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—
नाकरोद्वचनं देव्या भयात्सुरसुतोपमा। ततःस्वैर्भूषणैर्दासीं भूषयित्वाऽप्सरोपमाम्
He, equal to the sons of the gods, did not obey the queen's command out of fear; then, adorning a maid with splendid ornaments, making her resemble an apsara,
प्रेषयामास कृष्णाय ततः काशिपतेः सुता। सा तं त्वृषिमनुप्राप्तं प्रत्युद्गम्याभिवाद्य च
he sent that maid, made beautiful, to Kṛṣṇa; then the daughter of the king of Kāśī, approaching the sage as he arrived,
संविवेशाभ्यनुज्ञाता सत्कृत्योपचचार ह। `वाग्भावोपप्रदानेन गात्रसंस्पर्शनेन च
having been permitted to enter, she honored him and served him with gifts of words and gestures, and by touching his limbs.
कामोपभोगेन रहस्तस्यां तुष्टिमगादृषिः। तया सहोषितो राजन्महर्षिः संशितव्रतः
In secret, the sage enjoyed pleasure with her, and was satisfied; O King, the great sage, firm in his vows, dwelled with her.
उत्तिष्ठन्नब्रवीदेनामभुजिष्या भविष्यसि। अयं च ते शुभे गर्भः श्रेयानुदरमागतः। धर्मात्मा भविता लोके सर्वबुद्धिमतां वरः
Rising, he said to her: 'You shall become a mother, and this noble child has entered your womb; he will be righteous in the world, foremost among all the wise.'
स जज्ञे विदुरो नाम कृष्णद्वैपायनात्मजः। धृतराष्ट्रस्य वै भ्राता पाण्डोश्चैव महात्मनः
He was born as Vidura, son of Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, the brother of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the great Pāṇḍu.
धर्मो विदुररूपेण शापात्तस्य महात्मनः। माण्डव्यस्यार्थतत्त्वज्ञः कामक्रोधविवर्जितः
By the curse of the great-souled Māṇḍavya, Dharma was born in the form of Vidura, knowing the essence of right and wrong, free from desire and anger.
कृष्णद्वैपायनोऽप्येतत्सत्यवत्यै न्यवेदयत्। प्रलम्भमात्मनश्चैव शूद्रायाः पुत्रजन्म च
Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana also reported all this to Satyavatī: his own delay and the birth of a son from the maid.
स धर्मस्यानृणो भूत्वा पुनर्मात्रा समेत्य च। तस्यै गर्भं समावेद्य तत्रैवान्तरधीयत
Having fulfilled his duty to Dharma, he again met his mother; having announced the conception to her, he then disappeared there itself.
एते विचित्रवीर्यस्य क्षेत्रे द्वैपायनादपि। जज्ञिरे देवगर्भाभाः कुरुवंशविवर्धनाः
These, born from Dvaipāyana in the field of Vicitravīrya, resembling children of the gods, increased the Kuru lineage.
किं कृतं कर्म धर्मेण येन शापमुपेयिवान्। कस्य शापाच्च ब्रह्मर्षेः शूद्रयोनावजायत
What deed did Dharma perform that he incurred a curse? And by whose curse was the great sage born in a śūdra womb?
बभूव ब्राह्मणः कश्चिन्माण्डव्य इति विश्रुतः। धृतिमान्सर्वधर्मज्ञः सत्ये तपसि च स्थितः
There was a certain brāhmaṇa named Māṇḍavya, renowned, steadfast, knowing all dharma, firm in truth and austerity.
स तीर्थयात्रां विचरन्नाजगाम यदृच्छया। संनिकृष्टानि तीर्थानि ग्रामाणां यानि कानि च। तत्राश्रमपदं कृत्वा वसति स्म महामुनिः
He, wandering on a pilgrimage, came by chance to various holy places near villages; there, establishing his hermitage, the great sage dwelled.
स आश्रमपदद्वारि वृक्षमूले महातपाः। ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्महायोगी तस्थौ मौनव्रतान्वितः
At the entrance of his hermitage, beneath a tree, the great ascetic stood with arms raised, absorbed in great yoga, observing a vow of silence.
तस्य कालेन महता तस्मिंस्तपसि वर्ततः। तमाश्रममनुप्राप्ता दस्यवो लोप्त्रहारिणः
While he was engaged in that great austerity for a long time, robbers who stole plunder came to his hermitage.
अनुसार्यमाणा बहुभी रक्षिभिर्भरतर्षभ। `तामेव वसतिं जग्मुस्ते ग्रामाल्लोप्त्रहारिणः
Pursued by many guards, O bull among the Bharatas, those thieves who had stolen plunder entered that very dwelling.
यस्मिन्नावसथे शेते स मुनिः संशितव्रतः।' ते तस्यावसथे लोप्त्रं दस्यवः कुरुसत्तम
In that dwelling where the sage, firm in his vows, lay, those thieves, O best of Kurus, hid their plunder there.
निधाय च भयाल्लीनास्तत्रैवानागते बले। तेषु लीनेष्वथो शीघ्रं ततस्तद्रक्षिणां बलम्
And, out of fear, they concealed themselves there before the guards arrived; when they had hidden, the guards quickly came to that place.
आजगाम ततोऽपश्यंस्तमृषिं तस्करानुगाः। तमपृच्छंस्ततो राजंस्तथावृत्तं तपोधनम्
Then I arrived and saw that sage, accompanied by the thieves; I questioned that ascetic, O King, about what had happened.
कतरेण पथा याता दस्यवो द्विजसत्तम। तेन गच्छामहे ब्रह्मन्यथा शीघ्रतरं वयम्
By which path did the robbers go, O best of twice-born? We will go that way, O Brahmin, so that we may reach them more quickly.