Shloka 126
अध्याय ७४: अक्रोध–क्षमा–निवासनीति
Chapter 74: Non-anger, Forbearance, and the Ethics of Residence
(स मातरमुपस्थाय रथन्तर्यामभाषत । मम पुत्रो वने जातस्तव शोकप्रणाशन: ।। ऋणादद्य विमुक्तो5हमस्मि पौत्रेण ते शुभे । विश्वामित्रसुता चेयं कण्वेन च विवर्धिता ।। स््नुषा तव महाभागे प्रसीदस्व शकुन्तलाम् | पुत्रस्य वचन श्रुत्वा पौत्रं सा परिषस्वजे ।। पादयो: पतितां तत्र रथन्तर्या शकुन्तलाम् | परिष्वज्य च बाहुभ्यां हषादश्रूण्यवर्तयत् ।। उवाच वचन सत्य॑ लक्षयँल्लक्षणानि च | तव पुत्रो विशालाक्षि चक्रवर्ती भविष्यति ।। तव भर्ता विशालाक्षि त्रैलोक्यविजयी भवेत् | दिव्यान् भोगाननुप्राप्ता भव त्वं वरवर्णिनि ।। एवमुक्ता रथन्तर्या परं हर्षमवाप सा । शकुन्तलां तदा राजा शाम्त्रोक्तेनैव कर्मणा ।। ततोअग्रमहिषीं कृत्वा सर्वाभरणभूषिताम् । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो धनं दत्त्वा सैनिकानां च भूपति: ।।) तदनन्तर वे अपनी माता रथन्तर्याके पास जाकर बोले--'माँ! यह मेरा पुत्र है, जो वनमें उत्पन्न हुआ है। यह तुम्हारे शोकका नाश करनेवाला होगा। शुभे! तुम्हारे इस पौत्रको पाकर आज मैं पितृ-ऋणसे मुक्त हो गया। महाभागे! यह तुम्हारी पुत्र-वधू है। महर्षि विश्वामित्रने इसे जन्म दिया और महात्मा कण्वने पाला है। तुम शकुन्तलापर कृपादृष्टि रखो।' पुत्रकी यह बात सुनकर राजमाता रथन्तर्याने पौत्रको हृदयसे लगा लिया और अपने चरणोंमें पड़ी हुई शकुन्तलाको दोनों भुजाओंमें भरकर वे हर्षके आँसू बहाने लगीं। साथ ही पौत्रके शुभ लक्षणोंकी ओर संकेत करती हुई बोलीं--“विशालाश्षि! तेरा पुत्र चक्रवर्ती सम्राट् होगा। तेरे पतिको तीनों लोकोंपर विजय प्राप्त हो। सुन्दरि! तुम्हें सदा दिव्य भोग प्राप्त होते रहें।। यह कहकर राजमाता रथन्तर्या अत्यन्त हर्षसे विभोर हो उठीं। उस समय राजाने शास्त्रोक्त विधिके अनुसार समस्त आभूषणोंसे विभूषित शकुन्तलाको पटरानीके पदपर अभिषिक्त करके ब्राह्मणों तथा सैनिकोंको बहुत धन अर्पित किया। दुष्यन्तस्तु तदा राजा पुत्र शाकुन्तलं तदा । भरतं नामत: कृत्वा यौवराज्ये5 भ्यषेचयत्,तदनन्तर महाराज दुष्यन्तने शकुन्तलाकुमारका नाम भरत रखकर उसे युवराजके पदपर अभिषिक्त कर दिया
sa mātaram upasthāya rathantaryām abhāṣata | mama putro vane jātas tava śoka-praṇāśanaḥ || ṛṇād adya vimukto 'ham asmi pautreṇa te śubhe | viśvāmitra-sutā ceyaṃ kaṇvena ca vivardhitā || snuṣā tava mahābhāge prasīdasva śakuntalām | putrasya vacanaṃ śrutvā pautraṃ sā pariṣasvaje || pādayoḥ patitāṃ tatra rathantaryā śakuntalām | pariṣvajya ca bāhubhyāṃ harṣād aśrūṇy avartayat || uvāca vacanaṃ satyaṃ lakṣayan lakṣaṇāni ca | tava putro viśālākṣi cakravartī bhaviṣyati || tava bhartā viśālākṣi trailokya-vijayī bhavet | divyān bhogān anuprāptā bhava tvaṃ vara-varṇini || evam uktā rathantaryā paraṃ harṣam avāpa sā | śakuntalāṃ tadā rājā śāstrokte naiva karmaṇā || tato 'gramahiṣīṃ kṛtvā sarvābharaṇa-bhūṣitām | brāhmaṇebhyo dhanaṃ dattvā sainikānāṃ ca bhūpatiḥ ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Then he approached his mother Rathantarī and spoke: “Mother, this is my son, born in the forest; he will be the destroyer of your sorrow. O auspicious one, by obtaining this grandson of yours, today I am freed from the ancestral debt. This is the daughter of Viśvāmitra, and she was reared by Kaṇva. O noble lady, be gracious to Śakuntalā, your daughter-in-law.” Hearing her son’s words, Rathantarī embraced the grandson, and then, taking Śakuntalā—who had fallen at her feet—into her arms, she wept tears of joy. Noting the auspicious marks upon the child, she spoke truthfully: “O large-eyed one, your son will become a universal sovereign (cakravartin). May your husband become a conqueror of the three worlds. O fair one, may you continually attain divine enjoyments.” Thus addressed, Rathantarī was filled with supreme delight. Then the king, following the rites prescribed by the śāstras, installed Śakuntalā—adorned with all ornaments—as chief queen, and bestowed abundant wealth upon the brāhmaṇas and upon the soldiers. The episode underscores the restoration of rightful recognition, the healing of familial grief, and the dharmic fulfillment of lineage through a legitimate heir.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights dharma in family and kingship: rightful recognition of spouse and child restores social order, fulfills ancestral obligation (pitṛ-ṛṇa) through an heir, and transforms grief into auspicious continuity. It also affirms that royal actions should align with śāstric rites, linking legitimacy with ethical governance.
The king approaches his mother Rathantarī, presents his forest-born son and Śakuntalā, and asks her to accept them. Rathantarī embraces the grandson, lifts and embraces Śakuntalā at her feet, blesses them with prophecies of universal sovereignty and victory, and rejoices. The king then formally installs Śakuntalā as chief queen according to prescribed rites and distributes gifts to brāhmaṇas and soldiers.