एवमुक्तस्तया भर्ता तां समालिङ्ग्य भारत। मुमोच बाष्पं शनकैः सभार्यो भृशदुःखितः
Thus addressed by her, the husband embraced her, O descendant of Bharata, and, greatly distressed, shed tears slowly together with his wife.
मैवं वद त्वं कल्याणि तिष्ठ चेह सुमध्यमे। न तु भार्यां त्यजेत्प्राज्ञः पुत्रान्वापि कदाचन
Do not speak so, gentle lady; stay here, slender-waisted one. A wise man should never abandon his wife or his children.
विशेषतः स्त्रियं रक्षेत्पुरुषो बुद्धिमानिह। त्यक्त्वा तु पुरुषो जीवेन्न हातव्यानिमान्सदा। न वेत्ति कामं धर्मं च अर्थं मोक्षं च तत्त्वतः
Especially should a wise man protect his wife here; though a man may live after abandoning her, he should never forsake these. He does not truly know desire, righteousness, wealth, or liberation.
तयोर्दुःखितयोर्वाक्यमतिमात्रं निशम्य तु। ततो दुःखपरीताङ्गी कन्या तावभ्यभाषत
Hearing the exceedingly sorrowful words of the two, the maiden, her body overwhelmed by grief, then spoke to them.
किमेवं भृशदुःखार्तौ रोरूयेतामनाथवत्। ममापि श्रूयतां वाक्यं श्रुत्वा च क्रियतां क्षमम्
Why do you both, afflicted with such deep sorrow, weep as if you are without support? Hear my words also, and after listening, do what is proper.
धर्मतोऽहं परित्याज्या युवयोर्नात्र संशयः। त्यक्तव्यां मां परित्यज्य त्राहि सर्वं मयैकया
According to righteousness, I must be abandoned by you both—of this there is no doubt. Abandoning me, save everything with just one of us.
इत्यर्थमिष्यतेऽपत्यं तारयिष्यति मामिति। अस्मिन्नुपस्थिते काले तरध्वं प्लववन्मया
The purpose of offspring is thus: 'He will save me.' Now that this time has come, cross over this danger with me as your raft.
इह वा तारयेद्दुर्गादुत वा प्रेत्य भारत। सर्वथा तारयेत्पुत्रः पुत्र इत्युच्यते बुधैः
Here, I may save you from this peril, or else after death, O descendant of Bharata; in every way, a son saves—therefore he is called 'putra' by the wise.
आकाङ्क्षन्ते च दौहित्रान्मयि नित्यं पितामहाः। तत्स्वयं वै परित्रास्ये रक्षन्ती जीवितं पितुः
My grandfathers always long for grandsons through me; therefore, I will myself strive to protect my father's life.
भ्राता च मम बालोऽयं गते लोकममुं त्वयि। अचिरेणैव कालेन विनश्येत न संशयः
And my brother is but a child; if you depart from this world, he will perish soon after—of this there is no doubt.
तातेपि हि गते स्वर्गं विनष्टे च ममानुजे। पिण्डः पितॄणां व्युच्छिद्येत्तत्तेषां विप्रियं भवेत्
If you go to heaven, father, and my younger brother is lost, the ancestral offering will be interrupted, which would be displeasing to the ancestors.
पित्रा त्यक्ता तथा मात्रा भ्रात्रा चाहमसंशयम्। दुःखाद्दुःखतरं प्राप्य म्रियेयमतथोचिताम्
Abandoned by father, mother, and brother, I would surely, after suffering even greater sorrow, die an end unfit for me.
त्वयि त्वरोगे निर्मुक्तो माता भ्राता च मे शिशुः। सन्तानश्चैव पिण्डश्च प्रतिष्ठास्यत्यसंशयम्
If you are freed from this illness, my mother and my young brother, as well as the lineage and the ancestral offering, will surely be preserved.
आत्मा पुत्रः सखी भार्या कृच्छ्रं तु दुहिता किल। स कृच्छ्रान्मोचयात्मानं मां च धर्मे नियोजया
The son is the self, the friend, the wife; but the daughter, it is said, is for hardship. Free yourself from this distress, and appoint me to righteousness.
अनाथा कृपणा बाला यत्र क्वचन गामिनी। भविष्यामि त्वया तात विहीना कृपणा सदा
Deprived of you, father, I shall always be pitiable—a helpless, wretched girl, wandering wherever fate leads.
अथवाहं करिष्यामि कुलस्यास्य विमोचनम्। फलसंस्था भविष्यामि कृत्वा कर्म सुदुष्करम्
Or else, I myself shall bring deliverance to this family; I will take up the ascetic life, having performed a most difficult deed.
अथवा यास्यसे तत्र त्यक्त्वा मां द्विजसत्तम। पीडिताऽहं भविष्यामि तदवेक्षस्व मामपि
Or, if you go there, abandoning me, O best of twice-born, I will be afflicted—consider me also in this matter.
तदस्मदर्थं धर्मार्थं प्रसवार्थं च सत्तम। आत्मानं परिरक्षस्व त्यक्तव्यां मां च संत्यज
Therefore, for my sake, for the sake of righteousness, and for the sake of progeny, O noble one, protect yourself and abandon me, who must be forsaken.
अवश्यकरणीये च मा त्वां कालोत्यगादयम्। किं त्वतः परमं दुःखं यद्वयं स्वर्गते त्वयि
In what must necessarily be done, let not time overtake you; but what could be more painful for us than that, with you gone to heaven—
याचमानाः परादन्नं परिधावेमहि श्ववत्। त्वयि त्वरोगे निर्मुक्ते क्लेशादस्मात्सबान्धवे। अमृतेव सती लोके भविष्यामि सुखान्विता
—we, begging for food from others, would have to wear the leavings like dogs, while you, free from disease and suffering, are released from this distress with your kin; I, like a widow, would remain in the world, deprived of happiness.
इतः प्रदाने देवाश्च पितरश्चेति नः श्रुतम्। त्वया दत्तेन तोयेन भविष्यति हिताय वै
It is heard among us that, in this offering, the gods and ancestors are satisfied; by the water you give, there will indeed be benefit.
इत्येतदुभयं तात निशाम्य तव यद्धितम्। तद्व्यवस्य तथाम्बाया हितं स्वस्य सुतस्य च
Thus, having heard both sides, dear one, do what is for your good; so decide what is beneficial for your mother, yourself, and your son.
मातापित्रोश्च पुत्रास्तु भवितारो गुणान्विताः। न तु पुत्रस्य पितरो पुनर्जातु भविष्यतः
Sons will be born to mother and father, endowed with virtues; but parents will never again be born to a son.
एवं बहुविधं तस्या निशम्य परिदेवितम्। पिता माता च सा चैव कन्या प्ररुरुदुस्त्रयः
Hearing her many lamentations in this way, the father, the mother, and the maiden herself—all three began to weep.
ततः प्ररुदितान्सर्वान्निशम्याथ सुतस्तदा। उत्फुल्लनयनो बालः कलमव्यक्तमब्रवीत्
Then, hearing all of them weeping, the boy, his eyes wide with wonder, spoke indistinct words in a childish voice.
मा पिता रुद मा मातर्मा स्वसस्त्विति चाब्रवीत्। प्रहसन्निव सर्वांस्तानेकैकमनुसर्पति
"Do not weep, father; do not weep, mother; do not weep, sister," he said, smiling as if in play, addressing each one in turn.
ततः स तृणमादाय प्रहृष्टः पुनरब्रवीत्। अनेनाहं हनिष्यामि राक्षसं पुरुषादकम्
Then, taking a blade of grass, delighted, he said again, "With this I will slay the man-eating rakshasa."
तथापि तेषां दुःखेन परीतानां निशम्य तत्। बालस्य वाक्यमव्यक्तं हर्षः समभवन्महान्
Yet, hearing the indistinct words of the boy, those overwhelmed by grief felt a great joy.
अयं काल इति ज्ञात्वा कुन्ती समुपसृत्य तान्। गतासूनमृतेनेव जीवयन्तीदमब्रवीत्
Recognizing that this was the time, Kunti approached them and, as if reviving the lifeless with nectar, spoke these words:
कुतोमूलमिदं दुःखं ज्ञातुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः। विदित्वाप्यपकर्षेयं शक्यं चेदपकर्षितुम्
From where does this suffering arise? I wish to know the truth; for, knowing it, I might remove it, if it is possible to remove.