ततः पाण्डुर्महाराजो मन्त्रयित्वा महर्षिभिः। दिदेश कुन्त्याः कौरव्यो व्रतं सांवत्सरं शुभम्
Then King Pandu, after consulting with great sages, instructed Kunti, O Kaurava, to observe a sacred vow for a year.
आत्मना च महाबाहुरेकपादस्थितोऽभवत्। उग्रं स तप आस्थाय परमेण समाधिना
And he himself, mighty-armed, stood on one foot, engaging in fierce austerity with supreme concentration.
आरिराधयिषुर्देवं त्रिदशानां तमीश्वरम्। सूर्येण सह धर्मात्मा पर्यतप्यत भारत
Desiring to propitiate that Lord of the gods, the righteous one performed austerities together with the Sun, O Bharata.
पुत्रं तव प्रदास्यामि त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्
I will grant you a son, renowned throughout the three worlds.
ब्राह्मणानां गवां चैव सुहृदां चार्थसाधकम्। दुर्हृदां शोकजननं सर्वबान्धवनन्दनम्
He will bring benefit to Brahmanas, cows, and friends; he will cause grief to the wicked, and delight all his relatives.
सुतं तेऽग्र्यं प्रदास्यामि सर्वामित्रविनाशनम्। इत्युक्तः कारैवो राजा वासवेन महात्मना
I will give you a foremost son, destroyer of all enemies—so spoke the great Indra to King Kunti's husband.
उवाच कुन्तीं धर्मात्मा देवराजवचः स्मरन्। उदर्कस्तव कल्याणि तुष्टो देवगणेश्वरः
Remembering the words of the king of the gods, the righteous one spoke to Kunti: 'O blessed one, the Lord of the gods is pleased with you.'
दातुमिच्छति ते पुत्रं यथा संकल्पितं त्वया। अतिमानुषकर्माणं यशस्विनमरिन्दमम्
He wishes to give you a son, just as you have desired—one of superhuman deeds, famed, and unconquerable by foes.
नीतिमन्तं महात्मानमादित्यसमतेजसम्। दुराधर्षं क्रियावन्तमतीवाद्भुतदर्शनम्
A son possessing virtue, great soul, brilliance equal to the Sun, difficult to defeat, accomplished in action, and of wondrous appearance.
पुत्रं जनय सुश्रोणि धाम क्षत्रियतेजसाम्। लब्धः प्रसादो देवेन्द्रात्तमाह्वय शुचिस्मिते
Bear a son, O fair-hipped one, the very abode of Kshatriya energy; having gained the favor of Indra, name him thus, O pure-smiled one.
एवमुक्ता ततः शक्रमाजुहाव यशस्विनी। अथाजगाम देवेन्द्रो जनयामास चार्जुनम्
Thus addressed, the illustrious Kunti invoked Shakra; then Indra, lord of the gods, came and begot Arjuna.
उत्तराभ्यां तु पूर्वाभ्यां फल्गुनीभ्यां ततो दिवा। जातस्तु फाल्गुने मासि तेनासौ फल्गुनःस्मृतः
When the lunar asterisms Uttarā and Pūrvā Phalgunī were in conjunction during the day, he was born in the month of Phalguna; therefore he is called Phalguna.
जातमात्रे कुमारे तु `सर्वभूतप्रहर्षिणी। सूतके वर्तमानां तां' वागुवाचाशरीरिणी। महागम्भीरनिर्घोषा नभो नादयती तदा
At the very moment the boy was born, a bodiless voice, deep and resonant, resounded in the sky, bringing joy to all beings and addressing Kunti, who was in the period of impurity.
शृण्वतां सर्वभूतानां तेषां चाश्रमवासिनाम्। कुन्तीमाभाष्य विस्पष्टमुवाचेदं शुचिस्मिताम्
Heard by all beings and the residents of the hermitage, that voice clearly spoke to Kunti, the pure-smiled one.
कार्तवीर्यसमः कुन्ति शिवतुल्यपराक्रमः। एष शक्र इवाजय्यो यशस्ते प्रथयिष्यति
'O Kunti, he will be equal to Kartavirya, with prowess like Shiva; unconquerable like Shakra, he will spread your fame.'
अदित्या विष्णुना प्रीतिर्यथाऽभूदभिवर्धिता। तथा विष्णुसमः प्रीतिं वर्धयिष्यति तेऽर्जुनः
'As Aditi's joy was increased by Vishnu, so too will Arjuna, equal to Vishnu, increase your happiness.'
एष मद्रान्वशे कृत्वा कुरूंश्च सह सोमकैः। चेदिकाशिकरूषांश्च कुरुलक्ष्मीं वहिष्यति
'He will subdue the Madras, the Kurus along with the Somakas, and the Cedis, Kasis, and Karushas, and will uphold the glory of the Kurus.'
एतस्य भुजवीर्येण खाण्डवे हव्यवाहनः। मेदसा सर्वभूतानां तृप्तिं यास्यति वै पराम्
'By the strength of his arms, in Khandava, Agni will attain supreme satisfaction with the fat of all beings.'
ग्रामणीश्च महीपालानेष जित्वा महाबलः। भ्रातृभिः सहितो वीरस्त्रीन्मेधानाहरिष्यति
'This mighty hero, having conquered the foremost kings, will, together with his brothers, perform three great sacrifices.'
जामदग्न्यसमः कुन्ति विष्णुतुल्यपराक्रमः। एष वीर्यवतां श्रेष्ठो भविष्यति महायशाः
'O Kunti, he will be equal to Jamadagni's son, with valor like Vishnu; he will be the foremost among the mighty, and attain great fame.'
एष युद्धे महादेवं तोषयिष्यति शङ्करम्। अस्त्रं पाशुपतं नाम तस्मात्तुष्टादवाप्स्यति
He will please the great god Shankara in battle, and from the satisfied deity he will obtain the weapon called Pashupata.
निवातकवचा नाम दैत्या विबुधविद्विषः। शक्राज्ञया महाबाहुस्तान्वधिष्यति ते सुतः
The Daityas named Nivatakavachas, haters of the gods—your mighty-armed son will slay them at Indra’s command.
तथा दिव्यानि चास्त्राणि निखिलेनाहरिष्यति। विप्रनष्टां श्रियं चायमाहर्ता पुरुषर्षभः
In the same way, he will acquire all the divine weapons in their entirety, and this best of men will recover the lost prosperity.
एतामत्यद्भुतां वाचं कुन्ती शुश्राव सूतके। वाचमुच्चरितामुच्चैस्तां निशम्य तपस्विनाम्
Kunti heard this most wondrous speech at the time of her delivery, the words uttered loudly by the ascetics.
बभूव पमो हर्षः शतशृङ्गनिवासिनाम्। तथा देवमहर्षीणां सेन्द्राणां च दिवौकसाम्
Great joy arose among the dwellers of Shataśṛṅga, as well as among the gods, great sages, and the celestial beings with Indra.
आकाशे दुन्दुभीनां च बभूव तुमुलः स्वनः। उदतिष्ठन्महाघोरः पुष्पवृष्टिभिरावृतः
A tumultuous sound of drums resounded in the sky, and a great, fearsome rain of flowers poured down.
समवेत्य च देवानां गणाः पार्थमपूजयन्। काद्रवेया वैनतेया गन्धर्वाप्सरसस्तथा। प्रजानां पतयः सर्वे सप्त चैव महर्षयः
Then the hosts of gods gathered and honored Partha; the Nāgas, Garuḍa’s descendants, Gandharvas, Apsarases, the lords of all beings, and the seven great sages as well.
भरद्वाजः खस्यपो गौतमश्च विश्वामित्रो जमदग्निर्वसिष्ठः। यश्चोदितो भास्करेऽभूत्प्रनष्टे सोऽप्यत्रात्रिर्भगवानाजगाम
Bharadvāja, Kaśyapa, Gautama, Viśvāmitra, Jamadagni, Vasiṣṭha, and the one who appeared when the sun was lost—he too, the venerable Atri, arrived there.
मरीचिरङ्गिराश्चैव पुलस्त्यः पुलहः क्रतुः। दक्षः प्रजापतिश्चैव गन्धर्वाप्सरसस्तथा
Marīci, Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Dakṣa the lord of creatures, and likewise the Gandharvas and Apsarases.
दिव्यमाल्याम्बरधराः सर्वालङ्कारभूषिताः। उपगायन्ति बीभत्सुं नृत्यन्तेऽप्सरसां गणाः
Adorned with divine garlands and garments, decked in every ornament, they sang of Bhībhatsu, while the hosts of Apsarases danced.