न तु धर्मस्य सूक्ष्मत्वाद्गतिं विद्मः कथंचन। अधर्मो धर्म इति वा व्यवसायो न शक्यते
But due to the subtlety of dharma, we do not know its course at all; it is not possible to decide whether something is dharma or adharma.
कर्तुमस्मद्विधैर्ब्रह्मंस्ततोऽयं न व्यवस्यते। पञ्चानां महिषी कृष्णा भवत्विति कथंचन
Therefore, O Brahmin, those like us cannot decide that Krishna should become the queen of five.
न मे वागनृतं प्राह नाधर्मे धीयते मतिः। वर्तते हि मनो मेऽत्र नैषोऽधर्मः कथंचन
My speech does not utter falsehood, nor is my mind inclined toward unrighteousness; my mind is indeed fixed here, and this is not unrighteous in any way.
श्रूयते हि पुराणेऽपि जटिला नाम गौतमी। ऋषीनध्यासितवती सप्त धर्मभृतां वरा
It is heard in the Purana that Gautami, called Jatila, once lived with seven sages, the foremost upholders of dharma.
तथैव मुनिजा वार्क्षी तपोभिर्भावितात्मनः। संगताभूद्दश भ्रातॄनकेन्म्नः प्रचेतसः
In the same way, the sage-born daughter, whose soul was purified by austerities, was united with the ten sons of Prachetas.
गुरोर्हि वचनं प्राहुर्धर्म्यं धर्मज्ञसत्तम। गुरूणां चैव सर्वेषां माता परमको गुरुः
For the command of the teacher is said to be righteous, O best knower of righteousness; and among all teachers, the mother is the highest teacher.
सा चाप्युक्तवती वाचं भैक्षवद्भुज्यतामिति। तस्मादेतदहं मन्ये परं धर्मं द्विजोत्तम
She too spoke these words: 'Let it be eaten as alms-food.' Therefore, O best of twice-born, I consider this to be the highest righteousness.
एतमेतद्यथा प्राह धर्मचारी युधिष्ठिरः। भुज्यतां भ्रातृभिः सार्धमित्यर्जुनमचोदयम्। अनृतान्मे भयं तीव्रं मुच्येऽहमनृतात्कथम्
Just as Yudhishthira, who walks in righteousness, declared, I urged Arjuna: 'Let it be eaten together with the brothers.' I have great fear of falsehood—how could I be freed from falsehood?
अनृतान्मोक्ष्यसे भद्रे धर्मश्चैव सनातनः। ननु वक्ष्यामि सर्वेषां पाञ्चाल शृमु मे स्वयम्
You will be freed from falsehood, O blessed one, and also from eternal righteousness. Now I shall declare everything, O Panchala, listen to me yourself.
यथाऽयं विहितो धर्मो यतश्चायं सनातनः। यथा च प्राह कौन्तेयस्तथा धर्मो न संशयः
As this righteousness has been established, and as it is eternal, and just as the son of Kunti has declared, so indeed is righteousness—there is no doubt.
तत उत्थाय भगवान्व्यासो द्वैपायनः प्रभुः। करे गृहीत्वा राजानं राजवेश्म समाविशत्
Then the venerable Vyasa, the mighty son of Dwaipayana, arose, and taking the king by the hand, entered the royal palace.
पाण्डवाश्चापि कुन्ती च धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः। विविशुस्तेऽपि तत्रैव प्रतीक्षन्ते स्म तावुभौ
And the Pandavas, Kunti, and Dhrishtadyumna the son of Prishata, also entered there and waited for those two.
ततो द्वैपायनस्त्समै नरेन्द्राय महात्मने। आचख्यौ तद्यथा धर्मो बहूनामेकपत्निता
Then Dwaipayana spoke to that great-souled king, narrating how righteousness was established for many in the case of one wife.
यथा च ते ददुश्चैव राजपुत्र्याः पुरा वरम्। धर्माद्यास्तपसा तुष्टाः पञ्चपत्नीत्वमीश्वराः
And how, in ancient times, the gods, pleased by her austerities, granted the royal maiden the boon of having five husbands.
मा भूद्राजंस्तव तापो मनस्थः पञ्चानां भार्या दुहिता ममेति। मातुरेषा प्रार्थिता स्यात्तदानीं पञ्चानां भार्या दुहिता ममेति
Let not your mind be troubled, O king, that my daughter is the wife of five men; at that time, this was requested by her mother—that my daughter should be the wife of five men.
याजोपयाजौ धर्मरतौ तपोभ्यां तौ चक्रतुः पञ्चपतित्वमस्याः। तत्पञ्चभिः पाण्डुसुतैरवाप्ता भार्या कृष्णा मोदतां वै कुलं ते
Yaja and Upayaja, devoted to righteousness and austerity, caused her to have five husbands; thus Krishnaa became the wife of the five sons of Pandu—may your lineage rejoice.
लोके नान्यो विद्यते त्वद्विशिष्टः सर्वारीणामप्रधृष्योऽसि राजन्। भूयस्त्विदं शृणु मे त्वं विशोको यथाऽऽगतं पञ्चपत्नीत्वमस्याः
In this world, there is no one superior to you, unconquerable by all your enemies, O king. Now listen further without sorrow, to how she came to have five husbands.
एषा नालायनी पूर्वं मौद्गल्यं स्थविरं पतिम्। आराधयामास तदा कुष्ठिनं तमनिन्दिता
Formerly, this woman was Nalayani, the blameless one, who worshipped her aged husband Maudgalya, who was afflicted with leprosy.
त्वगस्थिभूतं कटुकं लोलमीर्ष्युं सुकोपनम्। सुगन्धेतरगन्धाढ्यं वलीपलितमूर्धजम्
He was reduced to skin and bone, harsh, fickle, jealous, quick to anger, possessed of foul odors, with hair wrinkled and gray.
स्थविरं विकृताकारं शीर्यमाणनखत्वचम्। उच्छिष्टमुपभुञ्जाना पर्युपास्ते महामुनिम्
That aged man, deformed in appearance, with decaying nails and skin, she attended, consuming his leftovers, serving the great sage.
ततः कदाचिदङ्गुष्ठो भुञ्जानस्य व्यशीर्यत। अन्नादुद्धृत्य तच्चान्नमुपभुङ्क्तेऽविशङ्किता
Then once, as he was eating, his thumb fell off; she took that food from the dish and ate it without hesitation.
तेन तस्याः प्रसन्नेन कामव्याहारिणा तदा। वरं वृणीष्वेत्यसकृदुक्ता वव्रे वरं तदा
Then, pleased with her, that sage who spoke as he wished, repeatedly said, 'Choose a boon,' and she then chose her boon.
नाहं वृद्धो न कटुको नेर्व्यावान्नैव कोपनः। न च दुर्गन्धवदनो न कृशो न च लोलुपः
I am not old, nor harsh, nor lacking vigor, nor irritable; nor do I have foul breath, nor am I thin, nor greedy.
कथं त्वां रमयामीह कथं त्वां वासयाम्यहम्। वद कल्याणि भद्रं ते यथा त्वं मनसेच्छसि
How shall I please you here, how shall I dwell with you? Tell me, O blessed one, may good fortune be yours, as you desire in your mind.
सा तमक्लिष्टकर्माणं वरदं सर्वकामदम्। भर्तारमनवद्याङ्गी प्रसन्नं प्रत्युवाच ह
She, flawless in form, spoke to her husband, who performed untroubled deeds, who grants boons and fulfills all desires, and who was pleased.
पञ्चधा प्रविभक्तात्मा भगवांल्लोकविश्रुतः। रमय त्वमचिन्त्यात्मन्पुनश्चैकत्वमागतः
The blessed one, renowned in all worlds, whose self is divided fivefold, yet again united as one, enjoy me, O incomprehensible soul.
तां तथेत्यब्रवीद्धीमान्महर्षिर्वै महातपाः। स पञ्चधा तु भूत्वा तां रमयामास सर्वतः
The wise, great ascetic said to her, 'So be it.' Then, having assumed five forms, he pleased her in every way.
नालायनीं सुकेशान्तां मौद्गल्यश्चारुहासिनीम्। आश्रमेष्वधिकं चापि पूज्यमानो महर्षिभिः
Maudgalya, honored by the sages in the hermitages, dwelt with Nalayani, she of lovely hair and charming smile, more esteemed than all.
स चचार यथाकामं कामरूपवपुः पुनः। यदा ययौ दिवं चापि तत्र देवर्षिभिः सह
He moved about as he wished, again taking forms at will; and when he went to heaven, he was accompanied by the divine sages.
चचार सोऽमृताहारः सुरलोके चचार ह। पूज्यमानस्तथा शच्या शक्रस्य भवनेष्वपि
He wandered in the realm of the gods, subsisting on ambrosia, and was honored by Shachi in the palaces of Shakra.