ममैतद्वचनं धर्म्यं कर्तुमर्हस्यनिन्दिते। ऋतावृतौ राजपुत्रि स्त्रिया भर्ता पतिव्रते
You should act according to my righteous words, O blameless princess; at the proper season, the husband is the lord of the devoted wife.
नातिवर्तव्य इत्येवं धर्मं धर्मविदो विदुः। शेषेष्वन्येषु कालेषु स्वातन्त्र्यं स्त्री किलार्हति
This is the law, say the knowers of dharma: it must not be transgressed; at other times, it is said, a woman may have independence.
धर्ममेवं जनाः सन्तः पुराणं परिचक्षते। भर्ता भार्यां राजपुत्रि धर्म्यं वाऽधर्म्यमेव वा
Thus, people speak of this ancient law; whether righteous or unrighteous, O princess, the wife should do as the husband commands.
यद्ब्रूयात्तत्तथा कार्यमिति वेदविदो विदुः। विशेषतः पुत्रगृद्धी हीनः प्रजननात्स्वयम्
This is what the knowers of the Veda declare: whatever the husband says should be done, especially when he desires a son but is himself unable to beget.
यथाऽहमनवद्याङ्गि पुत्रदर्शनलालसः। अयं रक्ताङ्गुलिनखः पद्मपत्रनिभः शुभे
Just as I, O faultless one, long to see a son; this one, with red-tipped nails and lotus-leaf-like hands, O beautiful one—
प्रसादनार्थं सुश्रोणि शिरस्यभ्युद्यतोऽञ्जलिः। मन्नियोगात्सुकेशान्ते द्विजातेस्तपसाऽधिकात्
For the sake of pleasing you, O lovely-hipped one, I raise my joined palms to my head; by my command, O fair-haired one, through the ascetic power of a Brahmin—
पुत्रान्गुणसमायुक्तानुत्पादयितुमर्हसि। त्वत्कृतेऽहं पृथुश्रोणि गच्छेयं पुत्रिणां गतिम्
You should produce sons endowed with virtues; for your sake, O broad-hipped one, I would attain the destiny of those who have children.
एवमुक्ता ततः कुन्ती पाण्डुं परपुरञ्जयम्। प्रत्युवाच वरारोहा भर्तुः प्रियहिते रता
Thus addressed, Kunti, of noble form, devoted to her husband's welfare, replied to Pandu, the conqueror of enemy cities.
अधर्मः सुमहानेषु स्त्रीणां भरतसत्तम। यत्प्रसादयते भर्ता प्रसाद्यः क्षत्रियर्षभ। शृणु चेदं महाबाहो मम प्रीतिकरं चः
O best of the Bharatas, it is a great injustice among women that a husband, once pleased, must be pleased again, O bull among Kshatriyas. Hear now, mighty-armed one, this which will bring you joy.
पितृवेश्मन्यहं बाला नियुक्ताऽतिथिपूजने। उग्रं पर्यचरं तत्र ब्राह्मणं संशितव्रतम्
While still a girl in my father's house, I was assigned to honor guests; there, I served a fierce and resolute Brahmin.
निगूढनिश्चयं धर्मे यं तं दुर्वाससं विदुः। तमहं संशितात्मानं सर्वयत्नैरतोषयम्
That Brahmin, known as Durvasa, whose intentions in dharma are hidden, I satisfied with all my efforts, for he was steadfast in his vows.
स मेऽभिचारसंयुक्तमाचष्ट भगवान्वरम्। मन्त्रं त्विमं च मे प्रादादब्रवीच्चैव मामिदम्
The venerable one then granted me a boon connected with a ritual, and gave me this mantra, and said these words to me.
यं यं देवं त्वमेतेन मन्त्रेणावाहयिष्यसि। अकामो वा सकामो वा वशं ते समुपैष्यति
Whichever god you invoke with this mantra, whether with desire or without, will come under your control.
तस्य तस्य प्रसादात्ते राज्ञि पुत्रो भविष्यति। इत्युक्ताऽहं तदा तेन पितृवेश्मनि भारत
By the grace of that deity, O king, you will obtain a son; thus I was told at that time by him in my father's house, O Bharata.
ब्राह्मणस्य वचस्तथ्यं तस्य कालोऽयमागतः। अनुज्ञाता त्वया देवमाह्वयेयमहं नृप
The Brahmin's words are true, and now the time has come; with your permission, O king, I will invoke a god.
यां मे विद्यां महाराज अददात्स महायशाः। तयाऽऽहूतः सुरः पुत्रं प्रदास्यति सुरोपमम्। अनपत्यकृतं यस्ते शोकं वीर विनेष्यति
The illustrious one gave me that knowledge, O great king; by that, when a god is invoked, he will grant a son equal to the gods, and will remove the sorrow you bear for being childless, O hero.
धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्राणामादितः कथितं त्वया। ऋषेः प्रसादात्तु शतं न च कन्या प्रकीर्तिता
You have already told of the sons of Dhritarashtra, a hundred by the sage's favor, but the daughter was not mentioned.
वैश्यापुत्रो युयुत्सुश्च कन्या चैका शताधिका। गान्धारराजदुहिता शतपुत्रेति चानघ
Yuyutsu, the son of a Vaishya woman, and one daughter, making more than a hundred; the daughter of the king of Gandhara, called 'mother of a hundred sons,' O sinless one.
उक्ता महर्षिणा तेन व्यासेनामिततेजसा। कथं त्विदानीं भगवन्कन्यां त्वं तु ब्रवीषि मे
This was declared by the great sage Vyasa, of immeasurable energy; but now, O blessed one, you speak to me of a daughter—how is this?
यदि भागशतं पेशी कृता तेन महर्षिणा। न प्रजास्यति चेद्भूयः सौबलेयी कथंचन
If the great sage made a hundred portions from the flesh-mass, and no more were to be born, how then could Saubali's daughter be born?
कथं तु संभवस्तस्या दुःशलाया वदस्व मे। यथावदिह विप्रर्षे परं मेऽत्र कुतूहलम्
Tell me, how did Duḥśalā come to be? Speak to me as it truly happened, O best of Brahmins, for I am most curious about this.
साध्वयं प्रश्न उद्दिष्टः पाण्डवेय ब्रवीमि ते। तां मांसपेशीं भगवान्स्वयमेव महातपाः
O son of Pandu, your question is well asked; I will tell you. The blessed, great ascetic himself divided that flesh-mass.
शीताभिरद्भिरासिच्य भागं भागमकल्पयत्। यो यथा कल्पितो भागस्तंत धात्र्या तथा नृप
Sprinkling it with cold water, he apportioned it into equal parts; as each portion was made, it was given to a nurse, O king.
घृतपूर्णेषु कुण्डेषु एकैकं प्राक्षिपत्तदा। एतस्मिन्नन्तरे साध्वी गान्धारी सुदृढव्रता
Then he placed each portion into a separate pot filled with ghee; meanwhile, the virtuous Gandhari, firm in her vows—
दुहितुः स्नेहसंयोगमनुध्याय वराङ्गना। `नाब्रवीत्तमृषिं किंचिद्गौरवाच्च यशस्विनी।' मनसा चिन्तयद्देवी एतत्पुत्रशतं मम
Thinking constantly of her daughter's affection, that noble lady did not say anything to the sage out of respect, but in her mind, the queen thought: 'May I have a hundred sons.'
भविष्यति न संदेहो न ब्रवीत्यन्यथा मुनिः। ममेयं परमा तुष्टिर्दुहिता मे भवेद्यदि
There is no doubt that this would happen, for the sage does not speak otherwise; but my greatest satisfaction would be if I had a daughter.
एका शताधिका बाला भविष्यति कनीयसी। ततो दौहित्रजाल्लोकादबाह्योऽसौ पतिर्मम
There will be one girl, younger by a hundred, and from her, through her son, my lineage will continue beyond this world; he will not be an outsider, but my own daughter's husband.
अधिका किल नारीणां प्रीतिर्जामातृजा भवेत्। यदि नाम ममापि स्याद्दुहितैका शताधिका
It is said that a woman's affection is greater for her daughter's son-in-law; if only I too might have a single daughter, younger by a hundred.
कृतकृत्या भवेयं वै पुत्रदौहित्रसंवृता। यदि सत्यं तपस्तप्तं दत्तं वाऽप्यथवा हुतम्
I would be fulfilled, surrounded by sons and grandsons, if my austerities, gifts, or offerings have truly borne fruit.
गुरवस्तोषिता वापि तथाऽस्तु दुहिता मम। एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु कृष्णद्वैपायनः स्वयम्
Or if I have pleased my elders, then let it be so: let me have a daughter.