त्वयैवमुक्ता च कथं समीप- मृषेर्न गच्छेयमहं सुरेन्द्र। रक्षां च मे चिन्तय देवराज यथा त्वदर्थं रक्षिताऽहं चरेयम्
Having been told thus by you, O lord of gods, how could I approach the sage? Think of my protection, O king of the gods, so that, for your sake, I may act under your protection.
कामं तु मे मारुतस्तत्र वासः प्रक्रीडिताया विवृणोतु देव। भवेच्च मे मन्मथस्तत्र कार्ये सहायभूतस्तु तव प्रसादात्
Let the wind-god provide me a dwelling there for my play, as I desire, O god; and let Kāma, by your favor, be my helper in this task.
वनाच्च वायुः सुरभिः प्रवाया- त्तस्मिन्काले तमृषिं लोभयन्त्याः। तथेत्युक्त्वा विहिते चैव तस्मिं- स्ततो ययौ साऽऽश्रमं कौशिकस्य
Then the fragrant wind blew from the forest, enticing the sage at that time; having agreed, and after all was arranged, she went to Kauśika’s hermitage.
एवमुक्तस्तया शक्रः संदिदेश सदागतिम्। प्रातिष्ठत तदा काले मेनका वायुना सह
Thus addressed by her, Śakra gave the command for her constant coming; then, at the proper time, Menakā set out together with the wind.
अथापश्यद्वरारोहा तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषम्। मिश्वामित्रं तप्यमानं मेनका भीरुराश्रमे
Then Menakā, of lovely limbs and fearful at heart, saw Viśvāmitra, whose sins had been burned away by asceticism, practicing austerities in his hermitage.
अभिवाद्य ततः सा तं प्राक्रीडदृषिसन्निधौ। अपोवाह च वासोऽस्या मारुतः शशिसंनिभम्
Having saluted him, she began to play in the presence of the sage; and the wind carried away her garment, shining like the moon.
सागच्छत्त्वरिता भूमिं वासस्तदभिलिप्सती। कुत्सयन्तीव सव्रीडं मारुतं वरवर्णिनी
She, swift-footed, went to the ground, wishing to retrieve her garment, and, as if reproaching the wind with modesty, she, of lovely complexion, moved on.
पश्यतस्तस्य राजर्षेरप्यग्निसमतेजसः। विश्वामित्रस्ततस्तां तु विषमस्थामनिन्दिताम्
Even as the royal sage, whose splendor was equal to fire, looked on, Viśvāmitra saw her, faultless and in a difficult situation.
गृद्धां वाससि संभ्रान्तां मेनकां मुनिसत्तमः। अनिर्देश्यवयोरूपामपश्यद्विवृतां तदा
The best of sages saw Menakā, eager for her garment and agitated, revealed, her age and beauty beyond description.
तस्या रूपगुणान्दृष्ट्वा स तु विप्रर्षभस्तदा। चकार भावं संसर्गे तया कामवशं गतः
Seeing her qualities and beauty, that foremost of brahmins then fell under the sway of desire and wished for union with her.
न्यमन्त्रयत चाप्येनां सा चाप्यैच्छदनिन्दिता। तौ तत्र सुचिरं कालमुभौ व्यवहरतां तदा
She invited him, and she, blameless, also wished for him; the two of them lived together there for a very long time.
रममाणौ यथाकामं यतैकदिवसं तथा। `एवं वर्षसहस्राणामतीतं नान्वचिन्तयत्
Enjoying each other as they desired, just as on a single day, thus a thousand years passed without their noticing.
कामक्रोधावजितवान्मुनिर्नित्यं समाहितः। चिरार्जितस्य तपसः क्षयं स कृतवान्मुनिः
The sage, always composed, had conquered desire and anger; yet he brought to an end the austerity he had long accumulated.
तपसः संक्षयादेव मुनिर्मोहं समाविशत्। मोहाभिभूतः क्रोधात्मा ग्रसन्मूलफलान्मुनिः
Because his austerity was depleted, the sage was overtaken by delusion; overcome by confusion and anger, he ate roots and fruits.
पादैर्जलरवं कृत्वा अन्तर्द्वीपे कुटीं गतः। मेनका गन्तुकामा तु शुश्राव जलनिस्वनम्
Making a sound in the water with his feet, he went to his hut on the island; Menakā, wishing to depart, heard the sound of the water.
तपसा दीप्तवीर्योऽसावाकाशादेति याति च। अद्य संज्ञां विजानामि ययाऽद्य तपसः क्षयः
His energy, bright from austerity, comes and goes through the sky; today I realize the sign by which his austerity is ended.
गन्तुं न युक्तमित्युक्त्वा ऋतुस्नाताथ मेनका। कामरागाभिभूतस्य मुनेः पार्स्वं जगाम ह
Saying, 'It is not proper to go,' Menakā, having bathed after her period, approached the sage who was overcome by desire and passion.
जनयामास स मुनिर्मेनकायां शकुन्तलाम्। प्रस्थे हिमवतो रम्ये मालिनीमभितो नदीम्
The sage begot on Menakā a daughter, Śakuntalā, on the beautiful slopes of Himavat, near the Mālinī river.
देवगर्भोपमां बालां सर्वाभरणभूषिताम्। शयानां शयने रम्ये मेनका वाक्यमब्रवीत्
A girl like a child of the gods, adorned with all ornaments, lay on a lovely bed; to her Menakā spoke these words.
महर्षेरुग्रतपसस्तेजस्त्वमसि भामिनि। तस्मात्स्वर्गं गमिष्यामि देवकार्यार्थमागता
'O radiant one, you possess the energy of the great sage's fierce austerity; therefore I shall go to heaven, for I came here for the work of the gods.'
जातमुत्सृज्य तं गर्भं मेनका मालिनीमनु। कृतकार्या ततस्तूर्णमगच्छच्छक्रसंसदम्
Leaving that newborn child by the Mālinī, Menakā, her task accomplished, quickly went to Indra's assembly.
तं वने विजने गर्भं सिंहव्याघ्रसमाकुले। दृष्ट्वा शयानं शकुनाः समन्तात्पर्यवारयन्। नेमां हिंस्युर्वने बालां क्रव्यादा मांसगृद्धिनः
Seeing the child lying alone in the forest, filled with lions and tigers, birds gathered all around her so that the flesh-eating beasts would not harm the girl.
पर्यरक्षन्त तां तत्र शकुन्ता मेनकात्मजाम्। उपस्प्रष्टुं गतश्चाहमपश्यं शयितामिमाम्
There the birds protected Menakā's daughter; when I went to bathe, I saw her lying there.
निर्जने विपिने रम्ये शकुन्तैः परिवारिताम्। `मां दृष्ट्वैवाभ्यपद्यन्त पादयोः पतिता द्विजाः। अब्रुञ्शकुनाः सर्वे कलं मधुरभाषिणः
In the lovely, lonely forest, surrounded by birds, as soon as they saw me, the twice-born birds approached and fell at my feet; all the birds spoke sweetly in gentle tones.
विश्वामित्रसुतां ब्रह्मन्न्यासभूतां भरस्व वै। कामक्रोधावजितवान्सखा ते कौशिकीं गतः
'O Brahmin, take up the daughter of Viśvāmitra, entrusted to you; your friend, who conquered desire and anger, has gone to the Kauśikī.'
तस्मात्पोषय तत्पुत्रीं दयावानिति तेऽब्रुवन्। सर्वभूतरुतज्ञोऽहं दयावान्सर्वजन्तुषु
Therefore, they said to me, 'Raise this daughter with compassion.' I know the speech of all creatures, and I am compassionate to all beings.
आनयित्वा ततश्चैनां दुहितृत्वे न्यवेशयम्
Then, bringing her, I established her as my daughter.
शरीरकृत्प्राणदाता यस्य चान्नानि भुञ्जते। क्रमेणैते त्रयोऽप्युक्ताः पितरो धर्मशासने
He who gives the body, he who gives life, and he whose food one eats—these three are called fathers according to the law of righteousness.
निर्जने तु वने यस्माच्छकुन्तैः परिवारिता। शकुन्तलेति नामास्याः कृतं चापि ततो मया
Because she was surrounded by birds in the lonely forest, I gave her the name Shakuntala.
एवं दुहितरं विद्धि मम विप्र शकुन्तलाम्। शकुन्तला च पितरं मन्यते मामनिन्दिता
Know, O Brahmin, that Shakuntala is my daughter; and Shakuntala, blameless one, regards me as her father.