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.
तस्य कृष्णस्य कपिलां जटां दीप्ते च लोचने। बब्रूणि चैव श्मश्रूमि दृष्ट्वा देवी न्यमीलयत्
Seeing his dark complexion, tawny matted hair, blazing eyes, and brown beard, the lady closed her eyes.
संभूव तया सार्धं मातुः प्रियचिकीर्षया। भयात्काशिसुता तं तु नाशक्नोदभिवीक्षितुम्
Though she united with him out of desire to please her mother, the daughter of Kashi could not look at him out of fear.
ततो निष्क्रान्तमागम्य माता पुत्रमुवाच ह। अप्यस्यां गुणवान्पुत्र राजपुत्रो भविष्यति
Then, after he had departed, the mother came and said to her son, 'Will this princess bear a virtuous royal son?'
निशम्य तद्वचो मातुर्व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः। `प्रोवाचातीन्द्रियज्ञानो विधिना संप्रचोदितः
Hearing his mother's words, Vyasa, son of Satyavati, endowed with knowledge beyond the senses and impelled by destiny, replied:
नागायुतसमप्राणो विद्वान्राजर्षिसत्तमः। महाभागो महावीर्यो महाबुद्धिर्भविष्यति
He will have the strength of ten thousand elephants, be learned, the best of royal sages, greatly fortunate, mighty, and of great intellect.
तस्य चापि शतं पुत्रा भविष्यन्ति महात्मनः। किंतु मातुः स वैगुण्यादन्ध एव भविष्यति
He will also have a hundred sons, this great-souled one; but due to his mother's fault, he will be born blind.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा माता पुत्रमथाऽब्रवीत्। नान्धः कुरूणां नृपतिरनुरूपस्तपोधन
Hearing this, the mother then said to her son, 'A blind king is not suitable for the Kurus, O possessor of austerity.'
ज्ञातिवंशस्य गोप्तारं पितॄणां वंशवर्धनम्। `अपरस्यामपि पुनर्मम शोकविनाशनम्
'He should be the protector of the family line, the enhancer of the ancestors' lineage; grant me another son, to remove my sorrow.'
तस्मादवरजं पुत्रं जनयान्यं नराधिपम्। भ्रातुर्भार्याऽवरा चेयं रूपयौवनशालिनी
Therefore, beget another son, a king, on my younger daughter-in-law; she is endowed with beauty and youth.
अस्यामुत्पादयाऽपत्यं मन्नियोगाद्गुणाधिकम्।' द्वितीयं कुरुवंशस्य राजानं दातुमर्हसि
By my command, beget a son on her, superior in qualities, to be the second king of the Kuru line.
स तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय निश्चक्राम महायशाः। साऽपि कालेन कौसल्या सुषुवेऽन्धं तमात्मजम्
He, of great fame, agreed, saying 'So be it,' and departed; in due time, Kausalya gave birth to that blind son.
पुनरेव तु सा देवी परिभाष्य स्नुषां ततः। ऋषिमावाहयत्सत्या यथापूर्वमरिन्दम
Then again, after speaking with her daughter-in-law, the lady summoned the sage, O subduer of foes, just as before.
अम्बालिकां समाहूय तस्यां सत्यवती सुतम्। भूयो नियोजयामास सन्तानाय कुलस्य वै
Satyavati summoned Ambalika and again instructed her, for the sake of continuing the lineage, to unite with her son.
विषण्णाम्बालिका साध्वी निषण्णा शयनोत्तमे। कोन्वेष्यतीति ध्यायन्ती नियतां संप्रतीक्षते
The virtuous Ambalika, distressed, sat upon the excellent bed, pondering anxiously, 'Who will approach me?' and waited in restraint.
ततस्तेनैव विधिना महर्षिस्तामपद्यत। अम्बालिकामथाऽभ्यागादृषिं दृष्ट्वा च साऽपि तम्
Then, by the same procedure, the great sage approached her; and Ambalika, upon seeing the sage, also came before him.
विवर्णा पाण्डुसंकाशा समपद्यत भारत। तां भीतां पाण्डुसंकाशां विषण्णां प्रेक्ष्य भारत
O Bharata, she became pale, her complexion turning ashen; seeing her frightened, pale, and dispirited, O Bharata—
व्यासः सत्यवतीपुत्र इदं वचनमब्रवीत्। यस्मात्पाण्डुत्वमापन्ना विरूपं प्रेक्ष्य मामिह
Vyasa, son of Satyavati, spoke these words: 'Because you have become pale upon seeing me in this form—'
तस्मादेष सुतस्ते वै पाण्डुरेव भविष्यति। नाम चास्यैतदेवेह भविष्यति शुभानने
'Therefore, O auspicious one, your son will indeed be pale; and this shall be his name here.'
इत्युक्त्वा स निराक्रामद्भगवानृषिसत्तमः। ततो निष्क्रान्तमालोक्य सत्या पुत्रमथाऽब्रवीत्
Having spoken thus, the venerable and foremost sage departed; and seeing him leave, Satyavati then spoke to her son.
कुमारो ब्रूहि मे पुत्र अप्यत्र भविता शुभः।' शशंस स पुनर्मात्रे तस्य बालस्य पाण्डुताम्
'My son, tell me, will there be good fortune here?' The boy again reported to his mother about the child's pallor.