धर्मो जयति नाधर्मः सत्यं जयति नानृतम् । मानयं कुरु राजेन्द्र त्यज पापमतिं किल
'Dharma prevails, not adharma; truth prevails, not falsehood. O king of kings, show respect and abandon your sinful intent.'
दौहित्रस्तव सम्प्राप्तः सोऽपि रूपसमन्वितः । राज्ययुक्तस्तथा श्रीमान्कथं तं न वरिष्यति
'Your grandson has arrived, endowed with beauty, possessing a kingdom and prosperity—why would she not choose him?'
अन्ये राजसुताः कामं वर्तन्ते बलवत्तराः । कन्यास्वयंवरे कन्या स्वीकरिष्यति साम्प्रतम्
'Other princes may indeed be stronger, but at the svayamvara, the maiden will choose as she wishes.'
वृते तथा विवादः कः प्रवदन्तु महीभुजः । परस्परं विरोधोऽत्र न कर्तव्यो विजानता
'Once the choice is made, what quarrel remains? Let the kings declare. There should be no conflict among the wise here.'
स्वपितरं प्रति शशिकलावाक्यम् व्यास उवाच इतिवादिनि भूपाले केरलाधिपतौ तदा । प्रत्युवाच महाभाग युधाजिदपि पार्थिवः
Vyasa said: While the king of Kerala was speaking thus, the illustrious Yudhajit, too, replied to him.
नीतिरेषा महीपाल यद्ब्रवीति भवानिह । समाजे पार्थिवानां वै सत्यवाग्विजितेन्द्रियः
'O king, what you say here is indeed proper conduct—spoken truthfully and with self-control among the assembly of kings.'
योग्येषु वर्तमानेषु कन्यारत्नं कुलोद्वह । अयोग्योऽर्हति भूपाल न्यायोऽयं तव रोचते
When suitable men are present, the jewel among maidens should be given to the best of the lineage. An unsuitable person, O king, is not worthy; this principle pleases you.
भागं सिंहस्य गोमायुर्भोक्तुमर्हति वा कथम् । तथा सुदर्शनोऽयं वै कन्यारत्नं किमर्हति
How could a jackal deserve a lion's share? Likewise, how is Sudarshana worthy of this jewel among maidens?
बलं वेदो हि विप्राणां भूभुजां चापजं बलम् । किमन्याय्यं महाराज ब्रवीम्यहमिहाधुना
The strength of Brahmins is the Veda, and the strength of kings is the bow. What injustice, O great king, am I now speaking here?
बलं शुल्कं यथा राज्ञां विवाहे परिकीर्तितम् । बलवानेव गृह्णातु नाबलस्तु कदाचन
As strength and bride-price are declared for kings in marriage, let only the strong take the bride, and never the weak.
तस्मात्कन्यापणं कृत्वा नीतिरत्र विधीयताम् । अन्यथा कलहः कामं भविष्यति महीभुजाम्
Therefore, let the maiden be auctioned, and let this rule be established here. Otherwise, conflict will surely arise among the kings.
एवं विवादे संवृत्ते राज्ञां तत्र परस्परम् । आहूतस्तु सभामध्ये सुबाहुर्नृपसत्तमः
When such a dispute arose among the kings, Subahu, the foremost of rulers, was summoned to the assembly.
समाहूय नृपाः सर्वे तमूचुस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः । राजन्नीतिस्त्वया कार्या विवाहेऽत्र समाहिता
Having called all the kings, those who see the truth said to him: 'O king, you must establish the proper rule for this marriage.'
किं ते चिकीर्षितं राजंस्तद्वदस्व समाहितः । पुत्र्याः प्रदानं कस्मै ते रोचते नृप चेतसि
'What do you wish to do, O king? Speak your intention clearly. To whom does your mind incline to give your daughter?'
सुबाहुरुवाच पुत्र्या मे मनसा कामं वृतः किल सुदर्शनः । मया निवारितोऽत्यर्थं न सा प्रत्येति मे वचः
Subahu said: 'In her heart, my daughter has chosen Sudarshana. I have strongly forbidden her, but she does not heed my words.'
किं करोमि सुताया मे न वशे वर्तते मनः । सुदर्शनस्तथैकाकी सम्प्राप्तोऽस्ति निराकुलः
'What can I do? My daughter's mind is not under my control. Sudarshana has arrived alone, undisturbed.'
व्यास उवाच सम्पन्ना भूभुजः सर्वे समाहूय सुदर्शनम् । ऊचुः समागतं शान्तमेकाकिनमतन्द्रिताः
Vyasa said: 'All the assembled kings, having summoned Sudarshana, addressed him, who had come alone, calmly and attentively.'
राजपुत्र महाभाग केनाहूतोऽसि सुव्रत । एकाकी यः समायातः समाजे भूभृतामिह
'O noble prince, by whom have you been called, O virtuous one? You have come alone to this assembly of kings.'
न वै सैन्यं न सचिवा न कोशो न बृहद्बलम् । किमर्थञ्च समायातस्तत्त्वं ब्रूहि महामते
'You have neither an army, nor ministers, nor treasury, nor great strength. For what purpose have you come? Tell us the truth, O wise one.'
युद्धकामा नृपतयो वर्तन्तेऽत्र समागमे । कन्यार्थं सैन्यसम्पन्नाः किं त्वं कर्तुमिहेच्छसि
'The kings gathered here desire battle, equipped with armies for the maiden's sake. What do you wish to do here?'
भ्राता ते सुबलः शूरः सम्प्राप्तोऽस्ति जिघृक्षया । युधाजिच्च महाबाहुः साहाय्यं कर्तुमागतः
'Your brother Subala, the valiant, has come with the intention to seize. The mighty-armed Yudhajit has arrived to assist him.'
गच्छ वा तिष्ठ राजेन्द्र याथातथ्यमुदाहृतम् । त्वयि सैन्यविहीने च यथेष्टं कुरु सुव्रत
'Go or stay, O king, as has been declared. Since you are without an army, act as you wish, O virtuous one.'
सुदर्शन उवाच न बलं न सहायो मे न कोशो दुर्गसंश्रयः । न मित्राणि न सौहार्दी न नृपा रक्षका मम
Sudarshana said: 'I have neither strength nor allies, nor treasury nor fortress. I have no friends, no affection, nor kings to protect me.'
अत्र स्वयंवरं श्रुत्वा द्रष्टुकाम इहागतः । स्वप्ने देव्या प्रेरितोऽस्मि भगवत्या न संशयः
'Having heard of the svayamvara, I have come here desiring to see it. In a dream, I was sent by the goddess, the blessed one—there is no doubt.'
नान्यच्चिकीर्षितं मेऽद्य मामाह जगदीश्वरी । तया यद्विहितं तच्च भविताऽद्य न संशयः
Today, I desire nothing else; the Lady of the Universe has spoken to me. Whatever she has ordained, that will indeed come to pass today, without doubt.
न शत्रुरस्ति संसारे कोऽप्यत्र जगतीश्वराः । सर्वत्र पश्यतो मेऽद्य भवानीं जगदम्बिकाम्
There is no enemy in this world, nor are there any Lords of the Universe here. Everywhere I look today, I see Bhavani, the Mother of the World.
यः करिष्यति शत्रुत्वं मया सह नृपात्मजाः । शास्ता तस्य महाविद्या नाहं जानामि शत्रुताम्
Whoever acts as an enemy against me, O princes, the great Vidya will punish him; I myself do not know enmity.
यद्भावि तद्वै भविता नान्यथा नृपसत्तमाः । का चिन्ता ह्यत्र कर्तव्या दैवाधीनोऽस्मि सर्वथा
Whatever is destined to happen will surely occur, and not otherwise, O best of kings. What worry should there be here? I am entirely subject to fate.
देवभूतमनुष्येषु सर्वभूतेषु सर्वदा । सर्वेषां तत्कृता भक्तिर्नान्यथा नृपसत्तमाः
Among gods, among humans, among all beings, always, devotion arises in all through her actions, and not otherwise, O best of kings.
सा यं चिकीर्षते भूपं तं करोति नृपाधिपाः । निर्धनं वा नरं कामं का चिन्ता वै तदा मम
Whomever she wishes to make king, she makes so, O rulers of men. Whether a man is poor or desires something, what concern is there for me then?