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.
विवाहं कुरु रात्रौ मे वेदोक्तविधिना नृप । पारिबर्हं यथायोग्यं दत्त्वा तस्मै विसर्जय
O king, perform my marriage at night according to Vedic rites; give him suitable gifts and then send him away.
गमिष्यति गृहीत्वा मां ध्रुवसन्धिसुतः किल । कदाचित्ते नृपाः क्रुद्धाः सङ्ग्रामं कर्त्तुमुद्यताः
The son of Dhruvasandhi will take me and depart; but if ever the kings become angry, they may be ready for battle.
भविष्यति तदा देवी साहाय्यं नः करिष्यति । सोऽपि राजसुतस्तैस्तु सङ्ग्रामं संविधास्यति
Then the Goddess will grant us her assistance, and that prince, together with them, will arrange the battle.
दैवान्मृधे मृते तस्मिन्मरिष्याम्यहमप्युत । स्वस्ति तेस्तु गृहे तिष्ठ दत्त्वा मां सहसैन्यकः
If, by fate, he is killed in the fight, then I too shall die; farewell to you—remain at home with your army, having entrusted me.
एकैवाहं गमिष्यामि तेन सार्धं रिरंसया । व्यास उवाच इति तस्या वचः श्रुत्वा राजाऽसौ कृतनिश्चयः । मतिं चक्रे तथा कर्तुं विश्वासं प्रतिपद्य च
I alone will go with him, desiring to please him. Vyasa said: Hearing her words, the king, having made up his mind, resolved to act accordingly, placing his trust in her.
सुदर्शनशशिकलयोर्विवाहवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच श्रुत्वा सुतावाक्यमनिन्दितात्मा नृपांश्च गत्वा नृपतिर्जगाद । व्रजन्तु कामं शिविराणि भूपाः श्वो वा विवाहं किल संविधास्ये
Description of the marriage of Sudarshana and Shashikala. Vyasa said: Hearing his daughter's words, the blameless king went to the other kings and spoke: 'Let the kings return to their camps as they wish; tomorrow, indeed, I will arrange the marriage.'
भक्ष्याणि पेयानि मयाऽर्पितानि गृह्णन्तु सर्वे मयि सुप्रसन्नाः । श्वो भावि कार्यं किल मण्डपेऽत्र समेत्य सर्वैरिह संविधेयम्
Food and drink have been provided by me; let all accept them, being well-pleased with me. Tomorrow, the ceremony is to take place here in the pavilion; let all assemble here and arrange everything together.
नायाति पुत्री किल मण्डपेऽद्य करोमि किं भूपतयोऽत्र कामम् । प्रातः समाश्वास्य सुतां नयिष्ये गच्छन्तु तस्माच्छिविराणि भूपाः
Today, my daughter will not come to the pavilion; what should I do, O kings, as you wish? In the morning, after consoling my daughter, I will bring her; therefore, let the kings return to their camps.
न विग्रहो बुद्धिमतां निजाश्रिते कृपा विधेया सततं ह्यपत्ये । विधाय तां प्रातारिहानयिष्ये सुतां तु गच्छन्तु नृपा यथेष्टम्
The wise do not engage in conflict with those who have sought their protection; compassion is always to be shown to one's child. Having done so, in the morning I will bring my daughter here; let the kings go as they desire.
इच्छापणं वा परिचिन्त्य चित्ते प्रातः करिष्याम्यथ संविवाहम् । सर्वैः समेत्यात्र नृपैः समेतैः स्वयंवरः सर्वमतेन कार्यः
Having considered the wishes and intentions in my mind, I will perform the marriage in the morning. Let all the assembled kings come together here; the svayamvara should be conducted with everyone's agreement.