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.
एतदाचष्ट पृष्टः सन्मम जन्म महर्षये। सुतां कण्वस्य मामेवं विद्धि त्वं मनुजाधिप
Thus, when questioned, I told the great sage about my birth; know me as the daughter of Kanva, O king of men.
कण्वं हि पितरं मन्ये पितरं स्वमजानती। इति ते कथितं राजन्यथावृत्तं श्रुतं मया
For, not knowing her true father, she considers Kanva her father; thus, O king, I have told you what I have heard as it happened.
सुव्यक्तं राजपुत्री त्वं यथा कल्याणि भाषसे। भार्या मे भव सुश्रोणि ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते
It is clear you are a royal maiden, O blessed one, as you speak; become my wife, fair-hipped one, and tell me what I should do for you.
सुवर्णमालां वासांसि कुण्डले परिहाटके। नानापत्तनजे शुभ्रे मणिरत्ने च शोभने
I will bring you a golden necklace, garments, earrings, and bracelets, O beautiful one, and various splendid jewels from many cities.
आहरामि तवाद्याहं निष्कादीन्यजिनानि च। सर्वं राज्यं तवाद्यास्तु भार्या मे भव शोभने
Today I will fetch for you necklaces and deer-skins; let the whole kingdom be yours from this day, O lovely one, become my wife.
गान्धर्वेण च मां भीरु विवाहेनैहि सुन्दरि। विवाहानां हि रम्भोरु गान्धर्वः श्रेष्ठ उच्यते
Come, timid one, marry me by the Gandharva rite, O beautiful lady; for among all forms of marriage, the Gandharva is said to be the best, O slender-waisted one.
फलाहारो गतो राजन्पिता मे इत आश्रमात्। मुहूर्तं संप्रतीक्षस्व स मां तुभ्यं प्रदास्यति
My father has gone, O king, to gather fruits from the hermitage; wait a moment, and he will give me to you.
पिता हि मे प्रभुर्नित्यं दैवतं परमं मम। यस्मै मां दास्यति पिता स मे भर्ता भविष्यति
For my father is always my lord, my highest deity; the one to whom my father gives me, he will be my husband.
पिता रक्षति कौमारे भर्ता रक्षति यौवने। पुत्रस्तु स्थाविरे भावे न स्त्री स्वातन्त्र्यमर्हति
A father protects a girl in childhood, a husband protects her in youth, and a son in old age; a woman is not fit for independence.
समन्यमाना राजेन्द्र पितरं मे तपस्विनम्। अधर्मेण हि धर्मिष्ठ कथं वरमुपास्महे
Honoring my ascetic father, O king, how could I, who value righteousness, seek a husband unrighteously?
मन्युप्रहरणा विप्रा न विप्राः शस्त्रपाणयः
Brahmins wield anger as their weapon, not weapons in their hands.
मन्युना घ्नन्ति ते शत्रून्वज्रेणेन्द्र इवासुरान्। अग्निर्दहति तेजोभिः सूर्यो दहति रश्मिभिः
With anger they strike down their enemies, as Indra with his thunderbolt strikes the demons; fire burns with its energy, the sun burns with its rays.
राजा दहति दण्डेन ब्राह्मणो मन्युना दहेत्। क्रोधिता मन्युना घ्नन्ति वज्रपाणिरिवासुरान्
A king punishes with the rod, but a Brahmin burns with anger; when enraged, they destroy with anger as the wielder of the thunderbolt destroys the demons.
जाने भद्रे महर्षिं तं तस्य मन्युर्न विद्यते।' इच्छामि त्वां वरारोहे भजमानामनिन्दिते। त्वदर्थं मां स्थितं विद्धि त्वद्गतं हि मनो मम
I know, gentle one, that great sage; he is without anger. O lovely-hipped, blameless one, I desire you, who desire me. Know that I am here for your sake, for my mind is set on you.
आत्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव गतिरात्मैव चात्मनः। आत्मनैवात्मनो दानं कर्तुमर्हसि धर्मतः
The self is its own friend, its own refuge; by oneself alone should one give oneself, according to righteousness.
अष्टावेव समासेन विवाहा धर्मतः स्मृताः। ब्राह्मो दैवस्तथैवार्षः प्राजापत्यस्तथाऽऽसुरः
In brief, eight forms of marriage are remembered as righteous: Brahma, Daiva, Arsha, Prajapatya, and Asura.
गान्धर्वो राक्षसश्चैव पैशाचश्चाष्टमः स्मृतः। तेषां धर्म्यान्यथापूर्वं मनुः स्वायंभुवोऽब्रवीत्
The Gandharva, Rakshasa, and also the Paisacha are remembered as the eighth; regarding these, Manu Svayambhuva spoke of their righteousness as before.
प्रशस्तांश्चतुरः पूर्वान्ब्राह्मणस्योपधारय। षडानुपूर्व्या क्षत्रस्य विद्धि धर्म्याननिन्दिते
Understand that the first four forms are praised for a Brahmana; for a Kshatriya, know that six, in order, are righteous and blameless.
राज्ञां तु राक्षसोऽप्युक्तो विट्शूद्रेष्वासुरः स्मृतः। पञ्चानां तु त्रयो धर्म्या अधर्म्यौ द्वौ स्मृताविह
For kings, the Rakshasa is also prescribed; among Vaishyas and Shudras, the Asura is remembered. Of the five, three are righteous, and two are considered unrighteous here.
पैशाच आसुरश्चैव न कर्तव्यौ कदाचन। अनेन विधिना कार्यो धर्मस्यैषा गतिः स्मृता
The Paisacha and Asura forms should never be practiced; by this rule, the course of righteousness is to be followed.