सर्ववेदाधिगमनं सर्वतीर्थावगाहनम्। सत्यस्यैव च राजेन्द्र कलां नार्हति षोडशीम्
The study of all the Vedas and bathing in all holy places do not equal even a sixteenth part of truth, O king.
नास्ति सत्यसमो धर्मो न सत्याद्विद्यते परम्। न हि तीव्रतरं पापमनृतादिह विद्यते
There is no duty equal to truth, nor anything higher than truth; there is no sin more intense in this world than falsehood.
राजन्सत्यं परो धर्मः सत्याच्च समयः परः। मात्याक्षीः समयं राजन्सत्यं सङ्गतमस्तु ते
O king, truth is the highest duty, and agreement is higher than truth; do not violate your agreement, O king, let truth be joined with you.
यः पापो न विजानीयात्कर्म कृत्वा नराधिप। न हि तादृक्परं पापमनृतादिह विद्यते
He who, having committed a sinful act, does not recognize it, O ruler of men, there is no greater sin in this world than falsehood.
यस्य ते हृदयं वेद सत्यस्यैवानृतस्य च। कल्याणावेक्षणं तस्मात्कर्तुमर्हसि धर्मतः
Since your heart knows both truth and falsehood, you ought to act righteously, seeking what is beneficial.
यो न कामान्न च क्रोधान्न द्रोहादतिवर्तते। अमित्रं वापि मित्रं वा स एवोत्तमपूरुषः
He who does not transgress due to desire, anger, or enmity, whether toward a friend or foe, is truly the highest person.
अनृतश्चेत्प्रसङ्गस्ते श्रद्दधासि न चेत्स्वयम्। आश्रमं गन्तुमिच्छामि त्वादृशो नास्ति सङ्गतं
If you are inclined toward falsehood, and believe it, or do not believe it yourself, I wish to go to the hermitage; there is no companionship with one like you.
पुत्रत्वे शङ्कमानस्य त्वं बुद्ध्या निश्चयं कुरु। गतिः स्वरः स्मृतिः सत्वं शीलं विद्या च विक्रमः
If you doubt your sonship, determine it with your intellect; lineage, voice, memory, character, conduct, knowledge, and valor.
धृष्णुप्रकृतिभावौ च आवर्ता रोमराजयः। समा यस्य यदा स्युस्ते तस्य पुत्रो न संशयः
When the qualities of courage and nature, the whorls of hair, and the arrangement of body hair are equal in someone, then he is certainly the son of that person.
सादृश्येनोद्धऋतं बिम्बं तव देहाद्विशांपते। तातेति भाषमाणं वै मा स्म राजन्वृथा कृथाः
A likeness has been drawn out from your body, O lord of men; do not, O king, speak in vain to the one who calls you 'father.'
ऋते च गर्दभीक्षीरात्पयः पास्यति मे सुतः।' ऋतेपि त्वां च दुष्यन्त शैलराजावतंसिकाम्। चतुरन्तामिमामुर्वीं पुत्रो मे पालयिष्यति
Except for the milk of a she-donkey, my son will drink milk; except for you, O Duṣyanta, and the mountain-crowned queen, my son will rule this entire earth.
शकुन्तले तव सुतश्चक्रवर्ती भविष्यति। एवमुक्तं महेन्द्रेण भविष्यति न चान्यथा
O Śakuntalā, your son will become a universal emperor; thus spoke the great Indra, and it will not be otherwise.
साक्षित्वे बहवो ह्युक्ता देवदूतादयो मया। न ब्रुवन्ति तथा सत्यमुताहो नानृतं किल
Many witnesses have been named by me, such as divine messengers and others; they do not speak the truth in this way, nor do they utter falsehood.
असाक्षिणी मन्दबाग्या गमिष्यामि यथागतम्
Without a witness and unfortunate, I will depart as I came.
एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं प्रातिष्ठत शकुन्तला। `तस्याः क्रोधसमुत्थोग्निः सधूमो मूर्ध्न्यदृश्यत
Having spoken thus, Śakuntalā set out; the fire of anger, with smoke, was seen on her head.
संनियम्यात्मनोऽङ्गेषु ततः क्रोधाग्निमात्मजम्। प्रस्थितैवानवद्याङ्गी सह पुत्रेण वै वनम्
Restraining the fire of anger born from herself in her limbs, the flawless-bodied woman departed with her son into the forest.
अथान्तरिक्षे दुष्यन्तं वागुवाचाशरीरिणी। ऋत्विक्पुरोहिताचार्यैर्मन्त्रिभिश्चाभिसंवृतम्
Then, in the sky, a bodiless voice spoke to Duṣyanta, who was surrounded by priests, preceptors, teachers, and ministers.
माता भस्त्रा पितुः पुत्रो यस्माज्जातः स एव सः। भरस्व पुत्रं दौष्यन्तिं सत्यमाह शकुन्तला
Just as a bellows is the mother and the son is born from the father, so he is indeed the same; accept your son, O Duṣyanta, Śakuntalā has spoken the truth.
सर्वेभ्यो ह्यङ्गमङ्गेभ्यः साक्षादुत्पद्यते सुतः। आत्मा चैव सुतो नाम तेनैव तव पौरव
A son is born directly from all the limbs; the self is called 'son' for this reason, O Paurava.
आहितं ह्यात्मनाऽऽत्मानं परिरक्ष इमं सुतम्। अनन्यां त्वं प्रतीक्षस्व मावमंस्थाः शकुन्तलाम्
Having placed yourself in him, protect this son; wait for the one who is not another, do not disregard Śakuntalā.
स्त्रियः पवित्रमतुलमेतद्दुष्यन्त धर्मतः। मासि मासि रजो ह्यासां दुरितान्यपकर्षति
Women are pure and unequaled in this, O Duṣyanta, according to dharma; month by month, their flow removes impurities.
ततः सर्वाणि भूतानि व्याजह्रस्तं समन्ततः
Then all beings spoke out together from every direction.
रेतोधाः पुत्र उन्नयति नरदेव यमक्षयात्। त्वं चास्य धाता गर्भस्य सत्यमाह शकुन्तला
The bearer of seed raises the son from the realm of Yama, O king; you are the nourisher of the embryo, Śakuntalā has spoken the truth.
पतिर्जायां प्रविशति स तस्यां जायते पुनः। अन्योन्यप्रकृतिर्ह्येषा मावमंस्थाः शकुन्तलाम्
The husband enters the wife, and in her he is born again; this is their mutual nature, do not disregard Śakuntalā.
जाया जनयते पुत्रमात्मनोऽङ्गाद्द्विधा कृतम्। तस्माद्भरस्व दुष्यन्त पुत्रं शाकुन्तलं नृप
The wife gives birth to a son from her own body, made in two parts; therefore, O Duṣyanta, bear your son Śākuntala, O king.
सुभूतिरेषा न त्याज्या जीवितं जीवयात्मजम्। शाकुन्तलं महात्मानं दुष्यन्त भर पौरवम्
This is a good fortune, not to be abandoned; let your life sustain your own son. O Duṣyanta, support the great-souled Śākuntala, the Paurava.
भर्तव्योऽयं त्वया यस्मादस्माकं वचनादपि। तस्माद्भवत्वयं नाम्ना भरतो नाम ते सुतः
Because he is to be maintained by you even more than by our command, therefore let this son of yours be named Bharata.
भरताद्भारती कीर्तिर्येनेदं भारतं कुलम्। अपरे ये च पूर्वे च भारता इति तेऽभवन्
From Bharata comes the renowned name by which this lineage is called Bhārata; those who came before and after are known as Bhāratas.
एवमुक्त्वा ततो देवा ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः। पतिव्रतेति संहृष्टाः पुष्पवृष्टिं ववर्षिरे
Having spoken thus, the gods and the ascetic sages, rich in austerity, joyfully showered down a rain of flowers, delighted, calling her a devoted wife.
तच्छ्रुत्वा पौरवो वाक्यं व्याहृतं वे दिवौकसाम्। `सिंहासनात्समुत्थाय प्रणम्य च दिवौकसः
Hearing the words spoken by the gods, the descendant of Puru rose from his throne and bowed to the immortals.