Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/254

220 ing her hence.' The disciples of the Rishi thereupon, saying 'so be it,' went towards the city named after the elephant (Hastinapore) with Sakuntala and her son before them. And then she of fair eye-brows taking with her that boy of celestial beauty endued with eyes like lotus leaves, 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 thy son, O king! Let him be installed as thy heir-apparent. O king, this child, like unto a celestial, hath been begotten by thee in me. Therefore, O thou best of men, fulfil now the promise thou gavest me. Call to thy mind, O thou of great good fortune, the agreement into which thou hadst entered on the occasion of thy union with me in the asylnmasylum [sic] of Kanwa.'

"The king, hearing these her words, and remembering everything, said, 'I do not remember anything. Whose art thou, O wicked woman in ascetic guise? I do not remember having contracted any connection with you in respect of Dharma, Kama and Artha. Go or stay or do as thou pleasest.' Thus addressed by him, the fair-complexioned innocent one became abashed. Grief deprived her of consciousness and she stood 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. Gathering her thoughts within a moment, her heart possessed with sorrow and rage, she thus addressed her lord in anger, looking at him. 'Knowing everything, O monarch, how canst thou, like an inferior person, thus say that thou knowest not? Thy heart is a witness a regards the truth or falsehood of this matter. Therefore speak truly without degrading thyself! He who being one thing, representeth himself as another thing to others is like a thief and a robber of his own self. Of what sin is he not capable? Thou thinkest that