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.
स्वधर्मं च पुरस्कृत्य त्वामद्य शरणं गता। तस्मान्नर्हसि संश्रुत्य तथेति वितथं वचः
Upholding my own duty, I have now sought your protection; therefore, having promised, you should not speak a false word.
स्वधर्मं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा परित्यक्तुमुपस्थिताम्। त्वन्नाथां लोकनाथस्त्वं नार्हसि त्वमनागसम्
Having set aside my own duty and come to be abandoned, with you as my only protector, you, the lord of men, should not forsake me, who am without fault.
किं नु कर्माशुभं पूर्वं कृतवत्यस्मि पार्थिव। यदहं बान्धवैस्त्यक्ता बाल्ये संप्रति वै त्वया
What evil deed did I commit before, O King, that I have been abandoned by my relatives in childhood, and now by you?
कामं त्वया परित्यक्ता गमिष्याम्यहमाश्रमम्। इमं बालं तु संत्युक्तं नार्हस्यात्मजमात्मना
Indeed, though abandoned by you, I will return to the hermitage; but this child, your own son, you should not forsake.
न पुत्रमभिजानामि त्वयि जातं शकुन्तले। असत्वचना नार्यः कस्ते श्रद्धास्यते वचः
I do not recognize this son as born from me and you, Shakuntala. Women speak untruths; who will believe your words?
अश्रद्धेयमिदं वाक्यं कथयन्ती न लज्जसे। विशेषतो मत्सकाशे दुष्टतापसि गम्यताम्
You shamelessly speak these unbelievable words, especially in my presence, O wicked ascetic woman; go away.
क्व महर्षिस्तपस्युग्रः क्वाप्सराः सा च मेनका। क्व च त्वमेवं कृपणा तापसीवेषधारिणी
Where is that great sage, fierce in his austerities, and where is that apsara Menaka? And where are you, so pitiable, dressed as an ascetic woman?
अतिकायश्च पुत्रस्ते बालोऽतिबलवानयम्। कथमल्पेन कालेन सालस्कन्ध इवोद्गतः
Your son is of great stature, and though a child, he is exceedingly strong. How has he grown so tall, like the trunk of a sala tree, in such a short time?
सुनिकृष्टा च योनिस्ते पुंश्चली प्रतिभासि मे। यदृच्छया कामरागाज्जाता मेनकया ह्यसि
Your birth is most lowly; you seem to me a wanton woman. You were born from Menaka by chance, out of lustful desire.
सर्वमेव परोक्षं मे यत्त्वं वदसि तापसि। `सर्वा वामाः स्त्रियो लोके सर्वाः कामपरायणाः
Everything you say to me is hidden, O ascetic woman. 'All women in the world are fickle, all are devoted to desire.'
सर्वाः स्त्रियः परवशाः सर्वाः क्रोधसमाकुलाः। असत्योक्ताः स्त्रियः सर्वा न कण्वं वक्तुमर्हसि
All women are dependent on others, all are filled with anger; all women speak falsehoods. You should not speak to Kanva.
मेनका निरनुक्रोशा वर्धकी जननी तव। यया हिमवतः पादे निर्माल्यवदुपेक्षिता
Menaka, your mother, is without compassion, a dancer by profession, who was abandoned at the foot of the Himalaya like a discarded garland.
स चापि निरनुक्रोशः क्षत्रयोनिः पिता तव। विश्वामित्रो ब्राह्मणत्वे लुब्धः कामपरायणः
And your father too, born of the warrior class, is without compassion—Viśvāmitra, greedy for Brahminhood, devoted to desire.
सुषाव सुरनारी मां विश्वामित्राद्यथेष्टतः। अहो जानामि ते जन्म कुत्सितं कुलटे जनैः
The divine woman bore me, Viśvāmitra, as she wished. Ah, I know your birth, O degraded one, from ignoble people.
मेनकाऽप्सरसां श्रेष्ठा महर्षिश्चापि ते पिता। तयोरपत्यं कस्मात्त्वं पुंश्चलीवाभिभाषसे
Menaka is the best among apsaras, and your father is a great sage. Why then, as their child, do you speak like a wanton woman?
जातिश्चापि निकृष्टो ते कुलीनेति विजल्पसे। जनयित्वा त्वमुत्सृष्टा कोकिलेन परैर्भृता
You say your lineage is noble, but your birth is lowly. After giving birth to you, you were abandoned and raised by others, like a cuckoo's chick.
अरिष्टैरिव दुर्बद्धिः कण्वो वर्धयिता पिता। अश्रद्धेयमिदं वाक्यं यत्त्वं जल्पसि तापसि
Your father Kanva, of poor judgment, raised you like a child born from misfortune. The words you speak, O ascetic woman, are not to be believed.
ब्रुवन्ती राजसान्निध्ये गम्यतां यत्र चेच्छसि। `सुवर्णमणिमुक्तानि वस्त्राण्याभरणानि च
Speaking thus in the presence of the king, go wherever you wish. 'Here are gold, jewels, pearls, garments, and ornaments.'
यदिहेच्छसि भोगार्थं तापसि प्रतिगृह्यताम्। नाहं त्वां द्रष्टुमिच्छामि यथेष्टं गम्यतामितः
If you desire enjoyment, O ascetic woman, accept these. I do not wish to see you; go wherever you please from here.
राजन्सर्षपमात्राणि परच्छिद्राणि पश्यसि। आत्मनो बिल्वमात्राणि पश्यन्नपि न पश्यसि
O king, you see the faults of others as small as a mustard seed, but your own, though as large as a bilva fruit, you see yet do not see.