सा तं दृष्ट्वैव राजानं दुष्यन्तमसितेक्षणा। `सुप्रीताऽभ्यागतं तं तु पूज्यं प्राप्तमथेश्वरम्
Seeing King Duṣyanta, that dark-eyed maiden was greatly pleased, for a worthy and venerable guest had arrived.
रूपयौवनसंपन्ना शीलाचारवती शुभा। सा तमायतपद्माक्षं व्यूढोरस्कं महाभुजम्
Endowed with beauty and youth, virtuous and well-conducted, she beheld him—broad-eyed as a lotus, broad-chested, and mighty-armed.
सिंहस्कन्धं दीर्घबाहुं सर्वलक्षणपूजितम्। स्पृष्टं मधुरया वाचा साऽब्रवीज्जनमेजया
With lion-like shoulders, long arms, and honored with all auspicious marks, she addressed him, having touched him with sweet words.
स्वागतं त इति क्षिप्रमुवाच प्रतिपूज्य च। आसनेनार्चयित्वा च पाद्येनार्घ्येण चैव हि
She quickly welcomed him, honored him, and offered him a seat, as well as water for washing the feet and for hospitality.
पप्रच्छानामयं राजन्कुशलं च नराधिपम्। यथावदर्चयित्वाऽथ पृष्ट्वा चानामयं तदा
After properly honoring him and inquiring about his well-being, she asked the king about his health.
उवाच स्मयमानेव किं कार्यं क्रियतामिति। `आश्रमस्याभिगमने किं त्वं कार्यं चिकीर्षसि
Smiling, she said, 'What business is to be done? What purpose brings you to this hermitage, and what do you wish to accomplish?'
कस्त्वमद्येह संप्राप्तो महर्षेराश्रमं शुभम्।' तामब्रवीत्ततो राजा कन्यां मधुरभाषिणीम्
Who are you, who has now arrived at this auspicious hermitage of the great sage?' Thus the king spoke to the maiden with sweet words.
दृष्ट्वा सर्वानवद्याङ्गीं यथावत्प्रतिपूजितः। `राजर्षेस्तस्य पुत्रोऽहमिलिनस्य महात्मनः
Seeing her, flawless in every limb, and having been duly honored, he said, 'I am the son of that royal sage, the great-souled Ilina.'
दुष्यन्त इति मे नाम सत्यं पुष्करलोचने। आगतोऽहं महाभागमृषिं कण्वमुपासितुम्
'My name is Duṣyanta, O lotus-eyed one, and I have come to pay respects to the illustrious sage Kaṇva.'
गतः पिता मे भगवान्फलान्याहर्तुमाश्रमात्। मुहूर्तं संप्रतीक्षस्व द्रष्टास्येनमुपागतम्
'My revered father has gone from the hermitage to gather fruits; please wait a moment, you will see him when he returns.'
अपश्यमानस्तमृषिं तथा चोक्तस्तया च सः। तां दृष्ट्वा च वरारोहां श्रीमतीं चारुहासिनीम्
Not seeing the sage, and having been told thus by her, the king beheld that noble maiden, radiant and lovely in her smile.
विभ्राजमानां वपुषा तपसा च दमेन च। रूपयौवनसंपन्नामित्युवाच महीपतिः
Shining with beauty, with her austerity and self-restraint, endowed with form and youth, the king spoke to her.
का त्वं कस्यासि सुश्रोणि किमर्थं चागता वनम्। एवंरूपगुणोपेता कुतस्त्वमसि शोभने
'Who are you, O fair-hipped one? Whose daughter are you, and for what purpose have you come to the forest? From where have you come, O lovely one, adorned with such beauty and virtues?'
दर्शनादेव हि शुभे त्वया मेऽपहृतं मनः। इच्छामि त्वामहं ज्ञातुं तन्ममाचक्ष्व शोभने
'For at the very sight of you, O auspicious one, my heart has been carried away. I wish to know you—tell me, O beautiful one.'
स्थितोस्म्यमितसौभाग्ये विवक्षुश्चास्मि किंचन। शृणु मे नागनासोरु वचनं मत्तकाशिनि
'I stand here, O slender-waisted one, desiring to speak something; listen to my words, O one with serpent-shaped thighs, shining like an intoxicated elephant.'
राजर्षेरन्वये जातः पूरोरस्मि विशेषतः। वृण्वे त्वामद्य सुश्रोणि दुष्यन्तो वरवर्णिनि
'Born in the line of royal sages, I am especially of the race of Puru. Today, O fair-hipped and radiant one, Duṣyanta chooses you.'
न मेऽन्यत्र क्षत्रियाया मनो जातु प्रवर्तते। ऋषिपुत्रीषु चान्यासु नावरासु परासु च
'My heart does not incline toward any other Kṣatriya woman, nor toward any other sage’s daughter, whether inferior or superior.'
तस्मात्प्रणिहितात्मानं विद्दि मां कलभाषिणि। यस्यां मे त्वयि भावोऽस्ति क्षत्रिया ह्यसि का वदा
'Therefore, know me as one whose mind is fixed upon you, O sweet-voiced one, in whom I have this feeling. You are a Kṣatriya—tell me, who are you?'
न हि मे भीरु विप्रायां मनः प्रसहते गतिम्। भजे त्वामायतापाङ्गे भक्तं भजितुमर्हसि। भुङ्क्ष राज्यं विशालाक्षि बुद्धिं मात्वन्यथा कृथाः
'Indeed, O timid one, my heart does not move toward a Brāhmaṇa maiden. I seek you, O wide-eyed one; you should accept one who is devoted. Enjoy the kingdom, O large-eyed one, and do not think otherwise.'
एवमुक्ता तु सा कन्या तेन राज्ञा तमाश्रमे। उवाच हसती वाक्यमिदं सुमधुराक्षरम्
Thus addressed by the king in that hermitage, the maiden replied with a smile, her words sweet and gentle.
कण्वस्याहं भगवतो दुष्यन्त दुहिता मता। तपस्विनो धृतिमतो धर्मज्ञस्य महात्मनः
'I am considered the daughter of the venerable Kaṇva, O Duṣyanta, the ascetic, steadfast, and righteous great soul.'
अस्वतन्त्रास्मि राजेन्द्र काश्यपो मे गुरुः पिता। तमेव प्रार्थय स्वार्थं नायुक्तं कर्तुमर्हसि
'I am not independent, O king; Kāśyapa is my teacher and father. Seek your purpose from him alone; you should not act otherwise.'
ऊर्ध्वरेता महाभागे भगवाँल्लोकपूजितः। चलेद्धि वृत्ताद्धर्मोपि न चलेत्संशितव्रतः
'The venerable one, honored by the world, is of pure vows, O illustrious one. Even if virtue wavers, he of firm vows does not.'
कथं त्वं तस्य दुहिता संभूता वरवर्णिनी। संशयो मे महानत्र तन्मे छेत्तुमिहार्हसि
'How, O radiant one, were you born as his daughter? I have a great doubt about this—please dispel it for me here.'
यथाऽयमागमो मह्यं यथा चेदमभूत्पुरा। `अन्यथा सन्तमात्मानमन्यथा सत्सु भाषते
Just as this event has come to me, and as it happened before, he speaks differently among others, though his own nature is otherwise.
स पापेनावृतो मूर्खस्तेन आत्मापहारकः।' शृणु राजन्यथातत्त्वं यथाऽस्मि दुहिता मुनेः
That fool, covered by sin, thus becomes a thief of his own self; listen, O king, to the true account of how I am the daughter of the sage.
ऋषिः कश्चिदिहागम्य मम जन्माभ्यचोदयत्। `ऊर्ध्वरेता यथासि त्वं कुतस्त्वेयं शकुन्तला
Once, a certain sage came here and questioned me about my birth: 'Since you are one whose seed is held upward, how then is this Shakuntala yours?'
पुत्री त्वत्तः कथं जाता तत्त्वं मे ब्रूहि काश्यप।' तस्मै प्रोवाच भगवान्यथा तच्छृणु पार्थिवा
'How did a daughter arise from you? Tell me the truth, O Kashyapa.' To him, the venerable one replied as it was; hear that, O king.
तप्यमानः किल पुरा विश्वामित्रो महत्तपः। सुभृशं तापयामास शक्रं सुरगणेश्वरम्
Long ago, Vishvamitra, possessed of great austerity, was performing severe penance, and he greatly troubled Shakra, the lord of the gods.
तपसा दीप्तवीर्योऽयं स्थानान्मां च्यावयेदिति। भीतः पुरन्दरस्तस्मान्मेनकामिदमब्रवीत्
'By the power of his blazing austerity, he may cast me down from my place,' so, afraid of him, Purandara spoke these words to Menaka.