यद्येवैष्यति सायाह्ने यदि प्रातरथो निशि। यद्यर्धरात्रे भगवान्न मे कोपं करिष्यति
Whether he comes in the evening, or in the morning, or at night, or at midnight, the venerable one will not provoke my anger.
लाभो ममैष राजेन्द्र यद्वैपूजयितुं द्विजान्। आदेशे तव तिष्ठन्ती हितं कुर्यां नरोत्तम
O king, it is my gain to worship Brahmins; remaining under your command, I shall do what is beneficial, O best among men.
विस्रब्धो भवराजेन्द्र न व्यलीकं द्विजोत्तमः। वसन्प्राप्स्यति ते गेहे सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
Be confident, O king; the foremost Brahmin will not commit any wrong; dwelling in your house, he will obtain what is true—this I tell you sincerely.
यत्प्रियं च द्विजस्यास्य हितं चैव तवानघ। यतिष्यामि तथा राजन्व्येतु ते मानसो ज्वरः
Whatever is pleasing to this Brahmin and beneficial to you, O blameless one, I shall strive to do; let your mind be free from anxiety, O king.
ब्राह्मणा हि महाभागाः पूजिताः पृथिवीपते। तारणाय समर्थाः स्युर्विपरीते वधाय च
For Brahmins, O lord of the earth, when honored, are capable of granting deliverance; but if neglected, they can bring destruction.
रसाऽहमेतद्विजानन्ती तोषयिष्ये द्विजोत्तमम्। न मत्कृतेव्यथां राजन्प्राप्स्यसि द्विजसत्तमात्
Knowing this, O king, I shall satisfy the foremost Brahmin; you will not suffer any distress from the best of Brahmins on my account.
अपराधेऽपि राजेन्द्र राज्ञामश्रेयसे द्विजाः। भवन्ति च्यवनो यद्वत्सुकन्यायाः कृते पुरा
Even when wronged, O king, Brahmins bring misfortune to kings, as Cyavana did for Sukanya in ancient times.
नियमेन परेणाहमुपस्थास्ये द्विजोत्तमम्। यथा त्वया नरेन्द्रेदं भापितं ब्राह्मणं प्रति
With utmost discipline, I shall attend upon the foremost Brahmin, just as you, O king, have desired regarding the Brahmin.
एवं ब्रुवन्तीं बहुशः परिष्वज्य समर्थ्य च। इतिचेति च क्रतव्यं राजा सर्वमथादिशत्
Thus, as she spoke repeatedly, embracing and approving her, the king ordered everything to be done as she said.
एवमेतत्त्वया भद्रे कर्तव्यमविशङ्कया। मद्धितार्थं तथाऽऽत्मार्थंकुलार्थं चाप्यनिन्दिते
So it must be done by you, O noble lady, without hesitation—for my benefit, for your own, and for the welfare of the lineage, O blameless one.
एवमुक्त्वा तु तां कन्यां कुन्तिभोजो महायशाः। पृथां परिददौ तस्मै द्विजाय द्विजवत्सलः
Having spoken thus, the illustrious Kuntibhoja, ever affectionate to Brahmins, gave his daughter Pritha to that Brahmin.
इयं ब्रह्मन्मम सुता बाला सुखविवर्धिता। अपराध्येत यत्किंचिन्न कार्यं हृदि तत्त्वया
O Brahmin, this is my daughter, a young girl, raised in comfort; whatever fault she may commit, let it not be taken to heart by you.
द्विजातयो महाभागा वृद्धबालतपस्विषु। भवन्त्यक्रोधनाः प्रायो ह्यपराद्धेषु नित्यदा
O most fortunate Brahmins, among the old, the young, and the ascetics, you are generally forgiving towards those who err.
सुमहत्यपराधेऽपि क्षान्तिः कार्या द्विजातिभिः। यथाशक्ति यथोत्साहं पूजा ग्राह्या द्विजोत्तम
Even in the case of a great offense, forgiveness should be practiced by Brahmins; and as much as possible, with effort, honor should be accepted, O best of Brahmins.
तथेति ब्राह्मणेनोक्ते स राजा प्रीतमानसः। हंसचन्द्रांशुसंकाशं गृहमस्मै न्यवेदयत्
When the Brahmin replied, 'So be it,' the king, his heart pleased, assigned him a residence shining like the moon and swans.
तत्राग्निशरणे क्लृप्तमासनं तस्य भानुमत्। आहारादि च सर्वं तत्तथैव प्रत्यवेदयत्
There, in the fire-sanctuary, a seat was arranged for him, radiant as the sun, and all food and other necessities were provided accordingly.
निक्षिप्य राजपुत्री तु तन्द्रीं मानं तथैव च। आतस्थे परमं यत्नं ब्राह्मणस्याभिराधने
The princess set aside drowsiness and pride, and devoted herself with utmost effort to pleasing the Brahmin.
तत्रसा ब्राह्मणं गत्वा पृथा शौचपरा सती। विधिवत्परिचारार्हं देववत्पर्यतोषयत्
There, Pritha, devoted to purity, approached the Brahmin and served him as was proper, honoring him like a god.
सा तु कन्या महाराज ब्राह्मणं संशितव्रतम्। तोषयामास शुद्धेन मनसा संशितव्रता
O king, that maiden, steadfast in her vows, pleased the Brahmin, who was also firm in his vows, with a pure mind.
प्रातरेष्याम्यथेत्युक्त्वा कदाचिद्द्विजसत्तमः। तत आयाति राजेन्द्र सायं रात्रावथो पुनः
Once, after saying, 'I will depart in the morning,' that best of Brahmins would come again, O king, in the evening, at night, and then again.
तं च सर्वासु वेलासु भक्ष्यभोज्यप्रतिश्रयैः। पूजयामास सा कन्या वर्धमानैस्तु सर्वदा
At all times, she honored him with ever-increasing offerings of food, eatables, and shelter.
अन्नादिसमुदाचारः शय्यासनकृतस्तथा। दिवसेदिवसे तस्य वर्धते न तु हीयते
Her conduct regarding food and other matters, as well as arranging his bed and seat, increased day by day and never diminished.
निर्भर्त्सनापवादैश्च तथैवाप्रियया गिरा। ब्राह्मणस्य पृथा राजन्न चकाराप्रियं तदा
O king, Pritha never did anything displeasing to the Brahmin, neither by rebuke, slander, nor harsh words.
स्वप्नकाले पुनश्चैति न चैति बहुशो द्विजः। सुदुर्लभमपि ह्यन्नं दीयतामिति सोऽब्रवीत्
Sometimes, the Brahmin would come during her sleep, or not come at all; yet he would say, 'Even the most difficult food to obtain should be given.'
कृतमेव च तत्सर्वं यथा तस्मै न्यवेदयत्। शिष्यवत्पुत्रवच्चैव स्वसृवच्च सुसंयता
All that was done exactly as he requested, and she reported it to him, with discipline, as to a teacher, a son, or a sister.
यथोपजोषं राजेन्द्र द्विजातिप्रवरस्य सा। प्रीतिमुत्पादयामास कन्यारत्नमनिन्दिता
O king, that faultless jewel among maidens aroused the satisfaction of the foremost of Brahmins, as much as was pleasing to him.
तस्यास्तु शीलवृत्तेन तुतोप द्विजसत्तमः। अवधानेन भूयोऽस्याः परं यत्नमथाकरोत्
But because of her character and conduct, the best of Brahmins was troubled, and with even greater attention, he made a supreme effort for her.
तां प्रभाते च सायं च पिता पप्रच्छ भारत। अपितुष्यतिते पुत्रि ब्राह्मणः परिचर्यया
Morning and evening, her father asked her, 'Daughter, has the Brahmin been satisfied with your service?'
तं सा परममित्येवप्रत्युवाच यशस्विनी। ततः प्रीतिमवापाग्र्यां कुन्तिभोजो महामनाः
She, illustrious, replied to him, 'So be it, O noble one.' Then Kuntibhoja, of great mind, attained supreme joy.
ततः संवत्सरे पूर्णे यदाऽसौ जपतांवरः। नापश्यद्दुष्कृतंकिंचित्पृथायाः सौहृदे रतः
When a full year had passed, that foremost of reciters, devoted to Pṛthā's friendship, saw no fault in her conduct.