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.'
पूर्वस्मिन्नपि जन्मनि त्रिजगतां माता न चाराधिता न ध्यातं पदपङ्कजं सुखकरं देव्याः शिवायाश्चिरम् । तेनाहं सुत दुर्भगास्मि सततं त्यक्त्वा पुनस्त्वां वने तप्स्यामि प्रिय पातकं स्मृतवती बुद्ध्या कृतं यत्स्वयम्
'In a previous birth, I did not worship the Mother of the three worlds, nor did I long meditate on the bliss-giving lotus feet of auspicious Devi. Therefore, O son, I am always unfortunate; abandoning you again in the forest, I shall perform penance, remembering the sin I have knowingly committed.'
सूत उवाव इत्युक्त्या तं सुतं कुन्ती मञ्जूषायां धृतं किल । धात्रीहस्ते ददौ भीता जनदर्शनतस्तथा
Suta said: Thus, after speaking, Kunti placed her son in the box, and, fearful of being seen by people, gave him to the nurse.
स्नात्वा त्रस्ता तदा कुन्ती पितृवेश्मन्युवास सा । मञ्जूषा वहमाना च प्राप्ता ह्यधिरथेन वै
Then, frightened, Kunti bathed and stayed in her father's house; the box she had sent away was found by Adhiratha.
राधा सूतस्य भार्या वै तयासौ प्रार्थितः सुतः । कर्णोऽभूद्बलवान्वीरः पालितः सूतसद्मनि
Radha, the wife of the charioteer, earnestly desired a son; thus, Karna, strong and heroic, was raised in the house of the charioteer.
कुन्ती विवाहिता कन्या पाण्डुना सा स्वयम्वरे । माद्री चैवापरा भार्या मद्रराजसुता शुभा
Kuntī, the maiden, was wedded to Pāṇḍu in her own svayaṃvara; and Mādrī, the other wife, the auspicious daughter of the king of Madra.
मृगयां रममाणस्तु वने पाण्डुर्महाबलः । जघान मृगबुद्ध्या तु रममाणं मुनिं वने
While delighting in hunting in the forest, the mighty Pāṇḍu slew, mistaking him for a deer, a sage who was enjoying himself in the woods.
शप्तस्तेन तदा पाण्डुर्मुनिना कुपितेन च । स्त्रीसङ्गं यदि कर्तासि तदा ते मरणं धुवम्
Then, enraged, that sage cursed Pāṇḍu: 'If you unite with a woman, then surely death will come to you.'
इति शप्तस्तु मुनिना पाण्डुः शोकसमन्वितः । त्यक्त्वा राज्यं वने वासं चकार भृशदुःखितः
Thus cursed by the sage, Pāṇḍu, filled with sorrow, abandoned his kingdom and dwelt in the forest, greatly afflicted.
कुन्ती माद्री च भार्ये द्वे जग्मतुः सह सङ्गते । सेवनार्थं सतीधर्मं संश्रिते मुनिसत्तमाः
Kuntī and Mādrī, his two wives, went together with him, intent on serving him and upholding the highest dharma, accompanied by noble sages.
गङ्गातीरे स्थितः पाण्डुर्मुनीनामाश्रमेषु च । शृण्वानो धर्मशास्त्राणि चकार दुश्चरं तपः
Residing on the banks of the Gaṅgā, Pāṇḍu stayed in the hermitages of sages, listening to scriptures on dharma and performing severe austerities.
कथायां वर्तमानायां कदाचिद्धर्मसंश्रितम् । अशृणोद्वचनं राजा सुपृष्टं मुनिभाषितम्
Once, as a discourse was underway, the king heard a statement concerning dharma, well asked and spoken by a sage.
अपुत्रस्य गतिर्नास्ति स्वर्गे गन्तुं परन्तप । येन केनाप्युपायेन पुत्रस्य जननं चरेत्
'For one without a son, there is no passage to heaven, O subduer of foes; by any means possible, one should ensure the birth of a son.'
अंशजः पुत्रिकापुत्रः क्षेत्रजो गोलकस्तथा । कुण्डः सहोढः कानीनः क्रीतः प्राप्तस्तथा वने
A son may be born of a portion, or to a maiden, or as the field-born, or as a foundling; also as a child from a vessel, one raised by the husband, one born out of wedlock, one purchased, or one found in the forest.
दत्तः केनापि चाशक्तौ धनग्राहिसुताः स्मृताः । उत्तरोत्तरतः पुत्रा निकृष्टा इति निश्चयः
Or one given by someone in incapacity; sons who are receivers of wealth are also recognized. Each successive type of son is considered inferior to the previous, this is the conclusion.
इत्याकर्ण्य तदा प्राह कुन्तीं कमललोचनाम् । सुतमुत्पादयाशु त्वं मुनिं गत्वा तपोऽन्वितम्
Hearing this, he then said to Kuntī, lotus-eyed: 'Quickly produce a son by approaching a sage engaged in austerity.'
ममाज्ञया न दोषस्ते पुरा राज्ञा महात्मना । वसिष्ठाज्जनितः पुत्रः सौदासेनेति मे श्रुतम्
'By my command, there is no fault in you; formerly, O great one, a son named Saudāsa was begotten by Vasiṣṭha upon the queen, as I have heard.'
तं कुन्ती वचनं प्राह मम मन्त्रोऽस्ति कामदः । दत्तो दुर्वाससा पूर्वं सिद्धिदः सर्वथा प्रभो
Kuntī replied to him: 'I possess a mantra that grants desires, given to me before by Durvāsas, which always bestows success, O lord.'
निमन्त्रयेऽहं यं देवं मन्त्रेणानेन पार्थिव । आगच्छेत्सर्वथासौ वै मम पार्श्वं निमन्त्रितः
'Whichever god I invoke with this mantra, O king, he will certainly come to my side when invited.'
भर्तुर्वाक्येन सा तत्र स्मृत्वा धर्मं सुरोत्तमम् । सङ्गम्य सुषुवे पुत्रं प्रथमं च युधिष्ठिरम्
By her husband's command, remembering the supreme dharma, she united and bore her first son, Yudhiṣṭhira.
वायोर्वृकोदरं पुत्रं जिष्णुं चैव शतक्रतोः । वर्षे वर्षे त्रयः पुत्राः कुन्त्या जाता महाबलाः
From Vāyu she bore Vṛkodara as a son, and from Indra, Arjuna; thus, year by year, three mighty sons were born to Kuntī.