Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/258

224 know having begot in thee this son. Women generally speak untruths. Who shall believe in thy words? Destitute of all affection, the lewd Menaka is thy mother, for by her wast thou cast off on the surface of the Himalya as one throws away, after the worship is over, the flowery offerings he had made to his gods. Thy father too of the Kshatria race, the lustful Viswamitra, who was tempted to become a Brahmana, is destitute of all affection. However, Menaka is the first of Apsaras, and thy father also is the first of Rishis. Being their daughter, why dost thou speak like a woman that is lewd? Thy words deserve no credit. Art thou not ashamed to speak them? Especially before me? Go hence, O wicked woman in ascetic guise. Where is that foremost of great Rishis, where also is that Apsara Menaka? And where art thou, low as thou art, in the guise of an ascetic? Thy child too is grown up. Thou sayest he is a boy, but he is very strong. How hath he so soon grown like a Shala sprout? Thy birth is low. Thou speakest like a lewd woman. Lustfully hast thou been begotten by Menaka. O woman of ascetic guise, all that thou sayest is quite unknown to me. I don't know thee. Go whithersoever thou choosest.'

"Sakuntala replied, 'Thou seest, O king, the faults of others, even though they be so small as a mustard seed. But seeing, thou noticest not thy own faults even though they be as large as the Vilwa fruit. Menaka is of the celestials. Indeed, Menaka is reckoned as the first of celestials. My birth, therefore, O Dushmanta, is far higher than thine. Thou walkest upon the earth, O king, but I roam in the skies. Behold, the difference between ourselves is as that between (the mountain of) Meru and a mustard seed. Behold my power, O king! I can repair to the abodes of Indra, Kuvera, Yama, and Varuna. The saying is true which I shall refer to before thee, O sinless one! I refer to it for example's sake and not from evil motives. Therefore it behoveth thee to pardon me after thou hast hear it. An ugly person considereth himself handsomer than others until he sees his own face in the mirror. But when he sees his own ugly face in the mirror, it is then that he perceives the difference between himself and others. He that is really