SAMBHAVA PARVA: Chapter 112

Marriage of Kunti

वैशम्पायन उवाच सत्त्वरूपगुणोपेता धर्मारामा महाव्रता। दुहिता कुन्तिभोजस्य पृथा पृथुलोचना॥
Vaishampayana said : The daughter of Kuntibhoja, Pritha, had large eyes; she was endued with beauty and every accomplishment; she was of rigid vows, devoted to virtue; and she possessed every good quality.

तां तु तेजस्विनी कन्यां रूपयौवनशालिनीम्। व्यवृण्वन्पार्थिवाः केचिदतीव स्त्रीगुणैर्युताम्॥
But through the maiden was effulgent and possessed beauty and all womanly qualifications and youth, yet no king sought for her hand.

ततः सा कुन्तिभोजेन राज्ञाऽऽहूय नराधिपान्। पित्रा स्वयंवरे दत्ता दुहिता राजसत्तम॥
O best of kings, thereupon, the king Kuntibhoja invited all the monarchs and offered her in a Svyamvara.

ततः सा रङ्गमध्यस्थं तेषां राज्ञां मनस्विनी। ददर्श राजशार्दूलं पाण्डुं भरतसत्तमम्॥
The intelligent Kunti saw that best of kings, the foremost of the Bharata race, Pandu, in the assembly of the kings.

सिंहदर्यं महोरस्कं वृषभाक्षं महाबलम्। आदित्यमिव सर्वेषां राज्ञां प्रच्छाद्य वै प्रभाः॥
Proud as the lion, broad-chested, bulleyed, greatly strong, like sun outshining all the kings in splendour.

तिष्ठन्तं राजसमितौ पुरंदरमिवापरम्। तं दृष्ट्वा सानवद्यागी कुन्तिभोजसुता शुभा॥ पाण्डुं नरवरं रङ्गे हृदयेनाकुलाभवत्। ततः कामपरीताङ्गी सकृत्प्रचलमानसा॥
He (Pandu) looked among the kings as the second Indra. In the assembly that best of men, Pandu, having seen the maiden of faultless feature, the amiable daughter of Kuntibhoja, became very much agitated in mind.

व्रीडमाना स्रजं कुन्ती राज्ञः स्कन्धे समासृजत्। तं निशम्य वृतं पाण्डु कुन्त्या सर्वे नराधिपाः॥ यथागतं समाजग्मुर्गजैरश्वैः रथैस्तथा। ततस्तस्याः पिता राजन्विवाहमकरोत्प्रभुः॥
Kunti advanced in modesty, quivering with emotion and placed the nuptial garland round the neck of the king (Pandu). Finding that Kunti had chosen Pandu, the other kings returned to their kingdoms on elephants, on horses and cars on which they had come. O king, her father then performed the nuptial rites in due form.

स तया कुन्तिभोजस्य दुहित्रा कुरुनन्दनः। युयुजेऽमितसौभाग्य: पौलोम्या मघवानिव॥
The descendant of Kuru (Pandu) and the daughter of Kuntibhoja (Kunti) blessed with great and good fortune, formed a couple like Indra and Sachi.

कुन्त्याः पाण्डोश्च राजेन्द्र कुन्तिभोजो महीपतिः। कृत्वोद्वाहं तदा तं तु नानावसुभिरर्चितम्। स्वपुरं प्रेषयामास स राजा कुरुसत्तम॥ ततो बलेन महता नानाध्वजपताकिना। स्तूयमानः स चाशीर्भिर्ब्राह्मणैश्च महर्षिभिः॥ संप्राप्य नगरं राजा पाण्डुः कौरवनन्दनः। न्यवेशयत तां भार्यां कुन्तीं स्वभवने प्रभुः॥
O king, Kuntibhoja, after the marriage of Kunti presented the bridegroom with much wealth. O best of the Kuru race, the king (Kuntibhoja) then sent him (Pandu) to his own capital. Accompanied by a large force, bearing various kinds of banners and pennons and eulogised and blessed by many Brahmanas and great Rishis. The descendant of Kuru, king Pandu, reached his own capital and that lord (Pandu) established his wife Kunti there.