03.056
bṛhadaśva uvāca॥
Bṛhadaśva said.
evaṃ sa samayaṃ kṛtvā dvāpareṇa kaliḥ saha। ājagāma tatastatra yatra rājā sa naiṣadhaḥ ॥03-56-1॥
Thus, after agreeing upon the time with Dvāpara, Kali, together with him, went to the place where King Nala (Naiṣadha) was. (03-56-1)
sa nityam antaraprekṣī niṣadheṣv avasac ciram। athāsya dvādaśe varṣe dadarśa kalir antaram॥03-56-2॥
He, who was always introspective, resided in the Niṣadha mountains for a long time. Then, in his twelfth year, Kali saw an opportunity. (03-56-2)
kṛtvā mūtram upaspṛśya sandhyām āste sma naiṣadhaḥ। akṛtvā pādayoḥ śaucaṃ tatra enaṃ kalir āviśat॥03-56-3॥
After urinating, Nala washed and performed the twilight ritual; but since he did not cleanse his feet, there Kali entered him. (03-56-3)
sa samāviśya tu nalaṃ samīpaṃ puṣkarasya ha। gatvā puṣkaram āha idam ehi dīvya nalena vai॥03-56-4॥
He, having come near Nala with Puṣkara, went to Puṣkara and said: "Come, play dice with Nala." (03-56-4)
akṣadyūte nalaṃ jetā bhavān hi sahito mayā। niṣadhān pratipadyasva jitvā rājann alaṃ nṛpam ॥03-56-5॥
At the dice game, you will indeed be the victor over Nala together with me; having conquered him, O king, take possession of the Niṣadha kingdom—let that be enough for the king. (03-56-5)
evam-uktas tu kalinā puṣkaro nalam abhyayāt। kaliś caiva vṛṣo bhūtvā gavāṃ puṣkaram abhyayāt॥03-56-6॥
Thus addressed by Kali, Puṣkara went to Nala. And Kali, becoming a bull among the cows, approached Puṣkara. (03-56-6)
āsādya tu nalaṃ vīraṃ puṣkaraḥ paravīrahā। dīvyāvetyabravīdbhrātā vṛṣeṇeti muhurmuhuḥ॥03-56-7॥
But having approached the heroic Nala, Puṣkara, the destroyer of enemy heroes, repeatedly invited his brother with the words 'Let us play dice for stakes.' (03-56-7)
na cakṣame tato rājā samāhvānaṃ mahāmanāḥ। vaidarbhyāḥ prekṣamāṇāyāḥ paṇakālam amanyata ॥03-56-8॥
The great-minded king did not endure afterwards the summoning; while he watched Vaidarbhi, he thought it was the time of the competition. (03-56-8)
hiraṇyasya suvarṇasya yānayugyasya vāsasām। āviṣṭaḥ kalinā dyūte jīyate sma nalastadā॥03-56-9॥
At that time, Nala, overpowered by Kali, lost in gambling all his gold, refined gold, chariots with yokes, and garments. (03-56-9)
tam akṣa-mada-saṃmattaṃ suhṛdāṃ na tu kaścana। nivāraṇe 'bhavat śakto dīvyamānam acetasaṃ ॥03-56-10॥
None of his friends, however, was able to restrain him, intoxicated by the pride from dice, while he was heedless in play. (03-56-10)
tataḥ paurajanaḥ sarvo mantribhih saha bhārata। rājānaṃ draṣṭum āgacchan nivārayitum āturam ॥03-56-11॥
Then all the townspeople, along with the ministers, O Bhārata, came eagerly to see the king and dissuade him. (03-56-11)
tataḥ sūta upāgamya damayantyai nyavedayat। eṣa paurajanaḥ sarvo dvāri tiṣṭhati kāryavān॥03-56-12॥
Then the charioteer approached Damayantī and informed her: "All these people of the city are standing at the door with some business." (03-56-12)
nivedyatāṁ naiṣadhāya sarvāḥ prakṛtayaḥ sthitāḥ. amṛṣyamāṇā vyasanaṁ rājño dharmārthadarśinaḥ ॥03-56-13॥
Let all the assembled ministers, who see to righteousness and duty and cannot tolerate the king's misfortune, inform the king of Niṣadha. (03-56-13)
tataḥ sā bāṣpakalayā vācā duḥkhena karśitā। uvāca naiṣadhaṃ bhaimī śokopahatacetanā ॥03-56-14॥
Then Damayantī, her mind overcome by grief, emaciated by suffering, spoke to Nala with a voice choked with tears. (03-56-14)
rājan paurajano dvāri tvāṃ didṛkṣur avasthitaḥ। mantribhiḥ sahitaḥ sarvaiḥ rājabhakti-puraskṛtaḥ॥ taṃ draṣṭum arhasi ity evaṃ punaḥ punaḥ abhāṣata॥03-56-15॥
O King, the townspeople, accompanied by all the ministers and devoted to the royal authority, are waiting at the gate, desiring to see you. Again and again, he spoke thus, saying, "You ought to see him." (03-56-15)
tāṃ tathā rucirāpāṅgīṃ vilapantīṃ sumadhyamām। āviṣṭaḥ kalinā rājā nābhyabhāṣata kiñcana ॥03-56-16॥
The king, possessed by Kali, did not say anything to her, who had beautiful eyes, a slender waist, and was weeping thus. (03-56-16)
tataste mantriṇaḥ sarve te caiva puravāsinaḥ। nāyamastīti duḥkhārtā vrīḍitā jagmurālayān॥03-56-17॥
Then all the ministers and the city-dwellers, saying "This one is no more," afflicted with grief and shame, went to their homes. (03-56-17)
tathā tad abhavad dyūtaṃ puṣkarasya nalasya ca। yudhiṣṭhira bahūn māsān puṇyaślokas tv ajīyata ॥03-56-18॥
Thus, that dice-game between Puṣkara and Nala took place; Yudhiṣṭhira, the virtuous one, was also defeated for many months. (03-56-18)
