Kunti Sets Her Newborn Son Adrift

Verse 1 (3.309.1)

ततो गर्भः समभवत्पृथायाः पृथिवीपते । शुक्ले दशोत्तरे पक्षे तारापतिरिवाम्बरे ॥

tato garbhaḥ samabhavatpṛthāyāḥ pṛthivīpate | śukle daśottare pakṣe tārāpatirivāmbare

Then, lord of the earth, Pritha conceived a child, like the lord of the stars in the sky in the bright fortnight of the eleventh month.

Verse 2 (3.309.2)

सा बान्धवभयाद्बाला गर्भं तं विनिगूहती । धारयामास सुश्रोणी न चैनां बुबुधे जनः ॥

sā bāndhavabhayādbālā garbhaṃ taṃ vinigūhatī | dhārayāmāsa suśroṇī na caināṃ bubudhe janaḥ

Fearing her kinsmen, the fair-hipped girl carried the child while keeping it hidden, and no one found her out.

Verse 3 (3.309.3)

न हि तां वेद नार्यन्या काचिद्धात्रेयिकामृते । कन्यापुरगतां बालां निपुणां परिरक्षणे ॥

na hi tāṃ veda nāryanyā kāciddhātreyikāmṛte | kanyāpuragatāṃ bālāṃ nipuṇāṃ parirakṣaṇe

No other woman knew of the girl, who lived in the maidens' quarters, except her nurse, who was skilled at guarding her.

Verse 4 (3.309.4)

ततः कालेन सा गर्भं सुषुवे वरवर्णिनी । कन्यैव तस्य देवस्य प्रसादादमरप्रभम् ॥

tataḥ kālena sā garbhaṃ suṣuve varavarṇinī | kanyaiva tasya devasya prasādādamaraprabham

Then in time the lovely woman, still a maiden by the grace of that god, gave birth to a child as radiant as an immortal,

Verse 5 (3.309.5)

तथैवाबद्धकवचं कनकोज्ज्वलकुण्डलम् । हर्यक्षं वृषभस्कन्धं यथास्य पितरं तथा ॥

tathaivābaddhakavacaṃ kanakojjvalakuṇḍalam | haryakṣaṃ vṛṣabhaskandhaṃ yathāsya pitaraṃ tathā

already clad in armour, with bright golden earrings, lion-eyed and bull-shouldered, just like his father.

Verse 6 (3.309.6)

जातमात्रं च तं गर्भं धात्र्या संमन्त्र्य भामिनी । उत्स्रष्टुकामा तं गर्भं कारयामास भारत ॥

jātamātraṃ ca taṃ garbhaṃ dhātryā saṃmantrya bhāminī | utsraṣṭukāmā taṃ garbhaṃ kārayāmāsa bhārata

As soon as the child was born, the lady took counsel with her nurse and, wishing to give the child up, O Bharata, had made

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick before the second line. Line 1 = critical edition 3.292.6ab; line 2 is not in the critical edition text but appears in its apparatus as star passage 1346 (line 1), inserted after 3.292.6ab. The sentence runs on into the next verse.

Verse 7 (3.309.7)

मञ्जूषां शिल्पिभिस्तूर्णं सुनद्धां सुप्रतिष्ठिताम् । प्लवैर्बहुविधैर्बद्धां प्लवनार्थं जले नृप । अजिनैर्मृदुभिश्चैवं संस्तीर्णशयनां तथा ॥

mañjūṣāṃ śilpibhistūrṇaṃ sunaddhāṃ supratiṣṭhitām | plavairbahuvidhairbaddhāṃ plavanārthaṃ jale nṛpa | ajinairmṛdubhiścaivaṃ saṃstīrṇaśayanāṃ tathā

by craftsmen, in haste, a basket, well fastened and steady, bound with floats of many kinds so that it would float on the water, O king, its bed lined with soft deerskins.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (a closing quote). Not in the critical edition text; these three lines appear in its apparatus as star passage 1346 (lines 2–4), after 3.292.6ab (vulgate/southern addition).

Verse 8 (3.309.8)

मञ्जूषायां समाधाय स्वास्तीर्णायां समन्ततः । मधूच्चिष्टस्थितायां तं सुखायां रुदती तथा । श्लक्ष्णायां सुपिधानायामश्वनद्यामवासृजत् ॥

mañjūṣāyāṃ samādhāya svāstīrṇāyāṃ samantataḥ | madhūcciṣṭasthitāyāṃ taṃ sukhāyāṃ rudatī tathā | ślakṣṇāyāṃ supidhānāyāmaśvanadyāmavāsṛjat

Placing him in the basket, well padded all round, sealed with wax, comfortable, smooth and with a close-fitting lid, she let it go, weeping, on the Ashva river.

Note on the text: Corresponds to critical edition 3.292.6cd–7 (first line reads समाधाय for avadadhe, a recension variant); the alignment missed it.

Verse 9 (3.309.9)

जानती चाप्यकर्तव्यं कन्याया गर्भधारणम् । पुत्रस्नेहेन सा राजन्करुणं पर्यदेवयत् ॥

jānatī cāpyakartavyaṃ kanyāyā garbhadhāraṇam | putrasnehena sā rājankaruṇaṃ paryadevayat

Though she knew that a maiden must not bear a child, out of love for her son, O king, she lamented piteously.

Verse 10 (3.309.10)

समुत्सृजन्ती मञ्जूषामश्वनद्यां तदा जले । उवाच रुदतीकुन्ती यानि वाक्यानि तच्छृणु ॥

samutsṛjantī mañjūṣāmaśvanadyāṃ tadā jale | uvāca rudatīkuntī yāni vākyāni tacchṛṇu

As she let the basket go on the waters of the Ashva river, Kunti, weeping, spoke these words — hear them:

Note on the text: Corrected मञ्जूपाम् → मञ्जूषाम् (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष, the critical edition reads mañjūṣām).

Verse 11 (3.309.11)

स्वस्ति तेऽस्त्वान्तरिक्षेभ्यः पार्थिवेभ्यश्च पुत्रक । दिव्येभ्यश्चैव भूतेभ्यस्तथा तोयचराश्च ये ॥

svasti te'stvāntarikṣebhyaḥ pārthivebhyaśca putraka | divyebhyaścaiva bhūtebhyastathā toyacarāśca ye

"May all be well with you, little son, from the beings of the air and of the earth, from the heavenly ones, and from those that move in the waters.

Note on the text: Speaker: Kunti's lament (verses 11–22) has no printed heading; the preceding verse introduces it as her speech, so it is assigned to Kunti.

Verse 12 (3.309.12)

शिवास्ते सन्तु पन्थानो मा च ते परिपन्थिनः । आगताश्च तथा पुत्र भवन्त्यद्रोहचेतसः ॥

śivāste santu panthāno mā ca te paripanthinaḥ | āgatāśca tathā putra bhavantyadrohacetasaḥ

May your paths be kind, and may no one stand in your way; and may those who come upon you, my son, be free of malice.

Verse 13 (3.309.13)

पातु त्वां वरुणो राजा सलिले सलिलेश्वरः । अन्तरिक्षेऽन्तरिक्षस्थः पवनः सर्वगस्तथा ॥

pātu tvāṃ varuṇo rājā salile salileśvaraḥ | antarikṣe'ntarikṣasthaḥ pavanaḥ sarvagastathā

May King Varuna, lord of the waters, guard you in the water, and in the air the all-pervading Wind who dwells in the air.

Verse 14 (3.309.14)

पिता त्वां पातु सर्वत्र तपनस्तपतांवरः । येन दत्तोसि मे पुत्र दिव्येन विधिना किल ॥

pitā tvāṃ pātu sarvatra tapanastapatāṃvaraḥ | yena dattosi me putra divyena vidhinā kila

May your father guard you everywhere — the Sun, best of those who blaze, who gave you to me, my son, by a divine ordinance.

Verse 15 (3.309.15)

आदित्या वसवो रुद्राः साध्या विश्वे च देवताः । मरुतश्च सहेन्द्रेण दिशश्च सदिगीश्वराः ॥

ādityā vasavo rudrāḥ sādhyā viśve ca devatāḥ | marutaśca sahendreṇa diśaśca sadigīśvarāḥ

May the Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the Sadhyas and the Vishvedevas, the Maruts with Indra, and the quarters with the lords of the quarters —

Note on the text: Corrected सदिदीश्वराः → सदिगीश्वराः (misprint in Wikisource; द for ग, the critical edition reads sadigīśvarāḥ).

Verse 16 (3.309.16)

रक्षन्तु त्वां सुराः सर्वे समेषु विषमेषु च । वेत्स्यामि त्वांविदेशेपि कवचेनाभिसूचितम् ॥

rakṣantu tvāṃ surāḥ sarve sameṣu viṣameṣu ca | vetsyāmi tvāṃvideśepi kavacenābhisūcitam

may all the gods protect you on smooth ways and rough. I shall know you even in a far country, marked out by your armour.

Verse 17 (3.309.17)

धन्यस्ते पुत्र जनको देवो भानुर्विभावसुः । यस्त्वां द्रक्ष्यति दिव्येन चक्षुषा वाहिनीगतम् ॥

dhanyaste putra janako devo bhānurvibhāvasuḥ | yastvāṃ drakṣyati divyena cakṣuṣā vāhinīgatam

Blessed is your father, my son, the god Bhanu, Vibhavasu, who with his divine eye will see you carried along the river.

Note on the text: Corrected जनरको → जनको and स्त्वां → यस्त्वां (misprints in Wikisource; a stray र and a dropped akshara, the critical edition reads janako … yas tvāṃ).

Verse 18 (3.309.18)

धन्या सा प्रमदा या त्वां पुत्रत्वे कल्पयिष्यति । यस्यास्त्वं तृषितः पुत्र स्तनं पास्यसि देवज ॥

dhanyā sā pramadā yā tvāṃ putratve kalpayiṣyati | yasyāstvaṃ tṛṣitaḥ putra stanaṃ pāsyasi devaja

Blessed is the woman who will take you as her son, whose breast you will suck when you are thirsty, my son, child of a god.

Verse 19 (3.309.19)

कोनु स्वप्नस्तया दृष्टो या त्वामादित्यवर्चसम् । दिव्यवर्मसमायुक्तं दिव्यकुण्डलभूषितम् ॥

konu svapnastayā dṛṣṭo yā tvāmādityavarcasam | divyavarmasamāyuktaṃ divyakuṇḍalabhūṣitam

What dream has she seen, the woman who will take you as her son — you who shine like the sun, clad in divine armour, adorned with divine earrings,

Note on the text: Corrected दिव्यकृण्डल → दिव्यकुण्डल (misprint in Wikisource; ृ for ु, the critical edition reads divyakuṇḍala).

Verse 20 (3.309.20)

पद्मायतविशालाक्षं पद्मताम्रदलोज्ज्वलम् । सुललाटं सुकेशान्तं पुत्रत्वे कल्पयिष्यति ॥

padmāyataviśālākṣaṃ padmatāmradalojjvalam | sulalāṭaṃ sukeśāntaṃ putratve kalpayiṣyati

with long, wide lotus eyes, glowing like coppery lotus petals, with a fine brow and fine hair!

Verse 21 (3.309.21)

धन्या द्रक्ष्यन्ति पुत्र त्वां भूमौ संसर्पमाणकम् । अव्यक्तकलवाक्यानि वदन्तं रेणुगुण्ठितम् ॥

dhanyā drakṣyanti putra tvāṃ bhūmau saṃsarpamāṇakam | avyaktakalavākyāni vadantaṃ reṇuguṇṭhitam

Blessed are those who will see you, my son, crawling on the ground, covered in dust and babbling sweet, unclear words.

Verse 22 (3.309.22)

धन्या द्रक्ष्यन्ति पुत्र त्वां पुनर्यौवनगोचरम् । हिमवद्वनसंभूतं सिंहं केसरिणं यथा ॥

dhanyā drakṣyanti putra tvāṃ punaryauvanagocaram | himavadvanasaṃbhūtaṃ siṃhaṃ kesariṇaṃ yathā

Blessed are those who will see you, my son, when you have come to youth, like a maned lion born in the forests of the Himalaya."

Verse 23 (3.309.23)

एवं बहुविधं राजन्विलप्य करुणं पृथा । अवासृजत मञ्जूषामश्वनद्यां तदा जले ॥

evaṃ bahuvidhaṃ rājanvilapya karuṇaṃ pṛthā | avāsṛjata mañjūṣāmaśvanadyāṃ tadā jale

Having lamented piteously in many such ways, O king, Pritha set the basket adrift on the waters of the Ashva river.

Note on the text: Corrected अवामृजतमज्जूषाम् → अवासृजत मञ्जूषाम् (misprint in Wikisource; म for स and ज्ज for ञ्ज, the critical edition reads avāsṛjata mañjūṣām).

Verse 24 (3.309.24)

रुदती पुत्रशोकार्ता निशीथे कमलेक्षणा । धात्र्या सह पृथा राजन्पुत्रदर्शनलालसा ॥

rudatī putraśokārtā niśīthe kamalekṣaṇā | dhātryā saha pṛthā rājanputradarśanalālasā

Weeping, stricken with grief for her son and longing to see him, the lotus-eyed Pritha, O king, with her nurse, at midnight,

Verse 25 (3.309.25)

विसर्जयित्वा मञ्जूषां संबोधनभयात्पितुः । विवेश राजभवनं पुनः शोकातुरा ततः ॥

visarjayitvā mañjūṣāṃ saṃbodhanabhayātpituḥ | viveśa rājabhavanaṃ punaḥ śokāturā tataḥ

having let the basket go, went back into the royal palace, sick with sorrow, for fear that her father would wake.

Verse 26 (3.309.26)

मञ्जूषा त्वश्वनद्याः सा ययौ चर्मण्वतीं नदीम् । चर्मण्वत्याश्चयमुनां ततो गङ्गां जगाम ह ॥

mañjūṣā tvaśvanadyāḥ sā yayau carmaṇvatīṃ nadīm | carmaṇvatyāścayamunāṃ tato gaṅgāṃ jagāma ha

The basket went from the Ashva river to the Charmanvati, from the Charmanvati to the Yamuna, and from there to the Ganga.

Note on the text: Corrected चर्मयण्वतीं → चर्मण्वतीं (misprint in Wikisource; stray य, the critical edition reads carmaṇvatīṃ).

Verse 27 (3.309.27)

गङ्गायाः सूतविषयं चम्पामनुययौ पुरीम् । स मञ्जूषागतो गर्भस्तरङ्गैरुह्यमानकः ॥

gaṅgāyāḥ sūtaviṣayaṃ campāmanuyayau purīm | sa mañjūṣāgato garbhastaraṅgairuhyamānakaḥ

From the Ganga the child in the basket, carried along by the waves, came to the city of Champa in the land of the sutas.

Verse 28 (3.309.28)

अमृतादुत्थितं दिव्यं तनुवर्म सकुण्डलम् । धारयामास तं गर्भं दैवं च विधिनिर्मितम् ॥

amṛtādutthitaṃ divyaṃ tanuvarma sakuṇḍalam | dhārayāmāsa taṃ garbhaṃ daivaṃ ca vidhinirmitam

And fate, as ordained, kept on the child the divine armour of his body, risen from amrita, together with the earrings.

Verse 29 (3.309.29)

एतद्गुह्यं महाराज सूर्यस्यासीन्महात्मनः । स सूर्यसंभवो गर्भः कुन्त्या गर्भेण धारितः ॥

etadguhyaṃ mahārāja sūryasyāsīnmahātmanaḥ | sa sūryasaṃbhavo garbhaḥ kuntyā garbheṇa dhāritaḥ

This was the secret of the great-souled Sun, great king: that the child born of the Sun had been carried in Kunti's womb.

Note on the text: Removed a stray closing quote mark. Not in the critical edition, nor in its apparatus at this point (found in the vulgate recension); a similar line closes the next adhyaya (star passage 1351 after 3.293.19).