Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच ततो गते शाकुनिके कपोती प्राह दुःखिता संस्मृत्य भर्तारमथो रुदती शोकमूर्छिता
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said After the fowler had left there, the shepigeon, remembering her husband and stricken with grief for him, wept profusely and bewailed thus:नाहं ते विप्रियं कान्त कदाचिदपि संस्मरे।
नाहं ते विप्रियं कान्त कदाचिदपि संस्मरे सर्वा वै विधवा नारी बहुपुत्रापि खेचर शोच्या भवति बन्धूनां पतिहीना मनस्विनी
AI Translation: O beloved, I do not remember ever having done anything displeasing to you. O sky-wanderer, all women, even those with many sons, are widows. The intelligent woman,
लालिताहं त्वया नित्यं बहुमानाच्च सान्त्विता वचनैर्मधुरैः स्निग्धैरसकृत्सुमनोहरैः
M. N. Dutt: I was always supported by you and for the great respect you had for me I was always honoured by you with sweet, agreeable, charming, and delightful words.
कन्दरेषु च शैलानां नदीनां निर्झरेषु च द्रुमाग्रेषु च रम्येषु रमिताहं त्वया प्रिय
M. N. Dutt: I have sported with you in valleys of mountans, in springs of rivers and on charming trees.
आकाशगमने चैव सुखिताहं त्वया सुखम् विहृतास्मि त्वया कान्त तन्मे नाद्यास्ति किंचन
M. N. Dutt: I was also made happy by you while passing with you through the skies! I used to sport with you before, O dear husband, but where are those joys now.
मितं ददाति हि पिता मितं माता मितं सुतः अमितस्य तु दातारं भर्तारं का न पूजयेत्
M. N. Dutt: The gifts of the father, of the brother, and of the son to a woman are but limited. But unlimited are the gifts that her husband alone makes to her! What woman is there that would not, therefore, worship her husband.
नास्ति भर्तृसमो नाथो न च भर्तृसमं सुखम् विसृज्य धनसर्वस्वं भर्ता वै शरणं स्त्रियाः
M. N. Dutt: A word has no protector like her husband, and no happiness like her husband. Casting off all her riches and possessions, a woman should follow her husband as her only refuge.
न कार्यमिह मे नाथ जीवितेन त्वया विना पतिहीनापि का नारी सती जीवितुमुत्सहेत्
M. N. Dutt: Useless is life to me, O lord, now that I am separated from you! What chaste woman is there who would, when bereft of her husband, venture to bear the burden of life.
एवं विलप्य बहुधा करुणं सा सुदुःखिता पतिव्रता संप्रदीप्तं प्रविवेश हुताशनम्
M. N. Dutt: Filled with sorrow and bewailing thus, the she-pigeon, devoted to her husband cast herself on the burning fire.
ततश्चित्राम्बरधरं भर्तारं सान्वपश्यत विमानस्थं सुकृतिभिः पूज्यमानं महात्मभिः
M. N. Dutt: She then saw her husband bedecked with bracelets, seated on a (celestial) car, and worshipped of many great and meritorious beings standing around him.
चित्रमाल्याम्बरधरं सर्वाभरणभूषितम् विमानशतकोटीभिरावृतं पुण्यकीर्तिभिः
M. N. Dutt: Indeed, there he was in the sky, decked with excellent garlands and clad in excellent robes, and adorned with every ornament. There were numberless celestial cars around him ridden by beings who had acted meritoriously while in this world.
Supplementary Passages:
12.144.11 After 11, B3 ins.: *376 कपोतोऽपि च तां दृष्ट्वा कपोतीं च सुरूपिणीम् हर्षेण महता युक्तः परिष्वज्येदमब्रवीत् अहो मामनुगच्छन्त्या कृतं साधु शुभं त्वया क्षणमात्रेण दुःखेन सुखं तेन समार्जितम् तिस्रः कोट्यर्धकोटी च यानि लोमानि मानवे तावत्कालं वसेत्स्वर्गे भर्तारं यानुगच्छति व्यालग्राही यथा व्यालं बिलादुद्धरते बलात् तद्वद्भर्तारमुद्धृत्य तेनैव सह मोदते
ततः स्वर्गगतः पक्षी भार्यया सह संगतः कर्मणा पूजितस्तेन रेमे तत्र स भार्यया
M. N. Dutt: Seated on his own celestial car, the bird went to heaven, and getting proper honours for his deeds in this world, continued to sport in joy, accompanied by his spouse. Seated on his own celestial car, the bird went to heaven, and getting proper honours for his deeds in this world, continued to sport in joy, accompanied by his spouse.