Kunti Yields to the Sun God

Verse 1 (3.308.1)

सा तु कन्या बहुविधं ब्रुवन्ती मधुरं वचः । अनुनेतुं सहस्रांशुं न शशाक मनस्विनी ॥

sā tu kanyā bahuvidhaṃ bruvantī madhuraṃ vacaḥ | anunetuṃ sahasrāṃśuṃ na śaśāka manasvinī

But the high-minded maiden, for all the many sweet words she spoke, could not win over the thousand-rayed Sun.

Verse 2 (3.308.2)

न शशाक यदा बाला प्रत्याख्यातुं तमोनुदम् । भीता शापात्ततो राजन्दध्यौ दीर्घमथान्तरम् ॥

na śaśāka yadā bālā pratyākhyātuṃ tamonudam | bhītā śāpāttato rājandadhyau dīrghamathāntaram

When the girl could not turn away the dispeller of darkness, she grew afraid of his curse, O king, and pondered for a long while.

Verse 3 (3.308.3)

अनागसः पितुः शापो ब्राह्मणस्य तथैव च । मन्निमित्तः कथं न स्यात्क्रुद्धादस्माद्विभावसोः ॥

anāgasaḥ pituḥ śāpo brāhmaṇasya tathaiva ca | mannimittaḥ kathaṃ na syātkruddhādasmādvibhāvasoḥ

"How shall the curse of this angry Vibhavasu not fall, because of me, on my blameless father, and on the brahmin as well?

Verse 4 (3.308.4)

बालेनापि सता मोहाद्भृशं सापह्नवान्यपि । नाऽभ्यासादयितव्यानि तेजांसि च तपांसि च ॥

bālenāpi satā mohādbhṛśaṃ sāpahnavānyapi | nā'bhyāsādayitavyāni tejāṃsi ca tapāṃsi ca

Even one who is young and good must not, out of folly, come too close to radiant powers and the powers of austerity, however veiled they may be.

Verse 5 (3.308.5)

साहमद्य भृशं भीता गृहीत्वा च करे भृशम् । कथं त्वकार्यं कुर्यां वै प्रदानं ह्यात्मनः स्वयम् ॥

sāhamadya bhṛśaṃ bhītā gṛhītvā ca kare bhṛśam | kathaṃ tvakāryaṃ kuryāṃ vai pradānaṃ hyātmanaḥ svayam

Now I am terribly afraid, and I have been seized firmly by the hand. Yet how can I do what is wrong, and give myself away of my own accord?"

Verse 6 (3.308.6)

सा वै शापपरित्रस्ता बहु चिन्तयती हृदा । मोहेनाभिपरीताङ्गी स्मयमाना पुनःपुनः ॥

sā vai śāpaparitrastā bahu cintayatī hṛdā | mohenābhiparītāṅgī smayamānā punaḥpunaḥ

Terrified of the curse, she thought long in her heart; confusion overcame her whole body, and she smiled again and again.

Verse 7 (3.308.7)

तं देवमब्रवीद्भीता बन्धूनां राजसत्तम । व्रीडाविह्वलया वाचा शापत्रस्ता विशांपते ॥

taṃ devamabravīdbhītā bandhūnāṃ rājasattama | vrīḍāvihvalayā vācā śāpatrastā viśāṃpate

Then, afraid and dreading the curse, best of kings, she spoke to the god about her kinsmen, O lord of the people, in a voice faltering with shame.

Verse 8 (3.308.8)

पिता मे ध्रियते देव माता चान्ये च बान्धवाः । न तेषु ध्रियमाणेषु विधिलोपो भवेदयम् ॥

pitā me dhriyate deva mātā cānye ca bāndhavāḥ | na teṣu dhriyamāṇeṣu vidhilopo bhavedayam

"My father is alive, O god, and so are my mother and my other kinsmen. While they live, this breach of the rule must not happen.

Note on the text: Corrected ध्रियमाणएषु → ध्रियमाणेषु and विदिलोपो → विधिलोपो (misprints in Wikisource; broken vowel sign and द for ध, the critical edition reads dhriyamāṇeṣu vidhilopo). Speaker: Wikisource prints no heading here, but Kunti's direct speech begins with this verse and fills verses 8–11 (the critical edition heads 3.291.8 "kunty uvāca"); assigned to Kunti.

Verse 9 (3.308.9)

त्वया तु संगमो देव यदि स्याद्विधिवर्जितः । मन्निमित्तं कुलस्यास्य लोकेऽकीर्तिर्न संशयः ॥

tvayā tu saṃgamo deva yadi syādvidhivarjitaḥ | mannimittaṃ kulasyāsya loke'kīrtirna saṃśayaḥ

If there were to be a union with you, O god, outside the sanctioned rite, this family would without doubt be disgraced in the world because of me.

Verse 10 (3.308.10)

अथवा धर्ममेतं त्वं मन्यसे तपतांवर । ऋते प्रदानाद्बन्धुभ्यस्तव कामं करोम्यहम् ॥

athavā dharmametaṃ tvaṃ manyase tapatāṃvara | ṛte pradānādbandhubhyastava kāmaṃ karomyaham

Or else, best of those who blaze, if you hold this to be right, I will do your wish even without being given away by my kinsmen.

Verse 11 (3.308.11)

आत्मप्रदानं दुर्धर्ष तव कृत्वासती त्वहम् । त्वयि धर्मो यशश्चैव कीर्तिरायुश्च देहिनाम् ॥

ātmapradānaṃ durdharṣa tava kṛtvāsatī tvaham | tvayi dharmo yaśaścaiva kīrtirāyuśca dehinām

Having given myself to you, invincible one, I shall yet remain chaste; for in you rest the dharma, the fame, the renown and the very life of embodied beings."

Verse 12 (3.308.12)

न ते पिता न ते माता गुरवो वा शुचिस्मिते । प्रभवन्ति प्रदाने ते भद्रं ते शृणु मे वचः ॥

na te pitā na te mātā guravo vā śucismite | prabhavanti pradāne te bhadraṃ te śṛṇu me vacaḥ

"Neither your father nor your mother nor any elder has authority over the giving of you, sweet-smiling one. Bless you — hear what I say.

Verse 13 (3.308.13)

सर्वान्कामयते यस्मात्कनेर्धातोश्च भामिनि । तस्मात्कन्येह सुश्रोणी स्वतन्त्रा वरवर्णिनि ॥

sarvānkāmayate yasmātkanerdhātośca bhāmini | tasmātkanyeha suśroṇī svatantrā varavarṇini

Because she desires all — from the root kan, "to desire", lovely one — she is called kanya, a maiden; and so here the fair-hipped maiden is her own mistress, fair-complexioned one.

Verse 14 (3.308.14)

नाधर्मश्चरितः कश्चित्त्वया भवति भामिनि । अधर्मं कुत एवाहं चरेयं लोककाम्यया ॥

nādharmaścaritaḥ kaścittvayā bhavati bhāmini | adharmaṃ kuta evāhaṃ careyaṃ lokakāmyayā

No wrong at all is done by you, lovely one; and how could I myself commit a wrong, I who seek the good of the worlds?

Note on the text: Corrected वरेयं → चरेयं (misprint in Wikisource; व for च, वरेयं is not a valid form here, the critical edition reads careyaṃ) and restored the word space in अधर्मंकुत → अधर्मं कुत.

Verse 15 (3.308.15)

अनावृताः स्त्रियः सर्वा नराश्च वरवर्णिनि । स्वभाव एष लोकानां विकारोऽन्य इति स्मृतः ॥

anāvṛtāḥ striyaḥ sarvā narāśca varavarṇini | svabhāva eṣa lokānāṃ vikāro'nya iti smṛtaḥ

All women are by nature unconfined, and so are men, fair one. This is the natural state of beings; anything else is held to be a later change.

Verse 16 (3.308.16)

सा मया सहसंगम्य पुनः कन्या भविष्यसि । पुत्रश्च ते महाबाहुर्भविष्यति न संशयः ॥

sā mayā sahasaṃgamya punaḥ kanyā bhaviṣyasi | putraśca te mahābāhurbhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ

After uniting with me you will become a maiden again, and your son will be mighty-armed, without a doubt."

Note on the text: Corrected महावाद्दुर्भविष्यति → महाबाहुर्भविष्यति (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads mahābāhur bhaviṣyati).

Verse 17 (3.308.17)

यदि पुत्रो मम भवेत्त्वत्तः सर्वतमोनुद । कुण्डली कवची शूरो महाबाहुर्महाबलः । अस्तु मे सङ्गमो देव अनेन समयेन ते ॥

yadi putro mama bhavettvattaḥ sarvatamonuda | kuṇḍalī kavacī śūro mahābāhurmahābalaḥ | astu me saṅgamo deva anena samayena te

"If a son is to be born to me from you, dispeller of all darkness, wearing earrings and armour, heroic, mighty-armed and of great strength — then let there be union with me, O god, on this condition."

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote) around the third line. Lines 1–2 = critical edition 3.291.17 (the alignment missed it because of the extra line); the third line is not in the critical edition text but appears in its apparatus as star passage 1345 after 3.291.17 (vulgate/southern addition).

Verse 18 (3.308.18)

भविष्यति महाबाहुः कुण्डली दिव्यवर्मभृत् । उभयं चामृतमयं तस्य भद्रे भविष्यति ॥

bhaviṣyati mahābāhuḥ kuṇḍalī divyavarmabhṛt | ubhayaṃ cāmṛtamayaṃ tasya bhadre bhaviṣyati

"He will be mighty-armed, wearing earrings and divine armour; and both, good lady, will be made of amrita."

Note on the text: Corrected तस् → तस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, the critical edition reads tasya).

Verse 19 (3.308.19)

यद्येतदमृतादस्ति कुण्डले वर्म चोत्तमम् । मम पुत्रस्य यं वै त्वं मत्त उत्पादयिष्यसि ॥

yadyetadamṛtādasti kuṇḍale varma cottamam | mama putrasya yaṃ vai tvaṃ matta utpādayiṣyasi

"If the earrings and the excellent armour of the son you will beget on me are indeed made of amrita,

Note on the text: Corrected यद्यतद → यद्येतद (misprint in Wikisource; missing e-sign, the critical edition reads yady etad).

Verse 20 (3.308.20)

अस्तु मे सङ्गमो देव यथोक्तं भगवंस्त्वया । त्वद्वीर्यरूपसत्वौजा धर्मयुक्तो भवेत्स च ॥

astu me saṅgamo deva yathoktaṃ bhagavaṃstvayā | tvadvīryarūpasatvaujā dharmayukto bhavetsa ca

then let there be union with me, O god, as you have said, blessed one. And may he have your valour, beauty, strength and vigour, and be devoted to dharma."

Note on the text: Corrected धऱ्म → धर्म (misprint in Wikisource; stray character ऱ for र).

Verse 21 (3.308.21)

अदित्या कुण्डले राज्ञि दत्ते मे मत्तकाशिनि । तस्मै दास्यामि वामोरु वर्म चैवेदमुत्तमम् ॥

adityā kuṇḍale rājñi datte me mattakāśini | tasmai dāsyāmi vāmoru varma caivedamuttamam

"The earrings were given to me by Aditi, O queen, proud lady. I will give them to him, fair-thighed one, and this excellent armour too."

Verse 22 (3.308.22)

परमं भगवन्नेवं सङ्गमिष्ये त्वया सह । यदि पुत्रो भवेदेवं यथा वदसि गोपते ॥

paramaṃ bhagavannevaṃ saṅgamiṣye tvayā saha | yadi putro bhavedevaṃ yathā vadasi gopate

"Very well, blessed lord, I shall unite with you, if the son is to be such as you describe, lord of rays."

Note on the text: Speaker corrected: Wikisource prints the heading "वैशंपायन उवाच" here, but the verse is Kunti's reply to Surya (the critical edition heads 3.291.22 "pṛthovāca"); assigned to Kunti.

Verse 23 (3.308.23)

तथेत्युक्त्वा तु तां कुन्तीमाविवेश विहंगमः । स्वर्भानुशत्रुर्योगात्मा नाभ्यां पस्पर्श चैव ताम् ॥

tathetyuktvā tu tāṃ kuntīmāviveśa vihaṃgamaḥ | svarbhānuśatruryogātmā nābhyāṃ pasparśa caiva tām

Saying "So be it," the sky-ranger, the foe of Svarbhanu, whose self is yoga, entered Kunti and touched her at the navel.

Verse 24 (3.308.24)

ततः सा विह्वलेवासीत्कन्या सूर्यस्य तेजसा । पपात चाथ सा देवी शयने मूढचेतना ॥

tataḥ sā vihvalevāsītkanyā sūryasya tejasā | papāta cātha sā devī śayane mūḍhacetanā

Then the maiden became as though overwhelmed by the Sun's radiance, and the lady fell senseless upon her bed.

Note on the text: Corrected तत → ततः and सूरय्स् → सूर्यस्य (misprints in Wikisource; dropped visarga and a scrambled conjunct, the critical edition reads tataḥ … sūryasya).

Verse 25 (3.308.25)

साधयिष्यामि सुश्रोणि पुत्रं वै जनयिष्यसि । सर्वशस्त्रभृतांश्रेष्ठं कन्या चैव भविष्यसि ॥

sādhayiṣyāmi suśroṇi putraṃ vai janayiṣyasi | sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃśreṣṭhaṃ kanyā caiva bhaviṣyasi

"I shall bring it about, fair-hipped one: you will bear a son, the best of all who bear arms, and you will remain a maiden."

Verse 26 (3.308.26)

ततः सा व्रीडिता बाला तदा सूर्यमथाब्रवीत् । एवमस्त्विति राजेन्द्रप्रस्थितं भूरिवर्चसम् ॥

tataḥ sā vrīḍitā bālā tadā sūryamathābravīt | evamastviti rājendraprasthitaṃ bhūrivarcasam

Then the abashed girl said to the Sun, the greatly radiant one who had set about the union, "So be it," O king of kings.

Verse 27 (3.308.27)

इतिस्मोक्ता कुन्तिराजात्मजा सा । विवस्वन्तं याचमाना सलज्जा । तस्मिन्पुण्ये शयनीये पपात । मोहाविष्टा वेपमाना लतेव ॥

itismoktā kuntirājātmajā sā | vivasvantaṃ yācamānā salajjā | tasminpuṇye śayanīye papāta | mohāviṣṭā vepamānā lateva

Having spoken thus, the daughter of King Kuntibhoja, pleading with Vivasvat in her shame, fell upon that holy bed, overcome by confusion, trembling like a creeper.

Verse 28 (3.308.28)

तिग्मांशुस्तां तेजसा मोहयित्वा । योगेनाविश्यात्मसंस्थां चकार । न चैवैनां दूषयामास भानुः । संज्ञां लेभे भूय एवाथ बाला ॥

tigmāṃśustāṃ tejasā mohayitvā | yogenāviśyātmasaṃsthāṃ cakāra | na caivaināṃ dūṣayāmāsa bhānuḥ | saṃjñāṃ lebhe bhūya evātha bālā

The fierce-rayed one, stupefying her with his radiance, entered her through yoga and brought her under his power; yet Bhanu did not defile her, and the girl came to her senses again.

Note on the text: Corrected एवात → एवाथ (misprint in Wikisource; त for थ, the critical edition reads evātha).