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.
अथ त्विदं प्रवक्ष्यामि धर्मतत्त्वं निबोध मे। पुराणमृषिभिर्दृष्टं धर्मविद्भिर्महात्मभिः
Now I shall tell you the true principle of righteousness—listen to me; it was seen by ancient sages, knowers of dharma, great souls.
अनावृताः किल पुरा स्त्रिय आसन्वरानने। कामचारविहारिण्यः स्वतन्त्राश्चारुहासिनि
In ancient times, O lovely-smiling one, women were unconfined, free to go where they wished, independent.
तासां व्युच्चरमाणानां कौमारात्सुभगे पतीन्। नाधर्मोऽभूद्वरारोहे स हि धर्मः पुराऽभवत्
For those women, O beautiful one, taking husbands after reaching youth was not unrighteous; that was the dharma in ancient times.
तं चैव धर्मं पौराणं तिर्यग्योनिगताः प्रजाः। अद्याप्यनुविधीयन्ते कामक्रोधविवर्जिताः
Even now, creatures born in animal forms, free from desire and anger, follow that ancient dharma.
प्रमाणदृष्टो धर्मोऽयं पूज्यते च महर्षिभिः। उत्तरेषु च रम्भोरु कुरुष्वद्यापि पूज्यते। स्त्रीणामनुग्रहकरः स हि धर्मः सनातनः
This dharma, established by authority, is honored by the great sages; even today, O slender-waisted one, it is revered among the northern Kurus. This eternal law brings favor to women.
नाग्निस्तृप्यति काष्ठानां नापगानां महोदधिः। नान्तकः सर्वभूतानां न पुंसां वामलोचनाः
Fire is never sated with wood, nor the vast ocean with rivers; Death is never satisfied with all beings, nor are women with men.
एवं तृष्णा तु नारीणां पुरुषं पुरुषं प्रति। अगम्यागमनं स्त्रीणां नास्ति नित्यं शुचिस्मिते
In this way, the desire of women is directed toward every man; for women, O smiling one, there is no such thing as forbidden union.
पुत्रं वा किल पौत्रं वा कासांचिद्धातरं तथा। रहसीह नरं दृष्ट्वा योनिरुत्क्लिद्यते तदा
Whether it is a son, a grandson, or even a brother—when a woman sees a man in private, her womb is stirred.
एतत्स्वाभाविकं स्त्रीणां न निमित्तकृतं शुभे।' अस्मिंस्तु लोके नचिरान्मर्यादेयं शुचिस्मिते
This is natural for women, O auspicious one, not caused by any external reason; but in this world, O smiling one, this custom did not last long.
स्थापिता येन यस्माच्च तन्मे विस्तरतः शृणु। बभूवोद्दालको नाम महर्षिरिति नः श्रुतम्
Hear from me in detail by whom and how this custom was established; there was a great sage named Uddālaka, as we have heard.
श्वेतकेतुरिति ख्यातः पुत्रस्तस्याभवन्मुनिः। मर्यादेयं कृता तेन धर्म्या वै श्वेतकेतुना
His son was the sage known as Śvetaketu; it was he, Śvetaketu, who established this righteous custom.
कोपात्कमलपत्राक्षि यदर्थं तन्निबोध मे
Listen to me, lotus-eyed one, for what reason, out of anger, he did this.
श्वेतकेतोः पिता देवि तप उग्रं समास्थितः। ग्रीष्मे पञ्चतपा भूत्वा वर्षास्वाकाशगोऽभवत्
Śvetaketu's father, O goddess, undertook severe austerities; in the summer, he practiced the five-fire vow, and in the rainy season, he remained under the open sky.
शिशइरे सलिलस्थायी सह पत्न्या महातपाः। उद्दालकं तपस्यन्तं नियमेन समाहितम्
In winter, he stood in water together with his wife, that great ascetic Uddālaka, engaged in strict penance with discipline and concentration.
तस्य पुत्रः श्वेतकेतुः परिचर्यां चकार ह। अभ्यागच्छद्द्विजः कश्चिद्वलीपलितसंततः
His son Śvetaketu served him; then a certain brahmin, aged and gray-haired, arrived.
तं दृष्ट्वैव मुनिः प्रीतः पूजयामास शास्त्रतः। स्वागतेन च पाद्येन मृदुवाक्यैश्च भारत
Seeing him, the sage was pleased and honored him according to the scriptures—with words of welcome, water for washing feet, and gentle speech, O Bhārata.
शाकमूलफलाद्यैश्च वन्यैरन्यैरपूजयत्। क्षुत्पिपासाश्रमेंणार्तः पूजितश्च महर्षिणा
He also honored him with wild greens, roots, fruits, and other forest fare; the guest, weary from hunger, thirst, and hardship, was thus received by the great sage.
विश्रान्तो मुनिमासाद्य पर्यपृच्छद्द्विजस्तदा। उद्दालक महर्षे त्वं सत्यं मे ब्रूहि माऽनृतम्
After resting, the brahmin approached the sage and asked: 'O great sage Uddālaka, tell me the truth, do not speak falsely.'
ऋषिपुत्रः कुमारोऽयं दर्शनीयो विशेषतः। तव पुत्रमिमं मन्ये कृतकृत्योऽसि तद्वद
'This boy, son of a sage, is especially handsome; I think he is your son—tell me, have you accomplished your purpose?'
मम पत्नी महाप्राज्ञ कुशिकस्य सुता मता। मामेवानुगता पत्नी मम नित्यमनुव्रता
'My wife, O wise one, is the daughter of Kuśika; she is devoted to me alone, always faithful to me.'