03.064
बृहदश्व उवाच॥
Bṛhadaśva said.
तस्मिन्नन्तर्हिते नागे प्रययौ नैषधो नलः। ऋतुपर्णस्य नगरं प्राविशद्दशमेऽहनि ॥०३-६४-१॥
When the Nāga had disappeared, Nala the king of Nishadha departed and, on the tenth day, entered the city of Ṛtuparṇa. (03-64-1)
स राजानमुपातिष्ठद्बाहुकोऽहमिति ब्रुवन्। अश्वानां वाहने युक्तः पृथिव्यां नास्ति मत्समः ॥०३-६४-२॥
He approached the king, saying "I am Bāhuka." There is no one on earth equal to me in driving horses. (03-64-2)
अर्थकृच्छ्रेषु चैवाहं प्रष्टव्यो नैपुणेषु च। अन्नसंस्कारमपि च जानाम्यन्यैर्विशेषतः ॥०३-६४-३॥
I should be consulted in financial hardships and expert matters. I also especially know the preparation of food better than others. (03-64-3)
यानि शिल्पानि लोकेऽस्मिन्यच्चाप्यन्यत्सुदुष्करम्। सर्वं यतिष्ये तत्कर्तुमृतुपर्ण भरस्व माम् ॥०३-६४-४॥
Rtuparna, I shall strive to accomplish all the arts in this world and whatever other difficult things there are; carry me.
ऋतुपर्ण उवाच॥
Rituparna said.
वस बाहुक भद्रं ते सर्वमेतत्करिष्यसि। शीघ्रयाने सदा बुद्धिर्धीयते मे विशेषतः ॥०३-६४-५॥
Reside, Bāhuka. Good fortune to you. You will accomplish all this. My mind is always especially set on swift movement. (03-64-5)
स त्वमातिष्ठ योगं तं येन शीघ्रा हया मम। भवेयुरश्वाध्यक्षोऽसि वेतनं ते शतं शताः ॥०३-६४-६॥
So you undertake that task by which my horses may become swift; you are the superintendent of horses; your salary will be hundreds of hundreds. (03-64-6)
त्वामुपस्थास्यतश्चेमौ नित्यं वार्ष्णेयजीवलौ। एताभ्यां रंस्यसे सार्धं वस वै मयि बाहुक ॥०३-६४-७॥
"These two, Vārṣṇeya and Jīvala, will always attend upon you; together with them you will find joy. Come, live with me, O Bāhuka." (03-64-7)
बृहदश्व उवाच॥
Bṛhadaśva said.
एवमुक्तो नलस्तेन न्यवसत्तत्र पूजितः। ऋतुपर्णस्य नगरे सहवार्ष्णेयजीवलः ॥०३-६४-८॥
Thus addressed, Nala was honored and dwelled there, in the city of Ṛtuparṇa, together with Vārṣṇeya and Jīvāla. (03-64-8)
स तत्र निवसन्राजा वैदर्भीमनुचिन्तयन्। सायं सायं सदा चेमं श्लोकमेकं जगाद ह ॥०३-६४-९॥
There, residing, the king, constantly thinking of Vaidarbhi, would recite this one verse every evening. (03-64-9)
क्व नु सा क्षुत्पिपासार्ता श्रान्ता शेते तपस्विनी। स्मरन्ती तस्य मन्दस्य कं वा साद्योपतिष्ठति ॥०३-६४-१०॥
Where, indeed, does that ascetic woman, afflicted by hunger and thirst and tired, lie down now? Remembering that slow (one), whom does she attend to today? (03-64-10)
एवं ब्रुवन्तं राजानं निशायां जीवलोऽब्रवीत्। कामेनां शोचसे नित्यं श्रोतुमिच्छामि बाहुक ॥०३-६४-११॥
Thus, as the king was speaking, at night Jivala said: "I wish to hear, O Bāhuka, why you always grieve with such longing." (03-64-11)
तमुवाच नलो राजा मन्दप्रज्ञस्य कस्यचित्। आसीद्बहुमता नारी तस्या दृढतरं च सः ॥०३-६४-१२॥
King Nala spoke to him: 'There was a woman greatly esteemed by someone dull-witted, and he was even more firmly (attached) to her.' (03-64-12)
स वै केनचिदर्थेन तया मन्दो व्ययुज्यत। विप्रयुक्तश्च मन्दात्मा भ्रमत्यसुखपीडितः ॥०३-६४-१३॥
He, indeed, was separated from her for some reason; and being parted, the fool of dull mind wanders about, afflicted by sorrow. (03-64-13)
दह्यमानः स शोकेन दिवारात्रमतन्द्रितः। निशाकाले स्मरंस्तस्याः श्लोकमेकं स्म गायति ॥०३-६४-१४॥
He, burning with grief and untiring day and night, at night remembers her and keeps singing one verse. (03-64-14)
स वै भ्रमन्महीं सर्वां क्वचिदासाद्य किञ्चन। वसत्यनर्हस्तद्दुःखं भूय एवानुसंस्मरन् ॥०३-६४-१५॥
He, wandering the whole earth and occasionally finding something, lives undeservingly, constantly recalling that pain again and again. (03-64-15)
सा तु तं पुरुषं नारी कृच्छ्रेऽप्यनुगता वने। त्यक्ता तेनाल्पपुण्येन दुष्करं यदि जीवति ॥०३-६४-१६॥
But although the woman had followed that man even in hardship in the forest, abandoned by that one of little merit, if she lives, it is difficult. (03-64-16)
एका बालानभिज्ञा च मार्गाणामतथोचिता। क्षुत्पिपासापरीता च दुष्करं यदि जीवति ॥०३-६४-१७॥
If a single young girl who is ignorant and unaccustomed to the roads, and afflicted by hunger and thirst, survives, it is indeed difficult. (3-64-17)
श्वापदाचरिते नित्यं वने महति दारुणे। त्यक्ता तेनाल्पपुण्येन मन्दप्रज्ञेन मारिष ॥०३-६४-१८॥
O dear, you have been abandoned in the great and terrible forest, always inhabited by wild beasts, by that dull-witted man of little merit. (03-64-18)
इत्येवं नैषधो राजा दमयन्तीमनुस्मरन्। अज्ञातवासमवसद्राज्ञस्तस्य निवेशने ॥०३-६४-१९॥
Thus, the king of Niṣadha, remembering Damayantī, lived incognito in the residence of that king. (03-64-19)
