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.
ततः कालेन सा गर्भं सुषुवे वरवर्णिनी। कन्यैव तस्य देवस्य प्रसादादमरप्रभम्
Then, in due time, that woman of splendid beauty gave birth to a child; by the grace of that god, she bore a daughter shining like the immortals.
तथैवाबद्धकवचं कनकोज्ज्वलकुण्डलम्। हर्यक्षं वृषभस्कन्धं यथास्य पितरं तथा
Just as his father, the child was adorned with an unfastened armor, brilliant golden earrings, tawny eyes, and the shoulders of a bull.
जातमात्रं च तं गर्भं धात्र्या संमन्त्र्य भामिनी। `उत्स्रष्टुकामा तं गर्भं कारयामास भारत
As soon as the child was born, the radiant woman, after consulting with the nurse, wished to abandon the child and made arrangements to do so, O Bharata.
मञ्जूषां शिल्पिभिस्तूर्णं सुनद्धां सुप्रतिष्ठिताम् ।। प्लवैर्बहुविधैर्बद्धां प्लवनार्थं जले नृप। अजिनैर्मृदुभिश्चैवं संस्तीर्णशयनां तथा
A chest was swiftly constructed by craftsmen, well-secured and firmly set; bound with many kinds of floats for drifting on water, O king, and lined with soft skins to serve as a bed.
मञ्जूषायां समाधाय स्वास्तीर्णायां समन्ततः। मधूच्चिष्टस्थितायां तं सुखायां रुदती तथा। श्लक्ष्णायां सुपिधानायामश्वनद्यामवासृजत्
Placing the child in the chest, well-cushioned all around, with honey smeared inside for comfort, and weeping, she sealed it tightly and set it afloat on the river Ashvanadi.
जानती चाप्यकर्तव्यं कन्याया गर्भधारणम्। पुत्रस्नेहेन सा राजन्करुणं पर्यदेवयत्
Knowing that it was improper for a maiden to bear a child, yet out of affection for her son, she lamented sorrowfully, O king.
समुत्सृजन्ती मञ्जूपामश्वनद्यां तदा जले। उवाच रुदतीकुन्ती यानि वाक्यानि तच्छृणु
As she released the chest into the waters of the Ashvanadi, Kunti, weeping, spoke these words; listen to them.
स्वस्ति तेऽस्त्वान्तरिक्षेभ्यः पार्थिवेभ्यश्च पुत्रक। दिव्येभ्यश्चैव भूतेभ्यस्तथा तोयचराश्च ये
May blessings be upon you, child, from the beings of the sky, the earth, and the divine ones, and from those who dwell in the waters.
शिवास्ते सन्तु पन्थानो मा च ते परिपन्थिनः। आगताश्च तथा पुत्र भवन्त्यद्रोहचेतसः
May your paths be auspicious, and may you have no obstacles; and may those who approach you, child, be free from malice.
पातु त्वां वरुणो राजा सलिले सलिलेश्वरः। अन्तरिक्षेऽन्तरिक्षस्थः पवनः सर्वगस्तथा
May Varuna, the king and lord of the waters, protect you in the water; and in the sky, may the wind, who pervades all, guard you.