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.
गान्धर्वराक्षसौ क्षत्रे धर्म्यौ तौ मा विशङ्किथाः। पृथग्वा यदि वा मिश्रौ कर्तव्यौ नात्र संशयः
The Gandharva and Rakshasa forms are righteous for Kshatriyas—do not doubt this; whether separately or together, they may be performed—there is no uncertainty here.
सा त्वं मम सकामस्य सकामा वरवर्णिनी। गान्धर्वेण विवाहेन भार्या भवितुमर्हसि
Therefore, you, who desire me as I desire you, O beautiful one, are worthy to become my wife by the Gandharva form of marriage.
यदि धर्मपथस्त्वेव यदि चात्मा प्रभुर्मम। प्रदाने पौरवश्रेष्ठ शृणु मे समयं प्रभो
If the path of righteousness is truly mine, and if my self is my own master, O best of the Purus, listen to my condition regarding the giving away.
सत्यं मे प्रतिजानीहि यथा वक्ष्याम्यहं रहः। मयि जायेत यः पुत्रः स भवेत्त्वदनन्तरः
Swear to me truly, as I shall speak in private: the son who is born from me shall be your immediate successor.
युवराजो महाराज सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते। यद्येतदेवं दुष्यन्त अस्तु मे सङ्गमस्त्वया
He shall be the crown prince, O great king—this I truly declare to you; if this is so, O Dushyanta, let our union take place.
तस्यास्तु सर्वं संश्रुत्य यथोक्तं स विशांपतिः। दुष्यन्तः पुनरेवाह यद्यदिच्छसि तद्वद
Having agreed to all her words as spoken, the lord of the people, Dushyanta, again said: 'Tell me whatever else you desire.'
ख्यातो लोकप्रवादोयं विवाह इति शास्त्रतः। वैवाहिकीं क्रियां सन्तः प्रशंसन्ति प्रजाहिताम्
This is well known in the world as marriage, according to the scriptures; the wise praise the marriage rite as beneficial for the people.
लोकप्रवादशान्त्यर्थं विवाहं विधिना कुरु। सन्त्यत्र यज्ञपात्राणि दर्भाः सुमनसोऽक्षताः
For the sake of quelling public rumor, perform the marriage according to the rite; here are sacrificial vessels, darbha grass, flowers, and unbroken grains.
यथा युक्तो विवाहः स्यात्तथा युक्ता प्रजा भवेत्। तस्मादाज्यं हविर्लाजाः सिकता ब्राह्मणास्तव
As the marriage is properly performed, so will the offspring be proper; therefore, offer ghee, sacrificial grains, and sand, O Brahmana, for you.
वैवाहिकानि चान्यानि समस्तानीह पार्थिव। दुरुक्तमपि राजेन्द्र क्षन्तव्यं धर्मकारणात्
And all the other rites of marriage are here, O king; even harsh words, O king, should be forgiven for the sake of righteousness.