03.064
bṛhadaśva uvāca॥
Bṛhadaśva said.
tasminn antarhite nāge prayayau naiṣadho nalaḥ। ṛtuparṇasya nagaraṃ prāviśad daśame'ahani ॥03-64-1॥
When the Nāga had disappeared, Nala the king of Nishadha departed and, on the tenth day, entered the city of Ṛtuparṇa. (03-64-1)
sa rājānam upātiṣṭhad bāhuko'ham iti bruvan। aśvānāṃ vāhane yuktaḥ pṛthivyāṃ nāsti matsamaḥ॥03-64-2॥
He approached the king, saying "I am Bāhuka." There is no one on earth equal to me in driving horses. (03-64-2)
arthakṛcchreṣu caiva ahaṃ praṣṭavyaḥ naipuṇeṣu ca. annasaṃskāram api ca jānāmi anyaiḥ viśeṣataḥ ॥03-64-3॥
I should be consulted in financial hardships and expert matters. I also especially know the preparation of food better than others. (03-64-3)
yāni śilpāni loke'smin yac cāpy anyat suduṣkaram। sarvaṃ yatiṣye tat kartum ṛtuparṇa bharasva mām ॥03-64-4॥
Rtuparna, I shall strive to accomplish all the arts in this world and whatever other difficult things there are; carry me.
ṛtuparṇa uvāca॥
Rituparna said.
vasa bāhuka bhadraṃ te sarvam etat kariṣyasi। śīghrayāne sadā buddhir dhīyate me viśeṣataḥ॥03-64-5॥
Reside, Bāhuka. Good fortune to you. You will accomplish all this. My mind is always especially set on swift movement. (03-64-5)
sa tvam ātiṣṭha yogaṃ taṃ yena śīghrā hayā mama। bhaveyur aśvādhyakṣo'si vetanaṃ te śataṃ śatāḥ॥03-64-6॥
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)
tvām-upasthāsyataś ca imau nityaṃ vārṣṇeya-jīvalau। etābhyāṃ raṃsyase sārdhaṃ vasa vai mayi bāhuka॥03-64-7॥
"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)
bṛhadaśva uvāca॥
Bṛhadaśva said.
evam-ukto nalas-tena nyavasat-tatra pūjitaḥ। ṛtuparṇasya nagare saha vārṣṇeya-jīvālaḥ॥03-64-8॥
Thus addressed, Nala was honored and dwelled there, in the city of Ṛtuparṇa, together with Vārṣṇeya and Jīvāla. (03-64-8)
sa tatra nivasanrājā vaidarbhīmanucintayan। sāyaṃ sāyaṃ sadā cemaṃ ślokamekaṃ jagāda ha ॥03-64-9॥
There, residing, the king, constantly thinking of Vaidarbhi, would recite this one verse every evening. (03-64-9)
kva nu sā kṣutpipāsārtā śrāntā śete tapasvinī। smarantī tasya mandasya kaṁ vā sā adya upatiṣṭhati॥03-64-10॥
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)
evaṁ bruvantaṁ rājānaṁ niśāyāṁ jīvalo'bravīt। kāmenāṁ śocase nityaṁ śrotum icchāmi bāhuka ॥03-64-11॥
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)
tam uvāca nalo rājā mandaprajñasya kasyacit। āsīd bahumatā nārī tasyā dṛḍhataraṃ ca saḥ॥03-64-12॥
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)
sa vai kenacid arthenā tayā mando vyayujyata. viprayuktaś ca mandātmā bhramaty asukhapīḍitaḥ ॥03-64-13॥
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)
dahyamānaḥ sa śokena divārātram atandritaḥ। niśākāle smaran tasyāḥ ślokam ekaṃ sma gāyati॥03-64-14॥
He, burning with grief and untiring day and night, at night remembers her and keeps singing one verse. (03-64-14)
sa vai bhraman mahīṃ sarvāṃ kvacid āsādya kiñcana। vasaty anarhas tad duḥkhaṃ bhūya evānusaṃsmaran ॥03-64-15॥
He, wandering the whole earth and occasionally finding something, lives undeservingly, constantly recalling that pain again and again. (03-64-15)
sā tu taṃ puruṣaṃ nārī kṛcchre'pyanugatā vane। tyaktā tenālpapuṇyena duṣkaraṃ yadi jīvati॥03-64-16॥
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)
ekā bālānabhi-jñā ca mārgāṇā-matathocitā। kṣut-pipāsā-parītā ca duṣkaraṃ yadi jīvati॥03-64-17॥
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)
śvāpadācarite nityaṃ vane mahati dāruṇe। tyaktā tenālpapuṇyena mandaprajñena māriṣa ॥03-64-18॥
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)
ityevaṃ naiṣadho rājā damayantīṁ anusmaran। ajñātavāsam avasad rājñas tasya niveśane ॥03-64-19॥
Thus, the king of Niṣadha, remembering Damayantī, lived incognito in the residence of that king. (03-64-19)
