काम्या शारद्वती चैव ननृतुस्तत्र संघशः। मेनका सहजन्या च कर्णिका पुञ्जिकस्थला
Kāmyā and Śāradvatī, together with Menakā, Sahajanyā, Karṇikā, and Puñjikasthalā, all danced there in groups.
ऋतुस्थला घृताची च विश्वाची पूर्वचित्त्यपि। उम्लोचेति च विख्याता प्रम्लोचेति च ता दश
Ṛtusthalā, Ghṛtācī, Viśvācī, Pūrvacitti, and the renowned Umloce and Pramloce—these ten.
उर्वश्येकादशी तासां जगुश्चायतलोचनाः। धाताऽर्यमा च मित्रश्च वरुणोंऽशो भगस्तथा
Urvaśī, the eleventh among them, sang with their wide eyes; Dhātā, Aryaman, Mitra, Varuṇa, Aṃśa, and Bhaga.
इन्द्रो विवस्वान्पूषा च पर्जन्यो दशमः स्मृतः। ततस्त्वष्टा ततो विष्णुरजघन्यो जघन्यजः
Indra, Vivasvān, Pūṣā, Parjanya—the tenth is remembered; then Tvaṣṭā, then Viṣṇu, the youngest and the last-born.
इत्येते द्वादशादित्या ज्वलन्तः सूर्यवर्चसः
Thus these twelve Ādityas, blazing with the radiance of the sun.
मृगव्याधश्च सर्पश्च निर्ऋतिश्च महायशाः। अजैकपादहिर्बुध्न्यः पिनाकी च परंतप
Mṛgavyādha, Sarpa, Nirṛti of great fame, Ajaikapāda, Ahirbudhnya, Pinākī, O scorcher of foes.
दहनोऽथेश्वरश्चैव कपाली च विशांपते। स्थाणुर्भगश्च भगवान्रुद्रास्तत्रावतस्थिरे
Dahana, Īśvara, Kapālī, O lord of people; Sthāṇu, Bhaga, and the blessed Rudras stood there.
अश्विनौ वसवश्चाष्टौ मरुतश्च महाबलाः। विश्वेदेवास्तथा साध्यास्तत्रासन्परितः स्थिताः
The two Aśvins, the eight Vasus, the mighty Maruts, the Viśvedevas, and the Sādhyas stood all around.
कर्कोटकोऽथ सर्पश्च वासुकिश्च भुजङ्गमः। कच्छपश्चाथ कुण्डश्च तक्षकश्च महोरगः
Karkoṭaka, the serpent, Vāsuki, the snake; Kacchapa, Kuṇḍa, Takṣaka, the great serpent.
आययुस्तपसा युक्ता महाक्रोधा महाबलाः। एते चान्ये च बहवस्तत्र नागा व्यवस्थिताः
They arrived, endowed with austerity, great wrath, and great strength; these and many other Nāgas were assembled there.
तार्क्ष्यश्चारिष्टनेमिश्च गरुडश्चासितध्वजः। अरुणश्चारुणिश्चैव वैनतेया व्यवस्थिताः
Tārkṣya, Ariṣṭanemi, Garuḍa with the dark banner, Aruṇa, Āruṇi, and the sons of Vinatā were present.
तांश्च देवगणान्सर्वांस्तपःसिद्धा महर्षयः। विमानगिर्यग्रगतान्ददृशुर्नेतरे जनाः
All those hosts of gods, perfected in asceticism, the great sages, saw them from the mountain palaces; others did not.
तद्दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यं विस्मिता मुनिसत्तमाः। अधिकां स्म ततो वृत्तिमवर्तन्पाण्डवं प्रति
Seeing that great wonder, the foremost sages were astonished; then they increased their attention toward Pāṇḍu.
पाण्डुः प्रीतेन मनसा देवतादीनपूजयत्। पाण्डुना पूजिता देवाः प्रत्यूचुर्नरसत्तमम्
With a joyful mind, Pāṇḍu worshipped the gods and others; the gods, honored by Pāṇḍu, addressed the foremost of men.
प्रादुर्बूतो ह्ययं धर्मो देवतानां प्रसादतः। मातरिश्वा ह्ययं भीमो बलवानरिमर्दनः
This Dharma has appeared through the favor of the gods; Mātariśvā is Bhīma, strong and crusher of enemies.
साक्षादिन्द्रः स्वयं जातः प्रसादाच्च शतक्रतोः। पितृत्वाद्देवतानां हि नास्ति पुण्यतरस्त्वया
Indra himself was born directly, by the grace of Śatakratu; among the gods, none is more blessed in fatherhood than you.
पितॄणामृणनिर्मुक्तः स्वर्गं प्राप्स्यसि पुण्यभाक्। इत्युक्त्वा देवताः सर्वा विप्रजग्मुर्यथागतम्
Freed from the debt to the ancestors, you shall attain heaven and share in merit; having spoken thus, all the deities departed as they had come.
पाण्डुस्तु पुनरेवैनां पुत्रलोभान्महायशाः। प्रादिशद्दर्शनीयार्थी कुन्ती त्वेनमथाब्रवीत्
But Pandu, renowned among men, again, out of longing for sons, addressed her, desiring to see her, and Kunti then spoke to him.
नातश्चतुर्थं प्रसवमापस्त्वपि वदन्त्युत। अतःपरं स्वैरिणी स्याद्बन्धकी पञ्चमे भवेत्
No woman, it is said, should have a fourth birth; after that, she becomes wanton, and with a fifth, she would be considered a courtesan.
स त्वं विद्वन्धर्ममिममधिगम्य कथं नु माम्। अपत्यार्थं समुत्क्रम्य प्रमादादिव भाषसे
So you, learned in dharma, knowing this rule, how can you speak to me, as if in error, about seeking offspring beyond what is proper?
कुन्तीपुत्रेषु जातेषु धृतराष्ट्रात्मजेषु च। मद्रराजसुता पाण्डुं रहो वचनमब्रवीत्
When Kunti's sons were born, and the sons of Dhritarashtra as well, the daughter of the king of Madra spoke privately to Pandu.
न मेऽस्ति त्वयि सन्तापो विगुणेऽपि परन्तप। नावरत्वे वरार्हायाः स्थित्वा चानघ नित्यदा
O subduer of foes, even if you lack virtues, I have no grief because of you; nor have I ever wavered, though I am worthy of a better husband, O sinless one.
गान्धार्याश्चैव नृपते जातं पुत्रशतं तथा। श्रुत्वा न मे तथा दुःखमभवत्कुरुनन्दन
O joy of the Kurus, even when I heard that Gandhari, the queen, had borne a hundred sons, I did not feel such sorrow.
इदं तु मे महद्दुःखं तुल्यतायामपुत्रता। दिष्ट्या त्विदानीं भर्तुर्मे कुन्त्यामप्यस्ति सन्ततिः
But this great grief is mine—my childlessness amidst equals; yet by fortune, now my husband has progeny through Kunti.
यदि त्वपत्यसन्तानं कुन्तिराजसुता मयि। कुर्यादनुग्रहो मे स्यात्तव चापि हितं भवेत्
If Kunti, the royal daughter, would grant me offspring, it would be a favor to me and would also be for your good.
संरम्भो हि सपत्नीत्वाद्वक्तुं कुन्तिसुतां प्रति। यदि तु त्वं प्रसन्नो मे स्वयमेनां प्रचोदय
Because of rivalry between co-wives, there is agitation in speaking to Kunti's son; but if you are pleased with me, urge her yourself.
ममाप्येष सदा माद्रि हृद्यर्थः परिवर्तते। न तु त्वां प्रसहे वक्तुमिष्टानिष्टविवक्षया
This wish, O Madri, always turns in my heart as well; but I cannot bring myself to speak to you, whether for good or ill.
तव त्विदं मतं मत्वा प्रयतिष्याम्यतः परम्। मन्ये ध्रुवं मयोक्ता सा वचनं प्रतिपत्स्यते
But considering your view, I will now make the effort; I think, surely, if I speak, she will accept my words.
ततः कुन्तीं पुनः पाण्डुर्विविक्त इदमब्रवीत्। `अनुगृह्णीष्व कल्याणि मद्रराजसुतामपि।' कुलस्य मम सन्तानं लोकस्य च कुरु प्रियम्
Then Pandu again spoke these words to Kunti in private: 'O blessed one, favor also the daughter of the king of Madra; for the sake of our lineage and for the world's welfare, do what is pleasing.'
मम चापिण्डनाशाय पूर्वेषां च महात्मनाम्। मत्प्रियार्थं च कल्याणि कुरु कल्याणमुत्तमम्
For the sake of my own deliverance from the loss of ancestral offerings, and for the sake of the great souls before me, and for my happiness, O blessed one, do this supreme good.