01.069
Library: Dushyanta accepts Shakuntala and Bharata, after he hears the voice from the sky.
śakuntalovāca॥
Shakuntala said:
rājansarṣapamātrāṇi paracchidrāṇi paśyasi। ātmano bilvamātrāṇi paśyannapi na paśyasi ॥1-69-1॥
O king, you notice the smallest faults in others, like mustard seeds, but fail to see your own, which are as large as bilva fruits.
menakā tridaśeṣveva tridaśāścānu menakām। mamaivodricyate janma duḥṣanta tava janmataḥ ॥1-69-2॥
Menaka is indeed among the gods, and the gods follow Menaka. My birth is indeed exalted, Duṣṣanta, because of your birth.
kṣitāvaṭasi rājanstvamantari kṣe carāmyaham। āvayorantaraṃ paśya merusarṣapayoriva ॥1-69-3॥
O king, you are the ruler of the earth, while I roam the skies. Observe the vast difference between us, akin to the difference between the Meru mountain and a mustard seed.
mahendrasya kuberasya yamasya varuṇasya ca। bhavānānyanusaṃyāmi prabhāvaṃ paśya me nṛpa ॥1-69-4॥
I am visiting the palaces of Mahendra, Kubera, Yama, and Varuna; witness my power, O king.
satyaścāpi pravādo'yaṃ yaṃ pravakṣyāmi te'nagha। nidarśanārthaṃ na dveṣāttacchrutvā kṣantumarhasi ॥1-69-5॥
O sinless one, the truth and this rumor which I am about to tell you is for the sake of illustration and not out of any enmity; upon hearing it, you should forgive.
virūpo yāvadādarśe nātmanaḥ paśyate mukham। manyate tāvadātmānāmanyebhyo rūpavattaram ॥1-69-6॥
An ugly person believes himself to be more beautiful than others until he sees his own face in the mirror.
yadā tu mukhamādarśe vikṛtaṃ so'bhivīkṣate| tadetaraṃ vijānāti ātmānaṃ netaraṃ janam ॥1-69-7॥
When one sees their face distorted in a mirror, they recognize it as their own reflection, not someone else's.
atīva rūpasampanno na kiñcidavamanyate। atīva jalpandurvāco bhavatīha viheṭhakaḥ ॥1-69-8॥
He is extremely handsome and does not despise anything. However, his excessive talk and harsh words make him troublesome here.
mūrkho hi jalpatāṃ puṃsāṃ śrutvā vācaḥ śubhāśubhāḥ। aśubhaṃ vākyamādatte purīṣamiva sūkaraḥ ॥1-69-9॥
A fool, upon hearing the words of men, whether good or bad, chooses the bad words, just as a pig picks up filth.
prājñastu jalpatāṃ puṃsāṃ śrutvā vācaḥ śubhāśubhāḥ। guṇavadvākyamādatte haṃsaḥ kṣīramivāmbhasaḥ ॥1-69-10॥
A wise person, upon hearing the words of others, whether good or bad, selects only the valuable ones, just as a swan extracts milk from water.
anyān parivadan sādhuḥ yathā hi paritapyate। tathā parivadan anyān tuṣṭo bhavati durjanaḥ ॥1-69-11॥
A good person feels remorse when criticizing others, whereas a wicked person feels satisfaction.
abhivādya yathā vṛddhānsanto gacchanti nirvṛtim। evaṃ sajjanamākruśya mūrkho bhavati nirvṛtaḥ ॥1-69-12॥
Just as good people attain peace by saluting the elders, a fool feels content after insulting a good person.
sukhaṁ jīvantyadoṣajñā mūrkhā doṣānudarśinaḥ। yatra vācyāḥ paraiḥ santaḥ parānāhustathāvidhān ॥1-69-13॥
Those who are aware of no faults live happily, while fools focus on faults. In places where good people are spoken of by others, they describe others as they are.
ato hāsyataraṃ loke kiñcidanyanna vidyate। yatra durjana ityāha durjanaḥ sajjanaṃ svayam ॥1-69-14॥
Therefore, there is nothing more laughable in the world than a situation where a wicked person himself calls a good person wicked.
satyadharmacutāt puṁsaḥ kruddhād āśīviṣād iva। anāstiko'py udvijate janaḥ kiṁ punar āstikaḥ ॥1-69-15॥
Even those who do not believe are afraid of a person who has deviated from truth and righteousness, just as they would fear an angry serpent; how much more so would a believer be?
svayamutpādya vai putraṃ sadṛśaṃ yo'vamanyate। tasya devāḥ śriyaṃ ghnanti na ca lokānupāśnute ॥1-69-16॥
If one disrespects a son who is like oneself, having indeed produced him, the gods destroy his prosperity, and he does not attain the heavenly worlds.
kulavaṃśapratiṣṭhāṃ hi pitaraḥ putramabruvan। uttamaṃ sarvadharmāṇāṃ tasmātputraṃ na santyajet ॥1-69-17॥
The fathers advised their son that maintaining the prestige of the family lineage is paramount among all duties, and thus, a son should never be abandoned.
svapatnīprabhavānpañca labdhānkrītānvivardhitān। kṛtānanyāsu cotpannānputrānvai manurabravīt ॥1-69-18॥
Manu spoke to his sons, who were born from his own wife, obtained, purchased, raised, and made in others.
dharmakīrtyāvahā nṛṇāṃ manasaḥ prītivardhanāḥ। trāyante narakājjātāḥ putrā dharmaplavāḥ pitṝn ॥1-69-19॥
Sons, who bring fame to dharma and increase the affection in the minds of men, are born to protect their fathers from hell, acting as boats of dharma.
sa tvaṃ nṛpatiśārdūla na putraṃ tyaktumarhasi। ātmānaṃ satyadharmau ca pālayāno mahīpate ॥ narendra siṃha kapaṭaṃ na voḍhuṃ tvamihārhasi ॥1-69-20॥
You, O noble king, must not forsake your son. Upholding truth and duty, protect yourself, O ruler of the land. Here, O lion among men, you should not engage in deceit.
varaṁ kūpaśatād vāpi varaṁ vāpiśatāt kratuḥ। varaṁ kratuśatāt putraḥ satyaṁ putraśatād varam ॥1-69-21॥
A pond is more valuable than a hundred wells; a sacrifice surpasses a hundred ponds; a son is more precious than a hundred sacrifices; and truth is the most valuable, surpassing even a hundred sons.
aśvamedhasahasraṃ ca satyaṃ ca tulayā dhṛtam। aśvamedhasahasrāddhi satyameva viśiṣyate ॥1-69-22॥
A thousand horse sacrifices and truth are weighed together, but truth alone surpasses a thousand horse sacrifices.
sarvavedādhigamanaṃ sarvatīrthāvagāhanam। satyaṃ ca vadato rājansamaṃ vā syānna vā samam ॥1-69-23॥
O king, mastering all the Vedas, bathing in all sacred waters, and speaking the truth may or may not be considered equal.
nāsti satyātparo dharmo na satyādvidyate param। na hi tīvrataraṃ kiñcidanṛtādiha vidyate ॥1-69-24॥
There is no duty higher than truth, and nothing greater than truth exists. Indeed, nothing more intense than falsehood can be found here.
rājansatyaṃ paraṃ brahma satyaṃ ca samayaḥ paraḥ। mā tyākṣīḥ samayaṃ rājansatyaṃ saṅgatamastu te ॥1-69-25॥
O king, the ultimate truth is Brahman, and time is of utmost importance. Do not forsake time, O king, let truth be with you.
anṛte cetprasaṅgaste śraddadhāsi na cetsvayam| ātmano hanta gacchāmi tvādṛśe nāsti saṅgatam ॥1-69-26॥
If you are attached to untruth and believe in it, then alas, I must leave, for there is no association with someone like you.
Ṛte'pi tvayi duḥṣanta śailarājāvataṃsakām। caturantāmimāmurvīṃ putro me pālayiṣyati ॥1-69-27॥
Except for you, O Duḥṣanta, who is adorned with the crown of the king of mountains, my son will rule over this vast earth.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
etāvad uktvā vacanaṃ prātiṣṭhata śakuntalā। athāntarikṣe duḥṣantaṃ vāg uvācāśarīriṇī ॥ ṛtvikpurohitācāryair mantribhiś cāvṛtaṃ tadā ॥1-69-28॥
After speaking these words, Shakuntala left. Then, a bodiless voice addressed Dushyanta from the sky, who was surrounded by priests, the chief priest, teachers, and ministers.
bhastrā mātā pituḥ putro yena jātaḥ sa eva saḥ। bharasva putraṃ duḥṣanta māvamaṃsthāḥ śakuntalām ॥1-69-29॥
The leather bag is the mother, and the son is born of the father; he indeed is the one. Duṣyanta, bear your son and do not disrespect Śakuntalā.
retodhāḥ putra unnayati naradeva yamakṣayāt। tvaṃ cāsya dhātā garbhasya satyamāha śakuntalā ॥1-69-30॥
Śakuntalā truly said that the son, the sperm-bearer, raises from Yama's abode, O king, and you are the creator of the womb.
jāyā janayate putramātmano'ṅgaṃ dvidhā kṛtam| tasmādbharasva duḥṣanta putraṃ śākuntalaṃ nṛpa ॥1-69-31॥
A wife gives birth to a son, who is like a part of oneself divided into two. Therefore, King Duṣyanta, accept and care for Śākuntala's son.
abhūtir eṣā kas tyajyāj jīvañ jīvantam ātmajam। śākuntalaṃ mahātmānaṃ dauḥṣantiṃ bhara paurava ॥1-69-32॥
Who would abandon a living son in such absence of prosperity? Support Shakuntala, the noble soul, son of Dushyanta, descendant of Puru.
bhartavyo'yaṁ tvayā yasmādasmākaṁ vacanādapi| tasmādbhavatvayaṁ nāmnā bharato nāma te sutaḥ ॥1-69-33॥
This must be supported by you as per our word. Therefore, let this son of yours be named Bharata.
tacchrutvā pauravo rājā vyāhṛtaṃ vai divaukasām। purohitamamātyāṃśca samprahṛṣṭo'bravīdidam ॥1-69-34॥
Upon hearing the words spoken by the celestials, King Paurava, filled with joy, addressed his priest and ministers with these words.
śṛṇvantvetadbhavanto'sya devadūtasya bhāṣitam। ahamapyevam evainaṃ jānāmi svayamātmajam ॥1-69-35॥
Listen to this, all of you, the words of the divine messenger. I too know him as my own son.
yadyahaṁ vacanādeva gṛhṇīyāmimamātmajam। bhaveddhi śaṅkā lokasya naivaṁ śuddho bhavedayam ॥1-69-36॥
If I were to accept this son merely by words, people would indeed doubt; thus, he would not be considered pure.
taṁ viśodhya tadā rājā devadūtena bhārata| hṛṣṭaḥ pramuditaścāpi pratijagrāha taṁ sutam ॥1-69-37॥
O Bharata, after purifying him, the king, joyful and delighted, accepted that son brought by the divine messenger.
mūrdhni cainamupāghrāya sasnehaṃ pariṣasvaje। sabhājyamāno vipraiśca stūyamānaśca bandibhiḥ ॥ sa mudaṃ paramāṃ lebhe putrasaṃsparśajāṃ nṛpaḥ ॥1-69-38॥
The king, having smelled his son's head with affection, embraced him. He was honored by the learned and praised by the bards, and he experienced supreme joy from the touch of his son.
tāṃ caiva bhāryāṃ dharmajñaḥ pūjayāmāsa dharmataḥ। abravīccaiva tāṃ rājā sāntvapūrvamidaṃ vacaḥ ॥1-69-39॥
The righteous king honored his wife and then spoke to her gently with these words.
kṛto lokaparokṣo'yaṃ sambandho vai tvayā saha। tasmādetanmaya devi tvacchuddhyarthaṃ vicāritam ॥1-69-40॥
A relationship beyond the worldly realm has been established with you. Therefore, O goddess, I have considered this for your purification.
manyate caiva lokaste strībhāvānmayi saṅgatam. putraścāyaṃ vṛto rājye mayā tasmādvicāritam ॥1-69-41॥
The world indeed believes that because of my womanhood, your attachment is with me. And this son has been chosen by me for the kingdom, therefore it has been considered.
yacca kopitayātyarthaṃ tvayokto'smyapriyaṃ priye। praṇayinyā viśālākṣi tatkṣāntaṃ te mayā śubhe ॥1-69-42॥
O dear, whatever unpleasant words were spoken by you in anger, O large-eyed one, I have forgiven them, O auspicious one.
tāmevamuktvā rājarṣirduḥṣanto mahiṣīṃ priyām। vāsobhirannapānaiśca pūjayāmāsa bhārata ॥1-69-43॥
After speaking in this manner, King Duḥṣanta honored his beloved queen with clothes, food, and drink, O Bhārata.
duḥṣantaśca tato rājā putraṃ śākuntalaṃ tadā। bharataṃ nāmataḥ kṛtvā yauvarājye'bhiṣecayat ॥1-69-44॥
Then King Duḥṣanta appointed his son Bharata, the son of Śākuntalā, as the crown prince.
tasya tatprathitaṃ cakraṃ prāvartata mahātmanaḥ। bhāsvaraṃ divyamajitaṃ lokasaṃnāadanaṃ mahat ॥1-69-45॥
His renowned discus, belonging to the great soul, began to spin. It was shining, divine, invincible, and echoed throughout the world.
sa vijitya mahīpālāṁścakāra vaśavartinaḥ। cacāra ca satāṁ dharmaṁ prāpa cānuttamaṁ yaśaḥ ॥1-69-46॥
He conquered the kings, made them obedient, followed the path of the virtuous, and achieved unparalleled fame.
sa rājā cakravartyāsītsārvabhaumaḥ pratāpavān। īje ca bahubhiryaṣjñairyathā śakro marutpatiḥ ॥1-69-47॥
He was a powerful emperor and universal sovereign who performed many sacrifices like Indra, the lord of the Maruts.
yājayām āsa taṃ kaṇvo dakṣavad bhūridakṣiṇam। śrīmān govitataṃ nāma vājimedham avāpa saḥ ॥ yasmin sahasraṃ padmānāṃ kaṇvāya bharato dadau ॥1-69-48॥
Kaṇva, like Dakṣa, performed the sacrifice with many gifts. The illustrious Govitata achieved the horse sacrifice known as Vājimedha, during which Bharata presented a thousand lotuses to Kaṇva.
bharatādbhāratī kīrtiryenedaṃ bhārataṃ kulam। apare ye ca pūrve ca bhāratā iti viśrutāḥ ॥1-69-49॥
The eloquence and fame of Bharata's lineage are renowned, known by those who are both the ancestors and the descendants, called the Bharatas.
bharatasyānvavāye hi devakalpā mahaujasaḥ। babhūvurbrahmakalpāśca bahavo rājasattamāḥ ॥1-69-50॥
In the lineage of Bharata, there were many god-like and highly energetic kings, comparable to Brahma.
yeṣāmaparimeyāni nāmadheyāni sarvaśaḥ। teṣāṃ tu te yathāmukhyaṃ kīrtayiṣyāmi bhārata ॥ mahābhāgāndevakalpānsatyārjavaparāyaṇān ॥1-69-51॥
O Bharata, I will recount the chief among those whose names are immeasurable, who are greatly fortunate, god-like, and devoted to truth and honesty.
