03.050
Core: Swan acts as a bridge between Nala and Damayanti and romance is in the air!
बृहदश्व उवाच॥
Bṛhadaśva said.
आसीद्राजा नलो नाम वीरसेनसुतो बली। उपपन्नो गुणैरिष्टै रूपवानश्वकोविदः ॥३-५०-१॥
There was a king named Nala, the son of Vīrasena, who was strong, endowed with desirable virtues, handsome, and skilled in the knowledge of horses. (3-50-1)
अतिष्ठन्मनुजेन्द्राणां मूर्ध्नि देवपतिर्यथा। उपर्युपरि सर्वेषामादित्य इव तेजसा ॥३-५०-२॥
He stood on the heads of the kings of men like the lord of the gods, above all, like the sun by his brilliance. (3-50-2)
ब्रह्मण्यो वेदविच्छूरो निषधेषु महीपतिः। अक्षप्रियः सत्यवादी महानक्षौहिणीपतिः ॥३-५०-३॥
He was devoted to Brahman, a knower of the Veda, heroic, and king among the Niṣadhas; fond of dice, a speaker of truth, great, and lord of mighty armies. (3-50-3)
ईप्सितो वरनारीणामुदारः संयतेन्द्रियः। रक्षिता धन्विनां श्रेष्ठः साक्षादिव मनुः स्वयम् ॥३-५०-४॥
He is desired by noble women, noble in character, self-controlled, a protector, the best among archers, and himself is like Manu incarnate. (3-50-4)
तथैवासीद्विदर्भेषु भीमो भीमपराक्रमः। शूरः सर्वगुणैर्युक्तः प्रजाकामः स चाप्रजः ॥३-५०-५॥
Similarly, in Vidarbha, there was Bhima, a man of terrible prowess, heroic and endowed with all virtues, who desired children, but he was without offspring. (3-50-5)
स प्रजार्थे परं यत्नमकरोत्सुसमाहितः। तमभ्यगच्छद्ब्रह्मर्षिर्दमनो नाम भारत ॥३-५०-६॥
He, being well-concentrated, made supreme effort for the sake of progeny. Then, O Bhārata, the Brahmarṣi named Damana approached him. (3-50-6)
तं स भीमः प्रजाकामस्तोषयामास धर्मवित्। महिष्या सह राजेन्द्र सत्कारेण सुवर्चसम् ॥३-५०-७॥
Bhīma, who desired progeny and knew dharma, honored Suvarcasa with his queen, O king, treating him with great respect. (3-50-7)
तस्मै प्रसन्नो दमनः सभार्याय वरं ददौ। कन्यारत्नं कुमारांश्च त्रीनुदारान्महायशाः ॥३-५०-८॥
Pleased, Damana granted a boon to him and his wife: a jewel-like daughter and three noble, illustrious sons. (3-50-8)
दमयन्तीं दमं दान्तं दमनं च सुवर्चसम्। उपपन्नान्गुणैः सर्वैर्भीमान्भीमपराक्रमान् ॥३-५०-९॥
Damayantī, possessing self-restraint, control, the power to subdue, and great radiance, endowed with all virtues, mighty and of formidable valor. (3-50-9)
दमयन्ती तु रूपेण तेजसा यशसा श्रिया। सौभाग्येन च लोकेषु यशः प्राप सुमध्यमा ॥३-५०-१०॥
But Damayantī, by her beauty, brilliance, fame, prosperity, and good fortune, attained fame among people as the graceful one. (3-50-10)
अथ तां वयसि प्राप्ते दासीनां समलङ्कृतम्। शतं सखीनां च तथा पर्युपास्ते शचीमिव ॥३-५०-११॥
Then, when she reached the proper age, a hundred well-adorned maidservants and companions attended upon her, just as Śacī is attended.
तत्र स्म भ्राजते भैमी सर्वाभरणभूषिता। सखीमध्येऽनवद्याङ्गी विद्युत्सौदामिनी यथा ॥ अतीव रूपसम्पन्ना श्रीरिवायतलोचना ॥३-५०-१२॥
There, the daughter of Bhīma, adorned with all ornaments, shone among her companions, her limbs flawless, like a flash of lightning; she was exceedingly beautiful, with large eyes like the goddess Śrī (Lakṣmī). (3-50-12)
न देवेषु न यक्षेषु तादृग्रूपवती क्वचित्। मानुषेष्वपि चान्येषु दृष्टपूर्वा न च श्रुता ॥ चित्तप्रमाथिनी बाला देवानामपि सुन्दरी ॥३-५०-१३॥
Such a beautiful young woman, who agitates the mind, has not been seen or heard of anywhere among the gods, yakṣas, humans, or others; even among the gods, she is a beauty. (3-50-13)
नलश्च नरशार्दूलो रूपेणाप्रतिमो भुवि। कन्दर्प इव रूपेण मूर्तिमानभवत्स्वयम् ॥३-५०-१४॥
Nala, the tiger among men, was unmatched in beauty on earth; he himself became the very embodiment of Kandarpa (Cupid) in form. (3-50-14)
तस्याः समीपे तु नलं प्रशशंसुः कुतूहलात्। नैषधस्य समीपे तु दमयन्तीं पुनः पुनः ॥३-५०-१५॥
But near her, they praised Nala out of curiosity; and near the king of Niṣadha, they praised Damayantī again and again. (3-50-15)
तयोरदृष्टकामोऽभूच्छृण्वतोः सततं गुणान्। अन्योन्यं प्रति कौन्तेय स व्यवर्धत हृच्छयः ॥३-५०-१६॥
O son of Kunti, as those two constantly heard about each other's qualities, a desire for the unseen arose in their hearts, and that longing in their hearts grew. (3-50-16)
अशक्नुवन्नलः कामं तदा धारयितुं हृदा। अन्तःपुरसमीपस्थे वन आस्ते रहोगतः ॥३-५०-१७॥
Unable to restrain his desire, the fire (of passion) then, by his heart, being near the inner apartments, he remains in the forest, having gone into solitude. (3-50-17)
स ददर्श तदा हंसाञ्जातरूपपरिच्छदान्। वने विचरतां तेषामेकं जग्राह पक्षिणम् ॥३-५०-१८॥
He then saw swans adorned with gold; among those wandering in the forest, he seized one bird. (3-50-18)
ततोऽन्तरिक्षगो वाचं व्याजहार तदा नलम्। न हन्तव्योऽस्मि ते राजन्करिष्यामि हि ते प्रियम् ॥३-५०-१९॥
Then, the celestial being spoke to Nala at that moment: "O king, I am not to be killed by you; indeed, I will do what is dear to you." (3-50-19)
दमयन्तीसकाशे त्वां कथयिष्यामि नैषध। यथा त्वदन्यं पुरुषं न सा मंस्यति कर्हिचित् ॥३-५०-२०॥
O Naiṣadha, I will speak of you in Damayantī's presence in such a way that she will never consider any man other than you. (3-50-20)
एवमुक्तस्ततो हंसमुत्ससर्ज महीपतिः। ते तु हंसाः समुत्पत्य विदर्भानगमंस्ततः ॥३-५०-२१॥
Thus addressed, the king released the swan. The swans then rose up and went from there to the land of the Vidarbhas. (3-50-21)
विदर्भनगरीं गत्वा दमयन्त्यास्तदान्तिके। निपेतुस्ते गरुत्मन्तः सा ददर्शाथ तान्खगान् ॥३-५०-२२॥
After reaching the city of Vidarbha, near Damayantī, those Garuḍa-like birds alighted; then she saw those birds. (3-50-22)
सा तानद्भुतरूपान्वै दृष्ट्वा सखिगणावृता। हृष्टा ग्रहीतुं खगमांस्त्वरमाणोपचक्रमे ॥३-५०-२३॥
Seeing those of marvelous appearance, she, surrounded by her group of friends and delighted, hastily began to seize the bird-meats. (3-50-23)
अथ हंसा विससृपुः सर्वतः प्रमदावने। एकैकशस्ततः कन्यास्तान्हंसान्समुपाद्रवन् ॥३-५०-२४॥
Then the swans dispersed in all directions throughout the pleasure-garden; after that, the maidens, one by one, approached those swans. (3-50-24)
दमयन्ती तु यं हंसं समुपाधावदन्तिके। स मानुषीं गिरं कृत्वा दमयन्तीमथाब्रवीत् ॥३-५०-२५॥
But Damayantī approached the swan closely. He then, having assumed human speech, spoke to Damayantī. (3-50-25)
दमयन्ति नलो नाम निषधेषु महीपतिः। अश्विनोः सदृशो रूपे न समास्तस्य मानुषाः ॥३-५०-२६॥
There was a king among the Niṣadhas named Nala, beloved of Damayanti; in form he was like the Aśvins, and no men were equal to him. (3-50-26)
तस्य वै यदि भार्या त्वं भवेथा वरवर्णिनि। सफलं ते भवेज्जन्म रूपं चेदं सुमध्यमे ॥३-५०-२७॥
O one of excellent complexion, if you were to become his wife, O slender-waisted one, then your birth and this form would indeed be fruitful. (3-50-27)
वयं हि देवगन्धर्वमनुष्योरगराक्षसान्। दृष्टवन्तो न चास्माभिर्दृष्टपूर्वस्तथाविधः ॥३-५०-२८॥
We have indeed seen gods, gandharvas, humans, serpents, and rākṣasas; but never before have we seen anyone such as this. (3-50-28)
त्वं चापि रत्नं नारीणां नरेषु च नलो वरः। विशिष्टाया विशिष्टेन सङ्गमो गुणवान्भवेत् ॥३-५०-२९॥
You are the jewel among women, and Nala is the best among men; the union of the distinguished woman with the distinguished man should be virtuous. (3-50-29)
एवमुक्ता तु हंसेन दमयन्ती विशां पते। अब्रवीत्तत्र तं हंसं तमप्येवं नलं वद ॥३-५०-३०॥
Thus, when addressed by the swan, Damayanti, O lord of men, said to the swan there: "Speak thus also to Nala." (3-50-30)
तथेत्युक्त्वाण्डजः कन्यां वैदर्भस्य विशां पते। पुनरागम्य निषधान्नले सर्वं न्यवेदयत् ॥३-५०-३१॥
Having said this, the egg-born bird, taking the maiden of the king of Vidarbha, O lord of the people, returned again to Niṣadha and reported everything to Nala. (3-50-31)
