03.058
bṛhadaśva uvāca॥
Bṛhadaśva said.
tatastu yāte vārṣṇeye puṇyaślokasya dīvyataḥ। puṣkareṇa hṛtaṃ rājyaṃ yaccānyadvasu kiñcana ॥03-58-1॥
But then, after the Vārṣṇeya had departed, as the virtuous-famed one was sporting, Puṣkara took away his kingdom and whatever other wealth there was. (03-58-1)
hṛtarājyaṃ nalaṃ rājan prahasan puṣkaro'bravīt। dyūtaṃ pravartatāṃ bhūyaḥ pratipāṇo'sti kas tava॥03-58-2॥
Having won away the kingdom from Nala, O King, the smiling Puṣkara said: 'Let the dice game proceed again. What stake do you have?' (03-58-2)
śiṣṭā te damayanty-ekā sarvam anyad dhṛtaṃ mayā। damayantyāḥ paṇaḥ sādhu vartatāṃ yadi manyase॥3-58-3॥
Only Damayantī remains for you, all the others have been taken by me. Let Damayantī's wager proceed, if you think it proper. (3-58-3)
puṣkareṇaivam uktasya puṇyaślokasya manyunā। vyadīryateva hṛdayaṁ na cainaṁ kiñcid abravīt ॥03-58-4॥
When thus addressed by Puṣkara, the heart of Puṇyaśloka felt as if torn apart by anger, yet he did not say anything to him. (03-58-4)
tataḥ puṣkaram ālokya nalaḥ paramam anyumān। utsṛjya sarva-gātrebhyaḥ bhūṣaṇāni mahā-yaśāḥ ॥03-58-5॥
Then, having seen Puṣkara, the greatly renowned Nala, full of intense anger, discarded all ornaments from his limbs. (03-58-5)
ekavāsā asaṁvitaḥ suhṛcchokavivardhanaḥ। niścakrāma tadā rājā tyaktvā suvipulāṁ śriyam ॥03-58-6॥
Wearing only one garment, and uncovered, thus increasing the grief of his friends, the king then departed, having abandoned his vast prosperity. (03-58-6)
damayanty-ekavastrā taṃ gacchantam pṛṣṭhato'nviyāt। sa tayā bāhyataḥ sārdhaṃ trirātraṃ naiṣadho'vasat ॥03-58-7॥
Damayantī, dressed in a single garment, followed him as he was going, from behind. Together with her, Naiṣadha (Nala) stayed outside for three nights. (03-58-7)
puṣkaras tu mahārāja ghoṣayām āsa vai pure। nale yaḥ samyag ātiṣṭhet sa gacched vadhyatāṃ mama॥03-58-8॥
But, O great king, Puṣkara had it proclaimed throughout the city: Whoever supports Nala shall be put to death by my order. (03-58-8)
puṣkarasya tu vākyena tasya vidveṣaṇena ca| paurā na tasminsatkāraṃ kṛtavanto yudhiṣṭhira ॥03-58-9॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, however, because of Puṣkara's words and hostile acts, the townspeople did not show him any respect. (03-58-9)
sa tathā nagarābhyāśe satkārārho na satkṛtaḥ। trirātram-uṣito rājā jalamātreṇa vartayan ॥03-58-10॥
Thus, near the city, the king, though worthy of honor, was not honored. For three nights he remained there, subsisting only on water. (03-58-10)
kṣudhā sampīḍyamānas tu nalo bahutithe'ahani। apaśyac chakunān kāṃścid dhiraṇyasadṛśacchadān ॥03-58-11॥
But Nala, afflicted by hunger, on a day having many tithis, saw some birds with plumage like gold. (03-58-11)
sa cintayāmāsa tadā niṣadhādhipatir balī. asti bhakṣo mama adyāyaṁ vasu ca idaṁ bhaviṣyati ॥03-58-12॥
Then the powerful king of Niṣadha thought, "Today there is food for me; this wealth too will be mine." (03-58-12)
tatas tān antarīyeṇa vāsasā samavāstṛṇot। tasya antarīyam ādāya jagmuḥ sarve vihāyasā ॥03-58-13॥
Then he fully covered them with his undergarment. Taking his undergarment, all of them departed through the sky. (03-58-13)
upatantaḥ khagās te tu vākyam āhus tadā nalam। dṛṣṭvā dig-vāsasam bhūmau sthitam dīnam adho-mukham॥03-58-14॥
The birds came near and then spoke to Nala, seeing him standing on the ground, dejected, naked, and with his face cast down. (03-58-14)
vayam akṣāḥ sudurbuddhe tava vāso jihīrṣavaḥ। āgatā na hi naḥ prītiḥ savāsasi gate tvayi॥03-58-15॥
O very unintelligent one, we gamblers came wishing to take over your dwelling, but our affection does not remain when the dweller (you) is gone. (03-58-15)
tān samīkṣya gatān akṣān ātmānam ca vivāsasam। puṇyaślokas tato rājā damayantīm athābravīt॥03-58-16॥
Having examined them—the played-out dice, and himself deprived of his garment—the virtuous king then addressed Damayantī. (03-58-16)
yeṣāṃ prakopād aiśvaryāt pracyuto'ham anindite. prāṇayātrāṃ na vinde ca duḥkhitaḥ kṣudhayā arditaḥ ॥03-58-17॥
O blameless one, by the anger of those whose power I have been deprived of, I do not find a means of sustenance and I am suffering, tormented by hunger. (03-58-17)
yeṣāṃ kṛte na satkāram akurvan mayi naiṣadhāḥ। ta ime śakunā bhūtvā vāso'py apaharanti me ॥03-58-18॥
Because the people of Naishadha did not honor me, these—having become birds—are even carrying off my clothing. (03-58-18)
vaiṣamyaṃ paramaṃ prāpto duḥkhito gatacetanāḥ। bharatā te'haṃ nibodhedaṃ vacanaṃ hitamātmanaḥ॥03-58-19॥
I, your husband—having reached supreme distress, afflicted and insensible—tell you these words for your own benefit. (03-58-19)
ete gacchanti bahavaḥ panthāno dakṣiṇāpatham। avantī-mṛkṣavantaṃ ca samatikramya parvatam ॥03-58-20॥
These many paths lead to the southern route, passing through Avanti and the Ṛikṣavanta mountain after crossing the mountain. (03-58-20)
eṣa vindhyo mahāśailaḥ payoṣṇī ca samudragā. āśramāś ca maharṣīṇām amī puṣpaphalānvitāḥ ॥03-58-21॥
Here is the Vindhya, the great mountain; Payoshni, which flows to the ocean; and these hermitages of the great sages, full of flowers and fruits. (03-58-21)
eṣa panthā vidarbhāṇām ayaṃ gacchati kosalān। ataḥ paraṃ ca deśo'yaṃ dakṣiṇe dakṣiṇāpathaḥ॥03-58-22॥
This is the road of the Vidarbhas; it leads to Kosala. Beyond this point, the country to the south is called Dakṣiṇāpatha (the southern region). (03-58-22)
tataḥ sā bāṣpakalayā vācā duḥkhena karśitā। uvāca damayantī taṃ naiṣadhaṃ karuṇaṃ vacaḥ॥03-58-23॥
Then Damayanti, worn thin with sorrow, spoke piteous words to Nala of Nishadha with a voice choked by tears. (03-58-23)
udvepate me hṛdayaṁ sīdantyaṅgāni sarvaśaḥ। tava pārthiva saṅkalpaṁ cintayantyāḥ punaḥ punaḥ॥03-58-24॥
My heart is agitated, and all my limbs collapse completely, as I reflect again and again on your resolve, O king. (03-58-24)
hṛtarājyaṃ hṛtadhanaṃ vivastraṃ kṣucchramānvitam। kathamutsṛjya gaccheyamahaṃ tvāṃ vijane vane॥03-58-25॥
How could I abandon you, who have lost your kingdom and wealth, are deprived of garments, afflicted by hunger and hardship, and go alone in a lonely forest? (03-58-25)
śrāntasya te kṣudhārttasya cintayānasya tat-sukham। vane ghore mahārāja nāśayiṣyāmi te klamam॥03-58-26॥
O great king, in this terrible forest, I shall remove your fatigue born of weariness, hunger, and anxious thought, and bring you happiness. (03-58-26)
na ca bhāryāsamaṃ kiñcid vidyate bhiṣajāṃ matam. auṣadhaṃ sarvaduḥkheṣu satyam etad bravīmi te ॥03-58-27॥
There is nothing equal to a wife in the opinion of physicians. Medicine is a remedy for all sorrows — this is true, I say to you. (03-58-27)
nala uvāca॥
Nala said.
evametadyathāttha tvaṃ damayanti sumadhyame। nāsti bhāryāsamaṃ mitraṃ narasyārtasya bheṣajam ॥03-58-28॥
It is exactly as you have said, O Damayanti, O slender-waisted one. For an afflicted man, there is no friend or remedy equal to a wife. (03-58-28)
na cāhaṃ tyaktukāmas tvāṃ kimarthaṃ bhīru śaṅkase। tyajeyam aham ātmānaṃ na tveva tvām anindite॥03-58-29॥
I am not at all desirous of leaving you, so why, timid one, do you have doubts? I might abandon myself, but certainly not you, O blameless one. (03-58-29)
damayantyuvāca॥
Damayanti said.
yadi māṃ tvaṃ mahārāja na vihātumihaicchasi. tatkimarthaṃ vidarbhāṇāṃ panthāḥ samupadiśyate ॥03-58-30॥
If, O great king, you do not wish to abandon me here, then why are you telling me the way to the land of the Vidarbhas? (03-58-30)
avaimi cāhaṃ nṛpate na tvaṃ māṃ tyaktum ar-hasi. cetasā tv apakṛṣṭena māṃ tyajethā mahā-pate ॥03-58-31॥
I understand, O king, and you should not abandon me. If your mind is disturbed, O great lord, you might forsake me. (03-58-31)
panthānaṃ hi mamābhīkṣṇam ākhyāsi narasattama। ato nimittaṃ śokaṃ me vardhayasy amara-prabha॥03-58-32॥
O best of men, you indeed keep telling me the path repeatedly; therefore, for this reason, you increase my grief, O lord among immortals. (03-58-32)
yadi cāyam abhiprāyas tava rājan vrajed iti। sahitāv eva gacchāvaḥ vidarbhān yadi manyase॥03-58-33॥
O king, if this is indeed your intention that we should go, then let us both together proceed to Vidarbha, if you think so. (03-58-33)
vidarbharājastatra tvāṃ pūjayiṣyati mānada। tena tvaṃ pūjito rājansukhaṃ vatsyasi no gṛhe ॥03-58-34॥
There, the king of Vidarbha will honor you, O bestower of honor. Being honored by him, O king, you will happily dwell in our house. (03-58-34)
