Sarvadama

the boy came to be named Sarvadama endued as he was with prowess and energy beyond measure. And the Rishi seeing the boy and marking also his extraordinary acts told Sakuntala that the time had come for his installation as the crown prince.

And beholding the strength of the boy Kanwa commanded his disciples saying, 'You, take without delay this Sakuntala with her son from this abode to that of her husband's blessed with every auspicious sign. Women should not live long in the houses of their paternal or maternal relations. Such residence is destructive of their reputation, their good conduct, their virtue. Therefore delay not in sending her hence.'

These disciples of the Rishi thereupon saying 'So be it,' went towards the city named after an elephant (hastinapura) with Sakuntala and her son ahead of them. And then she of fair eye-brows taking with her that boy of celestial beauty endued with eyes like lotus petals left the woods where she had been first known by Dushmanta.

And having approached the king, she with her boy resembling in splendour the rising sun was introduced to him. And the disciples of the Rishi having introduced her returned to the asylum. And Sakuntala having worshipped the king according to proper form told him.

'This is your son, O king! Let him be installed as your crown prince. O king, this child like unto a deva (celestial) has been begotten by you upon me. Therefore fulfil now the promise you gave to me. Call to mind,O you of great good fortune, the agreement you had made on the occasion of your union with me in the hermitage of Kanwa.'

The king hearing her words and remembering everything said, 'I do not remember anything. Who are you?,O wicked woman? I do not remember having any connection with you in respect of Dharma, Kama and Arthas. Go or stay but that is not my child.'

Thus addressed by him the fair-coloured innocent one became abashed. Grief deprived her of consciousness and she stood there for a time like an wooden post. Soon however her eyes became red like copper and her lips began to quiver. And the glances she now and then cast upon the king seemed to burn the latter.

Her rising wrath however and the fire of her asceticism she extinguished within

herself by an extraordinary effort. Collecting her thoughts in a moment her

heart possessed with sorrow and rage, she thus addressed her lord in anger

looking at him.

'Knowing everything, how can you like an inferior person say that you don't know me? Your heart is a witness to the truth or falsehood of this matter. Therefore speak truly without degrading yourself.

He who being one thing represents himself as another thing to others is like a thief and a robber of his own self. Of what sin is he not capable? You think that you alone have knowledge of your deed. But did you not know that the Ancient, Omniscient one (brahman) lives in your heart? He knows all your sins and you still sin in His presence.

Someone who sins thinks that none observes him. But he is observed by the gods and by Him also who is in every heart. The Sun (arka), the Moon (chandra), the Air (vayu), the Fire (agni), the Earth (bhoomi), the Sky (aditi), Water (varuna), the heart, Yama, the day, the night, the twin twilights (asvinis) and Dharma all witness the acts of man.

Yama the son of Surya takes account of the sins of him with whom Narayana is gratified and sends them to better planet. But he with whom Narayana is not gratified is tortured for his sins by Yama and returned to samsara. Him who degrades himself by representing himself falsely the gods never bless.

Even his own soul does not bless him. I am a wife devoted to my husband. I have come of my own accord, it is true. But do not on that account treat me with disrespect. I am your wife and therefore deserve to be treated respectfully.

Will you not treat me so, because I have come here of my own accord? In the presence of so many, why do you treat me like an stranger? I am not certainly crying in the wilderness. Do you not hear me? But if you refuse to do what I supplicate you for, O Dushmanta, your head this moment shall burst into a hundred pieces!.

The husband entering the womb of the wife creates a child who is born of both parents.Therefore the wife is called by those cognisant of the Vedas as Jayashe (of whom one is born).

And the son that is so born unto persons cognisant of the Vedic Mantras rescueth the spirits of deceased ancestors. And because the son rescueth ancestors from the hell called Put therefore has he been called by the Self-create himself as Puttra (the rescuer from Put).

By a son one conqueres the three worlds. By a grandson one enjoys eternity. And by a grandson's son great-grand-fathers enjoy everlasting happiness. She is a true wife who is skilful in household affairs. She is a true wife who has borne a son. She is a true wife whose heart is devoted to her lord. She is a true wife who knows of no other person but her lord.

The wife is a man's half. The wife is the greatest of friends. The wife is the root of

Dharma, profit, and desire. The wife is the root of salvation. They that have

wives can perform dharmic acts. They that have wives can lead domestic

lives. They that have wives have the means to be cheerful. They that have

wives can achieve good fortune.

Sweet-speeched wives are friends on occasions of joy. They are as fathers on occasions of dharmic acts. They are mothers in sickness and woe. Even in the deep woods to a traveller a wife is his refreshment and solace. He that has a wife is trusted by all.

a wife therefore is one's most valuable possession. Even when the husband

leaving this world goes into the abode of Yama, it is the devoted wife that mourns for him with all her heart. A wife going before waits for the husband. But if

the husband goes before the chaste wife follows close.

For these reasons, O king, marriage exists. The husband enjoys the

companionship of the wife both in this and in the other worlds. It has been

said by learned persons that your loved one's are reborn as your own child.

Therefore a man whose wife has borne a son should look upon her as his mother. Beholding the face of the son one has begotten upon his wife like his own face in a mirror, one feels as happy as a virtuous man on attaining to heaven.

Men scorched by mental grief or suffering under bodily pain feel as much refreshed in the companionship of their wives as a perspiring person in a cool bath. No man even in anger should ever do anything that is disagreeable to his wife seeing that happiness, joy and virtue--everything depends on the wife.

A wife is the sacred field in which the lord is born himself. Even Rishis cannot create creatures without a woman. What happiness is greater than what the father feels when the son running towards him even though his body be covered with dust hugs him with love?.

Why then do you treat with indifference such a son who has approached you himself and who casts wistful glances towards you for climbing your knees? Even ants support their own eggs without destroying them, then why should not you a virtuous man that you are support your own child?.

The touch of soft sandal paste of women of cool water is not so agreeable as the touch of one's own infant son locked in one's embrace. As a scholar is the foremost of all bipeds, a cow the foremost of all quadrupeds, a protector of life the foremost of all superiors, so is the son the foremost of all relations agreeable to the touch.

Let therefore this handsome child touch you in embrace. There is nothing in the world more agreeable to the touch than the embrace of one's son. I have brought forth this child, O monarch, capable of dispelling all your sorrows after bearing him in my womb for full three years.

O monarch of Puru's race, 'He shall perform a hundred horse-sacrifices'--these were the words uttered from the sky when I was in the lying-in room. Indeed, men going into places remote from their homes take up there others' children on their laps and smelling their heads feel great happiness.

You know that Brahmanas repeat these Vedic mantras on the occasion of the consecrating rites of infancy.--you are born, O son, of my body! You sprung from my heart. You are myself in the form of a son. Live to a thousand years! My life depends on you and the continuation of my race also on you. Therefore, O son, live in great happiness to a thousand years.

He who has sprung from your body, this second being from you! Behold yourself in your son as you behold your image in the clear lake. As the sacrificial fire is kindled from the domestic one, so has this one sprung from you. Though one you have divided yourself.

In course of hunting while engaged in pursuit of the deer, I was approached by you, O king, I who was then a virgin in the hermitage of my father. Urvasi, Purvachitti, Sahajanya, Menaka, Viswachi and Ghritachi these are the six foremost of Apsaras. Amongst them again, Menaka, born of Brahman, is the first. Descending from heaven on earth after intercourse with Viswamitra she gave birth to me.

That celebrated Apsara, Menaka, brought me forth in a valley of Himavat. Bereft of all affection, she went away, cast me there as if I were the child of somebody else. What sinful act did I do, in infancy cast away by my parents and at present i am cast away by you! Put away by you, I am ready to return to the refuge of my father. But i ask you not to cast off this child who is your own.'