03.060
बृहदश्व उवाच॥
Bṛhadaśva said.
अपक्रान्ते नले राजन्दमयन्ती गतक्लमा। अबुध्यत वरारोहा सन्त्रस्ता विजने वने ॥०३-६०-१॥
O king, when Nala had departed, Damayantī, whose fatigue had vanished, awoke—she of lovely hips, frightened, in the solitary forest. (03-60-1)
सापश्यमाना भर्तारं दुःखशोकसमन्विता। प्राक्रोशदुच्चैः सन्त्रस्ता महाराजेति नैषधम् ॥०३-६०-२॥
Terrified and filled with sorrow and grief, she, upon seeing her husband, loudly cried out, 'O great king,' addressing the prince of the Nishadhas. (03-60-2)
हा नाथ हा महाराज हा स्वामिन्किं जहासि माम्। हा हतास्मि विनष्टास्मि भीतास्मि विजने वने ॥०३-६०-३॥
Alas, O lord, alas, O great king, alas, O master, why are you abandoning me? Alas, I am lost, ruined, and fearful here alone in the forest. (03-60-3)
ननु नाम महाराज धर्मज्ञः सत्यवागसि। कथमुक्त्वा तथासत्यं सुप्तामुत्सृज्य मां गतः ॥०३-६०-४॥
Surely, O great king, you know righteousness and speak the truth. How could you, having spoken such an untruth, leave me sleeping and depart? (3-60-4)
कथमुत्सृज्य गन्तासि वश्यां भार्यामनुव्रताम्। विशेषतोऽनपकृते परेणापकृते सति ॥०३-६०-५॥
How will you go, having abandoned your obedient and devoted wife, especially when she has not been wronged by another, but only wronged now? (03-60-5)
शक्ष्यसे ता गिरः सत्याः कर्तुं मयि नरेश्वर। यास्त्वया लोकपालानां संनिधौ कथिताः पुरा ॥०३-६०-६॥
O king, you will be able to keep true those words which you formerly spoke in the presence of the guardians of the worlds towards me. (03-60-6)
पर्याप्तः परिहासोऽयमेतावान्पुरुषर्षभ। भीताहमस्मि दुर्धर्ष दर्शयात्मानमीश्वर ॥०३-६०-७॥
This jest is enough, O best of men. I am afraid, O unconquerable one; show yourself, O lord. (03-60-7)
दृश्यसे दृश्यसे राजन्नेष तिष्ठसि नैषध। आवार्य गुल्मैरात्मानं किं मां न प्रतिभाषसे ॥०३-६०-८॥
You are seen, you are seen, O king! You stand here, O prince of Nishaḍha! Why do you hide yourself with bushes and not speak to me? (03-60-8)
नृशंसं बत राजेन्द्र यन्मामेवङ्गतामिह। विलपन्तीं समालिङ्ग्य नाश्वासयसि पार्थिव ॥०३-६०-९॥
How cruel it is, O king, that although I have fallen into such a condition here, and though I lament and cling to you, yet you do not comfort me, O king. (03-60-9)
न शोचाम्यहमात्मानं न चान्यदपि किञ्चन। कथं नु भवितास्येक इति त्वां नृप शोचिमि ॥०३-६०-१०॥
I do not grieve for myself, nor for anything else; but thinking how this one will be alone, O king, for you I grieve. (03-60-10)
कथं नु राजंस्तृषितः क्षुधितः श्रमकर्शितः। सायाह्ने वृक्षमूलेषु मामपश्यन्भविष्यसि ॥०३-६०-११॥
O king, how will you fare, being thirsty, hungry, and worn out by fatigue, in the evening, at the roots of trees, when you do not see me? (03-60-11)
ततः सा तीव्रशोकार्ता प्रदीप्तेव च मन्युना। इतश्चेतश्च रुदती पर्यधावत दुःखिता ॥०३-६०-१२॥
Then she, overwhelmed by intense grief and as if burning with anger, wept and ran about in distress here and there. (03-60-12)
मुहुरुत्पतते बाला मुहुः पतति विह्वला। मुहुरालीयते भीता मुहुः क्रोशति रोदिति ॥०३-६०-१३॥
The girl repeatedly rises up and repeatedly falls in confusion; again and again, frightened, she draws back, cries out, and weeps. (03-60-13)
सा तीव्रशोकसन्तप्ता मुहुर्निःश्वस्य विह्वला। उवाच भैमी निष्क्रम्य रोदमाना पतिव्रता ॥०३-६०-१४॥
Afflicted with intense grief, repeatedly sighing and overwhelmed, Bhimā's daughter, the faithful wife, went out and, while weeping, spoke. (03-60-14)
यस्याभिशापाद्दुःखार्तो दुःखं विन्दति नैषधः। तस्य भूतस्य तद्दुःखाद्दुःखमभ्यधिकं भवेत् ॥०३-६०-१५॥
By whose curse Naiṣadha (Nala) suffers pain, that being would suffer greater pain than that pain. (03-60-15)
अपापचेतसं पापो य एवं कृतवान्नलम्। तस्माद्दुःखतरं प्राप्य जीवत्वसुखजीविकाम् ॥०३-६०-१६॥
A wicked man, having acted thus toward one whose mind was free from evil, did a deed that was unfitting; therefore, he should experience a greater suffering and live on, maintaining his life with meager comfort. (03-60-16)
एवं तु विलपन्ती सा राज्ञो भार्या महात्मनः। अन्वेषति स्म भर्तारं वने श्वापदसेविते ॥०३-६०-१७॥
Thus, as she lamented, the wife of the great-souled king searched for her husband in the forest haunted by wild beasts. (03-60-17)
उन्मत्तवद्भीमसुता विलपन्ती ततस्ततः। हा हा राजन्निति मुहुरितश्चेतश्च धावति ॥०३-६०-१८॥
The son of Bhīma, acting like one mad, lamenting, wanders here and there, repeatedly crying, "Alas! Alas! O king!" and runs about wildly. (03-60-18)
तां शुष्यमाणामत्यर्थं कुररीमिव वाशतीम्। करुणं बहु शोचन्तीं विलपन्तीं मुहुर्मुहुः ॥०३-६०-१९॥
Seeing her, wasted away in grief, crying again and again in a pitiful voice like a female curlew, lamenting and wailing constantly. (03-60-19)
सहसाभ्यागतां भैमीमभ्याशपरिवर्तिनीम्। जग्राहाजगरो ग्राहो महाकायः क्षुधान्वितः ॥०३-६०-२०॥
Suddenly, as Bhīmī was moving nearby, the huge-bodied python, afflicted with hunger, seized her.
सा ग्रस्यमाना ग्राहेण शोकेन च पराजिता। नात्मानं शोचति तथा यथा शोचति नैषधम् ॥०३-६०-२१॥
She, seized by the crocodile and overcome by grief, does not grieve for herself as much as she grieves for Naiṣadha (Nala). (03-60-21)
हा नाथ मामिह वने ग्रस्यमानामनाथवत्। ग्राहेणानेन विपिने किमर्थं नाभिधावसि ॥०३-६०-२२॥
O protector! Why do you not come to my rescue in this forest as I am being devoured by this crocodile, like one without a protector? (03-60-22)
कथं भविष्यसि पुनर्मामनुस्मृत्य नैषध। पापान्मुक्तः पुनर्लब्ध्वा बुद्धिं चेतो धनानि च ॥०३-६०-२३॥
O Naiṣadha, how will you be after you have remembered me again, and after being freed from sin and regaining intelligence, mind, and wealth? (03-60-23)
श्रान्तस्य ते क्षुधार्तस्य परिग्लानस्य नैषध। कः श्रमं राजशार्दूल नाशयिष्यति मानद ॥०३-६०-२४॥
O Naisadha, O tiger among kings, you are wearied, afflicted by hunger, exhausted—who will remove your weariness, O bestower of honor? (03-60-24)
तामकस्मान्मृगव्याधो विचरन्गहने वने। आक्रन्दतीमुपश्रुत्य जवेनाभिससार ह ॥०३-६०-२५॥
Suddenly, the hunter wandering in the dense forest, having heard her crying, quickly approached. (03-60-25)
तां स दृष्ट्वा तथा ग्रस्तामुरगेणायतेक्षणाम्। त्वरमाणो मृगव्याधः समभिक्रम्य वेगितः ॥०३-६०-२६॥
Seeing her, wide-eyed and thus seized by the serpent, the hunter quickly approached with speed. (03-60-26)
मुखतः पातयामास शस्त्रेण निशितेन ह। निर्विचेष्टं भुजङ्गं तं विशस्य मृगजीवनः ॥०३-६०-२७॥
The hunter, having pierced the motionless serpent with his sharp weapon, struck it from the mouth and caused it to fall down. (03-60-27)
मोक्षयित्वा च तां व्याधः प्रक्षाल्य सलिलेन च। समाश्वास्य कृताहारामथ पप्रच्छ भारत ॥०३-६०-२८॥
Having released her, and the hunter, after washing with water and consoling her who had finished her meal, then asked her, O Bhārata. (03-60-28)
कस्य त्वं मृगशावाक्षि कथं चाभ्यागता वनम्। कथं चेदं महत्कृच्छ्रं प्राप्तवत्यसि भामिनि ॥०३-६०-२९॥
O fawn-eyed lady, whose are you? How have you come to the forest, and how have you encountered this great difficulty, O beautiful one? (3-60-29)
दमयन्ती तथा तेन पृच्छ्यमाना विशां पते। सर्वमेतद्यथावृत्तमाचचक्षेऽस्य भारत ॥०३-६०-३०॥
O Bhārata, Damayantī, thus being asked by him, related all this as it had happened to him, O lord of the people. (03-60-30)
तामर्धवस्त्रसंवीतां पीनश्रोणिपयोधराम्। सुकुमारानवद्याङ्गीं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम् ॥०३-६०-३१॥
Her, wrapped in a half garment, with full hips and breasts, delicate in form, flawless of limb, with a face like the full moon. (03-60-31)
अरालपक्ष्मनयनां तथा मधुरभाषिणीम्। लक्षयित्वा मृगव्याधः कामस्य वशमेयिवान् ॥०३-६०-३२॥
Having noticed the woman with curved eyelashes and sweet speech, the hunter became subject to desire. (03-60-32)
तामथ श्लक्ष्णया वाचा लुब्धको मृदुपुर्वया। सान्त्वयामास कामार्तस्तदबुध्यत भामिनी ॥०३-६०-३३॥
Then the hunter, distressed by desire, soothed her with gentle and soft words; the beautiful woman became aware of it. (03-60-33)
दमयन्ती तु तं दुष्टमुपलभ्य पतिव्रता। तीव्ररोषसमाविष्टा प्रजज्वालेव मन्युना ॥०३-६०-३४॥
But Damayanti, the chaste wife, perceiving that wicked man, was filled with intense anger and blazed up as if with wrath. (03-60-34)
स तु पापमतिः क्षुद्रः प्रधर्षयितुमातुरः। दुर्धर्षां तर्कयामास दीप्तामग्निशिखामिव ॥०३-६०-३५॥
But he, wicked-minded and vile, eager to violate, attempted to attack her—who was unassailable—just as one might try to touch a blazing flame of fire. (03-60-35)
दमयन्ती तु दुःखार्ता पतिराज्यविनाकृता। अतीतवाक्पथे काले शशापैनं रुषा किल ॥०३-६०-३६॥
But Damayanti, afflicted by sorrow and deprived of husband and kingdom, at that time, in the course of earlier words, indeed cursed him in anger. (03-60-36)
यथाहं नैषधादन्यं मनसापि न चिन्तये। तथायं पततां क्षुद्रः परासुर्मृगजीवनः ॥०३-६०-३७॥
Just as I do not even think of anyone other than Naisadha (Nala), even in my mind, so too is this mean, beast-like creature among the fallen who lives at the expense of others. (03-60-37)
उक्तमात्रे तु वचने तया स मृगजीवनः। व्यसुः पपात मेदिन्यामग्निदग्ध इव द्रुमः ॥०३-६०-३८॥
But as soon as those words were said by her, Mṛgajīvana fell lifeless to the ground like a tree scorched by fire. (03-60-38)
