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Library: Dushyanta accepts Shakuntala and Bharata, after he hears the voice from the sky.
Shakuntala said:
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.
Menaka is indeed among the gods, and the gods follow Menaka. My birth is indeed exalted, Duṣṣanta, because of your birth.
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.
I am visiting the palaces of Mahendra, Kubera, Yama, and Varuna; witness my power, O king.
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.
An ugly person believes himself to be more beautiful than others until he sees his own face in the mirror.
When one sees their face distorted in a mirror, they recognize it as their own reflection, not someone else's.
He is extremely handsome and does not despise anything. However, his excessive talk and harsh words make him troublesome here.
A fool, upon hearing the words of men, whether good or bad, chooses the bad words, just as a pig picks up filth.
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.
A good person feels remorse when criticizing others, whereas a wicked person feels satisfaction.
Just as good people attain peace by saluting the elders, a fool feels content after insulting a good person.
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.
Therefore, there is nothing more laughable in the world than a situation where a wicked person himself calls a good person wicked.
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?
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.
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.
Manu spoke to his sons, who were born from his own wife, obtained, purchased, raised, and made in others.
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.
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.
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.
A thousand horse sacrifices and truth are weighed together, but truth alone surpasses a thousand horse sacrifices.
O king, mastering all the Vedas, bathing in all sacred waters, and speaking the truth may or may not be considered equal.
There is no duty higher than truth, and nothing greater than truth exists. Indeed, nothing more intense than falsehood can be found here.
O king, the ultimate truth is Brahman, and time is of utmost importance. Do not forsake time, O king, let truth be with you.
If you are attached to untruth and believe in it, then alas, I must leave, for there is no association with someone like you.
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 spoke:
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.
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.
Śakuntalā truly said that the son, the sperm-bearer, raises from Yama's abode, O king, and you are the creator of the womb.
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.
Who would abandon a living son in such absence of prosperity? Support Shakuntala, the noble soul, son of Dushyanta, descendant of Puru.
This must be supported by you as per our word. Therefore, let this son of yours be named Bharata.
Upon hearing the words spoken by the celestials, King Paurava, filled with joy, addressed his priest and ministers with these words.
Listen to this, all of you, the words of the divine messenger. I too know him as my own son.
If I were to accept this son merely by words, people would indeed doubt; thus, he would not be considered pure.
O Bharata, after purifying him, the king, joyful and delighted, accepted that son brought by the divine messenger.
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.
The righteous king honored his wife and then spoke to her gently with these words.
A relationship beyond the worldly realm has been established with you. Therefore, O goddess, I have considered this for your purification.
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.
O dear, whatever unpleasant words were spoken by you in anger, O large-eyed one, I have forgiven them, O auspicious one.
After speaking in this manner, King Duḥṣanta honored his beloved queen with clothes, food, and drink, O Bhārata.
Then King Duḥṣanta appointed his son Bharata, the son of Śākuntalā, as the crown prince.
His renowned discus, belonging to the great soul, began to spin. It was shining, divine, invincible, and echoed throughout the world.
He conquered the kings, made them obedient, followed the path of the virtuous, and achieved unparalleled fame.
He was a powerful emperor and universal sovereign who performed many sacrifices like Indra, the lord of the Maruts.
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.
The eloquence and fame of Bharata's lineage are renowned, known by those who are both the ancestors and the descendants, called the Bharatas.
In the lineage of Bharata, there were many god-like and highly energetic kings, comparable to Brahma.
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.
