राज्ये संस्थापितः पाण्डुः कनीयानपि मन्त्रिभिः । अन्धत्वाद्धृतराष्ट्रोऽसौ नाधिकारे नियोजितः
Though Pandu was the younger, he was established in the kingdom by the ministers; Dhritarashtra, due to blindness, was not appointed to authority.
भीष्मस्यानुमते राज्यं प्राप्तः पाण्डुर्महाबलः । विदुरोऽप्यथ मेधावी मन्त्रकार्ये नियोजितः
With Bhishma's approval, the mighty Pandu obtained the kingdom; and Vidura, intelligent, was appointed to the work of counsel.
धृतराष्ट्रस्य द्वे भार्ये गान्धारी सौबली स्मृता । द्वितीया च तथा वैश्या गार्हस्त्येषु प्रतिष्ठिता
Dhritarashtra had two wives: Gandhari, known as the daughter of Subala, and the second, a Vaishya woman, established in household duties.
पाण्डोरपि तथा पत्न्यौ द्वे प्रोक्ते वेदवादिभिः । शौरसेनी तथा कुन्ती माद्री च मद्रदेशजा
Pandu also had two wives, as declared by the Vedic scholars: Kunti, the daughter of Shurasena, and Madri, born in the land of Madra.
गान्धारी सुषुवे पुत्रशतं परमशोभनम् । वैश्याप्येकं सुतं कान्तं युयुत्सुं सुषुवे प्रियम्
Gandhari gave birth to a hundred sons, exceedingly splendid; the Vaishya woman too bore one beloved son, Yuyutsu.
कुन्ती तु प्रथमं कन्या सूर्यात्कर्णं मनोहरम् । सुषुवे पितृगेहस्था पश्चात्पाण्डुपरिग्रहः
Kunti, while still a maiden in her father's house, first bore Karna, charming in form, from the Sun; later she was married to Pandu.
ऋषय ऊचुः किमेतत्सूत चित्रं त्वं भाषसे मुनिसत्तम । जनितश्च सुतः पूर्वं पाण्डुना सा विवाहिता
The sages said: O Suta, excellent among sages, what is this wondrous thing you are telling? A son was born before, yet she was married to Pandu.
सूर्यात्कर्णः कथं जातः कन्यायां वद विस्तरात् । कन्या कथं पुनर्जाता पाण्डुना सा विवाहिता
How was Karna born from the Sun in a maiden? Tell in detail. How was she again a maiden and then married to Pandu?
सूत उवाच शूरसेनसुता कुन्ती बालभावे यदा द्विजाः । कुन्तिभोजेन राज्ञा तु प्रार्थिता कन्यका शुभा
The Suta said: Kunti, daughter of Shurasena, when she was a child, O twice-born, was requested as a maiden by King Kuntibhoja.
कुन्तिभोजेन सा बाला पुत्री तु परिकल्पिता । सेवनार्थं तु दीप्तस्य विहिता चारुहासिनी
She, the girl, was adopted as a daughter by Kuntibhoja and, with a lovely smile, was appointed to serve the radiant sage.
दुर्वासास्तु मुनिः प्राप्तश्चातुर्मास्ये स्थितो द्विजः । परिचर्या कृता कुन्त्या मुनिस्तोषं जगाम ह
The sage Durvasa arrived during the four-month vow, O twice-born; Kunti served the sage, and he became pleased with her.
ददौ मन्त्रं शुभं तस्यै येनाहूतः सुरः स्वयम् । समायाति तथा कामं पूरयिष्यति वाञ्छितम्
He gave her a sacred mantra, by which, when invoked, a god would himself come and fulfill whatever desire was wished.
गते मुनौ ततः कुन्ती निश्चयार्थं गृहे स्थिता । चिन्तयामास मनसा कं सुरं समचिन्तये
After the sage departed, Kunti, remaining at home to test it, thought in her mind: which god shall I invoke?
उदितश्च तदा भानुस्तया दृष्टो दिवाकरः । मन्त्रोच्चारं तया कृत्वा चाहूतस्तिग्मगुस्तदा
Then the Sun arose and was seen by her; reciting the mantra, she invoked the blazing one at that moment.
मण्डलान्मानुषं रूपं कृत्वा सर्वातिपेशलम् । अवातरत्तदाकाशात्समीपे तत्र मन्दिरे
From his orb, taking on a human form of surpassing beauty, he descended from the sky and appeared nearby in that chamber.
दृष्ट्वा देवं समायान्तं कुन्ती भानुं सुविस्मिता । वेपमाना रजोदोषं प्राप्ता सद्यस्तु भामिनी
Seeing the god, the Sun, approaching, Kunti was greatly astonished; trembling, she immediately experienced the consequence of her womanhood.
कृताञ्जलिः स्थिता सूर्यं बभाषे चारुलोचना । सुप्रीता दर्शनेनाद्य गच्छ त्वं निजमण्डलम्
With joined palms, her lovely eyes shining, she spoke to the Sun: 'I am greatly pleased by your appearance today; now return to your own realm.'
सूर्य उवाच आहूतोऽस्मि कथं कुन्ति त्वया मन्त्रबलेन वै । न मां भजसि कस्मात्त्वं समाहूय पुरोगतम्
The Sun said: 'Kunti, by the power of your mantra I have been summoned—why have you called me here, yet do not honor me, though I stand before you?'
कामार्तोऽस्म्यसितापाङ्गि भज मां भावसंयुतम् । मन्त्रेणाधीनतां प्राप्प्तं क्रीडितुं नय मामिति
'O dark-eyed one, I am overcome with desire; unite with me, filled with devotion. By your mantra I am under your control—take me now to enjoy together.'
कुन्त्युवाच ॥ कन्यास्म्यहं तु धर्मज्ञ सर्वसाक्षिन्नमाम्यहम् । तवाप्यहं न दुर्वाच्या कुलकन्यास्मि सुव्रत
Kunti said: 'I am a maiden, O knower of righteousness, and I bow to you, the witness of all. I am not to be reproached, for I am a noble family's daughter, O virtuous one.'
सूर्य उवाच लज्जा मे महती चाद्य यदि गच्छाम्यहं वृथा । वाच्यतां सर्वदेवानां यास्याम्यत्र न संशयः
The Sun said: 'Today I would feel great shame if I were to leave in vain; without doubt, I would become the talk of all the gods.'
शप्स्यामि तं द्विजं चाद्य येन मन्त्रः समर्पितः । त्वां चापि सुभृशं कुन्ति नोचेन्मां त्वं भजिष्यसि
'Today I shall curse the brahmin who gave you the mantra, and you as well, Kunti, most severely, if you do not unite with me.'
कन्याधर्मः स्थिरस्ते स्यान्न ज्ञास्यन्ति जनाः किल । मत्समस्तु तथा पुत्रो भविता ते वरानने
'Your maidenhood will remain intact; people will not know of this, O beautiful-faced one. And your son, equal to me, will be born to you.'
इत्युक्त्वा तरणिः कुन्तीं तन्मनस्कां सुलज्जिताम् । भुक्त्वा जगाम देवेशो वरं दत्त्वातिवाञ्छितम्
Having spoken thus, the Sun, after uniting with Kunti, who was deeply modest and absorbed in thought, granted her the desired boon and departed.
गर्भं दधार सुश्रोणी सुगुप्ते मन्दिरे स्थिता । धात्री वेद प्रिया चैका न माता न जनस्तथा
That lovely-hipped woman bore the embryo, concealed in a secret chamber; only the nurse and her dear companion knew—not her mother, nor anyone else.
गुप्तः सद्मनि पुत्रस्तु जातश्चातिमनोहरः । कवचेनातिरम्येण कुण्डलाभ्यां समन्वितः
The son was born secretly in the house, exceedingly charming, adorned with a radiant armor and earrings.
द्वितीय इव सूर्यस्तु कुमार इव चापरः । करे कृत्वाथ धात्रेयी तामुवाच सुलज्जिताम्
He was like a second Sun, or another celestial youth; then, placing him in the nurse's hands, she spoke to her, deeply ashamed.
कां चिन्तां करभोरु त्वमाधत्सेऽद्य स्थितास्म्यहम् । मञ्जूषायां सुतं कुन्ती मुञ्चन्ती वाक्यमब्रवीत्
'Why do you worry, O slender-armed one? I am here,' said the nurse. Kunti, placing her son in the box, spoke these words.
किं करोमि सुतार्ताहं त्यजे त्वां प्राणवल्लभम् । मन्दभाग्या त्यजामि त्वां सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम्
'What am I to do, tormented for my son? I must abandon you, my beloved as life itself. Unfortunate as I am, I give up you, endowed with every auspicious mark.'
पातुत्वां सगुणागुणा भगवती सर्वेश्वरी चाम्बिका स्तन्यं सैव ददातु विश्वजननी कात्यायनी कामदा । द्रक्ष्येऽहंमुखपङ्कजं सुललितं प्राणप्रियार्हं कदा त्यक्त्वा त्वां विजने वने रविसुतं दुष्टा यथा स्वैरिणी
'May the Goddess, with and without qualities, the supreme Lady Ambika, protect you; may the World-Mother Katyayani, fulfiller of wishes, give you her milk. When will I see your beautiful lotus face, worthy of my dearest love? Abandoning you, O son of the Sun, in the lonely forest, I am as wicked as a wanton woman.'