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.
माद्री प्राह पतिं पाण्डुं पुत्रं मे कुरु सत्तम । किं करोमि महाराज दुःखं नाशय मे प्रभो
Mādrī said to her husband Pāṇḍu: 'Grant me a son, O noble one; what should I do, O great king? Remove my sorrow, lord.'
प्रार्थिता पतिना कुन्ती ददौ मन्त्रं दयान्विता । एकपुत्रप्रबन्धेन माद्री पतिमते स्थिता
Requested by her husband, Kuntī, full of compassion, gave her the mantra; Mādrī, with her husband's consent, used it for a single son.
स्मृत्वा तदाश्विनौ देवौ मद्रराजसुता सुतौ । नकुलः सहदेवश्च सुषुवे वरवर्णिनी
Remembering the twin Ashvins, the sons of the king of Madra, Nakula and Sahadeva were born to the radiant lady.
एवं ते पाण्डवाः पञ्च क्षेत्रोत्पन्ताः सुरात्मजाः । वर्षवर्षान्तरे जाता वने तस्मिन्द्विजोत्तमाः
Thus, the five Pandavas, born of the gods and conceived in the field, were born year after year in that forest, O best of twice-born.
एकस्मिन्समये पाण्डुर्माद्रीं दृष्ट्वाथ निर्जने । आश्रमे चातिकामार्तो जग्राहागतवैशसः
Once, Pandu saw Madri alone in the hermitage, and overwhelmed by desire, he seized her, unaware of impending misfortune.
मा मा मा मेति बहुधा निषिद्धोऽपितया भृशम् । आलिलिङ्ग प्रियां दैवात्पपात धरणीतले
Though she repeatedly pleaded, 'No, no, no,' he embraced his beloved; by fate, he fell to the ground.
यथा वृक्षगता वल्ली छिन्ने पतति वै द्रुमे । तथा सा पतिता बाला कुर्वन्ती रोदनं बहु
Just as a vine falls from a tree when its support is cut, so she, still young, fell and wept bitterly.
प्रत्यागता तदा कुन्ती रुदती बालकास्तथा । मुनयश्च महाभागाः श्रुत्वा कोलाहलं तदा
Then Kunti returned, weeping, along with the children; the great sages, hearing the commotion, also came.
मृतः पाण्डुस्तदा सर्वे मुनयः संशितव्रताः । सहाग्निभिर्विधिं कृत्वा गङ्गातीरे तदादहन्
Pandu had died; all the sages, steadfast in their vows, performed the rites with fire and cremated him on the bank of the Ganges.
चक्रे सहैव गमनं माद्री दत्त्वा सुतौ शिशू । कुन्त्यै धर्मं पुरस्कृत्य सतीनां सत्यकामतः
Madri resolved to depart with him, entrusting her two children to Kunti, upholding righteousness and the truthfulness of devoted wives.