03.070
bṛhadaśva uvāca॥
Bṛhadaśva said.
sa nadīḥ parvatāṁś caiva vanāni ca sarāṁsi ca। acireṇāticakrāma khecaraḥ khe carann iva ॥03-70-1॥
He quickly passed over rivers, mountains, forests, and lakes, just like a sky-goer moving through the sky. (03-70-1)
tathā prayāte tu rathe tadā bhāṅgasvarir nṛpaḥ। uttarīyam athāpaśyad bhraṣṭaṃ parapurañjayaḥ॥03-70-2॥
Thus, after the chariot had departed, King Bhāṅgasvari then saw the upper garment had fallen, O conqueror of cities. (03-70-2)
tataḥ sa tvaramāṇas tu paṭe nipatite tadā। grahīṣyāmīti taṃ rājā nalam āha mahāmanāḥ॥03-70-3॥
Then, as the cloth had fallen, he who was hastening, the great-minded king said to Nala, "I will seize him." (03-70-3)
nigṛhṇīṣva mahābuddhe hayān etān mahājavān। vārṣṇeyo yāvad etaṃ me paṭam ānayatām iti ॥03-70-4॥
O great-wise one, restrain these swift horses until the descendant of Vṛṣṇi brings me this standard (or cloth), thus. (03-70-4)
nalas taṁ pratyuvācātha dūre bhraṣṭaḥ paṭas tava। yojanaṁ samatikrānto na sa śakyas tvayā punaḥ॥03-70-5॥
Then Nala replied to him, "Your cloth has fallen far away—having crossed a yojana in distance; it is no longer possible for you to recover it." (03-70-5)
evamukte nalenātha tadā bhāṅgasvarirnṛpaḥ। āsasāda vane rājanphalavantaṃ bibhītakam॥03-70-6॥
When Nala had thus spoken, then the king, his voice broken, approached, O king, a fruit-bearing bibhītaka tree in the forest. (03-70-6)
taṃ dṛṣṭvā bāhukaṃ rājā tvaramāṇo'bhyabhāṣata। mamāpi sūta paśya tvaṃ saṃkhyāne paramaṃ balam ॥03-70-7॥
Seeing Bāhuka, the king hurriedly said: "O charioteer, you also behold my supreme strength in the contest." (03-70-7)
sarvaḥ sarvaṁ na jānāti sarvajño nāsti kaścana। naikatrapariniṣṭhāsti jñānasya puruṣe kvacit ॥03-70-8॥
No one knows everything; there is no one who is omniscient. Nowhere is perfect knowledge established in any one man. (03-70-8)
vṛkṣe'sminyāni parṇāni phalānyapi ca bāhuka। patitāni ca yānyatra tatraikamadhikaṃ śatam ॥ ekapatrādhikaṃ patraṃ phalamekaṃ ca bāhuka ॥03-70-9॥
O Bāhuka, on this tree, the number of leaves and fruits, whether fallen or present elsewhere, is one more than a hundred. O Bāhuka, (there is) one leaf in excess (and) one fruit.
pañca koṭyo 'tha patrāṇāṃ dvayor api ca śākhayoḥ। pracinuhy asya śākhe dve yāś cāpy anyāḥ praśākhikāḥ॥ ābhyāṃ phalasahasre dve pañconaṃ śatam eva ca॥03-70-10॥
There are then five crores of leaves on both of its branches; count two branches here and also the other sub-branches. From these two, (each yields) two thousand fruits, but just five short of a hundred as well. (03-70-10)
tato rathād avaplutya rājānaṃ bāhuko'bravīt। parokṣam iva me rājan katthase śatrukarśana ॥03-70-11॥
Then, having leapt from the chariot, Bāhuka spoke to the king: “O king, destroyer of enemies, do you boast as if you were speaking in secret to me?” (03-70-11)
atha te gaṇite rājan vidyate na parokṣatā। pratyakṣaṃ te mahārāja gaṇayiṣye bibhītakam ॥03-70-12॥
Now, O king, in the calculation for you, there is no obscurity. Directly, O great king, I shall count the Bibhitaka fruits for you. (03-70-12)
ahaṃ hi nābhijānāmi bhaved evaṃ na veti ca। saṅkhyāsyāmi phalāny asya paśyataḥ te janādhipa ॥ muhūrtam iva vārṣṇeyo raśmīn yacchatu vājinām ॥03-70-13॥
I truly do not know whether it may be thus or not. I will count the fruits of this as you watch, O lord of men. For a moment, let the son of Vṛṣṇi hold the reins of the horses. (3-70-13)
tam abravīn nṛpaḥ sūtaṃ na ayaṃ kālaḥ vilambitum. bāhukas tv abravīd enaṃ paraṃ yatnaṃ samāsthitāḥ ॥03-70-14॥
The king spoke to the charioteer, "This is not the time to delay." But Bāhuka said to him, "The utmost effort has been undertaken." (03-70-14)
pratīkṣasva muhūrtaṃ tvam atha vā tvarate bhavān। eṣa yāti śivaḥ panthā yāhi vārṣṇeya-sārathiḥ॥03-70-15॥
Wait for a moment, or if you are in a hurry, go ahead. This is the auspicious path—go, O charioteer of the descendant of Vṛṣṇi (Krishna). (03-70-15)
abravīd ṛtuparṇas taṃ sāntvayan kurunandana। tvam eva yantā nānyo 'sti pṛthivyām api bāhuka ॥03-70-16॥
Ṛtuparṇa, consoling him, said, "O joy of the Kurus, O Bāhuka, you alone are the charioteer; there is no one else like you on earth." (03-70-16)
tvat-kṛte yātum icchāmi vidarbhān hayakovida। śaraṇaṃ tvāṃ prapanno'smi na vighnaṃ kartum arhasi ॥03-70-17॥
O horse-expert, I wish to go to the Vidarbhas for your sake. I have taken refuge in you; you should not cause any obstacle. (03-70-17)
kāmaṁ ca te kariṣyāmi yan māṁ vakṣyasi bāhuka। vidarbhān yadi yātvā adya sūryaṁ darśayitāsi me ॥03-70-18॥
I will happily do whatever you ask of me, O Bāhuka, if today, after reaching Vidarbha, you show me the sun. (03-70-18)
athābravīdbāhukastaṃ saṅkhyāyemaṃ bibhītakam। tato vidarbhānyāsyāmi kuruṣvedaṃ vaco mama ॥03-70-19॥
Then Bāhuka said to him, "After counting this Bibhītaka fruit, I will go to the Vidarbha country; therefore, follow my words." (03-70-19)
akāma iva taṁ rājā gaṇayasveti uvāca ha। so'vatīrya rathāt tūrṇaṁ śātayāmāsa taṁ drumam ॥03-70-20॥
The king said to him, "Consider him as if without desire." Then he, having quickly descended from the chariot, broke that tree. (03-70-20)
tataḥ sa vismayāviṣṭo rājānam idam abravīt। gaṇayitvā yathoktāni tāvanty eva phalāni ca ॥03-70-21॥
Then, filled with wonder, he said to the king: "Having counted, there are just as many fruits as were mentioned." (03-70-21)
atyadbhutam idaṃ rājan dṛṣṭavān asmi te balam। śrotum icchāmi tāṃ vidyāṃ yathaitat jñāyate nṛpa ॥03-70-22॥
O king, I have witnessed this very wonderful strength of yours. I wish to hear about that knowledge by which this is understood, O king. (03-70-22)
tam uvāca tato rājā tvarito gamane tadā। viddhy akṣa-hṛdaya-jñaṃ māṃ saṅkhyāne ca viśāradam॥03-70-23॥
Then the king, being quick to go, spoke to him: "Know me to be one acquainted with the secrets of dice and skilled in calculation." (03-70-23)
bāhukastamuvācātha dehi vidyāmimāṃ mama। matto'pi cāśvahṛdayaṃ gṛhāṇa puruṣarṣabha ॥03-70-24॥
Bāhuka then said to him, "Grant me this knowledge of mine. Also, from me accept the Aśvahṛdaya, O best of men." (03-70-24)
ṛtuparṇas tato rājā bāhukaṃ kāryagauravāt | hayajñānasya lobhāc ca tathety evābravīd vacaḥ ॥03-70-25॥
Then King Rtuparna, compelled by the importance of the task and also out of desire for knowledge of horses, said only the words 'So be it.' (03-70-25)
yatheṣṭaṁ tvaṁ gṛhāṇedam akṣāṇāṁ hṛdayaṁ param। nikṣepo me'śvahṛdayaṁ tvayi tiṣṭhatu bāhuka ॥ evam uktvā dadau vidyām ṛtuparṇo nalāya vai ॥03-70-26॥
Take, as you wish, this supreme heart of dice. Let my deposit, the horse's heart, remain within you, O Bāhuka. Having said this, Ṛtuparṇa gave the knowledge to Nala. (03-70-26)
tasyākṣa-hṛdaya-jñasya śarīrān niḥsṛtaḥ kaliḥ। karkoṭaka-viṣaṃ tīkṣṇaṃ mukhāt satatam udvamān ॥03-70-27॥
From the body of the one who understands the heart of dice, Kali emerged; and he continuously spewed sharp poison of Karkotaka from his mouth. (03-70-27)
kalestasya tadārtasya śāpāgniḥ sa viniḥsṛtaḥ। sa tena karṣito rājā dīrghakālam anātmavān ॥03-70-28॥
Then, from that afflicted one, the curse-fire of Kali went forth. By that, the king became emaciated and dispirited for a long time. (03-70-28)
tato viṣa-vimukta-ātmā svarūpam akarot kaliḥ। taṃ śaptum aicchat kupito niṣadhādhipatir nalaḥ॥03-70-29॥
Then, after being freed from the poison, Kali took on his own form. Nala, the enraged lord of Niṣadha, desired to curse him. (03-70-29)
tam uvāca kalir bhīto vepamānaḥ kṛtāñjaliḥ। kopaṃ saṃyaccha nṛpate kīrtiṃ dāsyāmi te parām॥03-70-30॥
Kali, trembling with fear and with folded hands, said to him: "O king, restrain your anger, I will grant you supreme glory." (03-70-30)
indrasenasya jananī kupitā māśapatpurā। yadā tvayā parityaktā tato'haṃ bhṛśapīḍitaḥ ॥03-70-31॥
Indrasena's mother became angry, O ruler of Māśapatpura; when she was abandoned by you, I was greatly afflicted. (03-70-31)
avasaṃ tvayi rājeṃdra suduḥkhamaparājita। viṣeṇa nāgarājasya dahyamāno divāniśam ॥03-70-32॥
O unconquered one, O king, being helpless in you and greatly distressed, I am being burned by the poison of the king of serpents day and night. (03-70-32)
ye ca tvāṃ manujā loke kīrtayiṣyantyatandritāḥ। matprasūtaṃ bhayaṃ teṣāṃ na kadācidbhaviṣyati॥03-70-33॥
Whoever, among humans in the world, will praise you unceasingly, for them there will never be any fear produced by me. (03-70-33)
evam-ukto nalo rājā nyayacchat kopam-ātmanaḥ। tato bhītaḥ kaliḥ kṣipraṃ praviveśa bibhītakam॥ kalis-tvan-yena nādṛśyat kathayan naiṣadhena vai॥03-70-34॥
Thus addressed, King Nala restrained his own anger. Then, terrified, Kali quickly entered the Bibhītaka tree. But Kali was not seen by anyone else as he was speaking with Nala. (03-70-34)
tato gatajvaro rājā naiṣadhaḥ paravīrahā। sampranaṣṭe kalau rājansaṅkhyāyātha phalānyuta॥03-70-35॥
Then, King Nala, the Naishadha, destroyer of enemy heroes, after recovering from his fever, when everything was lost in the dice-game, O king, then counted the results. (03-70-35)
mudā paramayā yuktas tejasā ca pareṇa ha। ratham āruhya tejasvī prayayau javanair hayaiḥ ॥ bibhītakaś cāpraśastaḥ saṃvṛttaḥ kali-saṃśrayāt ॥03-70-36॥
Filled with great joy and exceeding brilliance, he mounted his chariot and departed swiftly with his vigorous horses. The bibhītaka tree, too, has become disreputable due to the influence of the Kali age. (03-70-36)
hayottamānutpatato dvijāniva punaḥ punaḥ। nalaḥ sañcodayāmāsa prahṛṣṭenāntarātmanā ॥03-70-37॥
Nala, with a delighted heart, urged the excellent horses forward again and again, as they leapt like birds. (3-70-37)
vidarbhābhimukho rājā prayayau sa mahāmanāḥ। nale tu samatikrānte kalirapyagamadgṛhān॥03-70-38॥
The king, directing himself toward Vidarbha, that great-minded one departed. But when Nala had departed, Kali also went to the house. (03-70-38)
tato gatajvaro rā́jā nalo'bhūt pṛthivīpate. vimuktaḥ kalinā rājan rūpamātra-viyojitaḥ ॥03-70-39॥
Then king Nala, with the fever gone, O lord of the earth, became freed from Kali, O king, remaining deprived only of his original form. (03-70-39)
