देवा ब्रह्मर्षयश्चैव चक्रुः कर्म स्वयं तदा। व्युषिताश्वस्ततो राजन्नति मर्त्यान्व्यरोचत
Then the gods and the Brahmin sages themselves performed the rites; King Vyushitasva shone brighter than mortals.
सर्वभूतान्प्रति यथा तपनः शिशिरात्यये। स विजित्य गृहीत्वा च नृपतीन्राजसत्तमः
Just as the sun outshines all beings at the end of winter, so did that foremost king, having conquered and subdued other rulers.
प्राच्यानुदिच्यान्पाश्चात्यान्दाक्षिणात्यानकालयत्। अश्वमेधे महायज्ञे व्युषिताश्वः प्रतापवान्
Vyushitasva, powerful in glory, subdued the kings of the east, north, west, and south at the great horse sacrifice.
बभूव स हि राजेन्द्रो दशनागबलान्वितः। अप्यत्र गाथां गायन्ति ये पुराणविदो जनाः
That king, endowed with the strength of ten elephants, became renowned; indeed, those versed in ancient lore sing his praises.
व्युषिताश्वे यशोवृद्धे मनुष्येन्द्रे कुरूत्तम। व्युषिताश्वः समुद्रान्तां विजित्येमां वसुन्धराम्
O best of Kurus, when Vyushitasva's fame increased among men, he conquered the earth up to the ocean's edge.
अपालयत्सर्ववर्णान्पिता पुत्रानिवौरसान्। यजमानो महायज्ञैर्ब्राह्मणेभ्यो धनं ददौ
He protected all classes as a father protects his own sons; the sacrificer gave wealth to Brahmins through great sacrifices.
अनन्तरत्नान्यादाय स जहार महाक्रतून्। सुषाव च बहून्सोमान्सोमसंस्थास्ततान च
He acquired countless treasures and performed grand rituals; he pressed much Soma and established many Soma rites.
आसीत्काक्षीवती चास्य भार्या परमसंमता। भद्रा नाम मनुष्येन्द्र रूपेणासदृशी भुवि
His wife was Kakshivati, highly esteemed; her name was Bhadra, unmatched in beauty among mortals.
कामयामासतुस्तौ च परस्परमिति श्रुतम्। स तस्यां कामसंपन्नो यक्ष्मणा समपद्यत
It is heard that the two desired each other; he, fulfilled in love with her, was struck by illness.
तेनाचिरेण कालेन जगामास्तमिवांशुमान्। तस्मिन्प्रेते मनुष्येन्द्रे भार्याऽस्य भृशदुःखिता
Within a short time, like the sun setting, he departed; when the king died, his wife was overwhelmed with grief.
अपुत्रा पुरुषव्याघ्र विललापेति नः श्रुतम्। भद्रा परमदुःखार्ता तन्निबोध जनाधिप
Without a son, O tiger among men, she lamented; Bhadra, deeply afflicted, grieved—hear this, O ruler of people.
नारी परमधर्मज्ञ सर्वा भर्तृविनाकृता। पतिं विना जीवति या न सा जीवति दुःखिता
A woman, though supremely righteous, is incomplete without her husband; one who lives without her spouse does not truly live, but suffers.
पतिं विना मृतं श्रेयो नार्याः क्षत्रियपुंगव।। त्वद्गतिं गन्तुमिच्छामि प्रसीदस्वनयस्वमाम्
It is better for a woman to die than to live without her husband, O foremost of Kshatriyas; I wish to follow your path, be gracious and take me with you.
त्वया हीना क्षणमपि नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे। प्रसादं कुरु मे राजन्नितस्तूर्णं नयस्व माम्
Even for a moment, I cannot bear to live without you; grant me your favor, O king, and swiftly take me from here.
पृष्ठतोऽनुगमिष्यामि समेषु विषमेषु च। त्वामहं नरशार्दूल गच्छन्तमनिवर्तितुम्
I will follow behind you, whether the path is smooth or rough; O tiger among men, I will not turn back as you go.
छायेवानुगता राजन्सततं वशवर्तिनी। भविष्यामि नरव्याघ्र नित्यं प्रियहिते रता
Like a shadow, I will always follow you, obedient; O tiger among men, I will ever be devoted to your pleasure and welfare.
अद्यप्रभृति मां राजन्कष्टा हृदयशोषणाः। आधयोऽभिभविष्यन्ति त्वामृते पुष्करेक्षण
From this day forward, O King, sorrows that dry up the heart will overwhelm me, lotus-eyed one, in your absence.
अभाग्यया मया नूनं वियुक्ताः सहचारिणः। तेन मे विप्रयोगोऽयमुपपन्नस्त्वया सह
Surely, because of my misfortune, my companions have been separated from me; thus, this separation from you has come upon me.
विप्रयुक्ता तु या पत्या मुहूर्तमपि जीवति। दुःखं जीवति सा पापा नरकस्थेव पार्थिव
A woman who, separated from her husband, lives even for a moment, O King, lives in misery—she is wretched, as if dwelling in hell.
संयुक्ता विप्रयुक्ताश्च पूर्वदेहे कृता मया। तदिदं कर्मभिः पापैः पूर्वदेहेषु संचितम्
Unions and separations with husbands were made by me in previous lives; this suffering now is the result of sinful deeds accumulated in former births.
दुःखं मामनुसंप्राप्तं राजंस्त्वद्विप्रयोगजम्। अद्यप्रभृत्यहं राजन्कुशसंस्तरशायिनी। भविष्याम्यसुखाविष्टा त्वद्दर्शनपरायणा
This sorrow has come upon me, O King, from separation from you; from today, I shall lie on a bed of kusa grass, afflicted by unhappiness, devoted only to the thought of seeing you.
दर्शयस्व नरव्याघ्र शाधि मामसुखान्विताम्। कृपणां चाथ करुणं विलपत्नीं नरेश्वर
Show yourself, tiger among men, command me, though I am wretched and filled with sorrow, O lord of men, as I lament in misery and distress.
एवं बहुविधं तस्यां विलपन्त्यां पुनःपुनः। तं शवं संपरिष्वज्य वाक्किलाऽन्तर्हिताऽब्रवीत्
As she lamented in many ways again and again, embracing that corpse, her voice choked with emotion, she spoke these words.
उत्तिष्ठ भद्रे गच्छ त्वं ददानीह वरं तव। जनयिष्याम्यपत्यानि त्वय्यहं चारुहासिनि
Rise, O gentle one, go now—I grant you a boon here; I shall give you children, O one with lovely smile, through you.
आत्मकीये वरारोहे शयनीये चतुर्दशीम्। अष्टमीं वा ऋतुस्नाता संविशेथा मया सह
O beautiful one, on your own bed, on the fourteenth or the eighth day, after your ritual bath, you may unite with me.
एवमुक्ता तु सा देवी तथा चक्रे पतिव्रता। यथोक्तमेव तद्वाक्यं भद्रा पुत्रार्थिनी तदा
Thus addressed, that devoted lady did exactly as she was told, desiring a son, following those words precisely.
सा तेन सुषुवे देवी शवेन भरतर्षभ। त्रीञ्शाल्वांश्चतुरो मद्रान्सुतान्भरतसत्तम
By him, through that corpse, the lady bore three sons of the Shalva line and four sons of the Madra line, O best of the Bharatas.
तथा त्वमपि मय्येवं मनसा भरतर्षभ। शक्तो जनयितुं पुत्रांस्तपोयोगबलान्वितः
In the same way, O best of the Bharatas, you too are able to beget sons in me by the power of asceticism and yoga.
एवमुक्तस्तया राजा तां देवीं पुनरब्रवीत्। धर्मविद्धर्मसंयुक्तमिदं वचनमुत्तमम्
Thus addressed by her, the king again spoke to that lady, uttering these excellent words, grounded in righteousness and knowledge of duty.
एवमेतत्पुरा कुन्ति व्युषिताश्वश्चकार ह। यथा त्वयोक्तं कल्याणि स ह्यासीदमरोपमः
Just so, O Kunti, in ancient times Vyushitashva did as you have said, O auspicious one; he was indeed like a god.