सुहृदसि ममात्यर्थं हितं ते प्रब्रवीम्यहम् । समानय सुतां राजन् मण्डपे तां सखीवृताम्
You are my dear friend, so I speak what is beneficial for you; bring your daughter, O king, adorned with her companions, to the pavilion.
सुदर्शनमृते चेयं वरिष्यति यदाऽप्यसौ । विग्रहो मे तदा न स्याद्विवाहोऽस्तु तवेप्सितः
If she chooses anyone other than Sudarshana, let there be no conflict between us; let the marriage you desire take place.
अन्ये नृपतयः सर्वे कुलीनाः सबलाः समाः । विरोधः कीदृशस्त्वेनं वृणोद्यदि नृपोत्तम
All the other kings are noble, powerful, and equal; what kind of opposition would there be if she chooses one of them, O best of kings?
अन्यथाऽहं हरिष्येऽद्य बलात्कन्यामिमां शुभाम् । मा विरोधं सुदुःसाध्यं गच्छ पार्थिवसत्तम
Otherwise, today I will seize this virtuous maiden by force; do not enter into a conflict that is very difficult to resolve, O best of kings.
व्यास उवाच युधाजिता समादिष्टः सुबाहुः शोकसंयुतः । निःश्वसन्भवनं गत्वा भार्यां प्राह शुचावृतः
Vyasa said: Thus instructed by Yudhajit, Subahu, filled with sorrow, returned home sighing and, overwhelmed with grief, spoke to his wife.
पुत्रीं ब्रूहि सुधर्मज्ञे कलहे समुपस्थिते । किं कर्त्तव्यं मया शक्यं त्वद्वशोऽस्मि सुलोचने
Tell our daughter, O you who know righteousness well, what should I do now that conflict has arisen? I am under your will, O beautiful-eyed one.
व्यास उवाच सा श्रुत्वा पतिवाक्यं तु गत्वा प्राह सुतान्तिकम् । वत्से राजातिदुःखार्तः पिता तेऽद्यापि वर्तते
Vyasa said: Hearing her husband's words, she went to her daughter and said, 'Child, your father, the king, is still greatly afflicted with sorrow.'
त्वदर्थे विग्रहः कामं समुत्पन्नोऽद्य भूभृताम् । अन्यं वरय सुश्रोणि सुदर्शनमृते नृपम्
For your sake, conflict has arisen today among the kings; O lovely-hipped one, choose another king except Sudarshana.
यदि सुदर्शनं वत्से हठात्त्वं वै वरिष्यसि । युधाजित्त्वां च मां चैव हनिष्यति बलान्वितः
If, dear one, you stubbornly choose Sudarshana, Yudhajit, powerful as he is, will kill both you and me.
सुदर्शनं च राजाऽसौ बलमत्तः प्रतापवान् । द्वितीयस्ते पतिः पश्चाद्भविता कलहे सति
That king Sudarshana is strong and valiant; if conflict arises, he will become your second husband after death.
तस्मात्सुदर्शनं त्यक्त्वा वरयान्यं नृपोत्तमम् । सुखमिच्छसि चेन्मह्यं तुभ्यं वा मृगलोचने । इति मात्रा बोधितां तां पश्चाद्राजाप्यबोधयत्
Therefore, forsake Sudarshana and choose another excellent king, if you desire happiness for me or for yourself, O doe-eyed one.' Thus instructed by her mother, the king also advised her afterwards.
उभयोर्वचनं श्रुत्वा निर्भयोवाच कन्यका कन्योवाच सत्यमुक्तं नृपश्रेष्ठ जानासि च व्रतं मम
Hearing the words of both, the maiden spoke fearlessly: 'O best of kings, you have spoken truly, and you know my vow.'
नान्यं वृणोमि भूपाल सुदर्शनमृते क्वचित् । बिभेषि यदि राजेन्द्र नृपेभ्यः किल कातरः
I will not choose anyone except Sudarshana, O lord of kings, anywhere; if you fear the other kings, if you are truly afraid—
सुदर्शनाय दत्त्वा मां विसर्जय पुराद्बहिः । स मां रथे सामारोप्य निर्गमिष्यति ते पुरात्
Then give me to Sudarshana and send me out of the city; he will place me on his chariot and take me away from your city.
भवितव्यं तु पश्चाद्वै भविष्यति न चान्यथा । नात्र चिन्ता त्वया कार्या भवितव्ये नृपोत्तम
What is destined to happen will surely come to pass and cannot be otherwise; O best of kings, you should not worry about what is fated.
यद्भावि तद्भवत्येव सर्वथात्र न संशयः । राजोवाच न पुत्रि साहसं कार्यं मतिमद्भिः कदाचन
Whatever is meant to be will certainly occur; there is no doubt about this at all. The king said: My daughter, the wise should never act rashly.
बहुभिर्न विरोद्धव्यमिति वेदविदो विदुः । विस्रक्ष्यामि कथं कन्यां दत्त्वा राजसुताय च
Those learned in the Vedas know that one should not oppose many. How can I give away my daughter after having promised her to a royal prince?
राजानो वरसंयुक्ताः किं न कुर्युरसाम्प्रतम् । यदि ते रोचते वत्से पणं संविदधाम्यहम्
The assembled kings, all eager for a bride, what would they not do at such a time? If you agree, my child, I will set a wager.
जनकेन यथा पूर्वं कृतः सीतास्वयंवरे । शैवं धनुर्यथा तेन धृतं कृत्वा पणं तथा
Just as Janaka once did at Sita’s svayamvara, setting the challenge of the great bow of Shiva, so too will I establish a similar wager.
तथाहमपि तन्वङ्गि करोम्यद्य दुरासदम् । विवादो येन राज्ञां वै कृते सति शमं व्रजेत्
In the same way, slender-waisted one, today I will set a difficult challenge, so that, when the kings compete, their dispute may be settled.
पालयिष्यति यः कामं स ते भर्ता भविष्यति । सुदर्शनस्तथाऽन्यो वा यः कश्चिद्बलवत्तरः
Whoever fulfills the wager will become your husband, whether it is Sudarshana or another who proves stronger.
पालयित्वा पणं त्वां वै वरयिष्यति सर्वथा । एवं कृते नृपाणां तु विवादः शमितो भवेत्
Whoever completes the wager will certainly win you as his bride; in this way, the quarrel among the kings will be resolved.
सुखेनाहं विवाहं ते करिष्यामि ततः परम् । कन्योवाच सन्देहे नैव मज्जामि मूर्खकृत्यमिदं यतः
After that, I will arrange your marriage with ease. The maiden said: I do not fall into doubt, for such conduct is foolish.
मया सुदर्शनः पूर्वं धृतश्चेतसि नान्यथा । कारणं पुण्यपापानां मन एव महीपते
I have already chosen Sudarshana in my heart, O king; the mind alone is the cause of merit and sin.
मनसा विधृतं त्यक्त्वा कथमन्यं वृणे पितः । कृते पणे महाराज सर्वेषां वशगा ह्यहम्
Having chosen with my mind, how can I select another, father? If the wager is made, O great king, I will be subject to all.
एकः पालयिता द्वौ वा बहवो वा भवन्ति चेत् । किं कर्तव्यं तदा तात विवादे समुपस्थिते
If one, or two, or many fulfill the challenge, then what should be done, father, when a dispute arises?
संशयाधिष्ठिते कार्ये मतिं नाहं करोम्यतः । मा चिन्तां कुरु राजेन्द्र देहि सुदर्शनाय माम्
When the matter is uncertain, I cannot decide; therefore, O king, do not worry—give me to Sudarshana.
विवाहं विधिना कृत्वा शं विधास्यति चण्डिका । यन्नामकीर्तनादेव दुःखौघो विलयं व्रजेत्
By performing the marriage according to the proper rites, Chandika will bring auspiciousness, by whose very name the multitude of sorrows is destroyed.
तां स्मृत्वा परमां शक्तिं कुरु कार्यमतन्द्रितः । गत्वा वद नृपेभ्यस्त्वं कृताञ्जलिपुटोऽद्य वै
Remembering that supreme power, act without delay; go today and, with joined palms, inform the assembled kings.
आगन्तव्यञ्च श्वः सर्वैरिह भूपैः स्वयंवरे । इत्युक्त्वा त्वं विसृज्याशु सर्वं नृपतिमण्डलम्
Tell all the kings to come here tomorrow for the svayamvara; having said this, quickly dismiss the entire royal assembly.