नान्धो राजाधिकारी स्यात्तस्मात्पुत्र मनोहरम् । उत्पादय राजपुत्र्यां वचनान्मम मानद
A blind man should not be king; therefore, O bestower of honor, by my command, beget a pleasing son with the princess.
इत्युक्तोऽहं तदा मात्रा स्थितस्तत्र गजाह्वये । यावदृतुमती जाता काशिराजसुता मुने
Thus addressed by my mother, I remained there in Gajāhvaya, awaiting the time when the princess of Kāśī would be in her season, O sage.
एकान्ते शयनागारे प्राप्ता सा मम सन्निधौ । लज्जमाना सुकेशान्ता स्वश्वश्रूवचनात्तदा
She came alone into the bedchamber, in my presence, shy and with her beautiful hair lowered, as her mother-in-law had instructed her.
दृष्ट्वा मां जटिलं दान्तं तापसं रसवर्जितम् । सा स्वेदवदना जाता पाण्डुरा विमना भृशम्
Seeing me—matted-haired, self-restrained, an ascetic devoid of worldly pleasures—she became pale, her face covered in sweat, and was deeply troubled.
कुपितोऽहं तदा दृष्ट्वा कामिनीं निशि सङ्गताम् । वेपमानां स्थितां पार्श्वे ह्यब्रवं तामहं रुषा
Angered at seeing this desirous woman trembling beside me at night, I spoke to her harshly.
दृष्ट्वा मां यदि गर्वेण पाण्डुवर्णा समावृता । अतस्ते तनयः पाण्डुर्भविष्यति सुमध्यमे
If, out of pride, you look upon me and become pale in complexion, then, O slender-waisted one, your son will also be pale.
इत्युक्त्वा निशि तत्रैव स्थितोऽम्बालिकया युतः । भुक्त्वा तां निशि निर्यातः स्थानमापृच्छ्य मातरम्
Having said this, I remained there that night with Ambalika; after uniting with her, I departed, taking leave of her mother.
ततस्ताभ्यां सुतौ काले प्रसूतावन्धपाण्डुरौ । धृतराष्ट्रश्च पाण्डुश्च प्रथितौ सम्बभूवतुः
In due time, from those two were born sons—one blind and one pale; Dhritarashtra and Pandu, both renowned, came into being.
माता मे विमना जाता तादृशौ वीक्ष्य तौ सुतौ । ततः संवत्सरस्यान्ते मामाहूय तदाब्रवीत्
My mother became disheartened upon seeing those two sons as they were; then, at the end of a year, she called me and spoke thus.
द्वैपायन सुतौ जातौ राज्ययोग्यौ न तादृशौ । अन्यं मनोहरं पुत्रं समुत्पादय मे प्रियम्
O Dvaipayana, though two sons have been born, fit for kingship, they are not as desired; produce for me another son, pleasing and charming.
तथेति सा मया प्रोक्ता मुदिता जननी तदा । अम्बिकां प्रार्थयामास सुतार्थे काल आगते
I agreed, saying 'So be it,' and my mother was delighted; when the time came, she requested Ambika for the sake of a son.
पुत्रि व्यासं समालिङ्ग्य पुत्रमुत्पादयाद्भुतम् । कुरुवंशस्य कर्तारं राज्ययोग्यं वरानने
Daughter, embrace Vyasa and beget a wondrous son, worthy of kingship, a maker of the Kuru lineage, O beautiful one.
वधूर्लज्जान्विता किञ्चिन्नोवाच वचनं तदा । गतोऽहं शयनागारे मातुस्तद्वचनान्निशि
The bride, filled with modesty, said nothing at that time; I went to the bedchamber at night, as instructed by my mother.
दासी विचित्रवीर्यस्य रूपयौवनसंयुता । प्रेषिताम्बिकया त्वत्र विचित्राभरणाम्बरा
A maid of Vichitravirya, endowed with beauty and youth, adorned with splendid ornaments and garments, was sent there by Ambika.
चन्दनारक्तदेहा सा पुष्पमालाविभूषिता । आयाता हावसंयुक्ता सुकेशी हंसगामिनी
Her body was reddened with sandalwood, she was adorned with garlands of flowers, graceful in her movements, with lovely hair, walking like a swan—she approached me.
पर्यङ्के मां समावेश्य संस्थिता प्रेमसंयुता । प्रसन्नोऽहं तदा तस्या विलासेनाभवं मुने
She embraced me on the couch, filled with affection; O sage, I was pleased by her playful demeanor.
रात्रौ संक्रीडितं प्रेम्णा तया सह मया भृशम् । वरो दत्तः पुनस्तस्यै प्रसन्नेन तु नारद
That night, I united with her in love; O Narada, being pleased, I granted her a boon once more.
सुभगे भविता पुत्रः सर्वलक्षणसंयुतः । सुरूपः सर्वधर्मज्ञः सत्यवादी शमे रतः
O fortunate one, you will have a son endowed with all auspicious marks, handsome, knowing all dharma, truthful, and devoted to peace.
स तदा विदुरो जातस्त्रयः पुत्रा मयाभवन् । माया वृद्धिं गता साधो परक्षेत्रोद्भवे मम
Thus, Vidura was born at that time; I had three sons. O holy one, my power increased through this birth from another's womb.
विस्मृतः शुकसम्बन्धी विरहः शोककारणम् । दृष्ट्वा त्रीन्स्वसुतान्कामं बलिनो वीर्यसम्मतान्
The connection with Shuka was forgotten; separation became a cause of sorrow, though I saw my three sons, strong and recognized for their prowess.
माया बलवती ब्रह्मन् दुस्त्यजा ह्यकृतात्मभिः । अरूपा च निरालम्बा ज्ञानिनामपि मोहिनी
O Brahman, Māyā is powerful and difficult to abandon for those whose minds are untrained; for even the wise, she is formless, without support, and a bewilderer.
मातरि स्नेहसम्बद्धं तथा पुत्रेषु संवृतम् । न मे चित्तं वने शान्तिमगान्मुनिवरोत्तम
My mind, bound by affection for my mother and enveloped in attachment to my sons, O best of sages, did not find peace in the forest.
दोलारूढं मनो जातं कदाचिद्धस्तिनापुरे । पुनः सरस्वतीतीरे न चैकत्र व्यवस्थितिः
Sometimes my mind, like one riding a swing, would be in Hastināpura, then again on the banks of the Sarasvatī, never remaining steady in one place.
कदाचिच्चिन्तयन् ज्ञानं मानसे प्रतिभाति वै । केऽमी पुत्राः क्व मोहोऽयं न श्राद्धार्हा मृतस्य मे
At times, reflecting on knowledge, it would arise in my mind: 'Who are these sons? Where is this delusion? The dead do not deserve funeral rites from me.'
व्यभिचारोद्भवाः किं मे सुखदाः स्युः सुताः किल । माया बलवती मोहं वितनोति हि मानसे
Born of unfaithfulness, how could these sons truly bring me happiness? Māyā is powerful, for she spreads delusion in the mind.
जानन्मोहान्धकूपेऽस्मिन्पतितोऽहं मृषा मुने । इत्यकुर्वं रहस्तापं कदाचित्स्सुसमाहितः
Knowing this, I fell into the pit of delusion, O sage, and sometimes, in solitude and with a concentrated mind, I would lament thus.
राज्यं प्राप ततः पाण्डुर्बलवान्भीष्मसम्मतः । तदा मम मनो जातं प्रसन्नं सुतकारणात्
Then Pāṇḍu, strong and approved by Bhīṣma, obtained the kingdom; at that time, my mind became content because of my sons.
कुन्ती माद्री सुरूपे द्वे भार्ये तस्य बभूवतुः । शूरसेनसुता कुन्ती मद्रराजसुतापरा
Kuntī and Mādrī, both beautiful, became his wives—Kuntī, the daughter of Śūrasena, and the other, the daughter of the king of Madra.
स शापं द्विजतः प्राप्य कामिनीद्वयसंयुतः । पाण्डुर्निर्वेदमापन्नस्त्यक्त्वा राज्यं वनं गतः
Having received a curse from a brahmin, though united with two wives, Pāṇḍu became disillusioned, renounced the kingdom, and went to the forest.
तदा मामाविशच्छोकः श्रुत्वा पुत्रं वने स्थितम् । गतोऽहं तत्र यत्रासौ भार्याभ्यां सह संस्थितः
Then grief entered me when I heard that my son was dwelling in the forest; I went there, where he was staying with his wives.