully that I will share a secret with you. The son who is born to me will succeed you.
yuvarājo mahārāja satyametadbravīhi me। yadyetadevaṃ duḥṣanta astu me saṅgamastvayā ॥1-67-17॥
O great king and crown prince, please tell me the truth. If this is indeed the case, Duṣṣanta, let me be united with you.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
evam astv iti tāṃ rājā pratyuvāca avicārayan। api ca tvāṃ nayiṣyāmi nagaraṃ svaṃ śucismite ॥ yathā tvam arhā suśroṇi satyam etad bravīmi te ॥1-67-18॥
The king, without much thought, agreed and said to her, "Indeed, I will take you to my city, O lady with a pure smile, as you truly deserve, O lady with beautiful hips. I sincerely mean this."
evamuktvā sa rājarṣistāmaninditagāminīm। jagrāha vidhivatpāṇāvuvāsa ca tayā saha ॥1-67-19॥
Thus, after speaking, the royal sage took the blameless lady by the hand in the proper manner and lived with her.
viśvāsya caināṃ sa prāyādabravīcca punaḥ punaḥ। preṣayiṣye tavārthāya vāhinīṃ caturaṅgiṇīm ॥ tayā tvāmānayiṣyāmi nivāsaṃ svaṃ śucismite ॥1-67-20॥
After reassuring her, he left, repeatedly saying: "I will dispatch a fourfold army for your sake, O pure-smiling one, and with it, I will bring you to my abode."
iti tasyāḥ pratiśrutya sa nṛpo janamejayaḥ। manasā cintayanprāyātkāśyapaṃ prati pārthivaḥ ॥1-67-21॥
Having promised her, King Janamejaya contemplated and proceeded towards Kashyapa.
bhagavāṁstapasā yuktaḥ śrutvā kiṁ nu kariṣyati। evaṁ sañcintayanneva praviveśa svakaṁ puram ॥1-67-22॥
The Lord, absorbed in penance, pondered over 'What indeed will he do?' and thus, while contemplating, he entered his own city.
muhūrtayāte tasmiṃstu kaṇvo'pyāśramamāgamat। śakuntalā ca pitaraṃ hriyā nopajagāma tam ॥1-67-23॥
After a short while, Kaṇva returned to the hermitage. Śakuntalā, feeling shy, did not go to her father.
vijñāyātha ca tāṃ kaṇvo divyajñāno mahātapāḥ। uvāca bhagavānprītaḥ paśyandivyena cakṣuṣā ॥1-67-24॥
Then, having realized her true nature, the sage Kaṇva, endowed with divine insight and great penance, spoke with satisfaction, perceiving with his divine vision.
tvayādya rājānvyayā māmanādṛtya yatkṛtaḥ। puṃsā saha samāyogo na sa dharmopaghātakaḥ ॥1-67-25॥
Today, by you, disregarding me, what has been done with the royal lineage, the union with a man is not detrimental to dharma.
kṣatriyasya hi gāndharvo vivāhaḥ śreṣṭha ucyate। sakāmāyāḥ sakāmena nirmantro rahasi smṛtaḥ ॥1-67-26॥
The Gandharva marriage, which is considered the best for a Kshatriya, is characterized by mutual consent and is conducted privately without rituals.
dharmātmā ca mahātmā ca duḥṣantaḥ puruṣottamaḥ। abhyagacchaḥ patiṃ yaṃ tvaṃ bhajamānaṃ śakuntale ॥1-67-27॥
The righteous and noble Duṣyanta, the best among men, approached the husband whom you, O Śakuntalā, are devoted to.
mahātmā janitā loke putrastava mahābalaḥ। ya imāṃ sāgarāpāṅgāṃ kṛtsnāṃ bhokṣyati medinīm ॥1-67-28॥
Your mighty son, a great soul and creator in the world, will rule over the entire earth surrounded by oceans.
paraṃ cābhiprayātasya cakraṃ tasya mahātmanaḥ। bhaviṣyatyapratihataṃ satataṃ cakravartinaḥ ॥1-67-29॥
The great soul's supreme wheel, upon his departure, will remain ever unstoppable for the emperor.
tataḥ prakṣālya pādau sā viśrāntaṃ munimabravīt. vinidhāya tato bhāraṃ saṃnidhāya phalāni ca ॥1-67-30॥
Then, after washing his feet, she spoke to the sage who was resting. She placed the burden and the fruits nearby.
mayā patirvṛto yo'sau duḥṣantaḥ puruṣottamaḥ। tasmai sasacivāya tvaṃ prasādaṃ kartumarhasi ॥1-67-31॥
I have chosen as my husband the noble Duṣyanta, the best of men. You should show him favor along with his ministers.
kaṇva uvāca॥
Kaṇva spoke.
prasanna eva tasyāhaṃ tvatkṛte varavarṇini। gṛhāṇa ca varaṃ mattastatkṛte yadabhīpsitam ॥1-67-32॥
I am truly pleased with him because of you, O beautiful one. Therefore, accept a boon from me, whatever you desire.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
tato dharmiṣṭhatāṃ vavre rājyāccāskhalanaṃ tathā| śakuntalā pauravāṇāṃ duḥṣantahitakāmyayā ॥1-67-33॥
Then Shakuntala chose righteousness and stability for the kingdom, for the welfare of Dushyanta, of the Pauravas.
