विचिन्त्य मनसा भूप कन्यादानं समाचर । न चात्र दूषणं किञ्चित्तापसोऽहं यतव्रतः
Consider in your mind, O king, and give your daughter. There is no fault in this, for I am an ascetic, devoted to vows.
व्यास उवाच - शर्यातिर्वचनं श्रुत्वा मुनेश्चिन्तातुरोऽभवत् । न दास्येऽप्यथवा दास्ये किञ्चिन्नोवाच भारत
Vyasa said: Hearing the sage's words, Sharyati became troubled in mind. He thought, 'I will not give her, or perhaps I will,' but said nothing, O Bharata.
कथमन्धाय वृद्धाय कुरूपाय सुतामिमाम् । देवकन्योपमां दत्त्वा सुखी स्यामात्मसम्भवाम्
How can I, after giving my daughter—equal to a divine maiden—to a blind, old, and unattractive man, be happy with one born of myself?
को वात्मनः सुखार्थाय पुत्र्याः संसारजं सुखम् । हरतेऽल्पमतिः पापो जानन्नपि शुभाशुभम्
Who, for his own happiness, would give his daughter for worldly pleasure? Only a foolish and sinful man would do so, knowing good and evil.
प्राप्य सा च्यवनं सुभ्रूः पञ्चबाणशरार्दिता । अन्धं वृद्धं पतिं प्राप्य कथं कालं नयिष्यति
Having attained Cyavana, the beautiful-browed maiden, pierced by the arrows of Kama, how will she spend her days with a blind and aged husband?
यौवने दुर्जयः कामो विशेषेण सुरूपया । आत्मतुल्यं पतिं प्राप्य किमु वृद्धं विलोचनम्
In youth, desire is hard to resist, especially for one of beauty. Having a husband equal to herself, what of an old, blind one?
गौतमं तापसं प्राप्य रूपयौवनसंयुता । अहल्या वासवेनाशु वञ्चिता वरवर्णिनी
Ahalya, endowed with beauty and youth, having Gautama the ascetic as husband, was deceived by Indra, O fair-complexioned one.
शप्ता च पतिना पश्चाज्ज्ञात्वा धर्मविपर्ययम् । तस्माद्भवतु मे दुःखं न ददामि सुकन्यकाम्
She was cursed by her husband afterwards, upon learning her transgression of dharma. Therefore, let sorrow be mine, but I will not give Sukanya.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य शर्यातिर्विमना स्वगृहं ययौ । सचिवांश्च समादाय मन्त्रं चक्रेऽतिदुःखितः
Thinking thus, Sharyati, distressed, returned to his house, gathered his ministers, and held counsel, greatly troubled.
भो मन्त्रिणो ब्रुवन्त्वद्य किं कर्तव्यं मयाधुना । पुत्री देयाथ विप्राय भोक्तव्यं दुःखमेव वा
O ministers, tell me today what I should do now: Should I give my daughter to the sage, or must I endure sorrow?
विचारयध्वं मिलिता हितं स्यान्मम वै कथम् । मन्त्रिण ऊचुः - किं ब्रूमोऽस्मिन्महाराज सङ्कटेऽतिदुरासदे
Deliberate together and decide what is best for me. The ministers said: What can we say, O king, in this dire and difficult situation?
दुर्भगाय सुकन्यैषा कथं देयातिसुन्दरी । व्यास उवाच - तदा चिन्ताकुलं वीक्ष्य पितरं मन्त्रिणस्तदा
How can this exceedingly beautiful Sukanya be given to one so unfortunate? Vyasa said: Seeing the father troubled, the ministers were likewise distressed.
सुकन्या त्विङ्गितं ज्ञात्वा प्रहस्येदमुवाच ह । पितः कस्माद्भवानद्य चिन्ताव्याकुलितेन्द्रियः
But Sukanya, perceiving his distress, smiled and spoke these words: 'Father, why are you today so troubled and your senses so agitated?'
मत्कृते दुःखसंविग्नो विषण्णवदनोऽसि वै । अहं गत्वा मुनिं तत्र समाश्वास्य भयार्दितम्
'Because of me, you are overwhelmed by sorrow and your face is cast down. I will go to the sage there and comfort him, who is afflicted by fear.'
करिष्यामि प्रसन्नं तं आत्मदानेन वै पितः । इति राजा वचः श्रुत्वा भाषितं यत्सुकन्यया
'Father, I will make him pleased by offering myself, truly.' Hearing these words spoken by Sukanya—
तामुवाच प्रसन्नात्मा सचिवानां च शृण्वताम् । कथं पुत्रि त्वमन्धस्य परिचर्यां वनेऽबला
The king, his mind calmed, spoke to her in the presence of his ministers: 'Daughter, how will you, a young woman, serve a blind man in the forest?'
करिष्यसि जरार्तस्य क्रोधनस्य विशेषतः । कथमन्धाय चानेन रूपेण रतिसन्निभाम्
'How will you care for one old with age, especially one prone to anger? And how, with your beauty, will you give yourself to this blind man, as if to a beloved?'
ददामि जरया ग्रस्तदेहाय सुखवाञ्छया । पित्रा पुत्री प्रदातव्या वयोज्ञातिबलाय च
'How can I give you, desiring your happiness, to one whose body is consumed by old age? A daughter should be given by her father to one who is of suitable age and strength.'
धनधान्यसमृद्धाय नाधनाय कदाचन । क्व ते रूपं विशालाक्षि क्वासौ वृद्धो वनेचरः
'To one rich in wealth and grain, never to a poor man. Where is your beauty, O wide-eyed one, and where is that old forest-dweller?'
कथं देया मया पुत्री तस्मै नातिवराय च । उटजे नियतं वासो यस्य नित्यं मनोहरे
'How can I give my daughter to him, who is not an excellent match? His dwelling is always in a hut, though charming.'
कथमम्बुजपत्राक्षि कल्पनीयो मया तव । मरणं मे वरं प्राप्तं सैनिकानां तथैव च
'How, O lotus-eyed one, can I arrange this for you? Death would be preferable for me, and likewise for my soldiers.'
न ते प्रदानमन्धाय रोचते पिकभाषिणि । भवितव्यं भवत्येव धैर्यं नैव त्यजाम्यहम्
'It does not please me to give you to a blind man, O sweet-voiced one. Yet what must be, will be; I will not abandon my courage.'
सुस्थिरा भव सुश्रोणि न दास्येऽन्धाय कर्हिचित् । राज्यं तिष्ठतु वा यातु देहोऽयं च तथैव मे
'Be steadfast, O fair-hipped one; I will never give you to a blind man. Let the kingdom remain or go, and likewise this body of mine.'
न त्वां दास्याम्यहं तस्मै नेत्रहीनाय बालिके । सुकन्या तं तदा प्राह श्रुत्व तद्वचनं पितुः
'I will not give you to that blind man, O child.' Then Sukanya, hearing her father's words—
प्रसन्नवदनातीव स्नेहयुक्तमिदं वचः । सुकन्योवाच - न मे चिन्ता पितः कार्या देहि मां मुनयेऽधुना
With a face bright with affection, Sukanya spoke these words: 'Father, you need not worry; give me now to the sage.'
सुखं भवतु सर्वेषां लोकानां मत्कृतेन हि । सेवयिष्यामि सन्तुष्टा पतिं परमपावनम्
'Let happiness come to all the worlds because of me. I will serve my husband, supremely pure, with satisfaction.'
भक्त्या परमया चापि वृद्धं च विजने वने । सतीधर्मपरा चाहं चरिष्यामि सुसम्मतम्
'With utmost devotion I will serve the old man in the lonely forest. I am devoted to the path of a faithful wife and will act as is most proper.'
न भोगेच्छास्ति मे तात स्वस्थं चित्तं ममानघ । व्यास उवाच - तच्छ्रुत्वा भाषितं तस्या मन्त्रिणो विस्मयं गताः
'I have no desire for enjoyment, father; my mind is calm and pure.' Vyasa said: 'Hearing her words, the ministers were amazed.'
राजा च परमप्रीतो जगाम मुनिसन्निधौ । गत्वा प्रणम्य शिरसा तमुवाच तपोधनम्
And the king, greatly pleased, went to the sage's presence. Approaching and bowing his head, he spoke to the ascetic—
स्वामिन् गृहाण पुत्रीं मे सेवार्थं विधिवद्विभो । इत्युक्त्वासौ ददौ पुत्रीं विवाहविधिना नृपः
'Master, accept my daughter for service, according to the proper rite.' Having said this, the king gave his daughter in marriage, following the prescribed ceremony.