दुष्यन्त उवाच सुव्यक्तं राजपुत्री त्वं यथा कल्याणि भाषसे। भार्या मे भव सुश्रोणि ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते॥
Dushyanta said : O princess, O blessed lady, all that you have said is well-spoken. O beautiful lady, be my wife. Tell me what I shall do (for you).
सुवर्णमालां वासांसि कुण्डले परिहाटके। नानापत्तनजे शुभ्रे मणिरत्ने च शोभने॥ आहरामि तवाद्याहं निष्कादीन्यजिनानि च। सर्वं राज्यं तवाद्यास्तु भार्या मे भव शोभने॥
I shall present you, this very day, gold and golden-garlands, robes, ear-rings, white and beautiful pearls and gems, golden coins and finest carpets, coilected from various countries. Let the whole of my kingdom be yours. O beautiful lady, be my wife.
गान्धर्वेण च मां भीरु विवाहेनैहि सुन्दरि। विवाहानां हि रम्भोरु गान्धर्वः श्रेष्ठ उच्यते॥
O handsome lady, O timid maiden, O beauty of tapering thighs, marry me according to the Gandharva form, for the form of marriage is said to be the best.
शकुन्तलोवाच फलाहारो गतो राजन् पिता मे इत आश्रमात्। मुहूर्तं सम्प्रतीक्षश्च स मां तुभ्यं प्रदास्यति॥
Shakuntala said: O king, my father has gone from the hermitage to collect fruits. Kindly wait for a moment. He will bestow me upon you.
दुष्यन्त उवाच इच्छामि त्वां वरारोहे भजमानामनिन्दिते। त्वदर्थं मां स्थितं विद्धि त्वद्गतं हि मनो मम॥
Dushyanta said : O beautiful lady, O faultless beauty, I desire that you yourself should accept me. Know that I exist for you. Know also, my heart is completely in you.
आत्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव गतिरात्मैव चात्मनः। आत्मनो मित्रमात्मैव तथाऽऽत्मा चात्मनः पिता। आत्मनैवात्मनो दानं कर्तुमर्हसि धर्मतः॥
One is certainly one's own friend; one can certainly depend upon one's own self. Therefore, according to the ordinance, you yourself should bestow your own self on others.
अष्टावेव समासेन विवाहा धर्मतः स्मृताः। ब्राह्मो दैवस्तथैवार्षः प्राजापत्यस्तथासुरः॥ गान्धर्वो राक्षसश्चैव पैशाचश्चाष्टमः स्मृतः। तेषां धान् यथापूर्वं मनुः स्वायम्भुवोऽब्रवीत्॥
According to the ordinance, there are eight kinds of marriages, namely, Brahma, Daiva, Arsha, Prajapatya, Asura. Gandharva, Rakshasas and Paishacha. The son of the selfcreated (Brahma), Manu, has spoken which of these forms (of marriages) is appropriate to each of the four castes.
प्रशस्ताश्चतुरः पूर्वान् ब्राह्मणस्योपधारय। षडानुपूर्व्या क्षत्रस्य विद्धि धाननिन्दिते॥
O faultless beauty, know that the first four forms are appropriate to the Brahmanas and the first six for Kshatriyas.
राज्ञां तु राक्षसोऽप्युक्तो विट्शूद्रेष्वासुरः स्मृतः। पञ्चानां तु त्रयो धा अधौ द्वौ स्मृताविह॥
To the kings, even the Rakshasas form is permissible. The Asura form is permissible to the Vaishyas and Shudras. Of the first five (forms), three are proper and two improper.
पैशाच आसुरश्चैव न कर्तव्यौ कदाचन। अनेन विधिना कार्यो धर्मस्यैषा गतिः स्मृता॥
The Paishacha and Asura forms should never be adopted (by any man). These are the ordinances of the scriptures and man should act according to them.
गान्धर्वराक्षसौ क्षत्रे धौ तौ मा विशङ्किथाः। पृथग् वा यदि वा मिश्री कर्तव्यौ नात्र संशयः॥
The Gandharva and the Rakshasas forms are proper to the Kshatriyas, therefore, you need no entertain the least fear. There is not the least doubt that either according to one single form or according to the mixed form of these two, marriage is proper to us, (and we may be married).
सा त्वं मम सकामस्य सकामा वरवर्णिनि। गान्धर्वेण विवाहेन भार्या भवितुमर्हसि॥
O beautiful lady, I am full of desire, so are you. You should, therefore, become my wife according to the Gandharva form.
शकुन्तलोवाच यदि धर्मपथस्त्वेष यदि चात्मा प्रभुर्मम। प्रदाने पौरवश्रेष्ठ शृणु मे समयं प्रभो॥
Shakuntala said: ( best of the Puru race, if this are the dictates of the scriptures and if I am really my own disposer, know then my terms.
सत्यं मे प्रतिजानीहि यथा वक्ष्याम्यहं रहः। मयि जायेत यः पुत्रः स भवेत् त्वदनन्तरः॥ युवराजो महाराज सत्यमेतद् ब्रवीमि ते। यद्येतदेवं दुष्यन्त अस्तु मे सङ्गमस्त्वया॥
Promise to give me what I ask, in this lonely place, alone, between ourselves. The son that will be here after born of me, will become the hire-apparent (to your throne). O Dushyanta, I tell you the truth. If this be the case, we may be united.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमस्त्विति तां राजा प्रत्युवाचाविचारयन्। अपि च त्वां हि नेष्यामि नगरं स्वं शुचिस्मिते॥
Vaishampayana said: The king, without taking time to consider the demand, told her at once, “O beauty of sweet smiles, let it be so. I shall even take you to my capital.
यथा त्वमर्हा सुश्रोणि सत्यमेतद् ब्रवीमि ते। एवमुक्त्वा स राजर्षिस्तामनिन्दितगामिनीम्॥ जग्राह विधिवत् पाणावुवास च तया सह। विश्वास्य चैनां स प्रायादब्रवीच पुनः पुनः॥ प्रेषयिष्ये तवार्थाय वाहिनीं चतुरङ्गिणीम्। तया त्वां नाययिष्यामि निवासं स्वं शुचिस्मिते॥
O handsome maiden, I tell you the truth. You deserve all this. I promise to do what you ask. So saying, the royal sage, (Dushyanta) married the beautiful Shakuntala of graceful walking, according to the due rites; and she accepted him as her husband. He returned to his capital after assuring her of his promise. He repeatedly told her, “I shall send for you my troops of the four sorts. O beauty of sweet smiles, it is thus (with all honour). I shall take you to my capital."
वैशम्पायन उवाच इति तस्याः प्रतिश्रुत्य स नृपो जनमेजय। मनसा चिन्तयन् प्रायात् काश्यपं प्रति पार्थिवः॥ भगवांस्तपसा युक्तः श्रुत्वा किं किं न करिष्यति। एवं स चिन्तयन्नेव प्रविवेश स्वकं पुरम्॥
Vaishampayana said : O Janamejaya, having thus promised to her, the king went away. The king, as he went (towards his capital), began to think of Kanva. (He thought), “What would the illustrious ascetic do when he would hear all. Thus thinking on his way, he entered his capital.
मुहूर्तयाते तस्मिंस्तु कण्वोऽप्याश्रममागमत्। शकुन्तला च पितरं ह्रिया नोपजगाम तम्॥
The moment the king had gone away, Kanva came to the hermitage. But Shakuntala did not go out to receive her father for shame.
विज्ञायाथ च तां कण्वो दिव्यज्ञानो महातपाः। उवाच भगवान् प्रीतः पश्यन् दिव्येन चक्षुषा॥
The great ascetic Kanva, possessed of spiritual knowledge (sight), knew all. Having thus seen everything with his spiritual sight, the illustrious man was pleased and saidत्वयाद्य भद्रे रहसि मामनादृत्य यः कृतः।
पुंसा सह समायोगो न स धर्मोपघातकः॥
“O amiable child, the act that you have committed today in secret without having waited (to receive my permission), has not been destructive of your virtue.
क्षत्रियस्य हि गान्धर्वो विवाहः श्रेष्ठ उच्यते। सकामायाः सकामेन निर्मन्त्रो रहसि स्मृतः॥
The marriage according to the Gandharva form, without Mantras and between a willing woman and a willing man, is said to be the best to a Kshatriya.
धर्मात्मा च महात्मा च दुष्यन्तः पुरुषोत्तमः। अभ्यगच्छः पतिं यत् त्वं भजमानं शकुन्तले॥ महात्मा जनिता लोके पुत्रस्तव महाबलः। य इमां सागरापाङ्गीं कृत्स्नां भोक्ष्यति मेदिनीम्॥
The best of men Dushyanta, is virtuousminded and high-souled. O Shakuntala, you have accepted (this Dushyanta) for your husband. The son, whom you will give birth to, will be mighty and illustrious in this world. He will extend his sway over the whole of this earth bounded by the sea.
परं चाभिप्रयातस्य चक्रं तस्य महात्मनः। भविष्यत्यप्रतिहतं सततं चक्रवर्तिनः :॥
When that illustrious king of kings (your son) will march out against his foes, his army will be irresistible to all opposition.
ततः प्रक्षाल्य पादौ सा विश्रान्तं मुनिमब्रवीत्। विनिधाय ततो भारं संनिधाय फलानि च॥
Shakuntala, then came to her fatigued father and washed his feet. She took down the heavy load that was on his shoulder and placed the fruits in proper order. Then she said-
शकुन्तलोवाच मया पतिवृतो राजा दुष्यन्तः पुरुषोत्तमः। तस्मै ससचिवाय त्वं प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि॥
Shakuntala said: (O father), you should give your grace to my husband, king Dushyanta, the best of men.
कण्व उवाच प्रसन्न एव तस्याहं त्वत्कृते वरवर्णिनी। गृहाण च वरं मत्तस्त्वं शुभे यदभीप्सितम्॥
Kanva said: O beautiful child, I am prepared to bless him for your sake. But O blessed girl, receive from me the boon you desire to have.
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो धर्मिष्ठतां वने राज्याचास्खलनं तथा। शकुन्तला पौरवाणां दुष्यन्तहितकाम्यया॥
Vaishampayana said : Thereupon, Shakuntala, moved with the desire to do good to Dushyanta, asked the boon that Paurava kings should be ever virtuous and never to be deprived of their thrones.