Mahabharata

प्रादुर्बभूवाविदितः क्षणेन कुरुनन्दन। तस्मै पूजां ततः कृत्वा सुताय विधिपूर्वकम्

He manifested there, unseen, in a moment, O joy of the Kurus; after that, she performed the proper rites of worship for her son.

परिष्वज्य च बाहुभ्यां प्रस्रवैरभ्यषिञ्चत। मुमोच बाष्पं दाशेयी पुत्रं दृष्ट्वा चिरस्य तु

Embracing him with her arms, she bathed him with flowing tears; seeing her son after so long, the daughter of Daśa shed tears.

तामद्भिः परिषिच्यार्तां महर्षिरभिवाद्य च। मातरं पूर्वजः पुत्रो व्यासो वचनमब्रवीत्

Sprinkling her, who was distressed, with water, and offering her respects, the great sage, her eldest son Vyāsa, spoke these words to his mother.

भवत्या यदभिप्रेतं तदहं कर्तुमागतः। शाधि मां धर्मतत्त्वज्ञे करवाणि प्रियं तव

What you desire, for that I have come; command me, knower of righteousness, and I will do what pleases you.

तस्मै पूजां ततोऽकार्षीत्पुरोधाः परमर्षये। स च तां प्रतिजग्राह विधिमन्मन्त्रपूर्वकम्

Then the officiating priest performed worship for that supreme sage; and he accepted it according to proper rite and mantra.

पूजितो मन्त्रपूर्वं तु विधिवत्प्रीतिमाप सः। तमासनगतं माता पृष्ट्वा कुशलमव्ययम्

Thus worshipped with mantras and proper rites, he was pleased; and as he sat, his mother asked after his unchanging welfare.

सत्यवत्यथ वीक्ष्यैनमुवाचेदमनन्तरम्। मातापित्रोः प्रजायन्ते पुत्राः साधारणाः कवे

Then Satyavatī, seeing him, immediately spoke: 'O sage, sons are born equally from both mother and father.'

तेषां पिता यथा स्वीमी तथा माता न संशयः। विधानविहितः स त्वं यथा मे प्रथमः सुतः

As the father is their own, so too is the mother, without doubt; by ordinance you are my eldest son.

विचित्रवीर्यो ब्रह्मर्षे तथा मेऽवरजः सुतः। यथैव पितृतो भीष्मस्तथा त्वमपि मातृतः

O brāhmaṇa sage, Vicitravīrya is likewise my younger son; as Bhīṣma is from the father, so you are from the mother.

भ्राता विचित्रवीर्यस्य यथा वा पुत्र मन्यसे। अयं शान्तनवः सत्यं पालयन्सत्यविक्रमः

As you consider yourself a brother or son to Vicitravīrya, so is this truthful son of Śāntanu, upholding truth with firm resolve.

बुद्धिं न कुरुतेऽपत्ये तथा राज्याऽनुशासने। स त्वं व्यपेक्षया भ्रातुः सन्तानाय कुलस्य च

He does not act regarding offspring or the rule of the kingdom; therefore, for the sake of your brother’s line and our family, you must consider this.

भीष्मस्य चास्य वचनान्नियोगाच्च ममानघ। अनुक्रोशाच्च भूतानां सर्वेषां रक्षणाय च

By the words of Bhīṣma, by my command, O sinless one, and out of compassion for all beings and for their protection,

आनृशंस्याच्च यद्ब्रूयां तच्छ्रुत्वा कर्तुमर्हसि। यवीयसस्व भ्रातुर्भार्ये सुरसुतोपमे

And out of kindness, whatever I say, having heard it, you should do; with the wives of your younger brother, who are like daughters of the gods.

रूपयौवनसंपन्ने पुत्रकामे च धर्मतः। तयोरुत्पादयापत्यं समर्थो ह्यसि पुत्रक

Endowed with beauty and youth, and desiring sons in accordance with righteousness; you are capable, my son, of begetting offspring on them.

अनुरूपं कुलस्यास्य संतत्याः प्रसवस्य च

Suitable for the continuation of this family and for the birth of heirs.

तथा तव महाप्राज्ञे धर्मे प्रणिहिता मतिः। तस्मादहं त्वन्नियोगाद्धर्ममुद्दिश्य कारणम्

In the same way, O wise one, your mind is fixed on righteousness; therefore, at your command, I will act for the sake of dharma.

ईप्सितं ते करिष्यामि दृष्टं ह्येतत्सनातनम्। भ्रातुः पुत्रान्प्रदास्यामि मित्रावरुणयोः समान्

I will do what you desire, for this ancient practice has been seen; I will give sons to your brother, equal to Mitra and Varuna.

व्रतं चरेतां ते देव्यौ निर्दिष्टमिह यन्मया। संवत्सरं यथान्यायं ततः शुद्धे भविष्यतः

Let your two queens observe the vow I have prescribed here; for one year, as is proper, and then they will be purified.

सद्यो यथा प्रपद्येते देव्यौ गर्भं तथा कुरु

Just as the two queens are ready, so let them conceive at once.

अराजकेषु राष्ट्रेषु प्रजाऽनाथा विनश्यति। नश्यन्ति च क्रियाः सर्वा नास्ति वृष्टिर्न देवता

In kingdoms without a king, the people perish, left without a protector; all rites are destroyed, there is no rain, nor are there gods.

कथं चाराजकं राष्ट्रं शक्यं धारयितुं प्रभो। तस्माद्गर्भं समाधत्स्व भीष्मः संवर्धयिष्यति

How can a kingdom without a king be sustained, O lord? Therefore, let conception take place; Bhishma will raise the child.

यदि पुत्रः प्रदातव्यो मया भ्रातुरकालिकः। विरूपतां मे सहतां तयोरेतत्परं व्रतम्

If I must give a son to my brother at an improper time, let me bear the deformity of those two; this is my highest vow.

यदि मे सहते गन्धं रूपं वेषं तथा वपुः। अद्यैव गर्भं कौसल्या विशिष्टं प्रतिपद्यताम्

If she can endure my scent, form, appearance, and body, let Kausalya conceive an excellent child this very day.

तस्यापि च शतं पुत्रा भवितारो न संशयः। गोप्तारः कुरुवंशस्य भवत्याः शोकनाशनाः

She too will have a hundred sons, without doubt; they will be protectors of the Kuru lineage and removers of your sorrow.

एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा व्यासः सत्यवतीं तदा। शयने सा च कौसल्या शुचिवस्त्रा ह्यलङ्कृता

Having spoken thus, the great sage Vyasa then approached Satyavati; and Kausalya, adorned and clad in pure garments, lay upon her bed.

समागमनमाकाङ्क्षेदिति सोऽन्तर्हितो मुनिः। ततोऽभिगम्य सा देवी स्नुषां रहसि संगताम्

The sage, desiring union, became invisible; then the queen approached her daughter-in-law, who was alone in private.

धर्म्यमर्थसमायुक्तमुवाच वचनं हितम्। कौसल्ये धर्मतन्त्रं त्वां यद्ब्रवीमि निबोध तत्

She spoke words that were righteous and beneficial, filled with purpose; 'O Kausalya, listen to this doctrine of dharma that I tell you.'

भरतानां समुच्छेदो व्यक्तं मद्भाग्यसंक्षयात्। व्यथितां मां च संप्रेक्ष्य पितृवंशं च पीडितम्

The destruction of the Bharata line is certain, due to the decline of my fortune; seeing me distressed and the ancestral line afflicted—

भीष्मो बुद्धिमदान्मह्यं कुलस्यास्य विवृद्धये। सा च बुद्धिस्त्वय्यधीना पुत्रि प्रापय मां तथा

Bhishma, wise in counsel, has advised me for the growth of this family; and this counsel depends on you, daughter, so grant me this.