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.
श्रुत्वा नृपास्तेऽवितथं विदित्वा वचो ययुः स्वानि निकेतनानि । विधाय पार्श्वे नगरस्य रक्षां चक्रुः क्रिया मध्यदिनोदिताश्च
Hearing these true words and understanding them, the kings returned to their own dwellings. Arranging for the city's protection, they performed their midday duties.
सुबाहुरप्यार्यजनैः समेत- श्चकार कार्याणि विवाहकाले । पुत्रीं समाहूय गृहे सुगुप्ते पुरोहितैर्वेदविदां वरिष्ठैः
Subahu, too, together with the noble elders, performed the necessary rites at the time of the wedding. He summoned his daughter to the well-guarded house, with the foremost priests skilled in the Vedas.
स्नानादिकं कर्म वरस्य कृत्वा विवाहभूषाकरणं तथैव । आनाय्य वेदीरचिते गृहे वै तस्यार्हणां भूमिपतिश्चकार
After performing the bathing and other rites for the groom, and adorning him for the wedding, he brought him to the house where the altar was prepared, and the king offered him due honors.
सविष्टरं चाचमनीयमर्घ्यं वस्त्रद्वयं गामथ कुण्डले द्वे । समर्प्य तस्मै विधिवन्नरेन्द्र ऐच्छत्सुतादानमहीनसत्त्वः
With detailed offerings of water for sipping, arghya, two garments, a cow, and two earrings, the king, following the proper rites, presented these to him, desiring to give his daughter, his mind steadfast.
सोऽप्यग्रहीत्सर्वमदीनचेताः शशाम चिन्ताऽथ मनोरमायाः । कन्यां सुकेशीं निधिकन्यकासमां मेने तदाऽऽत्मानमनुत्तमञ्च
He too accepted everything, his mind free from sorrow; then his worries about the enchanting maiden ceased. He considered himself most excellent, having obtained the maiden with beautiful hair, equal to the treasures' daughters.
सुपूजितं भूषणवस्त्रदानै- र्वरोत्तमं तं सचिवास्तदानीम् । निन्युश्च ते कौतुकमण्डपान्त- र्मुदान्विता वीतभयाश्च सर्वे
Then the ministers, having honored the best groom with gifts of ornaments and garments, joyfully and without fear, led him to the wedding pavilion.
समाप्तभूषां विधिवद्विधिज्ञाः स्त्रियश्च तां राजसुतां सुयाने । आरोप्य निन्युर्वरसन्निधानण् चतुष्कयुक्ते किल मण्डपे वै
The women, skilled in ritual, having adorned the princess according to custom, placed her in a fine chariot and brought her to the presence of the groom in the pavilion yoked with four horses.
अग्निं समाधाय पुरोहितः स हुत्वा यथावच्च तदन्तराले । आह्वाययत्तौ कृतकौतुकौ तु वधूवरौ प्रेमयुतौ निकामम्
The priest, having kindled the sacred fire and performed the oblations as prescribed, then summoned the bride and groom, adorned for the ceremony, both filled with deep affection.
लाजाविसर्गं विधिवद्विधाय कृत्वा हुताशस्य प्रदक्षिणाञ्च । तौ चक्रतुस्तत्र यथोचित्तं तत् सर्वं विधानं कुलगोत्रजातम्
Having performed the offering of parched grain according to the rite, and circumambulated the fire, the two carried out all the prescribed ceremonies there, as befitted their family and lineage.
शतद्वयं चाश्चयुजां रथानां सुभूषितं चापि शरौघसंयुतम् । ददौ नृपेन्द्रस्तु सुदर्शनाय सुपूजितं पारिबर्हं विवाहे
The king gave Sudarshana two hundred well-adorned chariots, yoked with excellent horses and equipped with showers of arrows, as a splendid wedding gift.
मदोत्कटान्हेमविभूषितांश्च गजान्गिरेः शृङ्गसमानदेहान् । शतं सपादं नृपसूनवेऽसौ ददावथ प्रेमयुतो नृपेन्द्रः
The king, filled with affection, gave to the prince one hundred and twenty-five elephants, adorned with gold, their bodies as large as mountain peaks.
दासीशतं काञ्चनभूषितं च करेणुकानां च शतं सुचारु । समर्पयामास वराय राजा विवाहकाले मुदितोऽनुवेलम्
The joyful king, at the time of the wedding, presented a hundred maidservants adorned with gold, and a hundred beautiful female elephants, all in proper order.
अदात्पुनर्दाससहस्रमेकं सर्वायुधैः सम्भृतभूषितञ्च । रत्नानि वासांसि यथोचितानि दिव्यानि चित्राणि तथाविकानि
He further gave a thousand servants, all equipped with weapons and adorned, along with precious gems, suitable garments, and wondrous divine attire.
ददौ पुनर्वासगृहाणि तस्मै रम्याणि दीर्घाणि विचित्रितानि । सिन्धूद्भवानां तुरगोत्तमाना- मदात्सहस्रद्वितयं सुरम्यम्
Again, he gave to him splendid and spacious dwellings, beautifully decorated, and two thousand excellent horses from the Sindhu region, all exceedingly fine.
क्रमेलकानाञ्च शतत्रयं वै प्रत्यादिशद्भारभृतां सुचारु । शतद्वयं वै शकटोत्तमानां तस्मै ददौ धान्यरसैः प्रपूरितम्
He assigned three hundred fine camels as bearers of loads, and two hundred excellent carts filled with grains and other produce.
मनोरमां राजसुतां प्रणम्य जगाद वाक्यं विहिताञ्जलिः पुरः । दासोऽस्मि ते राजसुते वरिष्ठे तद्ब्रूहि यत्स्यात्तु मनोगतं ते
Bowing to the charming princess, he spoke these words with folded hands: 'O illustrious daughter of the king, I am your servant; tell me whatever is in your heart.'
तं चारुवाक्यं निजगाद सापि स्वस्त्यस्तु ते भूप कुलस्य वृद्धिः । सम्मानिताऽहं मम सूनवे त्वया दत्ता यतो रत्नवरा स्वकन्या
She too spoke sweet words: 'May prosperity be yours, and may your royal lineage flourish. Honored by you, I have given my son a precious jewel—your own daughter.'
न बन्दिपुत्री नृप मागधी वा स्तौमीह किं त्वां स्वजनं महत्तरम् । सुमेरुतुल्यस्तु कृतः सुतोऽद्य मे सम्बन्धिना भूपतिनोत्तमेन
O king, I am neither a bard's daughter nor a Magadhan woman; why would I praise you here? You are my own kin, greater than all. Today, through the foremost king, my son has become equal to Mount Meru.
अहोऽतिचित्रं नृपतेश्चरित्रं परं पवित्रं तव किं वदामि । यद्भ्रष्टराज्याय सुताय मेऽद्य दत्ता त्वया पूज्यसुता वरिष्ठा
Ah, how extraordinary is your conduct, O king! It is supremely pure—what can I say? Though my son has lost his kingdom, you have given him your revered and distinguished daughter.
वनाधिवासाय किलाधनाय पित्रा विहीनाय विसैन्यकाय । सर्वानिमान्भूमिपतीन्विहाय फलाशनायार्थविवर्जिताय
To one dwelling in the forest, bereft of wealth, fatherless, without an army, forsaken by all kings, living on fruits and lacking resources—