Kunti Tells the Tale of Vyushitashva

Verse 1 (1.127.1)

एवमुक्ता महाराज कुन्ती पाण्डुमभाषत । कुरूणामृषभं वीरं तदा भूमिपतिं पतिम् ॥

evamuktā mahārāja kuntī pāṇḍumabhāṣata | kurūṇāmṛṣabhaṃ vīraṃ tadā bhūmipatiṃ patim

Spoken to thus, great king, Kunti then answered Pandu, her husband, the heroic lord of the earth, a bull among the Kurus.

Verse 2 (1.127.2)

न मामर्हसि धर्मज्ञ वक्तुमेवं कथंचन । धर्मपत्नीमभिरतां त्वयि राजीवलोचने ॥

na māmarhasi dharmajña vaktumevaṃ kathaṃcana | dharmapatnīmabhiratāṃ tvayi rājīvalocane

Kunti said: "You should not speak to me so in any way, knower of dharma — to your lawful wife, who is devoted to you, O lotus-eyed one.

Verse 3 (1.127.3)

त्वमेव तु महाबाहो मय्यपत्यानि भारत । वीर वीर्योपपन्नानि धर्मतो जनयिष्यसि ॥

tvameva tu mahābāho mayyapatyāni bhārata | vīra vīryopapannāni dharmato janayiṣyasi

"It is you yourself, mighty-armed hero, son of Bharata, who will beget on me, by dharma, children endowed with valour.

Verse 4 (1.127.4)

स्वर्गं मनुजशार्दूल गच्छेयं सहिता त्वया । अपत्याय च मां गच्छ त्वमेव कुरुनन्दन ॥

svargaṃ manujaśārdūla gaccheyaṃ sahitā tvayā | apatyāya ca māṃ gaccha tvameva kurunandana

"I would go to heaven together with you, tiger among men. Come to me yourself for offspring, delight of the Kurus.

Verse 5 (1.127.5)

न ह्यहं मनसाप्यन्यं गच्छेयं त्वदृते नरम् । त्वत्तः प्रति विशिष्टश्च कोऽन्योऽस्ति भुवि मानवः ॥

na hyahaṃ manasāpyanyaṃ gaccheyaṃ tvadṛte naram | tvattaḥ prati viśiṣṭaśca ko'nyo'sti bhuvi mānavaḥ

"I would not go to any man but you, even in thought. And what other man on earth is better than you?

Verse 6 (1.127.6)

इमां च तावद्धर्मात्मन्पौराणीं शृणु मे कथाम् । परिश्रुतां विशालाक्ष कीर्तयिष्यामि यामहम् ॥

imāṃ ca tāvaddharmātmanpaurāṇīṃ śṛṇu me kathām | pariśrutāṃ viśālākṣa kīrtayiṣyāmi yāmaham

"But first, righteous one, hear from me this ancient story, which I have heard told, large-eyed one, and which I shall now relate.

Verse 7 (1.127.7)

व्युषिताश्व इति ख्यातो बभूव किल पार्थिवः । पुरा परमधर्मिष्ठः पूरोर्वंशविवर्धनः ॥

vyuṣitāśva iti khyāto babhūva kila pārthivaḥ | purā paramadharmiṣṭhaḥ pūrorvaṃśavivardhanaḥ

"Long ago, it is said, there was a king named Vyushitashva, supremely righteous, who increased the line of Puru.

Note on the text: Corrected व्युषइताश्व → व्युषिताश्व (misprint in Wikisource; an independent इ in place of the vowel sign ि — the critical edition reads vyuṣitāśva).

Verse 8 (1.127.8)

तस्मिंश्च यजमाने वै धर्मात्मनि महाभुजे । उपागमंस्ततो देवाः सेन्द्रा देवर्षिभिः सह ॥

tasmiṃśca yajamāne vai dharmātmani mahābhuje | upāgamaṃstato devāḥ sendrā devarṣibhiḥ saha

"When that righteous, mighty-armed king was sacrificing, the gods with Indra came to him, together with the divine seers.

Verse 9 (1.127.9)

अमाद्यदिन्द्रः सोमेन दक्षिणाभिर्द्विजातयः । व्युषिताश्वस्य राजर्षेस्ततो यज्ञे महात्मनः ॥

amādyadindraḥ somena dakṣiṇābhirdvijātayaḥ | vyuṣitāśvasya rājarṣestato yajñe mahātmanaḥ

"At the sacrifice of that great-souled royal seer Vyushitashva, Indra grew drunk on soma and the brahmins on the sacrificial fees.

Verse 10 (1.127.10)

देवा ब्रह्मर्षयश्चैव चक्रुः कर्म स्वयं तदा । व्युषिताश्वस्ततो राजन्नति मर्त्यान्व्यरोचत ॥

devā brahmarṣayaścaiva cakruḥ karma svayaṃ tadā | vyuṣitāśvastato rājannati martyānvyarocata

"The gods and the brahmin seers themselves performed the rites. And so, O king, Vyushitashva outshone all mortals,

Note on the text: The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.112.9*1185); the second = CE 1.112.10ab. From here to verse 16 Wikisource's verse division runs half a verse behind the critical edition's.

Verse 11 (1.127.11)

सर्वभूतान्प्रति यथा तपनः शिशिरात्यये । स विजित्य गृहीत्वा च नृपतीन्राजसत्तमः ॥

sarvabhūtānprati yathā tapanaḥ śiśirātyaye | sa vijitya gṛhītvā ca nṛpatīnrājasattamaḥ

"as the sun outshines all creatures when the cold season ends. That best of kings conquered and seized the kings

Note on the text: = CE 1.112.10cd (which reads sarvabhūtāny ati) + 11ab, aligned by hand.

Verse 12 (1.127.12)

प्राच्यानुदीच्यान्पाश्चात्यान्दाक्षिणात्यानकालयत् । अश्वमेधे महायज्ञे व्युषिताश्वः प्रतापवान् ॥

prācyānudīcyānpāścātyāndākṣiṇātyānakālayat | aśvamedhe mahāyajñe vyuṣitāśvaḥ pratāpavān

"of the east, the north, the west and the south, and brought them under his sway. At the great horse sacrifice the valiant Vyushitashva,

Note on the text: Corrected प्राच्यानुदिच्यान् → प्राच्यानुदीच्यान् (misprint in Wikisource; short इ for ई in उदीच्य — the critical edition reads udīcyān). = CE 1.112.11cd (which reads madhyāṃś ca for पाश्चात्यान्) + 12ab, aligned by hand.

Verse 13 (1.127.13)

बभूव स हि राजेन्द्रो दशनागबलान्वितः । अप्यत्र गाथां गायन्ति ये पुराणविदो जनाः ॥

babhūva sa hi rājendro daśanāgabalānvitaḥ | apyatra gāthāṃ gāyanti ye purāṇavido janāḥ

"that lord of kings, came to have the strength of ten elephants. Those who know the ancient lore sing a verse about this,

Note on the text: = CE 1.112.12cd + 13ab, aligned by hand.

Verse 14 (1.127.14)

व्युषिताश्वे यशोवृद्धे मनुष्येन्द्रे कुरूत्तम । व्युषिताश्वः समुद्रान्तां विजित्येमां वसुन्धराम् ॥

vyuṣitāśve yaśovṛddhe manuṣyendre kurūttama | vyuṣitāśvaḥ samudrāntāṃ vijityemāṃ vasundharām

"about Vyushitashva, lord of men, grown great in fame, O best of the Kurus: 'Vyushitashva conquered this earth to the ends of the ocean

Note on the text: The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.112.13*1186); the second = CE 1.112.13cd.

Verse 15 (1.127.15)

अपालयत्सर्ववर्णान्पिता पुत्रानिवौरसान् । यजमानो महायज्ञैर्ब्राह्मणेभ्यो धनं ददौ ॥

apālayatsarvavarṇānpitā putrānivaurasān | yajamāno mahāyajñairbrāhmaṇebhyo dhanaṃ dadau

"and protected all the classes as a father protects the sons of his own body. Sacrificing with great sacrifices, he gave wealth to the brahmins.

Note on the text: = CE 1.112.13ef + 14ab (which reads dadau dhanam), aligned by hand.

Verse 16 (1.127.16)

अनन्तरत्नान्यादाय स जहार महाक्रतून् । सुषाव च बहून्सोमान्सोमसंस्थास्ततान च ॥

anantaratnānyādāya sa jahāra mahākratūn | suṣāva ca bahūnsomānsomasaṃsthāstatāna ca

"Gathering jewels without end, he performed great rites; he pressed soma many times and carried through the forms of the soma sacrifice.'

Note on the text: = CE 1.112.14cd–ef, aligned by hand; the critical edition reads ājahāra for स जहार.

Verse 17 (1.127.17)

आसीत्काक्षीवती चास्य भार्या परमसंमता । भद्रा नाम मनुष्येन्द्र रूपेणासदृशी भुवि ॥

āsītkākṣīvatī cāsya bhāryā paramasaṃmatā | bhadrā nāma manuṣyendra rūpeṇāsadṛśī bhuvi

"He had a wife, a daughter of Kakshivat, whom he cherished above all: Bhadra by name, O lord of men, unequalled in beauty on earth.

Verse 18 (1.127.18)

कामयामासतुस्तौ च परस्परमिति श्रुतम् । स तस्यां कामसंपन्नो यक्ष्मणा समपद्यत ॥

kāmayāmāsatustau ca parasparamiti śrutam | sa tasyāṃ kāmasaṃpanno yakṣmaṇā samapadyata

"The two loved each other, so it is told. Given over to his passion for her, he fell ill with consumption.

Verse 19 (1.127.19)

तेनाचिरेण कालेन जगामास्तमिवांशुमान् । तस्मिन्प्रेते मनुष्येन्द्रे भार्याऽस्य भृशदुःखिता ॥

tenācireṇa kālena jagāmāstamivāṃśumān | tasminprete manuṣyendre bhāryā'sya bhṛśaduḥkhitā

"Within a short time he went to his setting, like the sun. When that lord of men was dead, his wife, stricken with grief

Verse 20 (1.127.20)

अपुत्रा पुरुषव्याघ्र विललापेति नः श्रुतम् । भद्रा परमदुःखार्ता तन्निबोध जनाधिप ॥

aputrā puruṣavyāghra vilalāpeti naḥ śrutam | bhadrā paramaduḥkhārtā tannibodha janādhipa

"and sonless, lamented, tiger among men, so we have heard. Hear, lord of the people, how Bhadra, tormented by deep sorrow, lamented.

Verse 21 (1.127.21)

नारी परमधर्मज्ञ सर्वा भर्तृविनाकृता । पतिं विना जीवति या न सा जीवति दुःखिता ॥

nārī paramadharmajña sarvā bhartṛvinākṛtā | patiṃ vinā jīvati yā na sā jīvati duḥkhitā

Bhadra said: "O you who know the highest dharma, every woman bereft of her husband — she who lives on without her husband does not truly live; she only suffers.

Verse 22 (1.127.22)

पतिं विना मृतं श्रेयो नार्याः क्षत्रियपुंगव । त्वद्गतिं गन्तुमिच्छामि प्रसीदस्व नयस्व माम् ॥

patiṃ vinā mṛtaṃ śreyo nāryāḥ kṣatriyapuṃgava | tvadgatiṃ gantumicchāmi prasīdasva nayasva mām

"For a woman, death is better than life without her husband, bull among kshatriyas. I wish to go the way you have gone; be gracious and take me with you.

Note on the text: Separated the run-together words प्रसीदस्वनयस्वमाम् → प्रसीदस्व नयस्व माम् (spacing slip in Wikisource; the critical edition reads prasīdasva nayasva mām).

Verse 23 (1.127.23)

त्वया हीना क्षणमपि नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे । प्रसादं कुरु मे राजन्नितस्तूर्णं नयस्व माम् ॥

tvayā hīnā kṣaṇamapi nāhaṃ jīvitumutsahe | prasādaṃ kuru me rājannitastūrṇaṃ nayasva mām

"Without you I cannot bear to live even for a moment. Be gracious to me, O king; take me quickly from here.

Verse 24 (1.127.24)

पृष्ठतोऽनुगमिष्यामि समेषु विषमेषु च । त्वामहं नरशार्दूल गच्छन्तमनिवर्तितुम् ॥

pṛṣṭhato'nugamiṣyāmi sameṣu viṣameṣu ca | tvāmahaṃ naraśārdūla gacchantamanivartitum

"Over level ground and rough I will follow behind you, tiger among men, as you go on, never to turn back.

Verse 25 (1.127.25)

छायेवानुगता राजन्सततं वशवर्तिनी । भविष्यामि नरव्याघ्र नित्यं प्रियहिते रता ॥

chāyevānugatā rājansatataṃ vaśavartinī | bhaviṣyāmi naravyāghra nityaṃ priyahite ratā

"Like a shadow I will follow you always, O king, obedient to your will, tiger among men, ever intent on what pleases you and does you good.

Verse 26 (1.127.26)

अद्यप्रभृति मां राजन्कष्टा हृदयशोषणाः । आधयोऽभिभविष्यन्ति त्वामृते पुष्करेक्षण ॥

adyaprabhṛti māṃ rājankaṣṭā hṛdayaśoṣaṇāḥ | ādhayo'bhibhaviṣyanti tvāmṛte puṣkarekṣaṇa

"From this day, O king, without you, cruel sorrows that wither the heart will overwhelm me, lotus-eyed one.

Verse 27 (1.127.27)

अभाग्यया मया नूनं वियुक्ताः सहचारिणः । तेन मे विप्रयोगोऽयमुपपन्नस्त्वया सह ॥

abhāgyayā mayā nūnaṃ viyuktāḥ sahacāriṇaḥ | tena me viprayogo'yamupapannastvayā saha

"Surely, luckless as I am, I once parted companions from each other; that is why this separation from you has come upon me.

Note on the text: The first line = CE 1.112.25ab; the second is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.112.25*1188, line 1).

Verse 28 (1.127.28)

विप्रयुक्ता तु या पत्या मुहूर्तमपि जीवति । दुःखं जीवति सा पापा नरकस्थेव पार्थिव ॥

viprayuktā tu yā patyā muhūrtamapi jīvati | duḥkhaṃ jīvati sā pāpā narakastheva pārthiva

"A woman parted from her husband who lives on even for a moment lives in sorrow, wretched, as if in hell, O king.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.112.25*1188, lines 2–3).

Verse 29 (1.127.29)

संयुक्ता विप्रयुक्ताश्च पूर्वदेहे कृता मया । तदिदं कर्मभिः पापैः पूर्वदेहेषु संचितम् ॥

saṃyuktā viprayuktāśca pūrvadehe kṛtā mayā | tadidaṃ karmabhiḥ pāpaiḥ pūrvadeheṣu saṃcitam

"In a former body I parted those who were joined together; this, heaped up by sinful deeds in former lives —

Note on the text: The first line is a variant of CE 1.112.25cd; the second = CE 1.112.26ab. Aligned by hand.

Verse 30 (1.127.30)

दुःखं मामनुसंप्राप्तं राजंस्त्वद्विप्रयोगजम् । अद्यप्रभृत्यहं राजन्कुशसंस्तरशायिनी । भविष्याम्यसुखाविष्टा त्वद्दर्शनपरायणा ॥

duḥkhaṃ māmanusaṃprāptaṃ rājaṃstvadviprayogajam | adyaprabhṛtyahaṃ rājankuśasaṃstaraśāyinī | bhaviṣyāmyasukhāviṣṭā tvaddarśanaparāyaṇā

"this sorrow, born of separation from you, has come upon me, O king. From this day, O king, I shall lie on a bed of kusha grass, sunk in misery, longing only to see you.

Note on the text: = CE 1.112.26cd + 27 (which reads kuśaprastara- for कुशसंस्तर-), aligned by hand.

Verse 31 (1.127.31)

दर्शयस्व नरव्याघ्र शाधि मामसुखान्विताम् । कृपणां चाथ करुणं विलपन्तीं नरेश्वर ॥

darśayasva naravyāghra śādhi māmasukhānvitām | kṛpaṇāṃ cātha karuṇaṃ vilapantīṃ nareśvara

"Show yourself to me, tiger among men; guide me, lord of men, wretched and unhappy as I am, lamenting piteously."

Note on the text: Corrected विलपत्नीं → विलपन्तीं (misprint in Wikisource; a garbled conjunct — "lamenting", as the critical edition's vilapantīṃ).

Verse 32 (1.127.32)

एवं बहुविधं तस्यां विलपन्त्यां पुनःपुनः । तं शवं संपरिष्वज्य वाक्किलाऽन्तर्हिताऽब्रवीत् ॥

evaṃ bahuvidhaṃ tasyāṃ vilapantyāṃ punaḥpunaḥ | taṃ śavaṃ saṃpariṣvajya vākkilā'ntarhitā'bravīt

Kunti said: "As she lamented thus in many ways, again and again, clasping the corpse, a voice from the unseen spoke, so it is said:

Note on the text: Speaker corrected from कन्ती to कुन्ती: Wikisource's speaker line कन्त्युवाच is a misprint for कुन्त्युवाच. Kunti resumes her story.

Verse 33 (1.127.33)

उत्तिष्ठ भद्रे गच्छ त्वं ददानीह वरं तव । जनयिष्याम्यपत्यानि त्वय्यहं चारुहासिनि ॥

uttiṣṭha bhadre gaccha tvaṃ dadānīha varaṃ tava | janayiṣyāmyapatyāni tvayyahaṃ cāruhāsini

"'Rise, Bhadra, and go; I grant you a boon here. I will beget children on you, sweetly smiling one.

Note on the text: Speaker corrected from कन्ती to कुन्ती: Wikisource's speaker line कन्त्युवाच is a misprint for कुन्त्युवाच. The words are the unseen voice's, reported in Kunti's story (no speaker line is printed).

Verse 34 (1.127.34)

आत्मकीये वरारोहे शयनीये चतुर्दशीम् । अष्टमीं वा ऋतुस्नाता संविशेथा मया सह ॥

ātmakīye varārohe śayanīye caturdaśīm | aṣṭamīṃ vā ṛtusnātā saṃviśethā mayā saha

"'On the fourteenth or the eighth night, after bathing at the end of your season, lie with me on your own bed, lovely lady.'

Note on the text: Speaker corrected from कन्ती to कुन्ती: Wikisource's speaker line कन्त्युवाच is a misprint for कुन्त्युवाच. The words are the unseen voice's, reported in Kunti's story.

Verse 35 (1.127.35)

एवमुक्ता तु सा देवी तथा चक्रे पतिव्रता । यथोक्तमेव तद्वाक्यं भद्रा पुत्रार्थिनी तदा ॥

evamuktā tu sā devī tathā cakre pativratā | yathoktameva tadvākyaṃ bhadrā putrārthinī tadā

"Spoken to thus, the queen, faithful to her husband, did just as she had been told — Bhadra, who longed for sons.

Note on the text: Speaker corrected from कन्ती to कुन्ती: Wikisource's speaker line कन्त्युवाच is a misprint for कुन्त्युवाच.

Verse 36 (1.127.36)

सा तेन सुषुवे देवी शवेन भरतर्षभ । त्रीञ्शाल्वांश्चतुरो मद्रान्सुतान्भरतसत्तम ॥

sā tena suṣuve devī śavena bharatarṣabha | trīñśālvāṃścaturo madrānsutānbharatasattama

"By that corpse, bull of the Bharatas, the queen bore sons: three Shalvas and four Madras, best of the Bharatas.

Note on the text: Speaker corrected from कन्ती to कुन्ती: Wikisource's speaker line कन्त्युवाच is a misprint for कुन्त्युवाच.

Verse 37 (1.127.37)

तथा त्वमपि मय्येवं मनसा भरतर्षभ । शक्तो जनयितुं पुत्रांस्तपोयोगबलान्वितः ॥

tathā tvamapi mayyevaṃ manasā bharatarṣabha | śakto janayituṃ putrāṃstapoyogabalānvitaḥ

"In the same way, bull of the Bharatas, you too, endowed with the power of austerity and yoga, are able to beget sons on me by your mind."

Note on the text: Speaker corrected from कन्ती to कुन्ती: Wikisource's speaker line कन्त्युवाच is a misprint for कुन्त्युवाच.