Hearing Dushyanta’s words, Shakuntalā’s eyes flashed with pride and dignity as she replied, “Menakā herself dwells among the gods, and the gods are with Menakā. My birth, O Dushyanta, is exalted—perhaps even more so than yours. You walk upon this earth, O king, while I move in the sky; consider the distance between us—it is as great as that between Mount Meru and a mustard seed. “Know my power, O King, for I have visited the palaces of Indra, Kubera, Yama, and Varuṇa. Long ago, O best of men, Urvaśī bore a son named Āyus, who was your ancient forefather. Many great sages and mighty kṣatriyas have been born from apsarases, O subduer of foes; among the wise, there is no fault in having such mothers. “Let me also share with you, O King, a saying that is true—not out of malice, but for your understanding; and you should forgive me for speaking frankly. As long as a deformed man does not see his own face in a mirror, he believes himself more handsome than others. But when he sees his own reflection, he feels shame—not because of what others say, but because of what he sees in himself. “One who is truly handsome does not look down on anyone; but one who is excessively talkative and harsh in speech becomes a source of trouble. Elephants in rut delight when dust is thrown upon them; in the same way, a wicked person is gladdened when he slanders others. Even a non-believer is disturbed by a man who has fallen from truth and righteousness, just as one is disturbed by an angry, venomous serpent—how much more so a believer? “If a man, after producing a son like himself, despises that son, the gods destroy his prosperity, and misfortune overtakes him. Misfortune quickly enters one who is unworthy, untruthful, impure, atheistic, wicked in deeds, or of bad conduct—but not those who walk in righteousness. “A fool, upon hearing others’ words—good or bad—takes up the bad speech, just as a pig takes up filth. But a wise man, hearing the words of men—good or bad—selects the virtuous speech, just as a swan extracts milk from water. One who knows his own wicked nature, being low and troubled in mind, also sees in others those qualities that match his own nature and duty. “The lowly, burning with envy at others’ fame, are unable to reach that state, and so they resort to slander. Just as a virtuous person is pained by slander, so too does a wicked person feel joy when he slanders others. Fools are especially fond of slander; the virtuous, on the other hand, are never devoted to it. Just as a virtuous man, after greeting elders, feels satisfaction, so too does a fool feel content after insulting a good person. “Those ignorant of faults live happily, while fools who scrutinize faults do not; as the virtuous are spoken of by others, so too are such people spoken of. There is nothing more laughable in this world than when the wicked call the virtuous wicked, while they themselves are truly wicked. “Without doubt, one suffers sorrow from the harsh afflictions of the world; for the ancestors spoke to their son about the preservation of the family lineage. Therefore, among all duties, the son should not be abandoned—especially those born of one’s own wife and raised according to proper agreements. “Manu declared that sons born of purchased wives and those begotten on maidens are heirs; six are heirs by kinship, six by inheritance. Sons carry out religious duties for their fathers, increase the joy of the mind, and are born as the lifeboats of righteousness, rescuing their fathers from hell. “Therefore, O tiger among kings, you should not abandon your son. Protect both your son and truth. Guard these two—yourself and the law of truth. You should not speak falsehood, O king; preserve yourself and the law of truth, and do not bear deceit. “A pond is better than a hundred wells, a sacrifice is better than a hundred ponds, a son is better than a hundred sacrifices, and truth is better than a hundred sons. If a thousand horse sacrifices and truth are weighed together, truth surpasses a thousand horse sacrifices. The study of all the Vedas and bathing in all holy places do not equal even a sixteenth part of truth, O king. “There is no duty equal to truth, nor anything higher than truth; there is no sin more intense in this world than falsehood. O king, truth is the highest duty, and agreement is higher than truth; do not violate your agreement, O king—let truth be joined with you. He who, having committed a sinful act, does not recognize it, O ruler of men, there is no greater sin in this world than falsehood. “Since your heart knows both truth and falsehood, you ought to act righteously, seeking what is beneficial. He who does not transgress due to desire, anger, or enmity, whether toward a friend or a foe, is truly the highest person. “If you are inclined toward falsehood, and believe it, or do not believe it yourself, then I wish to return to the hermitage; there is no companionship with one like you. If you doubt your son’s parentage, determine it with your intellect—by lineage, voice, memory, character, conduct, knowledge, and valor. “When the qualities of courage and nature, the whorls of hair, and the arrangement of body hair are equal in someone, then he is certainly the son of that person. A likeness has been drawn out from your own body, O lord of men; do not, O king, speak in vain to the one who calls you ‘father.