उत्तमेन च संगेन दैवेनाप्यर्थदो भवेत् । देवानामुत्तमो वायुस्तदर्थं संगमाचरेत् ॥ ३,१७.
Association with the excellent, even by fate, brings benefit; therefore, one should seek the company of the best among the gods, and Vāyu is the best among them for this purpose.
विचार्यैवमुमाद्या भारत्याः सेवां तु चक्रिरे । सहस्रवत्सरान्ते सा भारती तोषिताब्रवीत् ॥ ३,१७.
Having deliberated thus, they began to serve Bhāratī, and at the end of a thousand years, Bhāratī, being pleased, spoke.
मत्सेवां च किमर्थं वै ह्याचरिष्यन्ति सुव्रताः । तस्यां रक्ताश्च ता देव्यस्त्वब्रुवन्स्वचिकीर्षितम् ॥ ३,१७.
"For what purpose do you, so steadfast in your vows, perform my service?" To her, those goddesses, devoted to her, replied according to their intention.
पुरा वयं तु शप्ताः स्म ब्रह्मणा क्रोधरूपिणा । एकदेहान्मानुषत्वमवाप्स्यथ वराङ्गनाः ॥ ३,१७.
"Long ago, we were cursed by Brahmā, who was filled with anger; we, noble ladies, would be born as humans in a single body."
चतुर्थजन्मन्यप्येवं द्वितीये जन्मनि प्रभो । समाप्स्यथान्यगात्वं चेत्येवं शप्ता ह भामिनि ॥ ३,१७.
"In the fourth birth as well, and in the second birth, O lady, we would experience union with another—thus we were cursed, O beautiful one."
अस्माकं वायुना देवेनान्यगात्वं न दोषभाक् । अतस्त्वयैकदेहत्वमिच्छामो देवि जन्मसु ॥ ३,१७.
"For us, union with another by the god Vāyu is not blameworthy; therefore, O goddess, in our births we desire to be of one body with you."
हत्युक्ता ताभिरथ च तथैत्युक्त्वा द्विजोत्तम । सा पार्वत्यादिभिर्युक्ता भारतीत्यभवद्भुवि ॥ ३,१७.
Thus addressed by them, and having agreed, O best of twice-born, she, united with Pārvatī and the others, became known on earth as Bhāratī.
शिवनाम्नो द्विजस्यैव गृहे सा तु कुमारिका । कर्मैक्यार्थं तपश्चक्रेः विष्णोश्च शिवसंज्ञिनः ॥ ३,१७.
She, a maiden, was born in the house of a brāhmaṇa named Śiva, for the purpose of a single deed, and performed austerities for Viṣṇu, who is called Śiva.
तपसा तोषिता विष्णुः शिव संज्ञो महाप्रभुः । वरं प्रादात्तृतीयेस्मिन्कृष्णजन्मनि भो स्त्रियः ॥ ३,१७.
Pleased by her austerities, Viṣṇu, the great lord known as Śiva, granted her a boon in the third, Kṛṣṇa birth, O lady.
सम्यक्त्वभर्तृसंयोगो भविष्यति विना भवम् । यतोनया च पार्वत्या प्रेरिता एव सर्वशः ॥ ३,१७.
There would be proper union with her husband, without any impediment, because all of this was inspired by Pārvatī.
विलासं दर्शयामास ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः । अतः सा पार्वाती श्रेष्ठा ब्रह्मदेहे न संशयः ॥ ३,१७.
She displayed her charm to Brahma, the supreme creator; therefore, Parvati is foremost among women in Brahma’s form, without doubt.
कृष्णदेहेपि तस्यास्तु न भविष्यति संगमः । अन्यगात्वं द्वितीयेस्मिन्भविष्यति न संशयः ॥ ३,१७.
Even in Krishna’s body, union with her will not occur; in the second incarnation, there will certainly be another birth.
रुद्रान्तः स्थो हरिश्चैव वहं दत्त्वा स्त्रियां प्रभुः । अन्तर्धानं ययौ श्रीमान्स्वलोकं गतवानभूत् ॥ ३,१७.
Hari, dwelling within Rudra, having given himself to the woman, vanished and returned to his own realm, glorious.
विसृज्य ताश्च तं देहं बभूवुर्नलकन्यकाः । इन्द्रसेनेति संज्ञां च लब्ध्वा ताश्च तपोवनम् ॥ ३,१७.
Having abandoned those bodies, the maidens became known as Nalakanyakas; receiving the name Indrasena, they went to the forest of ascetics.
ययुस्तत्र चरन्त्यस्ता ददृशुर्मुद्गलं त्वृषिम् । तस्य दर्शनमात्रेण बभूवुः काममोहिताः ॥ ३,१७.
There, as they wandered, they saw the sage Mudgala; merely by seeing him, they became overwhelmed by desire.
मुद्गलस्याभिमानं हि नाशयित्वा च मारुतः । रमयामास तत्रस्था भारत्यादिवराङ्गनाः ॥ ३,१७.
The wind-god destroyed Mudgala’s pride and delighted the women present there, including Bharati and other noble ladies.
तद्देहेन विसृष्टा सा बभूव द्रौपदीति च । यस्मात्सा द्रुपदाज्जाता तस्मात्सा द्रौपदी स्मृता ॥ ३,१७.
Released from that body, she became known as Draupadi; since she was born from Drupada, she is remembered as Draupadi.
वेदिमध्यात्समुद्भूता तस्मात्सायोनिजा स्मृता । कृष्णवर्णा यतस्तस्मात्सा कृष्णा भूतले स्मृता ॥ ३,१७.
Emerging from the midst of the altar, she is remembered as born from the altar; since she is dark-complexioned, she is called Krishna on earth.
कृष्णादेहपि भारत्या अभिमानः सदा स्मृतः । शच्यादेरभिमानस्तु तस्मिन्देहे कदाचन ॥ ३,१७.
Even in Krishna’s body, Bharati’s identity is always remembered; but the identity of Shachi and others is only occasionally present in that body.
यस्याः स्वभर्तृसंयोगकाले च खगसत्तम । अभिमानस्तदैव स्यात्तस्या एव न चान्यथा ॥ ३,१७.
O best of birds, at the time of union with her own husband, only her identity is present, never otherwise.
एतासां रमणे काले उमायाः पक्षिसत्तम । अभिमानश्च नास्त्येव स्वाप एव रताः सदा ॥ ३,१७.
O best of birds, at the time of enjoyment with Uma, there is no identity at all; only sleep is always present during union.
पार्थस्य रमणे काले द्रौपद्याश्च कलेवरे । भारत्याश्च तथा शच्या अभिमानद्वयं स्मृतम् ॥ ३,१७.
At the time of enjoyment with Partha, in Draupadi’s body, as well as with Bharati and Shachi, both identities are remembered.
उमादेः श्याम लादेश्च अभिमानक्षतिस्तदा । सर्वासां स्वाप एव स्यान्नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥ ३,१७.
When Uma and Shyamala are present, their identities are diminished; for all, only sleep is present, and no further inquiry is needed.
अर्जुनं वीररूपेण प्रविष्टो वायुरेव च । भारतीं रमते नित्यं शामलां च युधिष्ठिरः ॥ ३,१७.
The wind-god entered Arjuna in the form of a hero; Bharati is always enjoyed by him, and Shyamala by Yudhishthira.
सुंदरेण च रूपेण प्रविष्टो नकुले मरुत् । रमते भारतीं नित्यं नकुलश्चाप्युषां खग ॥ ३,१७.
The wind-god entered Nakula in the form of a handsome man; Nakula always enjoys Bharati, and also Ushā, O bird.
नीतिरूपेण चाविष्टो सहदेवे च मारुतः । द्रौपदीं रमते नित्यं सहदेवोप्युषां खग ॥ ३,१७.
The wind-god entered Sahadeva in the form of wisdom; Sahadeva always enjoys Draupadi, and also Ushā, O bird.
शच्याद्या द्रौपदीदेहे नापुः संगं च मारुतः । तासामतोन्यगामित्वं कृष्णादेहे न चिन्तयेत् ॥ ३,१७.
Shachi and others, in Draupadi’s body, did not unite with the wind-god; one should not consider their union in Krishna’s body as another birth.
धर्मादिदेहसंगं च भारत्या नैव चिन्तयेत् । मनुजस्य च देहस्य तासां संगं चिन्तयेत् ॥ ३,१७.
One should not consider Bharati’s union with the bodies of Dharma and others; but one should consider the union of those women with the human body.
अपरोक्षवतीनां तु तासां लेपो न सर्वथा । अथवा मुद्गलस्येव रतिकाले खगेश्वर ॥ ३,१७.
For those who possess direct perception, there is absolutely no impurity; or, O Lord of Birds, it is as with Mudgala during the act of union.
रमणं चक्रुरेवं ता अतो दोषो न विद्यते । एकस्मिन्दिवसे वीन्द्र धर्मो वायुश्च तावुभौ ॥ ३,१७.
Thus they engaged in union, and so there is no fault; on a certain day, O best of birds, Dharma and Vāyu both did so.