संस्कृतIASTअर्थ
वैशंपायनः उवाच ततः सः राजा प्रतीपः सर्वभूतहिते रतः गङ्गातीरगतः जपन् बह्वीः समाः निषसादvaiśaṃpāyanaḥ uvāca tataḥ saḥ rājā pratīpaḥ sarvabhūtahite rataḥ gaṅgātīragataḥ japan bahvīḥ samāḥ niṣasādaVaishampayana said: Then King Pratipa, devoted to the welfare of all beings, having come to the bank of the Ganga, reciting prayers, dwelt there for many years.
तस्य अधीयानस्य राजर्षेः गङ्गा श्रीः इव रूपिणी लोभनीयतमाकृतिः दिव्यरूपा मनस्विनी तस्मात् सलिलात् उत्तीर्य शुभानना दक्षिणं शालसंकाशम् ऊरुं भेजेtasya adhīyānasya rājarṣeḥ gaṅgā śrīḥ iva rūpiṇī lobhanīyatamākṛtiḥ divyarūpā manasvinī tasmāt salilāt uttīrya śubhānanā dakṣiṇaṃ śālasaṃkāśam ūruṃ bhejeAs that royal sage recited his prayers, the Ganga -- beautiful as Shri incarnate, of most alluring form, of divine appearance, wise, rising from that water, bright-faced -- sat upon his right thigh, which resembled the trunk of a shala tree.
महीपालः प्रतीपः तां मनस्विनीं उवाच कल्याणि ते किं प्रियं करवाणि यत् ते अभिकाङ्क्षितंmahīpālaḥ pratīpaḥ tāṃ manasvinīṃ uvāca kalyāṇi te kiṃ priyaṃ karavāṇi yat te abhikāṅkṣitaṃKing Pratipa said to that wise maiden: O gracious one, what pleasing thing shall I do for you? What do you desire?
स्त्री उवाच कुरुश्रेष्ठ राजन् अहं त्वां कामये मां भजस्व कामवतीनां स्त्रीणां त्यागः सद्भिः विगर्हितःstrī uvāca kuruśreṣṭha rājan ahaṃ tvāṃ kāmaye māṃ bhajasva kāmavatīnāṃ strīṇāṃ tyāgaḥ sadbhiḥ vigarhitaḥThe woman said: O best of the Kurus, O king, I desire you; love me. The rejection of women longing for love is condemned by the good.
प्रतीपः उवाच वरवर्णिनि अहं कामात् परस्त्रियं न गच्छेयं न च असवर्णां कल्याणि तत् मे धर्म्यं व्रतं विद्धिpratīpaḥ uvāca varavarṇini ahaṃ kāmāt parastriyaṃ na gaccheyaṃ na ca asavarṇāṃ kalyāṇi tat me dharmyaṃ vrataṃ viddhiPratipa said: O fair-faced one, out of desire I do not unite with another man's wife, nor with a woman of another caste, O gracious one; know that such is my vow of dharma.
स्त्री उवाच अहं न अश्रेयसी अस्मि न अगम्या न च कर्हिचित् वक्तव्या कन्यां वरस्त्रियं मां भजमानां त्वं भजstrī uvāca ahaṃ na aśreyasī asmi na agamyā na ca karhicit vaktavyā kanyāṃ varastriyaṃ māṃ bhajamānāṃ tvaṃ bhajaThe woman said: I am not unworthy, nor forbidden, nor blameworthy in any way; love me, a maiden, the best of women, who loves you.
प्रतीपः उवाच यत् मां प्रियं चोदयसि एतत् ते मया अतिवृत्तं अन्यथा प्रतिपन्नं मां धर्मविप्लवः नाशयेत्pratīpaḥ uvāca yat māṃ priyaṃ codayasi etat te mayā ativṛttaṃ anyathā pratipannaṃ māṃ dharmaviplavaḥ nāśayetPratipa said: That to which you, beloved, are urging me is a transgression for me; were I to act otherwise, the ruin of dharma would destroy me.
वराङ्गने त्वं मे दक्षिणं ऊरुं प्राप्य आश्लिष्टा भीरु विद्धि एतत् अपत्यानां स्नुषाणां च आसनंvarāṅgane tvaṃ me dakṣiṇaṃ ūruṃ prāpya āśliṣṭā bhīru viddhi etat apatyānāṃ snuṣāṇāṃ ca āsanaṃO beautiful one, you, having sat upon my right thigh, embraced it; know, O timid one, that this is the seat of sons and daughters-in-law.
सव्यतः कामिनीभागः सः च त्वया विवर्जितः तस्मात् अहं वराङ्गने त्वयि कामं न आचरिष्येsavyataḥ kāminībhāgaḥ saḥ ca tvayā vivarjitaḥ tasmāt ahaṃ varāṅgane tvayi kāmaṃ na ācariṣyeThe left side is the place of the beloved; that you passed by. Therefore, O beautiful one, I will not show you a husband's love.
कल्याणि मे स्नुषा भव पुत्रार्थे त्वां वृणोमि वामोरु त्वं स्नुषापक्षं आगम्य समाश्रिता हिkalyāṇi me snuṣā bhava putrārthe tvāṃ vṛṇomi vāmoru tvaṃ snuṣāpakṣaṃ āgamya samāśritā hiO gracious one, become my daughter-in-law; for the sake of my son I choose you, for you, by sitting there, have taken the side of the daughter-in-law.
स्त्री उवाच धर्मज्ञ एवम् अपि अस्तु ते सुतेन संयुज्येयं त्वद्भक्त्या एव प्रख्यातं भारतं कुलं भजिष्यामिstrī uvāca dharmajña evam api astu te sutena saṃyujyeyaṃ tvadbhaktyā eva prakhyātaṃ bhārataṃ kulaṃ bhajiṣyāmiThe woman said: O knower of dharma, so be it; I shall unite with your son. Out of devotion to you and to the illustrious house of the Bharatas, I shall accept him.
पृथिव्यां ये पार्थिवाः तेषां यूयं परायणं वः कुलस्य अनुत्तमं साधुत्वं गुणाः वर्षशतैः अपि मया वक्तुं न शक्याःpṛthivyāṃ ye pārthivāḥ teṣāṃ yūyaṃ parāyaṇaṃ vaḥ kulasya anuttamaṃ sādhutvaṃ guṇāḥ varṣaśataiḥ api mayā vaktuṃ na śakyāḥYou are the refuge of all the kings of the earth. Even in a hundred years I could not fully describe the incomparable righteousness of your line and its virtues.
विभो सः [पुत्रः] मे अभिजनज्ञः न स्यात् अहं च यत् आचरेयं तत् सर्वं एव ते पुत्रः कर्हिचित् न मीमांसेतvibho saḥ [putraḥ] me abhijanajñaḥ na syāt ahaṃ ca yat ācareyaṃ tat sarvaṃ eva te putraḥ karhicit na mīmāṃsetaO lord, may that son of yours never seek to inquire into my origin; and whatever I may do, may your son never question any of it.
एवं ते पुत्रे वसन्ती अहं प्रियं वर्धयिष्यामि ते सुतः पुण्यैः प्रियैः पुत्रैः स्वर्गं प्राप्स्यतिevaṃ te putre vasantī ahaṃ priyaṃ vardhayiṣyāmi te sutaḥ puṇyaiḥ priyaiḥ putraiḥ svargaṃ prāpsyatiThus, dwelling with your son, I shall increase his happiness; through righteous, beloved sons your son will attain heaven.
वैशंपायनvaiśaṃpāyanaoriginal form "vaiśaṃpāyana", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
प्रतीपोpratīpooriginal form "pratīpo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
समाsamāoriginal form "samā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
बह्वीर्bahvīroriginal form "bahvīr", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
गङ्गातीरगतोgaṅgātīragatooriginal form "gaṅgātīragato", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
रूपगुणोपेताrūpaguṇopetāoriginal form "rūpaguṇopetā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
श्रीर्śrīroriginal form "śrīr", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तस्माल्tasmāloriginal form "tasmāl", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
राजर्षेर्rājarṣeroriginal form "rājarṣer", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
प्रतीपस्pratīpasoriginal form "pratīpas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तुtuoriginal form "tu", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
महीपालस्mahīpālasoriginal form "mahīpālas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ताम्tāmoriginal form "tām", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
मनस्विनीम्manasvinīmoriginal form "manasvinīm", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽभिकाङ्क्षितम्'bhikāṅkṣitamoriginal form "'bhikāṅkṣitam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
स्त्र्य्stryoriginal form "stry", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
त्वाम्tvāmoriginal form "tvām", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
माम्māmoriginal form "mām", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सद्भिर्sadbhiroriginal form "sadbhir", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
प्रतीपpratīpaoriginal form "pratīpa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नाहंnāhaṃoriginal form "nāhaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कामाद्kāmādoriginal form "kāmād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चासवर्णांcāsavarṇāṃoriginal form "cāsavarṇāṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तद्tadoriginal form "tad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
व्रतम्vratamoriginal form "vratam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
स्त्र्य्stryoriginal form "stry", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नाश्रेयस्य्nāśreyasyoriginal form "nāśreyasy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नागम्याnāgamyāoriginal form "nāgamyā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कर्हिkarhioriginal form "karhi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चित्citoriginal form "cit", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
राजन्rājanoriginal form "rājan", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वरस्त्रियम्varastriyamoriginal form "varastriyam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
प्रतीपpratīpaoriginal form "pratīpa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
मयातिवृत्तम्mayātivṛttamoriginal form "mayātivṛttam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
यन्yanoriginal form "yan", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
प्रियम्priyamoriginal form "priyam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नाशयेद्nāśayedoriginal form "nāśayed", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
दक्षिणम्dakṣiṇamoriginal form "dakṣiṇam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
त्वम्tvamoriginal form "tvam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विद्ध्य्viddhyoriginal form "viddhy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
एतद्etadoriginal form "etad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
आसनम्āsanamoriginal form "āsanam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कामिनीभागस्kāminībhāgasoriginal form "kāminībhāgas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तस्माद्tasmādoriginal form "tasmād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नाचरिष्येnācariṣyeoriginal form "nācariṣye", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वृणोम्य्vṛṇomyoriginal form "vṛṇomy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अहम्ahamoriginal form "aham", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
हिhioriginal form "hi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
त्वम्tvamoriginal form "tvam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
स्त्र्य्stryoriginal form "stry", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अप्य्apyoriginal form "apy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
त्वद्भक्त्यैवtvadbhaktyaivaoriginal form "tvadbhaktyaiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कुलम्kulamoriginal form "kulam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पार्थिवाpārthivāoriginal form "pārthivā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
परायणम्parāyaṇamoriginal form "parāyaṇam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
गुणाguṇāoriginal form "guṇā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
हिhioriginal form "hi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
शक्याśakyāoriginal form "śakyā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वर्षशतैर्varṣaśatairoriginal form "varṣaśatair", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
येyeoriginal form "ye", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
प्रस्थितास्prasthitāsoriginal form "prasthitās", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तत्साधुत्वम्tatsādhutvamoriginal form "tatsādhutvam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अनुत्तमम्anuttamamoriginal form "anuttamam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नाभिजनज्ञःnābhijanajñaḥoriginal form "nābhijanajñaḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
स्याद्syādoriginal form "syād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
यद्yadoriginal form "yad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सर्वम्sarvamoriginal form "sarvam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पुत्रस्putrasoriginal form "putras", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कर्हिkarhioriginal form "karhi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चित्citoriginal form "cit", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वर्धयिष्याम्य्vardhayiṣyāmyoriginal form "vardhayiṣyāmy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
प्रियम्priyamoriginal form "priyam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
प्रियैश्priyaiśoriginal form "priyaiś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चापिcāpioriginal form "cāpi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Here the strict dharma of Pratipa reveals itself -- along with the providential matchmaking of the Ganga. Striking is the king's reverence before dharma: though the maiden herself offers herself to him, he refuses -- 'I do not unite with another man's wife or with a woman of another caste; such is my vow.' This is a model of chastity and fidelity to dharma: even faced with temptation, when a beautiful woman herself draws him, the righteous man does not yield to passion; his vow stands firmer than desire. How striking the contrast with Mahabhisha, who fell through an unrestrained glance! Also notable is the subtle distinction: the maiden sat on the right thigh, the seat of a daughter-in-law, not the left, the seat of a wife; and Pratipa, reading this sign, accepts her as a daughter-in-law for his son, not as a wife for himself. Remarkable too is this attention to the fine points of propriety and dharma: the righteous man reads even the smallest signs and acts upon them. And the Ganga's condition -- that the son must never inquire into her origin nor question her deeds -- is the seed of what is to come, for Shantanu will break this condition and lose her: thus providence, through this very condition, prepares both the birth of Bhishma and the Ganga's departure. So the strict dharma of Pratipa, and his attentiveness to the sign, mark the beginning of the chain that will lead to the birth of the epic's greatest righteous man.