वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः सत्यवती काले वधूं स्नातामृतौ तदा। संवेशयन्ती शयने शनैर्वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Vaishampayana said : When her daughter-in-law performed her purifying bath after her season, Satyavati led her to a luxurious bed-room and spoke to her thus-
कौसल्ये देवरस्तेऽस्ति सोऽद्य त्वानुप्रवेक्ष्यति। सम्बभूव तया सार्धं अप्रमत्ता प्रतीक्षैनं निशीथे ह्यागमिष्यति॥
"O princess of Kosalya, your husband has an elder brother who will today come to you. Wait for him without falling asleep."
श्वश्वास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा शयाना शयने शुभे। साचन्तयत् तदा भीष्ममन्यांश्च कुरुपुङ्गवान्॥
Having heard these words of her motherin-law, the amiable lady, as she lay on her bed in her bed-room, began to think of Bhishma and other great Kuru chiefs.
ततोऽम्बिकायां प्रथमं नियुक्तः सत्यवागृषिः। दीप्यमानेषु दीपेषु शरणं प्रविवेश ह॥
Then the truthful Rishi, who had given his promise as regards Ambika first, came to her bed-room while the lamp was burning.
तस्य कृष्णस्य कपिला जटां दीप्ते च लोचने। बभूणि चैव श्मश्रूणि दृष्ट्वा देवी न्यमीलयत्॥
Seeing his dark visage, his matted locks of copper colour, his blazing eyes and his grim beard, the lady closed her eyes in fear.
मातुः प्रियचिकीर्षया। भयात् काशिसुतां तं तु नाशक्नोदभिवीक्षितुम्॥
But he (the Rishi), in order to accomplish his mother's desire, united with her. The daughter of the king of Kashi was not able to open her eyes from fear.
ततो निष्क्रान्तमागम्य माता पुत्रमुवाच ह। अप्यस्या गुणवान् पुत्र राजपुत्रो भविष्यति॥
When he came out, the mother asked the son, “Will the princess have an accomplished son?"
निशम्य तद् वचो मातुर्व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः। नागायुतसमप्राणो विद्वान् राजर्षिसत्तमः॥ महाभागो महावीर्यो महाबुद्धिर्भविष्यति। तस्य चापि शतं पुत्रा भविष्यन्ति महात्मनः॥
Hearing his mother's words, the son of Satyavati, the self-controlled and greatly wise Vyasa said, “The son that will be brought forth by the princess, will be equal to ten thousand elephants in strength. He will be greatly fortunate, greatly powerful and vastly intelligent. The noble prince will have one thousand sons.
किं तु मातुः स वैगुण्यादन्ध एव भविष्यति। तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा माता पुत्रमथाब्रवीत्॥ नान्धः कुरूणां नृपतिरनुरूपस्तपोधन। ज्ञातिवंशस्य गोप्तारं पितॄणां वंशवर्धनम्॥ द्वितीयं कुरुवंशस्य राजानं दातुमर्हसि।
"But for the fault of his mother, he will be blind." Having heard these words of his son, the mother said, "O great ascetic, how can one who is blind be a king, worthy of the Kurus? How can one who is blind can protect his relatives and friends and increase the glory of his fathers and continue the dynasty? Therefore, you should give another king to the Kuru race.”
स तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय निश्चक्राम महायशाः॥ सापि कालेन कौसल्या सुषुवेऽन्धं तमात्मजम्। पुनरेव तु सा देवी परिभाष्य स्नुषां ततः॥ ऋषिमावाहयत् सत्या यथा पूर्वमरिंदम! ततस्तेनैव विधिना महर्षिस्तामपद्यत॥ अम्बालिकामथाभ्यागादृषि दृष्ट्वा च सापि तम्। विवर्णा पाण्डुसंकाशा समपद्यत भारत॥
Having promised this, the illustrious (Vyasa) went away. In due time the princess of Kosalya gave birth to a blind son. O chastiser of foes, after securing the consent of her daughter-in-law, Satyavati soon after again summoned Vyasa as she did before. Vyasa came according to his promise and went to the second wife (Ambalika) of his brother in proper form. But she became pale and discoloured with fear on seeing the Rishi.
तां भीतां पाण्डुसंकाशां विषण्णां प्रेक्ष्य भारत! व्यासः सत्यवतीपुत्र इदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
O descendant of the Bharata race, seeing her pale and discoloured with fear and afflicted with grief.
यस्मात् प. डुत्वमापन्ना विरूपं प्रेक्ष्य मामिह। तस्मादेव सुतस्ते वै पाण्डुरेव भविष्यति॥
The son of Satyavati, Vyasa, spoke to her thus, “As you have become pale by seeing me ugly, so your son will be also pale in complexion.
नाम चास्यैतदेवेह भविष्यति शुभानने। इत्युक्त्वा स निरक्रामद् भगवानृषिसत्तमः॥ ततो निष्क्रान्तमालोक्य सत्या पुत्रमथाब्रवीत्। शशंस स पुनर्मात्रे तस्य बालस्य पाण्डुताम्॥
O beautiful featured lady, the name of your son will be accordingly Pandu, (pale.)" Having said this, the excellent and illustrious Rishi came out and met her mother who asked him about the child. He told her that the child will be pale.
तं माता पुनरेवान्यमेकं पुत्रमयाचता तथेति च महर्षिस्तां मातरं प्रत्यभाषत॥
His mother (Satyavati hearing this) begged again for another son. The Rishi replied to his mother by saying, “Be it so."
तत: कुमारं सा देवी प्राप्तकालमजीजनत्। पाण्डु लक्षणसम्पन्नं दीप्यमानमिव श्रिया॥
The lady (Ambalika) gave birth to a son in due time. He was of pale complexion, very effulgent and endued with all auspicious marks.
यस्या पुत्रा महेष्वासा जज्ञिरे पञ्च पाण्डवाः। ऋतुकाले ततो ज्येष्ठां वधूं तस्मै न्ययोजयत्॥
This son afterwards begot those mighty bow-men, the five Pandavas. (Sometime after), when her eldest daughter-in-law was again in her season, she was asked by (Satyavati) to go to Vyasa.
सा तुरूपं च गन्धं च महर्षेः प्रविचिन्त्य तम्। नाकरोद् वचनं देव्या भयात् सुरसुतोपमा॥
But she, endued with the beauty of a daughter of the celestials, remembering the grim visage and strong odour of the great Rishi, did not act according to the request of the lady (Satyavati) out of fear.
ततः स्वैर्भूषणैर्दासी भूषयित्वाप्सरोपमाम्। प्रेषयामास कृष्णाय ततः काशिपतेः सुता॥
Having decked a maid-servant like an Apsara with her ornaments. The daughter of the king of Kashi sent her to Krishna (Vyasa).
सा तमृषिमनुप्राप्तं प्रत्युद्गम्याभिवाद्य च। संविवेशाभ्यनुज्ञाता सत्कृत्योपचचार ह॥
She rose up and saluted him as the Rishi came. After having waited upon him respectfully, she took her seat near him when asked,
कामोपभोगेन रहस्तस्यां तुष्टिमगादृषिः। तया सहोषितो राजन् महर्षिः संशितव्रतः॥ उत्तिष्ठन्नववीदेनामभुजिष्या भविष्यसि। अयं च ते शुभे गर्भः श्रेयानुदरमागतः। धर्मात्मा भविता लोके सर्वबुद्धिमतां वरः॥
O king, the Rishi of rigid vows was greatly pleased with her. When he rose (to go away) he said, “O amiable girl, you shall no longer remain a maid-servant. Your son will be greatly fortunate, virtuous and the foremost of all intelligent men on earth.”
स जज्ञे विदुरो नाम कृष्णद्वैपायनात्मजः। धृतराष्ट्रस्य वै भ्राता पाण्डोश्चैव महात्मनः॥
The son of Krishna Dvaipayana thus born was known by the name of Vidura. He was thus the brother of the illustrious Dhritarashtra and Pandu.
धर्मो विदुररूपेण शापात् तस्य महात्मनः। माण्डव्यस्यार्थतत्वज्ञः कामक्रोधविवर्जितः॥
The God of Justice was thus bom as Vidura in consequence of the curse of the Rishi Mandavya. He was free from desire and anger.
कृष्णद्वैपायनोऽप्येतत् सत्यवत्यै न्यवेदयत्। प्रलम्भमात्मनश्चैव शूद्रायाः पुत्रजन्म च॥ स धर्मस्यानृणो भूत्वा पुनर्मात्रा समेत्य च। तस्यै गर्भ समावेद्य तत्रैवान्तरधीयत॥
When Krishna Dvaipayana was met by his mother as before, he told her, how he had been deceived by the eldest of the princesses and how he had begotten a son on a Shudra woman. Having said this, he disappeared in her sight.
एते विचित्रवीर्यस्य क्षेत्रे द्वैपायनादपि। जज्ञिरे देवगर्भाभाः कुरुवंशविवर्धनाः॥
Thus were begotten on the field (wives) of Vichitravirya by Dvaipayana three sons, as effulgent as the celestial children, the expanders of the Kuru race.