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.
मेनका त्रिदशेष्वेव त्रिदशाश्चानु मेनकाम्। ममैवोद्रिच्यते जन्म दुष्यन्त तव जन्मतः
Menaka is among the gods, and the gods are with Menaka; my birth is exalted, Dushyanta, compared to yours.
क्षितौ चरसि राजंस्त्वमन्तरिक्षे चराम्यहम्। आवयोरन्तरं पश्य मेरुसर्षपयोरिव
You walk upon the earth, O king, while I move in the sky; see the distance between us, like that between Mount Meru and a mustard seed.
महेन्द्रस्य कुबेरस्य यमस्य वरुणस्य च। भवनान्यनुसंयामि प्रभावं पश्य मे नृप
I have visited the palaces of Indra, Kubera, Yama, and Varuṇa; witness my power, O King.
पुरा नरवरः पुत्र उर्वश्यां जनितस्तदा। आयुर्नाम महाराज तव पूर्वपितामहः
Long ago, O best of men, a son was born to Urvaśī, named Āyus; he was your ancient forefather, O great king.
महर्षयश्च बहवः क्षत्रियाश्च परन्तपाः। अप्सरःसु ऋषीणां च मातृदोषो न विद्यते
Many great sages and mighty kṣatriyas, O subduer of foes, have been born from apsarases; among the sages, there is no fault in having such mothers.
सत्यश्चापि प्रवादोऽयं प्रवक्ष्यामि च ते नृप। निदर्शनार्थं न द्वेषाच्छ्रुत्वा तत्क्षन्तुमर्हसि
I will also tell you, O King, a saying that is true; hear it for the sake of illustration, not out of malice, and you should forgive it.
विरूपो यावदादर्शे नात्मनो वीक्षते मुखम्। मन्यते तावदात्मानमन्येभ्यो रूपवत्तरम्
As long as a deformed man does not see his own face in a mirror, he considers himself more handsome than others.
यदा तु रूपमादर्शे विरूपं सोऽभिवीक्षते। तदा ह्रीमांस्तु जानीयादन्तरं नेतरं जनम्
But when he sees his ugly form reflected in the mirror, then he feels shame within himself, not because of other people.
अतीव रूपसंपन्नो न कंचिदवमन्यते। अतीव जल्पन्दुर्वाचो भवतीह विहेतुकः
One who is exceedingly handsome does not look down on anyone; but one who is excessively talkative and harsh in speech becomes a troublemaker here.
पांसुपातेन हृष्यन्ति कुञ्जरा मदशालिनः। तथा परिवदन्नन्यान्हृष्टो भवति दुर्मतिः
Elephants in rut rejoice when dust is thrown upon them; likewise, a wicked person becomes delighted when he slanders others.
सत्यधर्मच्युतात्पुंसः क्रुद्धादाशीविषादिव। सुनास्तिकोप्युद्विजते जनः किं पुनरास्तिकः
Even a confirmed non-believer is disturbed by a man who has fallen from truth and righteousness, just as one is by an angry venomous serpent—how much more so a believer?
स्वयमुत्पाद्य पुत्रं वै सदृशं योऽवमन्यते। तस्य देवाः श्रियं घ्नन्ति तत्रैनं कलिराविशेत्
If a man, after producing a son like himself, despises him, the gods destroy his prosperity, and misfortune enters him.
अभव्येऽप्यनृतेऽशुद्धे नास्तिके पापकर्मणि। दुराचारे कलिर्ह्याशु न कलिर्धर्मचारिषु
Misfortune quickly enters one who is unworthy, untruthful, impure, atheistic, wicked in deeds, or of bad conduct; but not those who walk in righteousness.
मूर्खो हि जल्पतां पुंसां श्रुत्वा वाचः शुभाशुभाः। अशुभं वाक्यमादत्ते पुरीषमिव सूकरः
A fool, upon hearing the words of men—good or bad—takes up the bad speech, just as a pig takes up filth.
प्राज्ञस्तु जल्पतां पुंसां श्रुत्वा वाचः शुभाशुभाः। गुणवद्वाक्यमादत्ते हंसः क्षीरमिवाम्भसि
But a wise man, upon hearing the words of men—good or bad—takes up the virtuous speech, just as a swan extracts milk from water.
आत्मनो दुष्टभावत्वं जानन्नीचोऽप्रसन्नधीः। परेषामपि जानाति स्वधर्मसदृशान्गुणान्
One who knows his own wicked nature, being low and of troubled mind, also recognizes in others the qualities that accord with their own nature and duty.
दह्यमानास्तु तीव्रेण नीचाः परयशोग्निना। अशक्तास्तद्गतिं गन्तुं ततो निन्दां प्रकुर्वते
The lowly, burning with intense fire from others' fame, are unable to reach that state, and so they resort to slander.
अन्यान्परिवदन्साधुर्यथा हि परितप्यते। तथा परिवदन्नन्यान्हृष्टो भवति दुर्जनः
Just as a virtuous person is pained when slandered by others, so too does a wicked person feel joy when he slanders others.
अपवादरता मूर्खा भवन्ति हि विशेषतः। नापवादरताः सन्तो भवन्ति स्म विशेषतः
Fools are especially fond of slander; the virtuous, on the other hand, are never devoted to slander.
अभिवाद्य यथा वृद्धान्साधुर्गच्छति निर्वृतिम्। एवं सज्जनमाक्रुश्य मूर्खो भवति निर्वृतः
Just as a virtuous man, after greeting elders, attains satisfaction, so too does a fool feel content after insulting a good person.