66
‘Shakuntala said,104 “Having been thus addressed, Shakra105 commanded the wind, who was always mobile, to be present with Menaka. The beautiful-hipped Menaka then timidly entered the hermitage and saw Vishvamitra, who had burnt all his sins through austerities, but was still engaged in austerities. Having paid her homage to the rishi, she began to play around before him. At that instant, the wind robbed her of her garments, which were as white as the moon. Bashful at Marut’s conduct, the beautiful one dropped to the ground, in an attempt to catch the garment. The supreme among sages saw Menaka grasp at her garment. He saw her nude and that she was beautiful, with no marks of age on her body. On seeing her beauty and qualities, the bull among Brahmanas was struck with desire and wished to unite with her. He invited her and the unblemished one accepted his invitation.
‘“The two of them then passed a long time in the wood, making love as they wished. It seemed to be but a single day. Through the sage, Shakuntala was born to Menaka. Menaka went to the banks of the Malini, which passed through a lovely plain in the Himalayas. Having given birth, Menaka left the child on the banks of the Malini and left. Her objective accomplished, she quickly returned to Shakra’s assembly.
‘“The daughter lay in a deserted forest frequented by carnivorous lions and tigers. On seeing this, vultures106 surrounded her from all sides, so as to protect her. The birds protected Menaka’s child. Having gone there to perform ablutions, I107 saw her in the deep and lonely wood, surrounded by birds. I took her home and brought her up as my own daughter. According to the sacred texts, there are three kinds of fathers. In proper order, they are the one who gives a body, the one who protects and the one who provides food. Because she was found in the solitude of the forest, surrounded by birds, I have given her the name of Shakuntala. O amiable one! Know that it is thus that Shakuntala became my daughter. The unblemished Shakuntala also thinks of me as her father.”’
‘“When asked, this is how the maharshi described the account of my birth. O ruler of men! I do not know my own. But this is how I think of Kanva as my father. O king! I have told you exactly as I heard it.”’
67
‘Duhshanta said, “O princess! O fortunate one! You have spoken well. O one with the beautiful hips! Be my wife. Tell me what I can do for you. O beautiful one! Today, I will present you with golden necklaces, garments, golden earrings, sparkling gems and jewels from many countries, golden coins and skins. Let my entire kingdom be yours today. O beautiful one! Be my wife. O lovely one! O timid one! O one with the beautiful thighs! Marry me according to gandharva108 rites, because it is said that a gandharva marriage is the best.”
‘Shakuntala replied, “O king! My father has left the hermitage to collect fruits for food. Please wait for a while. He will return and give me to you.”
‘Duhshanta said, “O unblemished one! O one with the beautiful hips! I wish that you accept me yourself. Know that I am standing here because of you. Know that my heart is completely in you. One is one’s own best friend. One can certainly resort to one’s own self. Therefore, in accordance with what is dharma, you can give your own self to others. Eight kinds of marriage are known to have the sanction of dharma—brahma, daiva, arsha, prajapatya, asura, gandharva, rakshasa and paishacha. Manu, descended from the one who is self-created,109 has respectively described which of these is in accordance with dharma. O unblemished one! Know that according to dharma, the first four are sanctioned for Brahmanas and the first six for Kshatriyas. For kings, even the rakshasa form is permissible. The asura form is sanctioned for Vaishyas and Shudras. Of the five,110 three are in accordance with dharma and two are not sanctioned. The paishacha and asura forms should never be used. These are the principles laid down by dharma and one should follow them. The gandharva and rakshasa forms are sanctioned for Kshatriyas. Therefore, you need not be scared. There is no doubt that either one, or a mix of the two, is appropriate for us. O beautiful one! I am full of desire for you and so are you. You should become my wife according to the gandharva form of marriage.”
‘Shakuntala said, “O best of the Puru race! O lord! If this is the path indicated by dharma and I am really my own mistress, know my terms before I give myself. Give me your word to this secret agreement between us. O king! O Duhshanta! Give me your truthful promise that the son who is born to me will succeed you. If that is accepted, you may unite with me.”’
Vaishampayana said, ‘Without any hesitation, the king said, “O one with a sweet smile! It shall be that way. I will even take you to my capital. O one with the beautiful hips! It is what you deserve and I promise you truthfully.” Saying this, the rajarshi accepted the hand of she whose gait was without blemish according to the proper rites and she accepted him. He returned to his capital after reiterating his promise and repeatedly assuring her, “I will send a fourfold army111 to escort you. O one with a sweet smile! I will take you to my palace with that.” O Janamejaya! Having thus promised her, the king went away. As he went away, the king began to worry about Kashyapa’s son.112 “What will the illustrious one, with all his ascetic powers, do when he hears?” Thinking in this way, he entered his capital.
‘A little after the king had left, Kanva returned to his hermitage. But Shakuntala was too ashamed to go and meet her father. However, the great ascetic Kanva had divine sight and knew everything. Having seen everything with his divine sight, the illustrious one was pleased and said, “O fortunate one! What you have done secretly today, this act of union with a man without my sanction, is not against dharma. A secret gandharva marriage between a desiring man and a desiring woman, without mantras, is said to be the best for Kshatriyas. O Shakuntala! Duhshanta, the one you have accepted as a husband, is the best among men, great-souled and devoted to dharma. You will give birth to a son who will be known in this world as great-souled and immensely mighty. He will extend his sway over this entire earth that is bounded by the oceans. When that great-souled king of kings marches out against his enemies, he will always be irresistible.”
‘Shakuntala then came to the tired sage and washed his feet. She took down his heavy load and properly laid out the fruits. She said, “I have chosen King Duhshanta, best among men, as my husband. Please give me and his advisers your blessings.” Kanva replied, “O beautiful one! I am prepared to bless him for your sake. O fortunate one! Ask for a boon that you wish.” Wishing to bring welfare to Duhshanta, Shakuntala then asked for the boon that kings of the Puru lineage should always be virtuous and would never be dislodged from their kingdoms.’
68
Vaishampayana said, ‘When Duhshanta left, after making his promise to Shakuntala, the one with the beautiful thighs gave birth to a son who had immense energy. She bore him for three years. He had the splendour of a blazing fire. O Janamejaya! Duhshanta’s son had great beauty, generosity and all the qualities. Kanva, supreme among holy ones, performed all the stipulated rites, including those of birth, and the wise one began to grow. The boy had sharp and white teeth and the young one was strong enough to kill lions. He was handsome and immensely strong, with a broad head. On his palm, he had the sign of a chakra.113 He quickly grew up, like a son of the gods. When he was only six years old, he was so strong that he tied up lions, tigers, boars, buffaloes and elephants to trees near Kanva’s hermitage. He rode them, tamed them, played with them and chased them. The inhabitants of Kanva’s hermitage gave him a name. “Since he has subjugated everything, let him be called Sarvadamana”.114 Thus the boy came to be known as Sarvadamana. He had great strength, valour and energy.
‘On seeing the boy’s superhuman exploits, the sage told Shakuntala that the time had come for him to be instated as the heir apparent.115 On seeing his great strength, Kanva told his disciples, “Quickly take Shakuntala and her son away from this hermitage and to her husband. She is blessed with all the auspicious marks. It is not fit that women should live forever with their relatives.116 Such acts destroy fame, character and virtue. Take her away without delay.” The greatly energet
ic disciples all agreed and left for Gajasahrya117 with Shakuntala and her son. Taking her lotus-eyed son, who was like a divine child, the one with the beautiful brows left the forest where she had first got to know Duhshanta.
‘She went to the king, with her son with the brilliance of the morning sun, and entered. Having paid homage, Shakuntala said, “O king! This is your son. Let him be instated as the heir apparent. O king! This god-like son was begotten by you on me. O best of men! Now fulfil the promise you made to me. O immensely fortunate one! Remember the promise you made to me in Kanva’s hermitage, when we united long ago.” Having heard her words, the king remembered everything. But he said, “O evil ascetic! I remember nothing. Who do you belong to? I do not remember having had any relation with you for dharma, artha or kama. Go or stay, as you wish. Do what you want.” Being thus addressed, the ascetic with the beautiful hips was ashamed. In her grief, she lost her senses and stood immobile like a pillar.
‘Soon, her eyes turned as red as copper in anger. Her lips began to quiver. Through the sides of her eyes, she cast glances at the king that seemed to burn him. Though driven by wrath, she calmed her demeanour and the energy accumulated through her austerities. In grief and anger, she stood for a moment, collecting her thoughts. Then she looked straight at her husband and said, “O great king! Knowing everything very well, how can you unconcernedly say that you know nothing, lying like a common person? Your heart knows the truth or falsity of my words. You yourself are the witness. Do what is good and do not degrade yourself. He who knows one thing in his mind, but represents it in another way, is a thief and robs his own self. What sin is he not capable of committing? You think that you are alone with your own self. But don’t you know the ancient and omniscient one who dwells in your heart? He knows all your acts and all your evil deeds. It is in his presence that you lie. When sinning, a man thinks that no one sees him. But he is seen by the gods and by the being who dwells in every heart. The sun, moon, wind, fire, sky, earth, water, his heart, Yama, day, night, the two twilights and Dharma know man’s every act. If the god in the heart, who is a witness to all acts, is pleased, Vaivasvata Yama ignores the evil a man has done. But when the great being is not pleased, Yama punishes the sinner for his evil deeds. He who degrades his own self and represents falsely cannot find refuge with the gods. He is not blessed by his own soul. I am a faithful wife to my husband. Do not disrespect me because I have come on my own. I am your wife and deserve to be treated with honour. In this assembly, why do you treat me as if I am a commoner? I am certainly not crying in the wilderness. Why do you not hear me? O Duhshanta! If you do not do what I am asking you to do, your head will today be splintered into a hundred pieces. The wise ones of ancient times knew that the husband himself entered the womb of his wife and emerged as a son. That is the reason a wife is known as jaya.118 A son born to a learned man saves with his lineage the deceased ancestors. Since the son saves his ancestors from the hell known as put, the self-created one119 has said that a son is known as putra. She is a true wife who looks after the house. She is a true wife who bears children. She is a true wife whose life is devoted to her husband. She is a true wife who is faithful to her husband. A wife is half the man. A wife is the best of friends. A wife is the source of the three objectives.120 A wife is a friend at the very end. Those who have wives can perform rites. Those who have wives can be householders. Those who have wives are happy. Those who have wives have good fortune. Sweet-spoken wives are friends in solitude, fathers in religious acts and mothers in suffering. Even in the wilderness, a wife refreshes the wandering husband. A man who has a wife is trusted. Therefore, a wife is the best means of salvation. When a husband goes to the land of the dead and is transiting, it is the faithful wife alone who accompanies him there, for he is always her husband, in all adversities. If the wife goes before, she stays and waits for the spirit of her husband. If the husband dies before, the devoted wife soon follows. O king! It is for these reasons that man seeks marriage. The husband obtains a wife, in this life and the next. The wise have said that a man is himself born as his son. Therefore, a man should regard the mother of his son as his own mother. Looking at the face of a son born from a wife, a man sees his own face, as in a mirror, and is as delighted as a virtuous man on attaining heaven. Burnt through mental grief or afflicted with disease, men rejoice in their wives, like perspiring ones do in water. Even in anger, a man should not utter unpleasant words to his beloved wife, because love, joy, virtue and everything are in her. The wife is the sacred ground in which the husband is born again. Even sages are unable to have offspring without wives. A son embraces his father, his limbs covered with dirt. Is there greater happiness to a father than that? Why do you frown and reject your son, who has come to you on his own and is glancing fondly at you? Even ants carry their eggs and do not break them. You are learned in the ways of dharma. Will you not support your own son? The touch of fragrances, women and water is not as pleasing as the embrace of one’s own infant son. The Brahmana is the best among bipeds. The cow is the best among quadrupeds. The preceptor is the best among all superiors. The son is the best among all objects one touches. Let this handsome son touch you in embrace. There is no feeling more pleasant in the worlds than the touch of a son. O chastiser of enemies! O lord of kings! I bore this son, the dispeller of your grief, for three years. O descendant of the Puru lineage! When I was giving birth, a voice was heard from the sky, ‘He will perform one hundred horse sacrifices.’ Men who have gone to another village lovingly take up the sons of other men on their laps and feel great happiness on smelling their heads. At the time of the birth ceremony of a son, you know that Brahmanas utter the following mantra from the Vedas: ‘You are born from my limbs. You are born from my heart. You are me in the form of a son. May you live for a hundred autumns. My life depends on you and my eternal lineage. Therefore, my son, live in happiness for a hundred autumns.’ He has been born from your limbs, one man from another. Look on your son as your second self, like a reflection in a clear pond. Like the ahavaniya fire is kindled from the garhapatya fire,121 this one has been born from you. Though you are one, you have been divided into two. O king! In earlier times, you were on a hunting expedition and had been led away by a deer. I was a virgin in my father’s hermitage and was approached by you. The six supreme apsaras are Urvashi, Purvachitti, Sahajanya, Menaka, Vishvachi and Ghritachi. Among them again, Menaka, the apsara born from Brahma, is the foremost. Descending from heaven to earth, she gave birth to me through her union with Vishvamitra. The apsara Menaka gave birth to me in a plain in the Himalayas. Without any feelings, she abandoned me there, as if I was someone else’s child. Earlier, what sins did I commit in another life that I was abandoned by my relatives in my childhood and by you now? Forsaken by you, I am ready to go back to my hermitage. But do not forsake this child who is your own son.”
‘Duhshanta said, “O Shakuntala! I do not know that this son born from you is mine. Women are liars. Who will believe your words? Your mother Menaka was a courtesan. She was merciless and abandoned you on the plains of the Himalayas, like a faded garland. Your father Vishvamitra was also merciless and was born in the Kshatriya lineage. But driven by desire, and lustful, he became a Brahmana. If Menaka is the best of the apsaras and your father is the best of the maharshis, how can you speak like a harlot and be their daughter? Are you not ashamed to utter these disrespectful words, especially in my presence? O wicked ascetic! Go away. Where is that best of maharshis? Where is Menaka, the best of apsaras? And where are you, who are wretched, clad in an ascetic’s garb? Your son is gigantic. And he is strong, even though a child. How has he, in such a short span, grown up like the trunk of a shala tree? You were born in a lowly lineage and you speak like a harlot. It seems that Menaka gave birth to you from lust alone. O ascetic! Everything that you say is unknown to me. I do not know you. Go away, as you please.”’
69
‘Shakuntala said, “O king! You see the faults of others, even though they are as small
as a mustard seed. But you do not see your own, even though they can be seen as large as a bilva fruit. Menaka is one of the thirty gods.122 She is foremost among the thirty. O Duhshanta! My birth is nobler than your own. O lord of kings! You are established on earth. But I roam the sky. Know that the difference between you and me is that between a mustard seed and Mount Meru. O king! Behold and understand my powers. I can go to the abodes of the great Indra, Kubera, Yama and Varuna. O unblemished one! Not out of hatred towards you, but as an illustration, I am going to tell you a popular saying. Therefore, pardon me and listen. Until he sees his face in a mirror, the ugly man thinks himself to be more handsome than others. But when he sees his malformed face in a mirror, it is then that he realizes the difference between him and others. He who is extremely handsome never demeans others. He who slanders others a lot is only considered to be evil-mouthed. Like a pig searches out filth, the fool seeks out evil words when he hears good and evil in men’s speech. But the swan always searches out milk from the water. Like that, the wise one seeks out words of quality when he hears good and evil in men’s speech. Honest ones are always pained to speak ill of others. But wicked ones are satisfied at this. Good ones always find pleasure in paying respect to the aged.123 However, fools always derive pleasure from berating good men. Those who seek no evil live happily. But fools are happy when they find evil. Even when they are injured by the words of evil ones, the good never do them injury. In this world, there is nothing more ridiculous than the evil representing the good as evil. Even those who do not believe in god fear those who have been dislodged from truth, like snakes with virulent poison, not to speak of those who believe in god. A man who has begotten a son like himself, but does not accept him, doesn’t attain the superior worlds. The gods destroy his prosperity. The ancestors have said that the son establishes the family and the lineage and, thus, giving birth to a son is the best of all dharmas. Therefore, a son should never be abandoned. Manu has said there are sons begotten on one’s wife and five others—obtained, bought, reared, adopted and those begotten on other women. Sons support the dharma and fame of men and bring happiness to their hearts. Sons are like the boats of dharma in transporting the ancestors from hell. O tiger among kings! Therefore, it is not proper for you to forsake your son. O lord of the earth! Protect him like you protect yourself, truth and dharma. O lion among kings! It is not proper for you to be deceitful on this. A pond124 is better than that of a hundred wells. A sacrifice is better than a hundred ponds. But a son is better than a hundred sacrifices. Truth is better than a hundred sons. If 1000 horse sacrifices and truth are weighed on a pair of scales, truth will weigh more than 1000 horse sacrifices. O king! I tell you that truth is equal to studying all the Vedas and bathing in all the tirthas. There is no dharma higher than the truth and nothing is superior to truth. And no evil is known to be fiercer than a lie. O king! Truth is the supreme brahman. Truth is the great vow. O king! Therefore, do not violate your oath. Let truth and yourself be united. However, if you are united with falsehood and if you yourself have no belief in my words, I shall go away from here on my own. A relationship with one like you should not be sought after. O Duhshanta! But when you are dead, my son will rule over the entire earth, crowned by the king of the mountains and surrounded by oceans in four directions.”’
Mahabharata Vol. 1 (Penguin Translated Texts) Page 21