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.
नष्टं च भारतं वंशं पुनरेव समुद्धऱ। पुत्रं जनय सुश्रोणि देवराजसमप्रभम्
Restore the lost Bharata lineage once again; bear a son, O fair-hipped one, radiant as the king of the gods.
स हि राज्यधुरं गुर्वीमुद्वक्ष्यति कुलस्य नः। `एवमुक्त्वा तु सा देवी स्नुषां सत्यवती तदा
For he will bear the heavy burden of our family's rule; having spoken thus, Satyavati addressed her daughter-in-law.
सा धर्मतोऽनुनीयैनां कथंचिद्धर्मचारिणीम्। भोजयामास विप्रांश्च देवर्षीनतिथींस्तथा
Thus, having righteously persuaded her, making her act according to dharma, she fed Brahmins, divine sages, and guests as well.
ततः सत्यवती काले वधूं स्नातामृतौ तदा। संवेशयन्ती शयने शनैर्वचनमब्रवीत्
Then, at the proper time, Satyavati, after her daughter-in-law had bathed at the sacred hour, gently spoke to her as she lay upon the bed.
कौसल्ये देवरस्तेऽस्ति सोऽद्य त्वाऽनुप्रवेक्ष्यति। अप्रमत्ता प्रतीक्षैनं निशीथे ह्यागमिष्यति
O Kausalya, your godlike husband is coming to you today; be vigilant and await him, for he will arrive at midnight.
श्वश्र्वास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा शयाना शयने शुभे। साऽचिन्तयत्तदा भीष्ममन्यांश्च कुरुपुङ्गवान्
Hearing these words from her mother-in-law, as she lay on her splendid bed, she then thought of Bhishma and the other foremost Kurus.
ततः सुप्तजनप्रायेऽर्धरात्रे भगवानृषिः। दीप्यमानेषु दीपेषु शरणं प्रविवेश ह
Then, at midnight, when most people were asleep and the lamps were burning, the venerable sage entered the chamber.
ततोऽम्बिकायां प्रथमं नियुक्तः सत्यवागृषिः। जगाम तस्याः शयनं विपुले तपसि स्थितः
Thereafter, the truthful sage, devoted to great austerity, first approached Ambika as instructed and went to her bed.
तं समीक्ष्य तु कौसल्या दुष्प्रेक्षमतथोचिता। विरूप इति वित्रस्ता संकुच्यासीन्निमीलिता
But when Kausalya saw him—so difficult to look upon and so unlike what was expected—she shrank back in fear, closing her eyes.
विरूपो हि जटी चापि दुर्वर्णः परुषः कृशः। सुगन्धेतरगन्धश्च सर्वथा दुष्प्रधर्षणः
For he was indeed misshapen, matted-haired, of harsh complexion, rough, emaciated, and bearing a scent other than fragrance, altogether formidable.