SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 9

(1) The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'I shall now describe the dynasty of Pûru in which you were born o son of Bharata; the kings of that dynasty were one after the other all saintly and many a brahmin line of descendants came forth from it. (2) Janamejaya was the one who appeared from Pûru, Pracinvân was his son and from him was there Pravîra after whom Manusyu appeared; it was of him that Cârupada appeared.

(3) The son appearing from him was Sudyu who had a son named Bahugava of whom was born Samyâti who had a son named Ahamyâti; the memorable Raudrâs'va was his son. (4-5) With an apsara girl known as Ghritâcî were there, alike the ten senses [of action and perception] from the life force of the universal self, ten sons born: Riteyu, Kaksheyu, Sthandileyu, Kriteyuka, Jaleyu, Sannateyu, Dharmeyu, Satyeyu, Vrateyu and Vaneyu as the youngest. (6) From Riteyu appeared a son named Rantinâva and his three sons, o ruler of man, were Sumati, Dhruva and Apratiratha. Kanva was Apratiratha's son. (7) From him there was Medhâtithi from whom there were Praskanna and others who were all twice-born souls. From Sumati there was Rebhi whose son is the known Dushmanta.

(8-9) Once Dushmanta went hunting and arrived at the âs'rama of Kanva. When he came there saw he a woman sitting who shone in her own beauty like the goddess of fortune. Seeing her he directly felt himself strongly drawn towards her, such a manifest divine beauty of a woman, and surrounded by some soldiers addressed he that best of all ladies. (10) Exhilarated by her presence was he relieved of the fatigue of his hunting excursion and asked he, driven by lusty feelings, with pleasing words jokingly: (11) 'Who are you o lotuspetal-eyed lady, whom do you belong to, o beauty to my heart, and what are your intentions being all by yourself here in the forest? (12) It appears you're of royal blood. Be sure that I as a descendant of Pûru, o raving beauty, am never of a mind to enjoy against the dharma whenever!'

(13) S'rî S'akuntalâ said: 'I, born from Vis'vâmitra, was all alone left behind in this forest by Menakâ [her mother]; Kanva that finest saint, knows all about it! O my hero, what may I do for you? (14) Please come and sit with me o lotus eyed one, accept my humble service, eat from the nîvârâ ['of a virgin'] rice that I have to offer and stay here if you wish so.'

(15) S'rî Dushmanta answered: 'This o beautiful eyebrows, is worthy your position of being born in the family of Vis'vâmitra; it is indeed so that the daughters of a royal family select to their own idea their husbands [a gandharva marriage].'

(16) Saying Aum [see B.G. 17: 24] to this, married the king, fully aware of what would befit the time and place, S'akuntalâ in line with the dharma to the gandharva rule. (17) Unerring in his virility [only for a child discharging] deposited the saintly king his semen in the queen and returned he in the morning to his own place. After due time gave she then birth to a son. (18) Kanva Muni executed in the forest the prescribed ceremonies for the son who as a child was remembered to capture a lion by force and play with it. (19) Him, insurmountable in his strength as a partial expansion of the Lord, was by her, the best of women, taken along approaching her husband. (20) When the king did not accept them as his real wife and son, while they had done nothing wrong, could by all people be heard a loud sound from the sky: it was an unembodied voice declaring: (21) 'Since the mother is like a bellows to the son of the father that begot him, belongs the son to the father; just maintain your son o Dushmanta and do not offend S'akuntalâ! (22) What S'akuntalâ said of you being the procreator of this child is the truth; he who discharged the semen, o god of man, your good self, is the one who by the son must be saved from the punishment of [the Lord of] death.'

(23) After his father passed away was the king succeeded by his son and he became an emperor of great fame and glory celebrated as a partial representation of the Lord on this earth [see also B.G. 10: 41]. (24-26) With the mark of the cakra on his right hand and the mark of the lotuswhorl on his soles, was he of worship with a great ceremony and was he promoted to the position of the topmost ruler and master over everything. Fifty-five horses he used for the sacrifices from the mouth of the Ganges up to the source for which he, the mighty one, appointed Bhrigu as the priest. In due order he also did so at the bank of Yamunâ where he bound [the as'vamedha plate to] seventy-eight horses of sacrifice. Of him Bharata, the son of Dushmanta, were riches given in charity, was the sacrifice established on an excellent site and were shares of a badva [13.084] cows handed out to the brahmins present. (27) The son of Dushmanta brought together for the yajña the astonishing number of three-thousand three-hundred horses and surpassed [thus], in achieving the opulence of the demigods and the Supreme Spiritual Master, all the kings. (28) In the mashnâra sacrifice gave he in charity fourteen lakhs of fine black elephants with the whitest tusks, complete with golden ornaments [mashnâra refers to the name of the place]. (29) Like it for certain is impossible to seize the heavenly planets by the strength of one's arms is it neither possible to parallel the exalted activities of Bharata, nor will any of the human rulers after him ever be able to attain such a thing. (30) All such barbarian rulers of man against the brahminical culture as the Kirâtas [Africans], the northern tribes [the Huns], the Yavanas [the meat-eaters] the Paundras [the wild men of south Bihar and Bengal] and the Kankas [kankana means bracelet], the Khas'âs [the Mongolians] and the S'akas [women/men] he killed conquering all directions. (31) Formerly conquering the godly had all the Asuras who had taken shelter of the lower worlds [Rasâtala] brought all the wives and daughters of the godly to that place below, but he took them with all their associates back to their original places. (32) For twenty-seven thousand years provided he whatever his subjects desired both on earth as in heaven and his order and command ruled in all directions. (33) He the emperor, the ruler of all rulers and places, impeccable with the opulences of the power, the realm, the order of state and such, in the end considered all of his life and goods false and thus stopped he enjoying them. (34) Of him there were, o master of man, three wives, daughters of Vidarbha, who all three were most pleasing and suitable. They afraid thinking that their sons, not being as perfect as their father, would be rejected, had killed them. (35) Thus frustrated in generating offspring performed he a marut-stoma sacrifice to beget sons whereupon the Maruts presented him Bharadvâja.

(36) [It had so happened that once] With his brother's pregnant wife desiring sex Brihaspati so inclined was forbidden to engage that way by the son in the womb, upon which he had cursed him discharging his semen anyway. (37) For Mamatâ [the mother], who out of fear to be abandoned for the illicit practice wanted to get rid of the child, was at its name-giving ceremony by the God-conscious the following verse pronounced: (38) 'O foolish woman, just keep it even though it's born from a double liaison' [and:] 'Though of an illicit connection, o Bhrihaspati, do maintain it!', and so was with this being said the child named Bharadvâja ['a burden for both'] because both the parents had turned away from it. (39) Even though the God-conscious encouraged to maintain it did the mother reject her child, with what had happened considering it without a purpose, and was it maintained by the Maruts and given [by them to Bharata] when the dynasty was unfulfilled.'

The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'I shall now describe the dynasty of Pûru in which you were born o son of Bharata; the kings of that dynasty were one after the other all saintly and many a brahmin line of descendants came forth from it.

The son of Vyâsadeva said: 'I shall now describe the dynasty of Pûru in which you were born o son of Bharata; the kings of that dynasty were one after the other all saintly and many a brahmin line of descendants took from it its beginning. (Ved abase)

Text 2

Janamejaya was the one who appeared from Pûru, Pracinvân was his son and from him was there Pravîra after whom Manusyu appeared; it was of him that Cârupada appeared.

Janamejaya was the one who appeared from Pûru, Pracinvân was his son and from him was there Pravîra after whom Manusyu appeared; it was of him that Cârupada appeared. (Ved abase)

Text 3

The son appearing from him was Sudyu who had a son named Bahugava of whom was born Samyâti who had a son named Ahamyâti; the memorable Raudrâs'va was his son.

The son appearing from him was Sudyu who had a son named Bahugava of whom was born Samyâti who had a son named Ahamyâti; the memorable Raudrâs'vâ was his son.(Ved abase)

Text 4-5

With an apsara girl known as Ghritâcî were there, alike the ten senses [of action and perception] from the life force of the universal self, ten sons born: Riteyu, Kaksheyu, Sthandileyu, Kriteyuka, Jaleyu, Sannateyu, Dharmeyu, Satyeyu, Vrateyu and Vaneyu as the youngest.

With an apsara girl known as Ghritacî were there, alike the ten senses [of action and perception] of the life force of the universal self, ten sons born: Riteyu, Kaksheyu, Sthandileyu, Kriteyuka, Jaleyu, Sannateyu, Dharmeyu, Satyeyu,Vrateyu and Vaneyu as the youngest. (Vedabase)

Text 6

From Riteyu appeared a son named Rantinâva and his three sons, o ruler of man, were Sumati, Dhruva and Apratiratha. Kanva was Apratiratha's son.

From Riteyu appeared a son named Rantinâva and his three sons, o ruler of man, were Sumati, Dhruva and Apratiratha. Kanva was Apratiratha's son. (Ved abase)

Text7

From him there was Medhâtithi from whom there were Praskanna and others who were all twice-born souls. From Sumati there was Rebhi whose son is the known Dushmanta.

Of him there was Medhâtithi of whom there were Praskanna and others who were all twice-born souls. From Sumati there was Rebhi whose son is the known Dushmanta. (Ved abase)

Text 8-9

Once Dushmanta went hunting and arrived at the âs'rama of Kanva. When he came there saw he a woman sitting who shone in her own beauty like the goddess of fortune. Seeing her he directly felt himself strongly drawn towards her, such a manifest divine beauty of a woman, and surrounded by some soldiers addressed he that best of all ladies.

Once Dushmanta went hunting and arrived at the âs'rama of Kanva. When he came there saw he a woman sitting who shone in her own beauty like the goddess of fortune. Seeing her he directly felt himself strongly drawn towards her, such a manifest divine beauty of a woman, and surrounded by some soldiers addressed he that best of all ladies. (Ved abase)

Text 10

Exhilarated by her presence was he relieved of the fatigue of his hunting excursion and asked he, driven by lusty feelings, with pleasing words jokingly:

Exhilarated by her presence was he relieved of the fatigue of his hunting excursion and asked he, driven by lusty feelings, with pleasing words jokingly: (Ved abase)

Text 11

'Who are you o lotuspetal-eyed lady, whom do you belong to o beauty to my heart and what are your intentions being all by yourself here in the forest?

'Who are you o lotuspetal-eyed lady, whom do you belong to, o beauty to my heart, and what did you think to do here alone in the forest? (Vedabase)

Text 12

It appears you're of royal blood. Be sure that I as a descendant of Pûru, o raving beauty, am never of a mind to enjoy against the dharma whenever!

It appears you're of royal blood. Be sure that I as a descendant of Pûru, o raving beauty, are never of a mind to enjoy against the dharma whenever!' (Ved abase)

Text 13

S'rî S'akuntalâ said: 'I, born from Vis'vâmitra, was all alone left behind in this forest by Menakâ [her mother]; Kanva that finest saint, knows all about it! O my hero, what may I do for you?

S'rî S'akuntalâ said: 'I, born from Vis'vâmitra, was all alone left behind in this forest by Menakâ [her mother]; Kanva that finest saint, knows all about it! O my hero, what may I do for you? (Ved abase)

Text 14

Please come and sit with me o lotus eyed one, accept my humble service, eat from the nîvârâ ['of a virgin'] rice that I have to offer and stay here if you wish so.

Please come and sit with me o lotus eyed one, accept my humble service, eat from the nîvârâ ['of a virgin'] rice that I have to offer and stay here if you wish so.'(Ved abase)

Text 15

S'rî Dushmanta answered: 'This o beautiful eyebrows, is worthy your position of being born in the family of Vis'vâmitra; it is indeed so that the daughters of a royal family select to their own idea their husbands [a gandharva marriage].'

S'rî Dushmanta answered: 'This o beautiful eyebrows, is worthy your position of being born in the family of Vis'vâmitra; it is indeed so that the daughters of a royal family select to their own idea their husbands [a gandharva marriage].' (Ved abase)

Text 16

Saying Aum [see B.G. 17: 24] to this, married the king, fully aware of what would befit the time and place, S'akuntalâ in line with the dharma to the gandharva rule.

Saying Aum [see B.G. 17: 24] to this, married the king, fully aware of what would befit the time and place, S'akuntalâ in line with the dharma to the gandharva rule. (Ved abase)

Text 17

Unerring in his virility [only for a child discharging] deposited the saintly king his semen in the queen and returned he in the morning to his own place. After due time gave she then birth to a son.

Unerring in his virility [only for a child discharging] deposited the saintly king his semen in the queen and returned he in the morning to his own place. After due time gave she then birth to a son. (Ved abase)

Text 18

Kanva Muni executed in the forest the prescribed ceremonies for the son who as a child was remembered to capture a lion by force and play with it.

Kanva Muni executed in the forest the prescribed ceremonies for the son who as a child was remembered to capture a lion by force and play with it. (Ved abase)

Text 19

Him, insurmountable in his strength as a partial expansion of the Lord, was by her, the best of women, taken along approaching her husband.

Him, insurmountable in his strength as a part of a plenary portion of the Lord, did she, the best of women, take with her going for her husband. (Vedabase)

Text 20

When the king did not accept them as his real wife and son, while they had done nothing wrong, could by all people be heard a loud sound from the sky: it was an unembodied voice declaring:

When the king did not accept them as his real wife and son, while they had done nothing wrong, could by all people be heard a loud sound from the sky: it was an unembodied voice declaring: (Ved abase)

Text 21

'Since the mother is like a bellows to the son of the father that begot him, belongs the son to the father; just maintain your son o Dushmanta and do not offend S'akuntalâ!

'Since the mother is like a bellows to the son of the father that begot him, belongs the son to the father; just maintain your son o Dushmanta and do not offend S'akuntalâ! (Ved abase)

Text 22

What S'akuntalâ said of you being the procreator of this child is the truth; he who discharged the semen, o god of man, your good self, is the one who by the son must be saved from the punishment of [the Lord of] death.'

What S'akuntalâ said of you being the procreator of this child is the truth; he who discharged the semen, o god of man, your good self, is the one who by the son must be saved from the punishment of [the Lord of] death.' (Ved ab ase)

Text 23

After his father passed away was the king succeeded by his son and he became an emperor of great fame and glory celebrated as a partial representation of the Lord on this earth [see also B.G. 10: 41].

After his father passed away was the king succeeded by his son and he became an emperor of great fame and glory celebrated as a partial representation of the Lord on this earth [see also B.G. 10: 41]. (Ved abase)

Text 24-26

With the mark of the cakra on his right hand and the mark of the lotuswhorl on his soles, was he of worship with a great ceremony and was he promoted to the position of the topmost ruler and master over everything. Fifty-five horses he used for the sacrifices from the mouth of the Ganges up to the source for which he, the mighty one, appointed Bhrigu as the priest. In due order he also did so at the bank of Yamunâ where he bound [the as'vamedha plate to] seventy-eight horses of sacrifice. Of him Bharata, the son of Dushmanta, were riches given in charity, was the sacrifice established on an excellent site and were shares of a badva [13.084] cows handed out to the brahmins present.

With the mark of the cakra on his right hand and the mark of the lotuswhorl on his soles, was he of worship with a great ceremony and was he promoted to the position of the topmost ruler and master over everything. Fifty-five horses he used for the sacrifices from the mouth to the Ganges to the source for which he, the mighty one, appointed Bhrigu as the priest. In due order he also did so at the bank of Yamunâ where he bound [the as'vamedha plate to] seventy-eight horses of sacrifice. Of him Bharata, the son of Dushmanta, were riches given in charity, was the sacrifice established on an excellent site and were shares of a badva-thousand [13.084] cows received by the brahmins present. (Ved abase)

Text 27

The son of Dushmanta brought together for the yajña the astonishing number of three-thousand three-hundred horses and surpassed [thus], in achieving the opulence of the demigods and the Supreme Spiritual Master, all the kings.

The son of Dushmanta brought together for the yajña an astonishing threethousand-threehundred horses and surpassed all kings in achieving the opulence of the demigods and the Supreme Spiritual Master. (Ved abase)

Text 28

In the mashnâra sacrifice gave he in charity fourteen lakhs of fine black elephants with the whitest tusks, complete with golden ornaments [mashnâra refers to the name of the place].

In the mashnâra sacrifice gave he in charity fourteen lakhs of fine black elephants with the whitest tusks, complete with golden ornaments [Mashnâra refers to the name of the place]. (Ved abase)

Text 29

Like it for certain is impossible to seize the heavenly planets by the strength of one's arms is it neither possible to parallel the exalted activities of Bharata, nor will any of the human rulers after him ever be able to attain such a thing.

Like it for certain is impossible to seize the heavenly planets by the strength of one's arms is it neither possible to parallel the exalted activities of Bharata, nor will any of the human rulers after him ever be able to attain such a thing. (Ved abase)

Text 30

All such barbarian rulers of man against the brahminical culture as the Kirâtas [Africans], the northern tribes [the Huns], the Yavanas [the meat-eaters] the Paundras [the wild men of south Bihar and Bengal] and the Kankas [kankana means bracelet], the Khas'âs [the Mongolians] and the S'akas [women/men] he killed conquering all directions.

All such barbarian rulers of man against the brahminical culture as the Kirâtas [Africans], the northern tribes [the Huns], the Yavanas [the meat-eaters] the Paundras [the wild men of south Bihar and Bengal] and the Kankas [kankana means bracelet], the Khasâs [the Mongolians] and the S'akas [women/men] he killed conquering all directions. (Ved abase)

Text 31

Formerly conquering the godly had all the Asuras who had taken shelter of the lower worlds [Rasâtala] brought all the wives and daughters of the godly to that place below, but he took them with all their associates back to their original places.

Formerly conquering the godly had all the asuras who had taken shelter of the lower worlds [Rasâtala] brought all the wives and daughters of the godly to below but he took them with all their associates back to their original places. (Ved abase)

Text 32

For twenty-seven thousand years provided he whatever his subjects desired both on earth as in heaven and his order and command ruled in all directions.

For twenty-seven thousand years provided he whatever his subjects desired both on earth as in heaven and his order and orders went around in all directions. (Ved abase)

Text 33

He the emperor, the ruler of all rulers and places, impeccable with the opulences of the power, the realm, the order of state and such, in the end considered all of his life and goods false and thus stopped he enjoying them.

He the emperor, the ruler of all rulers and places, impeccable with the opulences of the power, the realm, the order of state and such, in the end considered all of his life and goods false and thus stopped he enjoying them. (Ved abase)

Text 34

Of him there were, o master of man, three wives, daughters of Vidarbha, who all three were most pleasing and suitable. They afraid thinking that their sons, not being as perfect as their father, would be rejected, had killed them.

Of him there were, o master of man, three wives, daughters of Vidarbha, who all three were most pleasing and suitable. They afraid thinking that their sons, not being as perfect as their father, would be rejected, had killed them. (Ved abase)

Text 35

Thus frustrated in generating offspring performed he a marut-stoma sacrifice to beget sons whereupon the Maruts presented him Bharadvâja.

Thus frustrated in generating offspring performed he a marut-stoma sacrifice to beget sons whereupon the Maruts presented him Bharadvâja. (Ved abase)

Text 36

[It had so happened that once] With his brother's pregnant wife desiring sex Brihaspati so inclined was forbidden to engage that way by the son in the womb, upon which he had cursed him discharging his semen anyway.

[It had so happened that once] With his brothers pregnant wife desiring sex Brihaspati so inclined was forbidden to engage that way by the son in the womb, upon which he had cursed him discharging his semen anyway. (Ved abase)

Text 37

For Mamatâ [the mother], who out of fear to be abandoned for the illicit practice wanted to get rid of the child, was at its name-giving ceremony by the God-conscious the following verse pronounced:

Unto Mamatâ [the mother], who out of fear to be abandoned for the illicit practice wanted to get rid of the child, was at its name-giving ceremony by the god-conscious the following verse enunciated: (Ved abase)

Text 38

'O foolish woman, just keep it even though it's born from a double liaison' [and so said she:] 'Though of a illicit connection, o Brihaspati, do maintain it!', and so was with this being said the child named Bharadvâja ['a burden for both'] because both the parents had turned away from it.

'O foolish woman, just maintain it although it's born from a double liaison' [and:] 'Though of an illicit connection, o Bhrihaspati, do maintain it!', and so was with this being said the child named Bharadvâja ['a burden for both'] because both the parents had turned away from it. (Ved abase)

Text 39

Even though the God-conscious encouraged to maintain it did the mother reject her child, with what had happened considering it without a purpose, and was it maintained by the Maruts and given [by them to Bharata] when the dynasty was unfulfilled.

Though by the godly encouraged to maintain it did the mother reject her child, with what had happened considering it without a purpose, and was it maintained by the Maruts and given [by them to Bharata] when the dynasty was unfulfilled. (Ved abase)