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.
भविष्यति सुविक्रान्तः कुमारो दिक्षु विश्रुतः। पाण्डुत्वं वर्णतस्तस्य मातृदोषाद्भविष्यति
'The boy will be exceedingly valiant, renowned in all directions; but due to his mother's fault, his complexion will be pale.'
तस्य पुत्रा महेष्वासा भविष्यन्तीह पञ्च वै। इत्युक्त्वा मातरं तत्र सोऽभिवाद्य जगाम ह
'He will have five sons here, all great archers.' Having said this, he respectfully greeted his mother and departed.
तं माता पुनरेवान्यमेकं पुत्रमयाचत। तथेति च महर्षिस्तां मातरं प्रत्यभाषत
His mother again requested another son; and the great sage replied to her, 'So be it.'
ततः कुमारं सा देवी प्राप्तकालमजीजनत्। पाण्डुलक्षणसंपन्नं दीप्यमानमिव श्रिया
Then the queen, at the proper time, gave birth to a son endowed with the marks of pallor, shining as if with splendor.
यस्य पुत्रा महेष्वासा जज्ञिरे पञ्च पाण्डवाः। `तयोर्जन्मक्रियाः सर्वा यथावदनुपूर्वशः
From him were born five sons, the mighty-armed Pandavas; all the birth rites for both were performed properly and in due order.
कारयामास वै भीष्मो ब्राह्मणैर्वेदपारगैः। अन्धं दृष्ट्वाऽम्बिकापुत्रं जातं सत्यवती सुतम्
Bhishma had all the ceremonies performed by learned Brahmins versed in the Vedas; seeing that Satyavati's son, Ambika's child, was born blind—
कौसल्यार्थे समाहूय पुत्रमन्यमयाचत। अन्धोयमन्यमिच्छामि कौसल्यातनयं शुभम्
For the sake of Kausalya, she summoned her son and requested another child: 'This one is blind; I desire another, a virtuous son from Kausalya.'
एवमुक्तो महर्षिस्तां मातरं प्रत्यभाषत। नियता यदि कौसल्या भविष्यति पुनःशुभा
Thus addressed, the great sage replied to his mother: 'If Kausalya is steadfast, she will again bear a virtuous child.'
भविष्यति कुमारोऽस्या धर्मशास्त्रार्थतत्ववित्। तां समाधाय वै भूयः स्नुषां सत्यवती पुनः
'Her son will be learned in the essence of dharma and the meaning of the scriptures.' Having thus resolved, Satyavati again summoned her daughter-in-law.
ऋतुकाले ततो ज्येष्ठां वधूं तस्मै न्ययोजयत्। सा तु रूपं च गन्धं च महर्षेः प्रविचिन्त्य तं
Then, at the proper season, she assigned the elder bride to him; but she, reflecting upon the sage's appearance and scent—