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.
यथाविधि यथान्यायं क्रियाः सर्वास्त्वकारयत्। दन्तैः शुक्लैः शिखरिभिःसिंहसंहननोऽभवत्
He performed all the prescribed rituals properly and justly; the boy grew with teeth white as ivory, and a frame like a lion’s.
चक्राङ्कितकरः श्रीमान्स्वयं विष्णुरिवापरः। `चतुष्किष्कुर्महातेजा महामूर्धा महाबलः
He bore the mark of the discus on his hand, was radiant, and seemed another Vishnu himself—broad-chested, mighty, and powerful.
कुमारो देवगर्भाभः स तत्राशु व्यवर्धत। `ऋषेर्भयात्तु दुष्यन्तः स्मरन्नैवाह्वयत्तदा
That boy, resembling a son of the gods, quickly grew there; but out of fear of the sage, Dushyanta did not summon him, though he remembered.
गते काले तु महति न सस्मार तपोधनाम्।' षड्वर्षेषु ततो बालः कण्वाश्रमपदं प्रति
As much time passed, the king did not recall the ascetic; after six years, the boy turned toward Kanva’s hermitage.
व्याघ्रान्सिंहान्वराहांश्च वृकांश्च महिषांस्तथा। `ऋक्षांश्चाभ्यहनद्व्यालान्पद्भ्यामाश्रमपीडकान्
He struck down tigers, lions, boars, wolves, buffaloes, and bears—those wild beasts that troubled the hermitage—with his feet.
बलाद्भुजाभ्यां संगृह्य बलवान्संनियम्य च।' बद्ध्वा वृक्षेषु दौष्यन्तिराश्रमस्य समन्ततः
With his strength, he seized and subdued them with his arms, and bound them to trees all around the hermitage.
आरुरोह द्रुमांश्चैव क्रीडन्स्म परिधावति। `वनं च लोडयामास सिंहव्याघ्रगणैर्वृतम्
He climbed trees, played, and ran about; he roamed the forest, filled with groups of lions and tigers.
ततश्च राक्षसान्सर्वान्पिशाचांश्च रिपून्रणे। मुष्टियुद्धेन तान्हत्वा ऋषीनाराधयत्तदा
Then, in battle, he slew all the Rakshasas and Pisachas, his enemies, with his fists, and thereby pleased the sages.
कश्चिद्दितिसुतस्तं तु हन्तुकामो महाबलः। वध्यमानांस्तु दैतेयानमर्षी तं समभ्ययात्
A certain mighty son of Diti, enraged at the slaughter of the Daityas, approached him, desiring to kill him.
तमागतं प्रहस्यैव बाहुभ्यां परिगृह्य च। दृढं चाबध्य बाहुभ्यां पीडयामास तं तदा
When that being approached, the boy laughed, seized him with his arms, bound him tightly, and began to crush him.