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,
नैकभावा यथा वेश्या वृथा पश्यति कामुकम् । तथाऽहं मण्डपे गत्वा कुर्वे वारस्त्रिया कृतम्
As a prostitute, with divided mind, looks in vain upon her lovers, so too, if I enter the pavilion, I would act as a courtesan does.
वृद्धैरेतैः कृतं धर्मं न करिष्यामि साम्प्रतम् । पत्नीव्रतं तथा कामं चरिष्येऽहं धृतव्रता
I will not follow this custom established by the elders; I am firmly vowed to the path of a devoted wife.
सामान्या प्रथमं गत्वा कृत्वा सङ्कल्पितं बहु । वृणोति चैकं तद्वद्वै वृणोमि कथमद्य वै
At first, she becomes common by going and making many choices, then selects one; how then can I choose today in the same way?
सुदर्शनो मया पूर्वं वृतः सर्वात्मना पितः । तमृते नान्यथा कर्तुमिच्छामि नृपसत्तम
Father, I have already chosen Sudarśana with all my heart; apart from him, I do not wish to act otherwise, O best of kings.
विवाहविधिना देहि कन्यादानं शुभे दिने । सुदर्शनाय नृपते यदीच्छसि शुभं मम
If you desire my welfare, O king, then give me in marriage to Sudarśana on an auspicious day, according to the proper rites.
कन्यया स्वपितरं प्रति सुदर्शनेन सह विवाहार्थकथनम् व्यास उवाच सुबाहुरपि तच्छ्रुत्वा युक्तमुक्तं तया तदा । चिन्ताविष्टो बभूवाशु किं कर्तव्यमतः परम्
Vyāsa said: Hearing her words, which were appropriate and well-spoken, Subāhu became troubled, pondering what should be done next.
सङ्गताः पृथिवीपालाः ससैन्याः सपरिग्रहाः । उपविष्टाश्च मञ्चेषु योद्धुकामा महाबलाः
The assembled kings, with their armies and retinues, were seated on the platforms, eager for battle, possessing great strength.
यदि ब्रवीमि तान्सर्वान्सुता नायाति साम्प्रतम् । तथापि कोपसंयुक्ता हन्युर्मा दुष्टबुद्धयः
If I tell them all now that my daughter will not come, those wicked-minded ones, filled with anger, might kill me.
न मे सैन्यबलं तादृङ्न दुर्गबलमद्भुतम् । येनाहं नृपतीन्सर्वान् प्रत्यादेष्टुमिहोत्सहे
I do not possess such military strength, nor an extraordinary fortified force, by which I could dare to oppose all these kings here.
सुदर्शनस्तथैकाकी ह्यसहायोऽधनः शिशुः । किं कर्तव्यं निमग्नोऽहं सर्वथा दुःखसागरे
Sudarshana is alone, without allies, without wealth, and still a child; what can be done? I am utterly submerged in an ocean of sorrow.