न शशाक यदा बाला प्रत्याख्यातुं तमोनुदम्। भीता शापात्ततो राजन्दध्यौ दीर्घमथान्तरम्
When the young girl could not refuse the dispeller of darkness, she became afraid of a curse, O king, and fell into deep thought.
अनागसः पितुः शापो ब्राह्मणस्य तथैव च। मन्निमित्तः कथं न स्यात्क्रुद्धादस्माद्विभावसोः
How could the curse of my innocent father, or that of the Brahmin, come upon me because of this angry blazing one?
बालेनापि सता मोहाद्भृशं सापह्नवान्यपि। नाऽभ्यासादयितव्यानि तेजांसि च तपांसि च
Even as a child, one should not, out of delusion, attempt to test or challenge the powers and austerities of the radiant ones.
साहमद्य भृशं भीता गृहीत्वा च करे भृशम्। कथं त्वकार्यं कुर्यां वै प्रदानं ह्यात्मनः स्वयम्
Now I am greatly afraid, having firmly grasped his hand; how can I, of my own accord, perform this act of self-surrender?
सा वै शापपरित्रस्ता बहु चिन्तयती हृदा। मोहेनाभिपरीताङ्गी स्मयमाना पुनःपुनः
Terrified of a curse, she pondered deeply in her heart, her body overwhelmed by confusion, smiling again and again.
तं देवमब्रवीद्भीता बन्धूनां राजसत्तम। व्रीडाविह्वलया वाचा शापत्रस्ता विशांपते
Frightened, she spoke to that god, O best of kings, her words faltering with shame, trembling with fear of a curse, O lord of men.
पिता मे ध्रियते देव माता चान्ये च बान्धवाः। न तेषु ध्रियमाणएषु विदिलोपो भवेदयम्
My father is alive, O god, as are my mother and other relatives; as long as they live, this union cannot take place.
त्वया तु संगमो देव यदि स्याद्विधिवर्जितः। मन्निमित्तं कुलस्यास्य लोकेऽकीर्तिर्न संशयः
If, O god, our union were to happen without proper rites, then because of me, my family would be disgraced in the world—there is no doubt.
अथवा धर्ममेतं त्वं मन्यसे तपतांवर। ऋते प्रदानाद्बन्धुभ्यस्तव कामं करोम्यहम्
But if you, O foremost of ascetics, consider this act to be righteous, then without being given by my relatives, I will do as you wish.
आत्मप्रदानं दुर्धर्ष तव कृत्वासती त्वहम्। त्वयि धर्मो यशश्चैव कीर्तिरायुश्च देहिनाम्
If I give myself to you, O irresistible one, I will become unchaste; yet in you reside the righteousness, fame, glory, and lifespan of embodied beings.
न ते पिता न ते माता गुरवो वा शुचिस्मिते। प्रभवन्ति प्रदाने ते भद्रं ते शृणु मे वचः
Neither your father, nor your mother, nor your teachers, O pure-smiling one, have authority over your giving; listen to my words for your welfare.
सर्वान्कामयते यस्मात्कनेर्धातोश्च भामिनि। तस्मात्कन्येह सुश्रोणी स्वतन्त्रा वरवर्णिनि
Because, O beautiful one, the creator Kani desires all things, therefore, O lovely-hipped maiden, you are independent in this matter.
नाधर्मश्चरितः कश्चित्त्वया भवति भामिनि। अधर्मंकुत एवाहं वरेयं लोककाम्यया
O beautiful lady, you have committed no unrighteous act; how then could I desire unrighteousness for the sake of worldly gain?
अनावृताः स्त्रियः सर्वा नराश्च वरवर्णिनि। स्वभाव एष लोकानां विकारोऽन्य इति स्मृतः
All women and men, O fair-complexioned one, are unrestrained; this is the natural disposition of beings, and any deviation is considered otherwise.
सा मया सहसंगम्य पुनः कन्या भविष्यसि। पुत्रश्च ते महावाद्दुर्भविष्यति न संशयः
After uniting with me, you will again become a maiden, and your son will be exceedingly glorious—of this there is no doubt.
यदि पुत्रो मम भवेत्त्वत्तः सर्वतमोनुद। कुण्डली कवची शूरो महाबाहुर्महाबलः। `अस्तु मे सङ्गमो देव अनेन समयेन ते
If a son is born to me from you, O dispeller of all darkness, let him be adorned with earrings and armor, valiant, mighty-armed, and of great strength; let this union, O god, be on these terms.
भविष्यति महाबाहुः कुण्डली दिव्यवर्मभृत्। उभयं चामृतमयं तस् भद्रे भविष्यति
He will be mighty-armed, adorned with earrings, and clad in divine armor; both will be of immortal essence, O blessed one.
यद्यतदमृतादस्ति कुण्डले वर्म चोत्तमम्। मम पुत्रस्य यं वै त्वं मत्त उत्पादयिष्यसि
Whatever is of the immortal essence in these earrings and this supreme armor, let it belong to the son whom you will bear from me.
अस्तु मे सङ्गमो देव यथोक्तं भगवंस्त्वया। त्वद्वीर्यरूपसत्वौजा धऱ्मयुक्तो भवेत्स च
Let my union with you, O god, be as you have declared; may he be endowed with your energy, form, strength, courage, and righteousness.
अदित्या कुण्डले राज्ञि दत्ते मे मत्तकाशिनि। तस्मै दास्यामि वामोरु वर्म चैवेदमुत्तमम्
When the earrings, O radiant one, given to me by Aditi, are bestowed, I will give to him, O slender-waisted one, this supreme armor as well.
परमं भगवन्नेवं सङ्गमिष्ये त्वया सह। यदि पुत्रो भवेदेवं यथा वदसि गोपते
O blessed one, I will unite with you in this way, if indeed a son is born as you, O lord of cattle, have said.
तथेत्युक्त्वा तु तां कुन्तीमाविवेश विहंगमः। स्वर्भानुशत्रुर्योगात्मा नाभ्यां पस्पर्श चैव ताम्
Saying 'so be it,' the bird-formed one entered Kunti; the enemy of Svarbhanu, master of yoga, touched her in the womb.
तत सा विह्वलेवासीत्कन्या सूरय्स् तेजसा। पपात चाथ सा देवी शयने मूढचेतना
Then that maiden, overwhelmed by the radiance of the sun, became bewildered and fell unconscious upon her couch.
साधयिष्यामि सुश्रोणि पुत्रं वै जनयिष्यसि। सर्वशस्त्रभृतांश्रेष्ठं कन्या चैव भविष्यसि
O lovely-hipped one, I will accomplish this: you will bear a son, the foremost among all wielders of weapons, and you will remain a maiden.
ततः सा व्रीडिता बाला तदा सूर्यमथाब्रवीत्। एवमस्त्विति राजेन्द्रप्रस्थितं भूरिवर्चसम्
Then that bashful girl spoke to the Sun, 'So be it,' and departed, radiant as a king.
इतिस्मोक्ता कुन्तिराजात्मजा सा विवस्वन्तं याचमाना सलज्जा। तस्मिन्पुण्ये शयनीये पपात मोहाविष्टा वेपमाना लतेव
Thus addressed, Kunti, daughter of the king, bashfully entreated Vivasvat; on that sacred couch she fell, overcome by delusion, trembling like a vine.
तिग्मांशुस्तां तेजसा मोहयित्वा योगेनाविश्यात्मसंस्थां चकार। न चैवैनां दूषयामास भानुः संज्ञां लेभे भूय एवात बाला
The blazing Sun, having bewildered her with his radiance, entered her by yoga and established himself within; yet Bhanu did not violate her, and the maiden regained consciousness.
ततो गर्भः समभवत्पृथायाः पृथिवीपते। शुक्ले दशोत्तरे पक्षे तारापतिरिवाम्बरे
Then a conception arose in Pritha, O lord of the earth, on the bright eleventh day, like the lord of stars in the sky.
सा बान्धवभयाद्बाला गर्भं तं विनिगूहती। धारयामास सुश्रोणी न चैनां बुबुधे जनः
Out of fear of her relatives, the maiden concealed her pregnancy; O lovely-hipped one, she bore it, and no one knew.
न हि तां वेद नार्यन्या काचिद्धात्रेयिकामृते। कन्यापुरगतां बालां निपुणां परिरक्षणे
No other woman knew of her, except her nurse; the maiden, skilled in concealment, remained in the house of virgins.