पुंसा सह समायोगो न स धर्मोपघातकः। न भयं विद्यते भद्रे मा शुचः सुकृतं कृतम्
Union with a man is not a violation of righteousness; do not fear, gentle one, you have acted rightly.
क्षत्रियस्य तु गान्धर्वो विवाहः श्रेष्ठ उच्यते। सकामायाः सकामेन निमन्त्रः श्रेष्ठ उच्यते
For a Kshatriya, the Gandharva marriage is considered the best; when both desire and consent, that is said to be the highest.
किं पुनर्विधिवत्कृत्वा सुप्रजस्त्वमवाप्स्यसि।' धर्मात्मा च महात्मा च दुष्यन्तः पुरुषोत्तमः
How much more, when performed according to proper rites, will you obtain noble offspring; Dushyanta, righteous and great-souled, is the best of men.
अभ्यागच्छत्पतिर्यस्त्वां भजमानां शकुन्तले। महात्मा जनिता लोके पुत्रस्तव महायशाः
Your husband, O Shakuntala, who has come to you while you were devoted, is a great soul; your son will be renowned in the world.
स च सर्वां समुद्रान्तां कृत्स्नां भोक्ष्यति मेदिनीम्। परं चाभिप्रयातस्य चक्रं तस्य महात्मनः
He will enjoy the entire earth, bounded by the oceans, and the wheel of his sovereignty will advance without hindrance.
भविष्यत्यप्रतिहतं सततं चक्रवर्तिनः। प्रसन्न एव तस्याहं त्वकृते वरवर्णिनि
His wheel of empire will always be unobstructed; and for your sake, O beautiful one, I am well pleased.
ऋतवो बहवस्ते वै गता व्यर्थाः शुचिस्मिते। सार्थकं सांप्रतं ह्येतन्न च पाप्मास्ति तेऽनघे। गृहाण च वरं मत्तस्तत्कृते यदभीप्सितम्
Many seasons have passed in vain, O pure-smiling one; now this has become fruitful, and you are free from fault. Take a boon from me, whatever you desire for this reason.
मया पतिर्वृतो योऽसौ दुष्यन्तः पुरुषोत्तमः। मम चैव पतिर्दृष्टो देवतानां समक्षतः। तस्मै ससचिवाय त्वं प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि
He whom I have accepted as husband, Dushyanta, the best of men, has been recognized by me as my husband in the presence of the gods; therefore, be gracious to him and his counselors.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा मनसा प्रणिधाय मनस्विनी। ततो धर्मिष्ठतां वव्रे राज्ये चास्खलनं तथा
Having spoken thus, the wise woman, intent in mind, then chose righteousness and steadfastness in the kingdom.
शकुन्तलां पौरवाणां दुष्यन्तहितकाम्यया। `एवमस्त्विति तां प्राह कण्वो धर्मभृतां वरः
For the good of Dushyanta of the Paurava line, Kanva, the foremost of the righteous, said to her, 'So be it.'
पस्पर्श चापि पाणिभ्यां सुतां श्रीमिवरूपिणीम्
He touched his daughter, radiant in beauty, with his hands.
अद्यप्रभृति देवी त्वं दुष्यन्तस्य महात्मनः। पतिव्रतानां या वृत्तिस्तां वृत्तिमनुपालय
From this day forward, O noble lady, you are the wife of the great-souled Duṣyanta; uphold the conduct that is proper for devoted wives.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा धर्मात्मा तां विशुद्ध्यर्थमस्पृशत्। स्पृष्टमात्रे शरीरे तु परं हर्षमवाप सा
Having spoken thus, the righteous one refrained from touching her for the sake of purity; but at the mere touch upon her body, she experienced great joy.
प्रतिज्ञाय च दुष्यन्ते प्रतियाते दिने दिने। `गर्भश्च ववृधे तस्यां राजपुत्र्यां महात्मनः
After Duṣyanta had departed, having pledged himself, day by day the royal maiden bore the growing child of that great soul.
शकुन्तला चिन्तयन्ती राजानं कार्यगौरवात्। दिवारात्रमनिद्रैव स्नानभोजनवर्जिता
Śakuntalā, constantly thinking of the king out of the gravity of her situation, remained sleepless day and night, neglecting bathing and food.
राजप्रेषणिका विप्राश्चतुरङ्गबलान्विताः। अद्य श्वो वा परश्वो वा समायान्तीति निस्चिता
Certain that the king's messengers, brāhmaṇas, and troops would arrive today, tomorrow, or the day after, she waited.
दिनान्पक्षानृतून्मासानयनानि च सर्वशः। गण्यमानानि वर्षाणि व्यतीयुस्त्रीणि भारत
Days, fortnights, seasons, months, and all the years passed by as she counted them, O Bhārata, and three years elapsed.
त्रिषु वर्षेषु पूर्णेषु ऋषेर्वचनगौरवात्। ऋषिपत्न्यः सुबहुशो हेतुमद्वाक्यमब्रुवन्
When three years had fully passed, out of respect for the sage's words, the wives of the sage spoke to her many times with words of reason.
शृणु भद्रे लोकवृत्तं श्रुत्वा यद्रोचते तव। तत्कुरुष्व हितं देवि नावमान्यं गुरोर्वचः
"Listen, dear one, to the ways of the world; do what pleases you after hearing. O lady, the words of the guru should not be disregarded; do what is beneficial."
देवानां दैवतं विष्णुर्विप्राणामग्निर्ब्रह्म च। नारीणां दैवतं भर्ता लोकानां ब्राह्मणो गुरुः
Viṣṇu is the deity of the gods, Agni of the brāhmaṇas, and Brahmā as well; for women, the husband is the deity, and for the worlds, the brāhmaṇa is the teacher.
सूतिकाले प्रसूष्वेति भगवांस्ते पिताऽब्रवीत्। करिष्यामीति कर्तव्यं तदा ते सुकृतं भवेत्
"At the time of childbirth, your father, the venerable one, said: 'Do as I say.' That should be done; then you will have acted rightly."
पत्नीनां वचनं श्रुत्वा साधु साध्वित्यचिन्तयत्।' गर्भं सुषाव वामोरूः कुमारममितौजसम्
Hearing the words of the wives, she thought, 'Well, so be it,' and the slender-thighed lady gave birth to a son of boundless energy.
त्रिषु वर्षेषु पूर्णेषु प्राजायत शकुन्तला। रूपौदार्यगुणोपेतं दौष्यन्तिं जनमेजय
When three years had passed, Śakuntalā gave birth to a son endowed with beauty, generosity, and virtue, O Janamejaya, son of Duṣyanta.
जाते' तस्मिन्नन्तरिक्षात्पुष्पवृष्टिः पपात ह। देवदुन्दुभयो नेदुर्ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः
When he was born, a shower of flowers fell from the sky; divine drums resounded, and the hosts of Apsarases danced.
गायद्भिर्मधुरं तत्र देवैः शक्रोऽभ्युवाच ह। शकुन्तले तव सुतश्चक्रवर्ती भविष्यति
As the gods sang sweetly there, Indra spoke: 'O Śakuntalā, your son will become a universal emperor.'
बलं तेजश्च रूपं च न समं भुवि केनचित्। आहर्ता वाजिमेधस्य शतसङ्ख्यस्य पौरवः
His strength, energy, and beauty will be unmatched on earth; he, the Paurava, will perform a hundred horse sacrifices.
अनेकारपि साहस्रै राजसूयादिभिर्मखैः। स्वार्थं ब्राह्मणसात्कृत्वा दक्षिणाममितां ददत्
With countless royal sacrifices such as the Rājasūya, he will fulfill his purpose, giving immense gifts to brāhmaṇas as offerings.
देवतानां वचः श्रुत्वा कण्वाश्रमनिवासिनः। सभाजयन्तः कण्वस्य सुतां सर्वे महर्षयः
Hearing the words of the gods, all the great sages dwelling in Kaṇva's hermitage honored Kaṇva's daughter.
शकुन्तला च तच्छ्रुत्वा परं हर्षमवाप सा। द्विजानाहूय मुनिभिः सत्कृत्य च महायशाः
When Shakuntala heard this, she felt great joy; she called the Brahmins, and the illustrious sages honored them.
जातकर्मादिसंस्कारं कण्वः पुण्यवतां वरः। तस्याथ कारयामास वर्धमानस्य चासकृत्
Then Kanva, foremost among the virtuous, performed for the child all the rites beginning with the birth ceremony, and repeated them as the boy grew.