शकुन्तला नतशिराः परं हर्षमवाप्य च।' पूजयित्वा यथान्यायमब्रवीत्तं शकुन्तला
Shakuntala, bowing her head, filled with great joy, honored the king as was proper and spoke to him.
अभिवादय राजानं पितरं ते दृढव्रतम्। एवमुक्त्वा सुतं तत्र लज्जानतमुखी स्थिता
She said, ‘Bow to the king, your father, steadfast in his vows’; saying this, she stood there with her face lowered in modesty.
स्तम्भमालिङ्ग्य राजानं प्रसीदस्वेत्युवाच सा। शाकुन्तलोपि राजानमभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः
Clinging to a pillar, she said to the king, ‘Be gracious’; and the son of Shakuntala, too, greeted the king with joined palms.
हर्षेणोत्फुल्लनयनो राजानं चान्ववैक्षत। दुष्यन्तो धर्मबुद्ध्या तु चिन्तयन्नेव सोब्रवीत्
With eyes wide in joy, he looked at the king; but Dushyanta, considering with a mind set on righteousness, spoke as follows.
किमागमनकार्यं ते ब्रूहि त्वं वरवर्णिनि। करिष्यामि न संदेहः सपुत्राया विशेषतः
What is the purpose of your coming? Speak, O lady of beautiful complexion. I will do it without doubt, especially for you and your son.
प्रसीदस्व महाराज वक्ष्यामि पुरुषोत्तम। एष पुत्रो हि ते राजन्मय्युत्पन्नः परंतप
Be gracious, O great king, and I will speak, O best of men. This son, O king, has been born to you from me, O subduer of foes.
तस्मात्पुत्रस्त्वया राजन्यौवराज्येऽभिषिच्यताम्। यथोक्तमाश्रमे तस्मिन्वर्तस्व पुरुषोत्तम
Therefore, O king, let this son be consecrated by you as crown prince. And as was agreed in the hermitage, abide by that, O best of men.
मया समागमे पूर्वं कृतः स समयस्त्वया। तत्त्वं स्मर महाबाहो कण्वाश्रमपदं प्रति
Previously, at our meeting, you made that promise. Remember that, O mighty-armed one, concerning the hermitage of Kanva.
तस्योपभोगसक्तस्य स्त्रीषु चान्यासु भारत। शकुन्तला सपुत्रा च मनस्यन्तरधीयत
But as he became attached to enjoyments and to other women, O descendant of Bharata, Shakuntala, with her son, faded from his mind.
स धारयन्मनस्येनां सपुत्रां सस्मितां तदा। तदोपगृह्य मनसा चिरं सुखमवाप सः
Then, holding her and her son in his mind, with a smile, he embraced them in thought and for a long time attained happiness.
सोऽथ श्रुत्वापि तद्वाक्यं तस्या राजा स्मरन्नपि। अब्रवीन्न स्मरामीति त्वया भद्रे समागमम्
But even after hearing those words and remembering her, the king said, 'I do not remember our union, O gentle lady.'
मैथुनं च वृथा नाहं गच्छेयमिति मे मतिः। नाभिजानामि कल्याणि त्वया सह समागमम्
'I do not wish to engage in union in vain; this is my resolve. I do not recall, O blessed one, any union with you.'
धर्मार्थकामसंबन्धं न स्मरामि त्वया सह। गच्छ वा तिष्ठ वा कामं यद्वापीच्छसि तत्कुरु
'I do not remember any connection of righteousness, wealth, or desire with you. Go or stay as you wish, or do whatever else you desire.'
संरम्भामर्षताम्राक्षी स्फुरमाणोष्ठसंपुटा। कटाक्षैर्निर्दहन्तीव तिर्यग्राजानमैक्षत
Her eyes reddened with anger and indignation, her lips quivering, she glanced sideways at the king as if burning him with her gaze.
आकारं गूहमाना च मन्युना च समीरितम्। तपसा संभृतं तेजो धारयामास वै तदा
Concealing her expression and the agitation caused by anger, she restrained the energy she had gained through austerity.
सा मुहूर्तमिव ध्यात्वा दुःखामर्षसमन्विता। भर्तारमभिसंप्रेक्ष्य यथान्यायं वचोऽब्रवीत्
After reflecting for a moment, filled with grief and indignation, she looked at her husband and spoke words in accordance with propriety.
जानन्नपि महाराज कस्मादेवं प्रभाषसे। न जानामीति निःशङ्कं यथान्यः प्राकृतस्तथा
'Though you know, O great king, why do you speak in this way? Without hesitation you say you do not know, just as an ordinary man would.'
तस्य ते हृदयं वेद सत्यस्यैवानृतस्य च। साक्षिणं बत कल्याणमात्मानमवमन्यसे
'Your heart knows both truth and falsehood. Alas, you disregard your own self, which is the witness, O blessed one.'
योऽन्यथा सन्तमात्मानन्यथा प्रतिपद्यते। किं तेन न कृतं पापं चोरेणात्मापहारिणा
'He who, being one thing, behaves as another—what sin has he not committed, like a thief who steals his own self?'
एकोऽहमस्मीति च मन्यसे त्वं न हृच्छयं वेत्सि मुनिं पुराणम्। यो वेदिता कर्मणः पापकस्य तस्यान्तिके त्वं वृजिनं करोषि
'You think you are alone, but you do not know the ancient sage in your heart, who knows the deeds of sin; in his presence you commit wrong.'
धर्म एव हि साधूनां सर्वेषां हितकारणम्। नित्यं मिथ्याविहीनानां न च दुःखावहो भवेत्
'For righteousness alone is the cause of welfare for all the virtuous, always free from falsehood, and it does not bring sorrow.'
मन्यते पापकं कृत्वा न कश्चिद्वेत्ति मामिति। विदन्ति चैनं देवाश्च यश्चैवान्तरपूरुषः
'One thinks, having done evil, that no one knows me; but the gods know, as does the inner soul.'
आदित्यचन्द्रावनिलोऽनलश्च द्यौर्भूमिरापो हृदयं यमश्च। अहश्च रात्रिश्च उभे च सन्ध्ये धर्मश्च जानाति नरस्य वृत्तम्
The sun, the moon, the wind, and fire; the sky, the earth, the waters, the heart, and Yama; day and night, both twilights, and Dharma—all know the conduct of a man.
यमो वैवस्वतस्तस्य निर्यातयति दुष्कृतम्। हृदि स्थितः कर्मसाक्षी क्षेत्रज्ञो यस्य तुष्यति
Yama, son of Vivasvat, dispenses punishment for his evil deeds; the witness to his actions, the knower of the field who dwells in the heart, is pleased with the righteous.
न तुष्यति च यस्यैष पुरुषस्य दुरात्मनः। तं यमः पापकर्माणं निर्भर्त्सयति दुष्कृतम्
But if this inner witness is not pleased with a wicked man, then Yama reproaches that evil-doer for his misdeeds.
योऽवमत्यात्मनात्मानमन्यथा प्रतिपद्यते। न तस्य देवाः श्रेयांसो यस्यात्मापि न कारणम्
He who disregards his own self and acts otherwise—such a man, for whom even his own self is not a cause, does not attain the blessings of the gods.
स्वयं प्राप्तेति मामेवं मावमंस्था पतिव्रताम्। अर्चार्हां नार्चयसि मां स्वयं भार्यामुपस्थिताम्
Do not think of me as easily obtained, nor look down upon your devoted wife; though worthy of worship, you do not honor me, your wife, who stands before you.
किमर्थं मां प्राकृतवदुपप्रेक्षसि संसदि। नखल्वहमिदं शून्ये रौमि किं न शृणोषि मे
Why do you treat me like an ordinary woman in this assembly? Surely, I am not speaking these words in vain—why do you not listen to me?
यदि मे याचमानाया वचनं न करिष्यसि। दुष्यन्त शतधा त्वद्य मूर्धा ते विफलिष्यति
If you do not fulfill the words I, who am pleading with you, speak, O Duṣyanta, then today your head will split into a hundred pieces.
जायां पतिः संप्रविश्य यदस्यां जायते पुनः। जायायास्तद्धि जायात्वं पौराणाः कवयो विदुः
When a husband unites with his wife and a child is born from her, that is truly her offspring—the ancient sages have declared this.