किं पुनस्त्वं न मन्येथाः सर्वज्ञः पुत्रमीदृशम्। मलयाच्चन्दनं जातमतिशीतं वदन्ति वै
Why then would you, who know all, not regard a son such as this? They say sandalwood born in Malaya is exceedingly cool.
शिशोरालिङ्गनं तस्माच्चन्दनादधिकं भवेत्।' न वाससां न रामाणां नापां स्पर्शस्तथाविधः
The embrace of a child surpasses even sandalwood; no garment, no woman, no water has such a touch.
शिशुनालिङ्ग्यमानस्य स्पर्शः सूनोर्यथा सुखः। पुत्रस्पर्शात्प्रियतरः स्पर्शो लोके न विद्यते
The touch of a son being embraced by his child brings happiness; in this world, there is no touch dearer than that of a son.
स्पृशतु त्वां समालिङ्ग्य पुत्रोऽयं प्रियदर्शनः। ब्राह्मणो द्विपदां श्रेष्ठो गौर्वरिष्ठा चतुष्पदाम्
Let this beloved son embrace you; the Brahmin is the best among bipeds, the cow among quadrupeds.
मुरुर्गरीयसां श्रेष्ठः पुत्रः स्पर्शवतां वरः।। त्रिषु वर्षेषु पूर्णेषु प्रजातोऽयमरिन्दमः
The murur is the best among the heavy ones; the son is the foremost among those who give the joy of touch. This enemy-subduer was born after three full years.
अद्यायं मन्नियोगात्तु तवाह्वानं प्रतीक्षते। कुमारो राजशार्दूल तव शोकप्रणाशनः
Today, by my command, this prince awaits your call, O tiger among kings, the remover of your sorrow.
आहर्ता वाजिमेधस्य शतसङ्ख्यस्य पौरवः। `राजसूयादिकानन्यान्क्रतूनमितदक्षिणान्
This descendant of Puru will perform a hundred horse sacrifices; he will accomplish other royal rites like the Rājasūya, with boundless gifts.
इति गौरन्तरिक्षे मां सूतके ह्यवदत्पुरा। हन्त स्वमङ्कमारोप्य स्नेहाद्ग्रामान्तरं गताः
Thus, the cow once spoke to me in the sky during childbirth: 'Alas! Lifting my own calf onto my lap, I went to another village out of affection.'
मूर्ध्नि पुत्रानुपाघ्राय प्रतिनन्दन्ति मानवाः। वेदेष्वपि वदन्तीमं मन्त्रग्रामं द्विजातयः
People greet their sons by smelling their heads; even among the Vedas, the twice-born recite this collection of mantras.
जातकर्मणि पुत्राणां तवापि विदितं ध्रुवम्। अङ्गादङ्गात्संभवसि हृदयादधिजायसे
You surely know the birth rites for sons; from limb to limb you arise, from the heart you are born.
आत्मा वै पुत्रनामासि स जीव शरदः शतम्। उपजिघ्रन्ति पितरो मन्त्रेणानेन मूर्धनि
You are indeed called 'son,' the self; may you live a hundred autumns. Fathers smell their sons' heads with this mantra.
पोषणं त्वदधीनं मे सन्तानमपि चाक्षयम्। तस्मात्त्वं जीव मे पुत्र स सुखी शरदां शतम्
Your nourishment depends on me, and my lineage is everlasting; therefore, live, my son, and be happy for a hundred autumns.
एको भूत्वा द्विधा भूत इति वादः प्रवर्तते। त्वदङ्गेभ्यः प्रसूतोऽयं पुरुषात्पुरुषः परः
The saying goes: 'Having become one, he became two.' This one was born from your limbs, a person from a person, supreme.
सरसीवामलेऽऽत्मानं द्वितीयं पश्य ते सुतम्। `सरसीवामले सोमं प्रेक्षात्मानं त्वमात्मनि
See your son as your second self, like the moon reflected in a clear lake; see yourself in him, as you see the moon in water.
यथाचाहवनीयोऽग्निर्वर्हपत्यात्प्रणीयते। एवं त्वत्तः प्रणीतोऽयं त्वमेकः सन्द्विधा कृतः
Just as the fire for sacrifice is led from the household fire, so too was he led forth from you; you are one, yet made two.
मृगापकृष्टेन हि वै मृगयां परिधावता। अहमासादिता राजन्कुमारी पितुराश्रमे
While hunting, drawn by the chase, I was found, O king, as a maiden in my father's hermitage.
उर्वशी पूर्वचित्तिश्च सहजन्या च मेनका। विश्वाची च घृताची च षडेवाप्सरसां वराः
Urvaśī, Pūrvacitti, Sahajanyā, Menakā, Viśvācī, and Ghṛtācī—these six are the foremost of the Apsarases.
तासां वै मेनका नाम ब्रह्मयोनिर्वराप्सराः। दिवः संप्राप्य जगतीं विश्वामित्रादजीजनत्
Among them, Menakā is named as the best Apsaras, born from Brahma; having descended from heaven to earth, she gave birth to Viśvāmitra's child.
श्रीमानृषिर्धर्मपरो वैश्वानर इवापरः। ब्रह्मयोनिः कुशो नाम विश्वामित्रपितामहः
The illustrious sage, devoted to righteousness, like another Vaiśvānara, is Brahmayoni, called Kuśa, the grandfather of Viśvāmitra.
कुशस्य पुत्रो बलवान्कुशनाभश्च धार्मिकः। गाधिस्तस्य सुतो राजन्विश्वामित्रस्तु गाधिजः
Kuśa's son was the powerful and righteous Kuśanābha; his son was Gādhi, and Viśvāmitra was born of Gādhi, O King.
एवंविधो मम पिता मेनका जननी वरा।' सा मां हिमवतः पृष्ठे सुषुवे मेनकाऽप्सराः
Such was my father, and Menakā, the distinguished Apsaras, is my mother; she gave birth to me, Menakā the Apsaras, on the slopes of Himavat.
परित्यज्य च मां याता परात्मजमिवासती। `पक्षिणः पुम्यवन्तस्ते सहिता धर्मतस्तदा
Abandoning me, she departed, as one who has forsaken her own child; then, righteous birds gathered together and protected me.
पक्षैस्तैरभिगुप्ता च तस्मादस्मि शकुन्तला। ततोऽहमृषिणा दृष्टा काश्यपेन महात्मना
Guarded by those wings, I was thus called Śakuntalā; then I was seen by the great-souled sage Kāśyapa.
जलार्थमग्निहोत्रस्य गतं दृष्ट्वा तु पक्षिणः। न्यासभूतामिव मुनेः प्रददुर्मां दयावतः
The birds, seeing me who had come for the water of the sacrificial fire, compassionately gave me, as if I were a deposit, to the sage.
कण्वस्त्वालोक्य मां प्रीतो हसन्तीति हविर्भुजः। स माऽरणिमिवादाय स्वमाश्रममुपागमत्
The sacrificer Kaṇva, seeing me, was pleased and smiled; taking me as one would take fire from kindling, he brought me to his own hermitage.
सा वै संभाविता राजन्ननुक्रोशान्महर्षिणा। तेनैव स्वसुतेवाहं राजन्वै वरवर्णिनी
There, O King, I was honored by the great sage out of compassion; by him, I was raised like his own daughter, O King, woman of noble form.
विश्वामित्रसुता चाहं वर्धिता मुनिना नृप। यौवने वर्तमानां च दृष्टवानसि मां नृप
I am the daughter of Viśvāmitra, O King, raised by the sage; you have seen me, O King, as I was entering my youth.
आश्रमे पर्णशालायां कुमारीं विजने तदा। धात्रा प्रचोदितां शून्ये पित्रा विरहितां मिथः
In the hermitage, in a leaf-hut, you saw me, a maiden, alone, prompted by fate, bereft of my father, in solitude.
वाग्भिस्त्वं सूनृताभिर्मामपत्यार्थमचूचुदः। अकार्षीस्त्वाश्रमे वासं धर्मकामार्थनिश्चितम्
With gentle and true words, you wooed me for the sake of offspring; you dwelt in the hermitage, firmly resolved on righteousness, desire, and purpose.
गान्धर्वेण विवाहेन विधिना पाणिमग्रहीः। साऽहं कुलं च शीलं च सत्यवादित्वमात्मनः
By the Gandharva rite of marriage, according to custom, you took my hand; I am aware of your lineage, conduct, and truthfulness.