दिव्यैर्वस्त्रैरजोभिः सुगन्धै- र्माल्यैश्चाग्र्यैः शोभमानानतीव। साक्षात्त्र्यक्षान्वा वसूंश्चापि रुद्रा- नादित्यान्वा सर्वगुणोपपन्नान्
Clad in divine garments, adorned with pure, fragrant, and excellent garlands, they shone greatly—like the three-eyed ones, or Vasus, or Rudras, or Adityas, endowed with all virtues.
तान्पूर्वेन्द्रानभिवीक्ष्याभिरूपा- त्र्शक्रात्मजं चेन्द्ररूपं निशम्य। प्रीतो राजा द्रुपदो विस्मितश्च दिव्यां मायां तामवेक्ष्याप्रमेयाम्
Seeing those former Indras, handsome, and hearing that Savyasachi was in the form of Indra, King Drupada was delighted and amazed, beholding that immeasurable divine wonder.
तां चैवाग्र्यां स्त्रियमतिरूपयुक्तां दिव्यां साक्षात्सोमवह्निप्रकाशाम्। योग्यां तेषां रूपतेजोयशोभिः पत्नी मत्वा हृष्टवान्पार्थिवेन्द्रः
And seeing her, the foremost among women, endowed with surpassing beauty, radiant like the very light of Soma and Agni, worthy of those men by her form, splendor, and fame, the king of kings rejoiced, considering her his wife.
स तद्दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यरूपं जग्राह पादौ सत्यवत्याः सुतस्य। नैतच्चित्रं परमर्षे त्वयीति प्रसन्नचेताः स उवाच चैनम्
Beholding that wondrous and marvelous sight, he grasped the feet of Satyavati’s son; and with a tranquil mind, he said to him, ‘O supreme sage, this is not surprising for you.’
इदं चापि पुरावृत्तं तन्निबोध च भूमिम। कीर्त्यमानं नृपर्षीणां पूर्वेषां दारकर्मणि
And now, hear also this ancient account, O ruler of the earth, as it is recounted among the royal sages regarding the marriage customs of old.
नितन्तुर्नाम राजर्षिर्बभूव भुवि विश्रुतः। तस्य पुत्रा महेष्वासा बभूवुः पञ्च भूमिताः
There was a royal sage named Nitantu, renowned upon the earth; he had five sons, mighty archers, O ruler of men.
साल्वेयः शूरसेनश्च श्रुतसेनश्च वीर्यवान्। तिन्दुसारोऽतिसारश्च क्षत्रियाः क्रतुयाजिनः
They were Sālveya, Śūrasena, the valiant Śrutasena, Tindusāra, and Atisāra—Kshatriyas, performers of sacrifices.
नातिचक्रमुरन्योन्यमन्योन्यस्य प्रियंवदाः। अनीर्ष्यवो धर्मविदः सौम्याश्चैव प्रियकराः
They did not surpass one another, always speaking kindly to each other, free from envy, knowers of righteousness, gentle, and doers of what is dear.
एतान्नैतन्तवान्पञ्च शिबिपुत्री स्वयंवरे। अवाप स्वपतीन्वीरान्भौमाश्वी मनुजाधिपान्
In the svayaṃvara, the daughter of Śibi, Bhaumāśvī, chose these five sons of Nitantu as her own husbands—heroes, lords of men, and rulers of the earth.
वीणेव मधुरारावा गान्धर्वस्वरमूर्च्छिता। उत्तमा सर्वनारीणां भौमाश्वी ह्यभवत्तदा
Like a vīṇā with sweet sound, attuned to the Gandharva mode, Bhaumāśvī became then the foremost among all women.
यस्या नैतन्तवाः पञ्च पतयः क्षत्रियर्षभाः। बभूवुः पृथिवीपालाः सर्वैः समुदिता गुणैः
For whom those five Nitantu princes, bulls among Kshatriyas and protectors of the earth, possessed of all virtues, became husbands.
तेषामेकाभवद्भार्या राज्ञामौशीनरी शुभा। भौमाश्वी नाम भद्रं ते तथारूपगुणान्विता
She, the noble daughter of Uśīnara, named Bhaumāśvī, became the single wife of those five kings, O blessed one, endowed with such form and virtues.
पञ्चभ्यः पञ्चधा पञ्च दायादान्सा व्यजायत। तेभ्यो नैतन्तवेभ्यस्तु राजशार्दूल वै तदा
From those five, she bore five sons, O tiger among kings; thus, to those Nitantu princes, she gave heirs.
पृथगाख्याऽभवत्तेषां भ्रातॄणां पञ्चधा भुवि। यथावत्कीर्त्यमानांस्ताञ्छृणु मे राजसत्तम
Their five sons were each known by a separate name on earth; now hear from me, O best of kings, how they are celebrated.
साल्वेयाः शूरसेनाश्च श्रुतसेनाश्च पार्थिवाः। तिन्दुसारातिसाराश्च वंशा एषां नृपोत्तम
The Sālveyas, Śūrasenas, Śrutasenas, O best of kings, and the Tindusāras and Atisāras—these are their lineages.
एवमेकाऽभवद्भार्या भौमाश्वी भुवि विश्रुता। तथैव द्रुपदैषा ते सुता वै देवरूपिणी। पञ्चानां विहिता पत्नी कृष्णा पार्षत्यनिन्दिता
Thus Bhaumāśvī, renowned on earth, became the single wife; in the same way, O Drupada, your daughter Kṛṣṇā, faultless and divine in form, is appointed wife to five.
आसीत्तपोवंने काचिदृषेः कन्या महात्मनः। नाध्यगच्छत्पतिं सा तु कन्या रूपवती सती
There was once, in the hermitage, a maiden, daughter of a great sage; though beautiful and virtuous, she did not obtain a husband.
तोषयामास तपसा सा किलोग्रेण शङ्करम्। तामुवाचेश्वरः प्रीतो वृणु काममिति स्वयम्
She pleased Śaṅkara with severe austerity; and the Lord, being pleased, said to her, ‘Choose a boon as you desire.’
सैवमुक्ताऽब्रवीत्कन्या देवं वरदमीश्वरम्। पतिं सर्वगुणोपेतमिच्छामीति पुनःपुनः
Thus addressed, the maiden spoke repeatedly to the boon-giving Lord, ‘I desire a husband endowed with all virtues.’
ददौ तस्यै स देवेशस्तं वरं प्रीतमानसः। पञ्च ते पतयो भद्रे भविष्यन्तीति शङ्करः
The Lord of gods, well-pleased, granted her that boon: ‘O blessed one, you shall have five husbands.’ Thus spoke Śaṅkara.
सा प्रसादयती देवमिदं भूयोऽभ्यभाषत। एकं पतिं गुणोपेतं त्वत्तोऽर्हामीति शङ्कर
She, seeking to please the god, again spoke these words: 'O Shankara, grant me from you a single husband endowed with virtues, for I am worthy.'
तां देवदेवः प्रीतात्मा पुनः प्राह शुभं वचः। पञ्चकृत्वस्त्वयोक्तोऽहं पतिं देहीति वै पुनः
To her, the god of gods, well-pleased in his heart, again spoke auspicious words: 'You have asked me five times, again and again, for a husband.'
तत्तथा भविता भद्रे वचस्तद्भद्रमस्तु ते। देहमन्यं गतायास्ते सर्वमेतद्भविष्यति
So it shall be, O blessed one; let this word bring you good fortune. When you take another birth, all this will come to pass for you.
द्रुपदैषा हि सा जज्ञे सुता वै देवरूपिणी। पञ्चानां विहिता पत्नी कृष्णा पार्षत्यनिन्दिता
Indeed, she was born as Drupada's daughter, divine in form, and Krishna, the faultless daughter of Prishata, was destined to be wife to five.
सैव नालायनी भूत्वा रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि। मौद्गल्यं पतिमास्थाय शिवाद्वरमभीप्सती
She, having become Nalayani, unmatched in beauty on earth, took Mudgala as her husband, desiring a boon from Shiva.
एतद्देवरहस्यं ते श्रावितं राजसत्तम। नाख्यातव्यं कस्यचिद्वै देवगुह्यमिदं यतः
This divine secret has been revealed to you, O best of kings; this is a mystery of the gods and must not be disclosed to anyone.
स्वर्गश्रीः पाण्डवार्थं तु समुत्पन्ना महामखे। सेह तप्त्वा तपो घोरं दुहितृत्वं तवागता
For the sake of the Pandavas, the splendor of heaven arose at the great sacrifice; having performed severe austerity here, she came to be your daughter.
सैषा देवी रुचिरा देवजुष्टा पञ्चानामेका स्वकृतेनेह कर्मणा। सृष्टा स्वयं देवपत्नी स्वयंभुवा श्रुत्वा राजन्द्रुपदेष्टं कुरुष्व
This radiant goddess, cherished by the gods, by her own deed has become the single wife of five; created by the Self-born as the wife of the gods, having heard this, O king, act as Drupada says.
अश्रुत्वैवं वचनं ते महर्षे मया पूर्वं यतितं संविधातुम्। न वै शक्यं विहितस्यापयानं तदेवेदमुपपन्नं विधानम्
Without having heard these words from you, O great sage, I had previously tried to arrange matters; but what has been ordained cannot be undone—thus, this arrangement has come to pass.
दिष्टस्य ग्रन्थिरनिवर्तनीयः स्वकर्मणा विहितं तेन किंचित्। कृतं निमित्तमिह नैकहेतो- स्तदेवेदमुपन्नं विधानम्
The decree of destiny cannot be reversed; what is ordained by one's own actions must come to be. Here, no single cause alone is at work—thus, this arrangement has arisen.