"Vaishampaayana said, 'The monarch (Dushanta) then, as he proceeded, left even his reduced staffs at the entrance of the ashrama. Entering quite alone, he did not see the Rishi (Kanwa) of rigid vows. Not seeing the Rishi and finding that the abode was empty, he called loudly, saying, 'O what, who is here?' The sound of his voice was echoed back.
"Hearing the sound of his voice, there came out of the Rishi's abode a woman beautiful as Sri (Goddess Lakshmi) Herself but dressed as a Rishi's daughter. The black-eyed fair one, as she saw king Dushanta, offered him welcome and received him duly. Showing him due respect by the offer of a seat, water to wash his feet, and Arghya, she enquired about the monarch's health and peace. Having worshipped the king and asked him about his health and peace, the woman respectfully asked, 'What must be done, O king! I await your commands.' The king, duly worshipped by her, said to that lady of faultless features and sweet speech, 'I have come to worship the highly-blessed Rishi Kanwa. Tell me, O friendly and beautiful one, where has the illustrious Rishi gone?'
"Shakuntala then answered, 'My illustrious father has gone away from the ashrama to fetch fruit. Wait for a moment and you will see him when he arrives.'
"Vaishampayana continued, 'The king (Dushanta) not seeing the Rishi (Kanwa) and addressed thus by her, saw that the lady was exceedingly beautiful and endued with perfect symmetry of shape. He saw that she was of sweet smiles. She stood decked with the beauty of her faultless features, her severe Tapas, and her humility. He saw that she was in the bloom of youth. He therefore asked her, 'Who are you? And whose daughter, O beautiful one? Also why have you come into the forest? O handsome one, gifted with so much beauty and such goodness, from what place have you come? O charming one, at the very first glance you have stolen my heart! I desire to learn all about you; therefore tell me all.'
"Thus addressed by the monarch, the lady smilingly replied in these sweet words, 'O Dushanta, I am the daughter of the Dharmic, wise, high-souled, and illustrious Rishi Kanwa.'
"Dushmanta, hearing this, replied, 'The universally-worshipped and highly-blessed Rishi (Kanwa) is one whose (reproductive) seed has been drawn up (i.e. controlled). Dharma Himself might fall off from his path but a Rishi of rigid vows can never fall off so. Therefore, O you of the fairest complexion, how have you been born as his daughter? It is your responsibility of you to remove this great doubt of mine.'
"Shakuntala then replied, 'O king (Dushanta), hear what I have learnt regarding all that happened to me during ancient times and how I became the daughter of the Muni. Once on a time, a Rishi came here and asked about my birth. All that the illustrious one (Rishi Kanwa) told him, hear now from me, O king!
"My father Kanwa, in answer to that Rishi's enquiries, said, '(Rishi) Vishwamitra, of old, having been engaged in the severest Tapas alarmed (Lord) Indra, the chief of Devas, who thought that the mighty Rishi of blazing energy would, by his Tapas, hurl him down from his high seat in heaven. (Lord) Indra, thus alarmed, summoned (Apsara) Menaka and told her, 'O Menaka, you are the first of divine Apsaras. Therefore, O friendly one (Menaka), do me this service. Hear what I say. This great Rishi Vishwamitra like to the Sun in splendour, is engaged in the most severe of Tapas. My heart is trembling with fear. Indeed, O slender-waisted Menaka, this is your business. You must see that Vishwamitra of soul completely absorbed in meditation and engaged in the severe Tapas, who might hurl me down from my seat. Go and tempt him and frustrating his continued severity accomplish my good. Win him away from his penances, O beautiful one, by tempting him with your beauty, youth, agreeableness, arts, smiles and speech.'
"Hearing all this, Menaka replied, 'The illustrious Vishwamitra is endued with great energy and is a mighty Rishi. He is very short-tempered too, as is known to you. The energy, Tapas, and anger of the high-souled one have made even you anxious. Why should I not also be anxious? It was he (Rishi Vishwamitra) who made even the illustrious (Rishi) Vasishtha bear the pain of witnessing the premature death of his children. It was he (Rishi Vishwamitra) who, though at first born as Kshatriya, subsequently became a Brahmana by virtue of his severe Tapas. It was he who, for purposes of his cleansing, created a deep river that can with difficulty be crossed, and which sacred stream is known by the name of the Kaushiki (present-day Koshi river). It was Vishwamitra whose wife, in a season of distress, was maintained by the Rajarishi Matanga (Trishanku) who was then living under a father's curse as a hunter. It was Vishwamitra who, on returning after the famine was over, changed the name of the stream having his asylum from Kaushika into Paara. It was Vishwamitra who in return for the services of Matanga, himself became the latter's priest for purposes of a yagna. The lord of Devas (Lord Indra) Himself went through fear to drink the Soma juice. It was Vishwamitra who in anger created a second world and numerous stars beginning with Sravana. It was he who granted protection to Trishanku burning under a superior's curse. I am frightened to approach him of such deeds. Tell me, O (Lord) Indra, the means that should be adopted so that I may not be burnt by his anger. He can burn the three worlds by his splendour, can, by a stamp (of his foot), cause the earth to quake. He can split the great Meru (mountain) from the earth and hurl it to any distance. He can go round the ten (directional) points of the earth in a moment. How can a woman like me even touch such a one full of severe virtues, like to a blazing fire, and having his passions under complete control? His mouth is like to a blazing fire; the pupils of his eyes are like the Sun and the Moon; his tongue is like to Yama himself. How shall, O chief of Devas, a woman like me even touch him? At the thought of his capability Yama, Soma, Maharishis, the Saddhyas, the Vishwas, Valakhilyas, are terrified! How can a woman like me gaze at him without alarm? However, commanded by you, O king of Devas (Lord Indra), I shall somehow approach that Rishi. But, O chief of Devas (Lord Indra), you devise some plan whereby protected by you, I may safely move about that Rishi. I think that when I begin to play before the Rishi, Marut (the god of wind) had better go there and rob me of my dress, and Manmatha (the god of love) had also, at your command, better help me then. Let also Marut on that occasion bear there fragrance from the forest to tempt the Rishi.' Saying this and seeing that all she had spoken about had been duly provided, Menaka went to the place of the great Kaushika (Rishi Vishwamitra).'"
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