सञ्चितं वर्तमानञ्च प्रारब्धञ्च तृतीयकम् । कालकर्मस्वभावैश्च ततं सर्वमिदं जगत्
Accumulated, current, and begun—these are the three kinds. By time, action, and nature, this entire world is woven.
न देवो मानुषं हन्तुं शक्तः कालागमं विना । हतं निमित्तमात्रेण हन्ति कालः सनातनः
No god can kill a human without the arrival of the destined time. Time, eternal, kills only when the occasion arises.
यथा पिता मे निहतः सिंहेनामित्रकर्षणः । तथा मातामहोऽप्येवं युद्धे युधाजिता हतः
Just as my father, the destroyer of enemies, was slain by a lion, so too was my maternal grandfather killed in battle by Yudhajit.
यत्नकोटिं प्रकुर्वाणो हन्यते दैवयोगतः । जीवेद्वर्षसहस्राणि रक्षणेन विना नरः
Even making countless efforts, a man is slain by the force of fate; without protection, a person cannot live a thousand years.
नाहं बिभेमि धर्मिष्ठाः कदाचिच्च युधाजितः । दैवमेव परं मत्वा सुस्थितोऽस्मि सदा नृपाः
O Yudhajit, I do not fear, nor do the righteous ever fear; considering fate to be supreme, I always remain steadfast, O kings.
स्मरणं सततं नित्यं भगवत्याः करोम्यहम् । विश्वस्य जननी देवी कल्याणं सा करिष्यति
I constantly and always remember the Goddess; she, the Mother of the universe, will bring about what is auspicious.
पूर्वार्जितं हि भोक्तव्यं शुभं वाप्यशुभं तथा । स्वकृतस्य च भोगेन कीदृक्शोको विजानताम्
Indeed, one must experience what was earned previously, whether auspicious or inauspicious; by enjoying the fruits of one’s own actions, what sorrow remains for those who understand?
स्वकर्मफलयोगेन प्राप्य दुःखमचेतनः । निमित्तकारणे वैरं करोत्यल्पमतिः किल
Through the results of his own actions, an unthinking person attains suffering; with little understanding, he makes enmity for trivial reasons.
न तथाऽहं विजानामि वैरं शोकं भयं तथा । निःशङ्कमिह सम्प्राप्तः समाजे भूभृतामिह
I do not perceive enmity, sorrow, or fear in this way; I have come here without anxiety into this assembly of kings.
एकाकी द्रष्टुकामोऽहं स्वयंवरमनुत्तमम् । भविष्यति च यद्भाव्यं प्राप्तोऽस्मि चण्डिकाज्ञया
Alone, I wish to witness the unparalleled svayamvara; whatever is destined will occur, for I have come by the command of Chandika.
भगवत्याः प्रमाणं मे नान्यं जानामि संयतः । तत्कृतञ्च सुखं दुःखं भविष्यति च नान्यथा
Restrained, I know no authority other than the Goddess; whatever happiness or sorrow comes from her will surely be, and not otherwise.
युधाजित्सुखमाप्नोतु न मे वैरं नृपोत्तमाः । यः करिष्यति मे वैरं स प्राप्स्यति फलं तथा
Let Yudhajit obtain happiness; I hold no enmity, O best of kings. Whoever bears enmity toward me will receive its result accordingly.
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तास्ते तथा तेन सन्तुष्टा भूभुजः स्थिताः । सोऽपि स्वमाश्रमं प्राप्य सुस्थितः सम्बभूव ह
Vyasa said: Thus addressed by him, the kings remained satisfied; he too, reaching his hermitage, became well-settled.
अपरेऽह्नि शुभे काले नृपाः सम्मन्त्रिताः किल । सुबाहुना नृपेणाथ रुचिरे वै स्वमण्डपे
On another auspicious day, the kings, having consulted together, gathered in the beautiful pavilion of King Subahu.
दिव्यास्तरणयुक्तेषु मञ्चेषु रचितेषु च । उपविष्टाश्च राजानः शुभालङ्करणैर्युताः
On couches adorned with divine coverings, the kings sat, adorned with auspicious ornaments.
दिव्यवेषधराः कामं विमानेष्वमरा इव । दीप्यमानाः स्थितास्तत्र स्वयंवरदिदृक्षया
Wearing celestial garments as they pleased, shining like gods in their aerial chariots, they stood there, eager to witness the svayamvara.
इति चिन्तापराः सर्वे कदा साप्यागमिष्यति । भाग्यवन्तं नृपश्रेष्ठं श्रुतपुण्यं वरिष्यति
All of them, absorbed in thought, wondered when she would arrive and which fortunate, noble, and virtuous king she would choose.
यदा सुदर्शनं दैवात्स्रजा सम्भूषयेदिह । विवादो वै नृपाणां च भविता नात्र संशयः
When, by fate, Sudarshana is adorned with the garland here, there will surely be conflict among the kings—of this there is no doubt.
इत्येवं चिन्त्यमानास्ते भूपा मञ्चेषु संस्थिताः । वादित्रघोषः सुमहानुत्थितो नृपमण्डपे
While the kings, seated on their couches, were thinking thus, a great sound of musical instruments arose in the royal pavilion.
अथ काशीपतिः प्राह सुतां स्नातां स्वलङ्कृताम् । मधूकमालासंयुक्तां क्षौमवासोविभूषिताम्
Then the king of Kashi spoke, bringing forth his daughter, bathed and beautifully adorned, garlanded with madhuka flowers and dressed in fine silk.
विवाहोपस्करैर्युक्तां दिव्यां सिन्धुसुतोपमाम् । चिन्तापरां सुवसनां स्मितपूर्वमिदं वचः
She was adorned with wedding ornaments, divine, resembling the daughter of the ocean, absorbed in thought, beautifully dressed, and with a gentle smile, she spoke these words:
उत्तिष्ठ पुत्रि सुनसे करे धृत्वा शुभां स्रजम् । व्रज मण्डपमध्येऽद्य समाजं पश्य भूभुजाम्
Rise, my daughter with the lovely nose, take this auspicious garland in your hand, go today into the pavilion, and behold the assembly of kings.
गुणवान् रूपसम्पन्नः कुलीनश्च नृपोत्तमः । तव चित्ते वसेद्यस्तु तं वृणुष्व सुमध्यमे
Among the kings, choose the one who is virtuous, endowed with beauty, of noble lineage, and who dwells in your heart, O slender-waisted one.
देशदेशाधिपाः सर्वे मञ्चेषु रचितेषु च । संविष्टाः पश्य तन्वङ्गि वरयस्व यथारुचि
See, O graceful one, all the rulers of various lands are seated on the arranged platforms; select as you desire.
व्यास उवाच तं तथा भाषमाणं वै पितरं मितभाषिणी । उवाच वचनं बाला ललितं धर्मसंयुतम्
Vyāsa said: To her father, who spoke thus, she, though sparing in words, replied with gentle, righteous speech, like a child.
शशिकलोवाच नाहं दृष्टिपथे राज्ञां गमिष्यामि पितः किल । कामुकानां नरेशानां गच्छन्त्यन्याश्च योषितः
Śaśikalā said: Father, I will not go before the kings; other women go before those lustful rulers.
धर्मशास्त्रे श्रुतं तात मयेदं वचनं किल । एक एव वरो नार्या निरीक्ष्यः स्यान्न चापरः
Father, I have heard this teaching in the scriptures: a woman should look upon only one man as her husband, not another.
सतीत्वं निर्गतं तस्या या प्रयाति बहूनथ । सङ्कल्पयन्ति ते सर्वे दृष्ट्वा मे भवतात्त्विति
Chastity departs from her who goes before many; all those men, seeing her, form intentions in their hearts.
स्वयंवरे स्रजं धृत्वा यदागच्छति मण्डपे । सामान्या सा तदा जाता कुलटेवापरा वधूः
When a woman enters the pavilion holding the garland at her own wedding, she becomes common, like another bride of loose character.
वारस्त्री विपणे गत्वा यथा वीक्ष्य नरांस्थितान् । गुणागुणपरिज्ञानं करोति निजमानसे
Just as a courtesan, going to the marketplace, observes the men standing there and discerns their qualities and faults in her mind,