Mahabharata 1.69: ekonasaptatitamo'dhyāyaḥ

1.69.1

śakuntalovāca |
rājansarṣapamātrāṇi paracchidrāṇi paśyasi |
ātmano bilvamātrāṇi paśyannapi na paśyasi || 1 ||

"Sakuntala replied, 'Thou seest, O king, the fault of others, even though they be as small as a mustard seed. But seeing, thou noticest not thy own faults even though they be as large as the Vilwa fruit. Menaka is one of the celestials. Indeed, Menaka is reckoned as the first of celestials. My birth, therefore, O Dushmanta, is far higher than thine. Thou walkest upon the Earth, O king, but I roam in the skies! Behold, the difference between ourselves is as that between (the mountain) Meru and a mustard seed! Behold my power, O king! I can repair to the abodes of Indra, Kuvera, Yama, and Varuna! The saying is true which I shall refer to before thee, O sinless one! I refer to it for example's sake and not from evil motives. Therefore, it behoveth thee to pardon me after thou hast heard it. An ugly person considereth himself handsomer than others until he sees his own face in the mirror. But when he sees his own ugly face in the mirror, it is then that he perceiveth the difference between himself and others. He that is really handsome never taunts anybody. And he that always talketh evil becometh a reviler. And as the swine always look for dirt and filth even when in the midst of a flower-garden, so the wicked always choose the evil out of both evil and good that others speak.

1.69.2

menakā tridaśeṣveva tridaśāścānu menakām |
mamaivodricyate janma duḥṣanta tava janmataḥ || 2 ||

1.69.3

kṣitāvaṭasi rājaṃstvamantarikṣe carāmyaham |
āvayorantaraṃ paśya merusarṣapayoriva || 3 ||

1.69.4

mahendrasya kuberasya yamasya varuṇasya ca |
bhavanānyanusaṃyāmi prabhāvaṃ paśya me nṛpa || 4 ||

1.69.5

satyaścāpi pravādo'yaṃ yaṃ pravakṣyāmi te'nagha |
nidarśanārthaṃ na dveṣāttacchrutvā kṣantumarhasi || 5 ||

1.69.6

virūpo yāvadādarśe nātmanaḥ paśyate mukham |
manyate tāvadātmānamanyebhyo rūpavattaram || 6 ||

1.69.7

yadā tu mukhamādarśe vikṛtaṃ so'bhivīkṣate |
tadetaraṃ vijānāti ātmānaṃ netaraṃ janam || 7 ||

1.69.8

atīva rūpasaṃpanno na kiṃcidavamanyate |
atīva jalpandurvāco bhavatīha viheṭhakaḥ || 8 ||

1.69.9

mūrkho hi jalpatāṃ puṃsāṃ śrutvā vācaḥ śubhāśubhāḥ |
aśubhaṃ vākyamādatte purīṣamiva sūkaraḥ || 9 ||

1.69.10

prājñastu jalpatāṃ puṃsāṃ śrutvā vācaḥ śubhāśubhāḥ |
guṇavadvākyamādatte haṃsaḥ kṣīramivāmbhasaḥ || 10 ||

Those, however, that are wise, on hearing the speeches of others that are intermixed with both good and evil, accept only what is good, like geese that always extract the milk only, though it be mixed with water. As the honest are always pained at speaking ill of others, so do the wicked always rejoice in doing the same thing. As the honest always feel pleasure in showing regard for the old, so do the wicked always take delight in aspersing the good. The honest are happy in not seeking for faults. The wicked are happy in seeking for them. The wicked ever speak ill of the honest. But the latter never injure the former, even if injured by them. What can be more ridiculous in the world than that those that are themselves wicked should represent the really honest as wicked? When even atheists are annoyed with those that have fallen off from truth and virtue and who are really like angry snakes of virulent poison, what shall I say of myself who am nurtured in faith? He that having begotten a son who is his own image, regardeth him not, never attaineth to the worlds he coveteth, and verily the gods destroy his good fortune and possessions. The Pitris have said that the son continueth the race and the line and is, therefore, the best of all religious acts. Therefore, none should abandon a son. Manu hath said that there are five kinds of sons;

1.69.11

anyānparivadansādhuryathā hi paritapyate |
tathā parivadannanyāṃstuṣṭo bhavati durjanaḥ || 11 ||

1.69.12

abhivādya yathā vṛddhānsanto gacchanti nirvṛtim |
evaṃ sajjanamākruśya mūrkho bhavati nirvṛtaḥ || 12 ||

1.69.13

sukhaṃ jīvantyadoṣajñā mūrkhā doṣānudarśinaḥ |
yatra vācyāḥ paraiḥ santaḥ parānāhustathāvidhān || 13 ||

1.69.14

ato hāsyataraṃ loke kiṃcidanyanna vidyate |
yatra durjana ityāha durjanaḥ sajjanaṃ svayam || 14 ||

1.69.15

satyadharmacyutātpuṃsaḥ kruddhādāśīviṣādiva |
anāstiko'pyudvijate janaḥ kiṃ punarāstikaḥ || 15 ||

1.69.16

svayamutpādya vai putraṃ sadṛśaṃ yo'vamanyate |
tasya devāḥ śriyaṃ ghnanti na ca lokānupāśnute || 16 ||

1.69.17

kulavaṃśapratiṣṭhāṃ hi pitaraḥ putramabruvan |
uttamaṃ sarvadharmāṇāṃ tasmātputraṃ na saṃtyajet || 17 ||

1.69.18

svapatnīprabhavānpañca labdhānkrītānvivardhitān |
kṛtānanyāsu cotpannānputrānvai manurabravīt || 18 ||

those begotten by one's self upon his own wife, those obtained (as gift) from others, those purchased for a consideration, those reared with affection and those begotten upon other women than upon wedded wives. Sons support the religion and achievements of men, enhance their joys, and rescue deceased ancestors from hell. It behoveth thee not, therefore, O tiger among kings, to abandon a son who is such. Therefore, O lord of Earth, cherish thy own self, truth, and virtue by cherishing thy son. O lion among monarchs, it behoveth thee not to support this deceitfulness. The dedication of a tank is more meritorious than that of a hundred wells. A sacrifice again is more meritorious than the dedication of a tank. A son is more meritorious than a sacrifice. Truth is more meritorious than a hundred sons. A hundred horse-sacrifices had once been weighed against Truth, and Truth was found heavier than a hundred horse-sacrifices. O king, Truth, I ween, may be equal to the study of, the entire Vedas and ablutions in all holy places. There is no virtue equal to Truth: there is nothing superior to Truth. O king, Truth is God himself; Truth is the highest vow. Therefore, violate not thy pledge, O monarch! Let Truth and thee be even united. If thou placest no credit in my words, I shall of my own accord go hence. Indeed, thy companionship should be avoided.

1.69.19

dharmakīrtyāvahā nṝṇāṃ manasaḥ prītivardhanāḥ |
trāyante narakājjātāḥ putrā dharmaplavāḥ pitṝn || 19 ||

1.69.20

sa tvaṃ nṛpatiśārdūla na putraṃ tyaktumarhasi |
ātmānaṃ satyadharmau ca pālayāno mahīpate |
narendrasiṃha kapaṭaṃ na voḍhuṃ tvamihārhasi || 20 ||

1.69.21

varaṃ kūpaśatādvāpī varaṃ vāpīśatātkratuḥ |
varaṃ kratuśatātputraḥ satyaṃ putraśatādvaram || 21 ||

1.69.22

aśvamedhasahasraṃ ca satyaṃ ca tulayā dhṛtam |
aśvamedhasahasrāddhi satyameva viśiṣyate || 22 ||

1.69.23

sarvavedādhigamanaṃ sarvatīrthāvagāhanam |
satyaṃ ca vadato rājansamaṃ vā syānna vā samam || 23 ||

1.69.24

nāsti satyātparo dharmo na satyādvidyate param |
na hi tīvrataraṃ kiṃcidanṛtādiha vidyate || 24 ||

1.69.25

rājansatyaṃ paraṃ brahma satyaṃ ca samayaḥ paraḥ |
mā tyākṣīḥ samayaṃ rājansatyaṃ saṃgatamastu te || 25 ||

1.69.26

anṛte cetprasaṅgaste śraddadhāsi na cetsvayam |
ātmano hanta gacchāmi tvādṛśe nāsti saṃgatam || 26 ||

1.69.27

ṛte'pi tvayi duḥṣanta śailarājāvataṃsakām |
caturantāmimāmurvīṃ putro me pālayiṣyati || 27 ||

But thou, O Dushmanta, that when thou art gone, this son of mine shall rule the whole Earth surrounded by the four seas and adorned with the king of the mountains."

1.69.28

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
etāvaduktvā vacanaṃ prātiṣṭhata śakuntalā |
athāntarikṣe duḥṣantaṃ vāguvācāśarīriṇī |
ṛtvikpurohitācāryairmantribhiścāvṛtaṃ tadā || 28 ||

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Sakuntala having spoken to the monarch in this wise, left his presence. But as soon as she had left, a voice from the skies, emanating from no visible shape, thus spoke unto Dushmanta as he was sitting surrounded by his occasional and household priests, his preceptors, and ministers. And the voice said, 'The mother is but the sheath of flesh; the son sprung from the father is the father himself. Therefore, O Dushmanta, cherish thy son, and insult not Sakuntala. O best of men, the son, who is but a form of one's own seed, rescueth (ancestors) from the region of Yama. Thou art the progenitor of this boy. Sakuntala hath spoken the truth. The husband, dividing his body in twain, is born of his wife in the form of son. Therefore, O Dushmanta, cherish, O monarch, thy son born of Sakuntala. To live by forsaking one's living son is a great, misfortune. Therefore, O thou of Puru's race, cherish thy high-souled son born of Sakuntala--And because this child is to be cherished by thee even at our word, therefore shall this thy son be known by the name of Bharata (the cherished).' Hearing these words uttered by the dwellers in heaven, the monarch of Puru's race became overjoyed and spoke as follows unto his priests and ministers, 'Hear ye these words uttered by the celestial messenger? I myself know this one to be my son. If I had taken him as my son on the strength of Sakuntala's words alone, my people would have been suspicious and my son also would not have been regarded as pure.'

1.69.29

bhastrā mātā pituḥ putro yena jātaḥ sa eva saḥ |
bharasva putraṃ duḥṣanta māvamaṃsthāḥ śakuntalām || 29 ||

1.69.30

retodhāḥ putra unnayati naradeva yamakṣayāt |
tvaṃ cāsya dhātā garbhasya satyamāha śakuntalā || 30 ||

1.69.31

jāyā janayate putramātmano'ṅgaṃ dvidhā kṛtam |
tasmādbharasva duḥṣanta putraṃ śākuntalaṃ nṛpa || 31 ||

1.69.32

abhūtireṣā kastyajyājjīvañjīvantamātmajam |
śākuntalaṃ mahātmānaṃ dauḥṣantiṃ bhara paurava || 32 ||

1.69.33

bhartavyo'yaṃ tvayā yasmādasmākaṃ vacanādapi |
tasmādbhavatvayaṃ nāmnā bharato nāma te sutaḥ || 33 ||

1.69.34

tacchrutvā pauravo rājā vyāhṛtaṃ vai divaukasām |
purohitamamātyāṃśca saṃprahṛṣṭo'bravīdidam || 34 ||

1.69.35

śṛṇvantvetadbhavanto'sya devadūtasya bhāṣitam |
ahamapyevamevainaṃ jānāmi svayamātmajam || 35 ||

1.69.36

yadyahaṃ vacanādeva gṛhṇīyāmimamātmajam |
bhaveddhi śaṅkā lokasya naivaṃ śuddho bhavedayam || 36 ||

1.69.37

taṃ viśodhya tadā rājā devadūtena bhārata |
hṛṣṭaḥ pramuditaścāpi pratijagrāha taṃ sutam || 37 ||

"Vaisampayana continued, 'The monarch, then, O thou of Bharata's race, seeing the purity of his son established by the celestial messenger, became exceedingly glad. And he took unto him that son with joy. And the king with a joyous heart then performed all those rites upon his son that a father should perform. And the king smelt his child's head and hugged him with affection. And the Brahmanas began to utter blessings upon him and the bards began to applaud him. And the monarch then experienced the great delight that one feeleth at the touch of one's son. And Dushmanta also received mat wife of his with affection. And he told her these words, pacifying her affectionately, 'O goddess, my union with the? took place privately Therefore, I was thinking of how best to establish thy purity. My people might think that we were only lustfully united and not as husband and wife, and therefore, this son that I would have installed as my heir apparent would only have been regarded as one of impure birth. And dearest, every hard word thou hast uttered in thy anger, have I, O large-eyed one, forgiven thee. Thou art my dearest!' And the royal sage Dushmanta, having spoken thus unto his dear wife, O Bharata, received her with offerings of perfume, food, and drink. And king Dushmanta, then, bestowed the name of Bharata upon his child, and formally installed him as the heir apparent. And the famous and bright wheels of Bharata's car, invincible and like unto the wheels of the cars owned by the gods, traversed every region, filling the whole Earth with their rattle. And the son of Dushmanta reduced to subjection all kings of the Earth. And he ruled virtuously and earned great fame. And that monarch of great prowess was known by the titles of Chakravarti and Sarvabhauma. And he performed many sacrifices like Sakra, the lord of the Maruts. And Kanwa was the chief priest at those sacrifices, in which the offerings to Brahmanas were great. And the blessed monarch performed both the cow and the horse-sacrifices. And Bharata gave unto Kanwa a thousand gold coins as the sacerdotal fee. It is that Bharata from whom have emanated so many mighty achievements. It is from him that the great race called after him in his race are called after him. And in the Bharata race there have been born many godlike monarchs gifted with great energy, and like unto Brahman himself. Their number cannot be counted. But, O thou of Bharata's race, I shall name the principal ones that were blessed with great good fortune, like unto the gods, and devoted to truth and honesty.'"

1.69.38

mūrdhni cainamupāghrāya sasnehaṃ pariṣasvaje |
sabhājyamāno vipraiśca stūyamānaśca bandibhiḥ |
sa mudaṃ paramāṃ lebhe putrasaṃsparśajāṃ nṛpaḥ || 38 ||

1.69.39

tāṃ caiva bhāryāṃ dharmajñaḥ pūjayāmāsa dharmataḥ |
abravīccaiva tāṃ rājā sāntvapūrvamidaṃ vacaḥ || 39 ||

1.69.40

kṛto lokaparokṣo'yaṃ saṃbandho vai tvayā saha |
tasmādetanmayā devi tvacchuddhyarthaṃ vicāritam || 40 ||

1.69.41

manyate caiva lokaste strībhāvānmayi saṃgatam |
putraścāyaṃ vṛto rājye mayā tasmādvicāritam || 41 ||

1.69.42

yacca kopitayātyarthaṃ tvayokto'smyapriyaṃ priye |
praṇayinyā viśālākṣi tatkṣāntaṃ te mayā śubhe || 42 ||

1.69.43

tāmevamuktvā rājarṣirduḥṣanto mahiṣīṃ priyām |
vāsobhirannapānaiśca pūjayāmāsa bhārata || 43 ||

1.69.44

duḥṣantaśca tato rājā putraṃ śākuntalaṃ tadā |
bharataṃ nāmataḥ kṛtvā yauvarājye'bhyaṣecayat || 44 ||

1.69.45

tasya tatprathitaṃ cakraṃ prāvartata mahātmanaḥ |
bhāsvaraṃ divyamajitaṃ lokasaṃnādanaṃ mahat || 45 ||

1.69.46

sa vijitya mahīpālāṃścakāra vaśavartinaḥ |
cacāra ca satāṃ dharmaṃ prāpa cānuttamaṃ yaśaḥ || 46 ||

1.69.47

sa rājā cakravartyāsītsārvabhaumaḥ pratāpavān |
īje ca bahubhiryajñairyathā śakro marutpatiḥ || 47 ||

1.69.48

yājayāmāsa taṃ kaṇvo dakṣavadbhūridakṣiṇam |
śrīmāngovitataṃ nāma vājimedhamavāpa saḥ |
yasminsahasraṃ padmānāṃ kaṇvāya bharato dadau || 48 ||

1.69.49

bharatādbhāratī kīrtiryenedaṃ bhārataṃ kulam |
apare ye ca pūrve ca bhāratā iti viśrutāḥ || 49 ||

1.69.50

bharatasyānvavāye hi devakalpā mahaujasaḥ |
babhūvurbrahmakalpāśca bahavo rājasattamāḥ || 50 ||

1.69.51

yeṣāmaparimeyāni nāmadheyāni sarvaśaḥ |
teṣāṃ tu te yathāmukhyaṃ kīrtayiṣyāmi bhārata |
mahābhāgāndevakalpānsatyārjavaparāyaṇān || 51 ||