वैशम्पायन उवाच कुन्तीपुत्रेषु जातेषु धृतराष्ट्रमजेषु च। मद्रराजसुता पाण्डं रहो वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Vaishampayana said : After the birth of sons of Kunti and that of the sons of Dhritarashtra, the daughter of the king of Madra privately spoke to Pandu thus.
न मेऽस्ति त्वयि संतापो विगुणेऽपि परंतप। नावरत्वे वराहयाः स्थित्वा चानघ नित्यदा॥ गान्धार्याश्चैव नृपते जातं पुत्रशतं तथा। श्रुत्वा न मे तथा दुःखमभवत् कुरुनन्दन॥
O chastiser of foes I can have on complaint, if you do not favourably look at me. O sinless one, I have no complaint that though I am by birth superior (to Kunti), yet I am inferior to her in status. O descendant of Kuru, O king, I do not grieve, hearing that Gandhari has obtained one hundred sons.
इदं तु मे महद् दुःखं तुल्यतायामपुत्रता। दिष्ट्या त्विदानीं भर्तुर्मे कुन्त्यामप्यस्ति संततिः॥
This is my great grief (however) that though we are both equal, you should have sons by Kunti alone.
यदि त्वपत्यसंतानं कुन्तिराजसुता मयि। कुर्यादनुग्रहो मे स्यात् तव चापि हितं भवेत्॥
If the princess Kunti so provide that I should have offspring, she would do me a great favour and she will also do you good.
संरम्भो हि सपत्नीत्वाद् वक्तुं कुन्तुसुतां प्रति। यदि तु त्वं प्रसन्नो मे स्वयमेनां प्रचोदय॥
Kunti is my rival and therefore, I feel a delicacy in soliciting any favour from her, if you are favourably inclined towards me, ask her to grant me my desire.
पाण्डुरुवाच ममाप्येष सदा माद्रि हृद्यर्थः परिवर्तते। न तु त्वां प्रसहे वक्तुमिष्टानिष्टविवक्षया॥
Pandu said: O Madri, I have often, reflected over this matter in my own mind. But I hesitated to tell you, not knowing whether you would like it or not.
तव त्विदं मतं मत्वा प्रयतिष्याम्यतः परम्। मन्ये ध्रुवं मयोक्ता सा वचनं प्रतिपत्स्यते॥
Now that I know your mind, I shall certainly try to do it. I think, being asked by me, she (Kunti) will not refuse.
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः कुन्तीं पुनः पाण्डुर्विविक्त इदमब्रवीत्। कुलस्य मम संतानं लोकस्य च कुरु प्रियम्॥ मम चापिण्डनाशाय पूर्वेषामपि चात्मनः। मत्प्रियार्थं च कल्याणि कुरु कल्याणमुत्तमम्॥
Vaishampayana said : Thereupon Pandu again spoke to Kunti in private; (he said), “O blessed lady, great me some more offspring for the good of my race and of the whole world. Provide that I myself, my ancestors and you also, may always have the funeral cake.
यशसोऽर्थाय चैव त्वं कुरु कर्म सुदुष्करम्। प्राप्याधिपत्यमिन्द्रेण यज्ञैरिष्टं यशोऽर्थिना॥
In order to gain fame, do this difficult work for me. Indra, through he has obtained the sovereignty of the celestials, performs sacrifices for fame alone.
तथा मन्त्रविदो विप्रास्तपस्तप्त्वा सुदुष्करम्। गुरूनभ्युपगच्छन्ति यशसोऽर्थाय भाविनि॥
O handsome lady, Brahmanas, learned in Mantras, after having acquired ascetic merits most difficult to be achieved, still go to their preceptors for fame.
तथा राजर्षयः सर्वे ब्राह्मणाश्च तपोधनाः। चक्रुरुच्चावचं कर्म यशसोऽर्थाय दुष्करम्॥
All the royal sages and Brahmanas, Possessed of ascetic wealth, have achieved the most difficult of feats for fame alone.
सा त्वं माद्री प्लवेनैव तारयैनामनिन्दिते। अपत्यसंविभागेन परां कीर्तिमवाप्नुहि॥
O blameless one, rescue Madri with a raft of offspring; and achieve imperishable fame by making her a mother of children.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्त्वाब्रवीन्माद्रीं सकृच्चिन्तय दैवतम्। तस्मात् ते भवितापत्यमनुरूपमसंशयम्॥
Having been thus addressed, Kunti said to Madri, “Think of some celestials, from whom you will certainly get offspring."
ततो माद्री विचार्यैवं जगाम मनसाश्चिनौ। तावागम्य सुतौ तस्यां जनयामासतुर्यमौ॥
Thereupon, Madri reflecting sometime, thought of the twin Asvinis. They came to her without delay and begot offspring on her.
नकुलं सहदेवं च रूपेणाप्रतिमौ भुवि। तथैव तावपि यमौ वागुवाचाशरीरिणी॥
Namely Nakula and Sahadeva, matchless in beauty on earth. On the birth of that twin, the invisible voice said.
सत्त्वरूपगुणोपेतौ भवतोऽत्यश्विनाविति। भासतस्तेजसात्यर्थं रूपद्रविणसम्पदा॥
“There virtuous and accomplished sons will transcend in energy and beauty even the twin Asvinis themselves. Possessed of great energy and beauty, they illuminated the whole region.
नामानि चक्रिरे तेषां शतशृङ्गनिवासिनः। भक्त्या च कर्मणा चैव तथाशीभिर्विशाम्पते॥
The inhabitants (Rishi) of the mountain with the hundred parks, uttering blessings on them and performing the first rites of birth, named them.
ज्येष्ठं युधिष्ठिरेत्येवं भीमसेनेति मध्यमम्। अर्जुनेति तृतीयं च कुन्तीपुत्रानकल्पयन्॥
The eldest of the Kunti's sons was called Yudhisthira, the second was named Bhimasena and the third was named Arjuna.
पूर्वजं नकुलेत्येवं सहदेवेति चापरम्। माद्रीपुत्रावकथयंस्ते विप्राः प्रीतमानसाः॥
The first birth of the twins among Madri's sons was named Nakula and the next one Sahadeva. The Brahmanas with much pleasure named them thus.
अनुसंवत्सरं जाता अपि ते कुरुसत्तमाः। पाण्डुपुत्रा व्यराजन्त पञ्च संवत्सरा इव॥
Those best of Kurus, the sons of Pandu, looked like five years old boys when they were only one year of age.
महासत्त्वा महावीर्या महाबलपराक्रमाः। पाण्डुर्दृष्ट्वा सुतांस्तांस्तु देवरूपान् महौजसः॥ मुदं परमिकां लेभे ननन्द च नराधिपः ऋषीणामपि सर्वेषां शतशृङ्गनिवासिनाम्॥ प्रिया बभूवुस्तासां च तथैव मुनियोषिताम्। कुन्तीमथ पुनः पाण्डुर्माद्र्यर्थे समचोदयत्॥
Seeing his sons endued with celestial beauty and extraordinary strength, with super abundant energy, prowess and largeness of mind, Pandu. The king, became exceedingly glad obtaining such sons. To all the Rishis, inhabitants of the mountain with the hundred peaks. And to their wives, they became great favourites. Sometime after, Pandu again requested Kunti for Madri.
तमुवाच पृथा राजन् रहस्युक्ता तदा सती। उक्ता सकृद् द्वन्द्वमेषा लेभे तेनास्मि वञ्चिता॥
In private, when the faithful Pritha replied to him thus, "Having given her the Mantra only for once, she has got two sons. I have been deceived by her.
बिभेम्यस्याः परिभवात् कुस्त्रीणां गतिरीदृशी। नाज्ञासिषमहं मूढा द्वन्द्वाह्वाने फलद्वयम्॥ तस्मान्नाहं नियोक्तव्या त्वयैषोऽस्तु वरो मम। एवं पाण्डोः सुताः पञ्च देवदत्ता महाबलाः॥ सम्भूताः कीर्तिमन्तश्च कुरुवंशविवर्धनाः। शुभलक्षणसम्पन्नाः सोमवत् प्रियदर्शनाः॥
I fear she will surpass me in the number of her children. This is the way of all wicked women, fool l was, I did not know that by invoking the twin gods, I might get two sons all at once. Do not command me again, I ask from you this boon”. Thus were born to Pandu five sons, begotten by the celestials and endued with great strength. They achieved great fame and expanded the Kuru race. They were all as handsome as Soma and bore all the auspicious marks on their person.
सिंहदर्पा महेष्वासाः सिंहविक्रान्तगामिनः। सिंहग्रीवा मनुष्येन्द्रा ववृधुर्देवविक्रमः॥ विवर्धमानास्ते तत्र पुण्ये हैमवते गिरौ। विस्मयं जनयामासुर्महर्षीणां समेयुषाम्॥
They were proud as lions; they were great bowmen; their necks were like those of lions and they were capable of going to the place frequented by lions. These kings of men endure with the prowess of the celestials daily grew up. Seeing them and their virtuous growth with years, the great Rishis, dwelling on the Himalaya mountains, were filled with astonishment and wonder.
ते चे पञ्च शतं चैव कुरुवंशविवर्धनाः। सर्वे ववृधुरल्पेन कालेनाप्स्विव नीरजाः॥
These five (Pandavas) and the hundred (sons of Dhritarashtra), the extenders of the Kuru race, grew up rapidly like an assembly of lotuses in a lake.