ऋतुकाले तु सम्प्राप्ते देवयानी वराङ्गना लेभे गर्भं प्रथमतः कुमारश्च व्यजायत
When the proper season arrived, Devayānī, the lovely woman, first conceived, and a son was born.
गते वर्षसहस्रे तु शर्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्वणी ददर्श यौवनं प्राप्ता ऋतुं सा कमलेक्षणा
After a thousand years had passed, Śarmiṣṭhā, daughter of Vṛṣaparvan, reached youth and, lotus-eyed, attained her season.
चिन्तयामास धर्मज्ञा ऋतुप्राप्तौ च भामिनी ऋतुकालश्च सम्प्राप्तो न कश्चिन्मे पतिर्वृतः
The virtuous and radiant Śarmiṣṭhā reflected: ‘My season has come, but I have no husband.’
किं प्राप्तं किंच कर्तव्यं कथं कृत्वा सुखं भवेत् देवयानी प्रसूतासौ वृथाहं प्राप्तयौवना
‘What has come to pass? What should be done? How can I find happiness? Devayānī has given birth, while I have reached youth in vain.’
यथा तया वृतो भर्ता तथैवाहं वृणोमि तम् राज्ञा पुत्रफलं देयम् इति मे निश्चिता मतिः अपीदानीं स धर्मात्मा रहो मे दर्शनं व्रजेत्
‘As she chose a husband, so too will I choose him. The king should grant me the fruit of a son—this is my firm resolve. Perhaps now that righteous one will come to me in private.’
अथ निष्क्रम्य राजासौ तस्मिन्काले यदृच्छया अशोकवनिकाभ्याशे शर्मिष्ठां प्राप्य विस्मितः
Then, as the king happened to go out at that time, he came upon Śarmiṣṭhā near the Aśoka grove and was astonished.
तमेकं रहसि दृष्ट्वा शर्मिष्ठा चारुहासिनी प्रत्युद्गम्याञ्जलिं कृत्वा राजानं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Seeing the king alone in private, Śarmiṣṭhā, with a lovely smile, approached him, made reverence with joined palms, and spoke these words:
सोमश्चेन्द्रश्च वायुश्च यमश्च वरुणश्च वा तव वा नाहुष गृहे कः स्त्रियं द्रष्टुमर्हति
‘O son of Nahusha, who in your house—be it Soma, Indra, Vāyu, Yama, or Varuṇa—has the right to look upon a woman?’
रूपाभिजनशीलैर्हि त्वं राजन्वेत्थ मां सदा सा त्वां याचे प्रसाद्येह रन्तुमेहि नराधिप
‘O king, you have always known me by my beauty, lineage, and character. Therefore, I beseech you, be gracious and unite with me here, O lord of men.’
वेद्मि त्वां शीलसम्पन्नां दैत्यकन्यामनिन्दिताम् रूपं तु ते न पश्यामि सूच्यग्रमपि निन्दितम्
‘I know you to be a virtuous daughter of the Daityas, blameless in conduct. I do not see even a needle-point’s fault in your beauty.’
मामब्रवीत्तदा शुक्रो देवयानीं यदावहम् नेयम् आह्वयितव्या ते शयने वार्षपर्वणी
‘Śukra once told me, when I married Devayānī: This daughter of Vṛṣaparvan must not be summoned by you to your bed.’
न नर्मयुक्तं वचनं हिनस्ति न स्त्रीषु राजन् न विवाहकाले प्राणात्यये सर्वधनापहारे पञ्चानृतान्याहुर् अपातकानि
Words spoken in jest do not harm, O king, nor do they among women, nor at the time of marriage, in mortal danger, or when all wealth is lost; these five falsehoods are said to be without sin.
पृष्टास्तु साक्ष्ये प्रवदन्ति चान्यथा भवन्ति मिथ्यावचना नरेन्द्र ते एकार्थतायां तु समाहितायां मिथ्या वदन्तं ह्य् अनृतं हिनस्ति
When questioned as witnesses, they speak otherwise; their words become false, O King. But when united in purpose, one who speaks falsely injures truth.
राजा प्रमाणं भूतानां स विनश्येन्मृषा वदन् अर्थकृच्छ्रमपि प्राप्य न मिथ्या कर्तुमुत्सहे
The king is the authority among beings; he perishes if he speaks untruth. Even when facing hardship for wealth, he should not dare to act falsely.
समाव् एतौ मतौ राजन् पतिः सख्याश्च यः पतिः समं विवाह इत्याहुः सख्या मे ऽसि पतिर्यतः
These two opinions are held, O King: the husband is both a friend and a lord. They say marriage is equality; you are my friend because you are my husband.
दातव्यं याचमानस्य हीति मे व्रतमाहितम् त्वं च याचसि कामं मां ब्रूहि किं करवाणि तत्
It is my vow to give to one who asks; you are asking me for pleasure. Tell me, what shall I do for you?
अधर्मात्त्राहि मां राजन् धर्मं च प्रतिपादय त्वत्तो ऽपत्यवती लोके चरेयं धर्ममुत्तमम्
Save me from unrighteousness, O King, and establish righteousness. By you, may I bear offspring and practice the highest dharma in the world.
त्रय एवाधना राजन् भार्या दासस्तथा सुतः यत्ते समधिगच्छन्ति यस्य ते तस्य तद्धनम्
There are three who are without wealth, O King: wife, servant, and son. Whatever they acquire belongs to the one to whom they belong; that is his wealth.
देवयान्या भुजिष्यास्मि वश्या च तव भार्गवी सा चाहं च त्वया राजन् भरणीयां भजस्व माम्
I am to be enjoyed by you, O Bhārgava, and am under your control. Both Devayānī and I must be maintained by you, O King; accept me.
एवमुक्तस्तया राजा तथ्यम् इत्यभिजज्ञिवान् पूजयामास शर्मिष्ठां धर्मं च प्रतिपादयन्
Thus addressed by her, the king acknowledged the truth and honored Śarmiṣṭhā, establishing righteousness.
स समागम्य शर्मिष्ठां यथाकाममवाप्य च अन्योन्यं चाभिसंपूज्य जग्मतुस्तौ यथागतम्
He united with Śarmiṣṭhā, fulfilling his desire, and after mutually honoring each other, they departed as they had come.
तस्मिन्समागमे सुभ्रूः शर्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्वणी लेभे गर्भं प्रथमतस् तस्मान्नृपतिसत्तमात्
In that union, Śarmiṣṭhā of beautiful brows, daughter of Vṛṣaparvan, first conceived from that foremost king.
प्रजज्ञे च ततः काले राज्ञी राजीवलोचना कुमारं देवगर्भाभम् आदित्यसमतेजसम्
Then, in due time, the lotus-eyed queen gave birth to a prince, resembling one born of the gods, equal in brilliance to the sun.
श्रुत्वा कुमारं जातं सा देवयानी शुचिस्मिता चिन्तयाविष्टदुःखार्ता शर्मिष्ठां प्रति भारत
Hearing that a prince was born, Devayānī of pure smile became distressed with anxious sorrow regarding Śarmiṣṭhā, O Bhārata.
ततो ऽभिगम्य शर्मिष्ठां देवयान्यब्रवीदिदम् किमर्थं वृजिनं सुभ्रूः कृतं ते कामलुब्धया
Then approaching Śarmiṣṭhā, Devayānī spoke: 'Why have you, beautiful-browed, acted wrongly out of desire?'
ऋषिर् अभ्यागतः कश्चिद् धर्मात्मा वेदपारगः स मया तु वरः कामं याचितो धर्मसंहतम्
A certain sage, righteous and learned in the Vedas, came to me. I requested him for a boon, in accordance with dharma.
नाहमन्यायतः कामम् आचरामि शुचिस्मिते तस्माद् ऋषेर् ममापत्यम् इति सत्यं ब्रवीमि ते
I do not act out of desire unrighteously, O pure-smiled one. Therefore, my child is from the sage; I speak the truth to you.
पद्येतदेवं शर्मिष्ठे न मन्युर्विद्यते मम अपत्यं यदि ते लब्धं ज्येष्ठाच्छ्रेष्ठाच्च वै द्विजात्
Let it be so, Śarmiṣṭhā; I bear no anger. If you have obtained offspring from a superior and elder twice-born, it is well.
शोभनं भीरु सत्यं चेत् कथं स ज्ञायते द्विजः गोत्रनामाभिजनतः श्रोतुमिच्छामि तं द्विजम्
If it is good and true, O timid one, how can that twice-born be known? I wish to hear his lineage, name, and origin.
ओजसा तेजसा चैव दीप्यमानं रविं यथा तं दृष्ट्वा मम संप्रष्टुं शक्तिर् नासीच्छुचिस्मिते
Radiant with vigor and brilliance like the sun, seeing him, O pure-smiled one, I had no power to question him.