03.071
बृहदश्व उवाच॥
Bṛhadaśva said.
ततो विदर्भान्सम्प्राप्तं सायाह्ने सत्यविक्रमम्। ऋतुपर्णं जना राज्ञे भीमाय प्रत्यवेदयन् ॥०३-७१-१॥
Then, when Satyavikrama Rtuparna arrived at Vidarbha in the evening, the people informed King Bhima. (03-71-1)
स भीमवचनाद्राजा कुण्डिनं प्राविशत्पुरम्। नादयन्रथघोषेण सर्वाः सोपदिशो दश ॥०३-७१-२॥
He, following Bhīma's words, the king entered the city of Kuṇḍina, making the sound of his chariot echo in all ten directions. (03-71-2)
ततस्तं रथनिर्घोषं नलाश्वास्तत्र शुश्रुवुः। श्रुत्वा च समहृष्यन्त पुरेव नलसंनिधौ ॥०३-७१-३॥
Then Nala's horses there heard that chariot-sound, and, having heard it, they were thrilled, just as formerly in Nala's presence. (03-71-3)
दमयन्ती च शुश्राव रथघोषं नलस्य तम्। यथा मेघस्य नदतो गम्भीरं जलदागमे ॥०३-७१-४॥
Damayantī heard the sound of Nala's chariot, which was deep like the roaring of a cloud at the onset of the rainy season. (03-71-4)
नलेन सङ्गृहीतेषु पुरेव नलवाजिषु। सदृशं रथनिर्घोषं मेने भैमी तथा हयाः ॥०३-७१-५॥
Damayanti, the daughter of Bhīma, thought that the sound of the chariot produced by Nala's horses, when reined in by Nala, was just like what she had heard before. (03-71-5)
प्रासादस्थाश्च शिखिनः शालास्थाश्चैव वारणाः। हयाश्च शुश्रुवुस्तत्र रथघोषं महीपतेः ॥०३-७१-६॥
Those who were in the palace, the peacocks, the elephants in the stables, and the horses there heard the sound of the king’s chariots. (03-71-6)
ते श्रुत्वा रथनिर्घोषं वारणाः शिखिनस्तथा। प्रणेदुरुन्मुखा राजन्मेघोदयमिवेक्ष्य ह ॥०३-७१-७॥
O king, having heard the roar of the chariot, the elephants and also the peacocks, looking up, cried out as if they had seen the advent of rain clouds. (03-71-7)
दमयन्त्युवाच॥
Damayanti said.
यथासौ रथनिर्घोषः पूरयन्निव मेदिनीम्। मम ह्लादयते चेतो नल एष महीपतिः ॥०३-७१-८॥
Just as the thunderous sound of this chariot, as if filling the earth, delights my mind, so does this king Nala. (03-71-8)
अद्य चन्द्राभवक्त्रं तं न पश्यामि नलं यदि। असङ्ख्येयगुणं वीरं विनशिष्याम्यसंशयम् ॥०३-७१-९॥
Today, if I do not see Nala, whose face is like the moon and who is a hero of countless virtues, I will surely perish. (03-71-9)
यदि वै तस्य वीरस्य बाह्वोर्नाद्याहमन्तरम्। प्रविशामि सुखस्पर्शं विनशिष्याम्यसंशयम् ॥०३-७१-१०॥
If today I do not enter the space between the arms of that hero and feel his pleasant touch, I will certainly perish without doubt. (03-71-10)
यदि मां मेघनिर्घोषो नोपगच्छति नैषधः। अद्य चामीकरप्रख्यो विनशिष्याम्यसंशयम् ॥०३-७१-११॥
If Nala, whose sound is like thunder, does not come to me today, I, who shine like gold, will surely perish without doubt. (03-71-11)
यदि मां सिंहविक्रान्तो मत्तवारणवारणः। नाभिगच्छति राजेन्द्रो विनशिष्याम्यसंशयम् ॥०३-७१-१२॥
O king, if that lion-striding, intoxicated elephant-subduer does not come to me, I shall certainly perish without doubt. (03-71-12)
न स्मराम्यनृतं किञ्चिन्न स्मराम्यनुपाकृतम्। न च पर्युषितं वाक्यं स्वैरेष्वपि महात्मनः ॥०३-७१-१३॥
I do not remember ever uttering a single falsehood, nor do I recall saying anything unkind; nor do I remember speaking words that were stale, even among the most independent and great souls. (03-71-13)
प्रभुः क्षमावान्वीरश्च मृदुर्दान्तो जितेन्द्रियः। रहोऽनीचानुवर्ती च क्लीबवन्मम नैषधः ॥०३-७१-१४॥
My Naiṣadha (Nala), though a lord, patient, heroic, gentle, subdued, and self-controlled, is humble, obedient, and in private seems almost unmanly.
गुणांस्तस्य स्मरन्त्या मे तत्पराया दिवानिशम्। हृदयं दीर्यत इदं शोकात्प्रियविनाकृतम् ॥०३-७१-१५॥
As I, completely absorbed, remember his qualities day and night, my heart is torn with sorrow because of being deprived of my beloved. (03-71-15)
बृहदश्व उवाच॥
Bṛhadaśva said;
एवं विलपमाना सा नष्टसञ्ज्ञेव भारत। आरुरोह महद्वेश्म पुण्यश्लोकदिदृक्षया ॥०३-७१-१६॥
Thus, lamenting as if she had lost her senses, she, O Bhārata, ascended the great mansion in order to see the illustrious one. (03-71-16)
ततो मध्यमकक्षायां ददर्श रथमास्थितम्। ऋतुपर्णं महीपालं सहवार्ष्णेयबाहुकम् ॥०३-७१-१७॥
Then, in the middle chamber, he saw the chariot with king Ṛtuparṇa, accompanied by Vārṣṇeya and Bāhuka. (03-71-17)
ततोऽवतीर्य वार्ष्णेयो बाहुकश्च रथोत्तमात्। हयांस्तानवमुच्याथ स्थापयामासतू रथम् ॥०३-७१-१८॥
Then, having alighted from the excellent chariot, Vārṣṇeya Bāhuka untied those horses and then stationed the chariot. (03-71-18)
सोऽवतीर्य रथोपस्थादृतुपर्णो नराधिपः। उपतस्थे महाराज भीमं भीमपराक्रमम् ॥०३-७१-१९॥
Having descended from the chariot seat, King R̥tuparṇa approached Bhīma, the mighty warrior, O great king. (03-71-19)
तं भीमः प्रतिजग्राह पूजया परया ततः। अकस्मात्सहसा प्राप्तं स्त्रीमन्त्रं न स्म विन्दति ॥०३-७१-२०॥
Bhima received him with supreme honor; thereafter, the woman, having suddenly and instantly arrived, indeed does not find the mantra. (03-71-20)
किं कार्यं स्वागतं तेऽस्तु राज्ञा पृष्टश्च भारत। नाभिजज्ञे स नृपतिर्दुहित्रर्थे समागतम् ॥०३-७१-२१॥
"What is your purpose? Welcome to you!" Thus the king asked, O Bhārata, but the king did not recognize him, who had come for the sake of his daughter. (03-71-21)
ऋतुपर्णोऽपि राजा स धीमान्सत्यपराक्रमः। राजानं राजपुत्रं वा न स्म पश्यति कञ्चन ॥ नैव स्वयंवरकथां न च विप्रसमागमम् ॥०३-७१-२२॥
King Rituparṇa, who was wise and truly courageous, did not see any king or prince at all. He heard neither the story of the Svayamvara nor of any meeting with the brāhmaṇas. (03-71-22)
ततो विगणयन्राजा मनसा कोसलाधिपः। आगतोऽस्मीत्युवाचैनं भवन्तमभिवादकः ॥०३-७१-२३॥
Then, considering with his mind, the king, lord of Kosala, greeted your honor and said to him, "I have arrived." (03-71-23)
राजापि च स्मयन्भीमो मनसाभिविचिन्तयत्। अधिकं योजनशतं तस्यागमनकारणम् ॥०३-७१-२४॥
The king Bhima, also smiling, pondered in his mind the reason for that person's coming from more than a hundred yojanas away. (03-71-24)
ग्रामान्बहूनतिक्रम्य नाध्यगच्छद्यथातथम्। अल्पकार्यं विनिर्दिष्टं तस्यागमनकारणम् ॥०३-७१-२५॥
He passed by many villages without entering them, as was the case. A small task had been specified as his reason for coming. (03-71-25)
नैतदेवं स नृपतिस्तं सत्कृत्य व्यसर्जयत्। विश्राम्यतामिति वदन्क्लान्तोऽसीति पुनः पुनः ॥०३-७१-२६॥
Not so; the king, having honored him, dismissed him. Saying again and again, "Let him rest," (and) "You are weary." (03-71-26)
स सत्कृतः प्रहृष्टात्मा प्रीतः प्रीतेन पार्थिवः। राजप्रेष्यैरनुगतो दिष्टं वेश्म समाविशत् ॥०३-७१-२७॥
He, having been honored, joyful in spirit and delighted, the king accompanied by the royal messengers, entered the assigned palace. (03-71-27)
ऋतुपर्णे गते राजन्वार्ष्णेयसहिते नृपे। बाहुको रथमास्थाय रथशालामुपागमत् ॥०३-७१-२८॥
When King Ṛtuparṇa, accompanied by Vārṣṇeya, had set out, Bāhuka mounted the chariot and proceeded to the chariot-hall. (03-71-28)
स मोचयित्वा तानश्वान्परिचार्य च शास्त्रतः। स्वयं चैतान्समाश्वास्य रथोपस्थ उपाविशत् ॥०३-७१-२९॥
He released those horses, tended to them as prescribed by the treatises, and after comforting them himself, sat down upon the seat of the chariot. (03-71-29)
दमयन्ती तु शोकार्ता दृष्ट्वा भाङ्गस्वरिं नृपम्। सूतपुत्रं च वार्ष्णेयं बाहुकं च तथाविधम् ॥०३-७१-३०॥
But Damayanti, afflicted by grief, seeing the king whose voice was broken, the charioteer's son, the Vṛṣṇi, and Bāhuka in such a state, (03-71-30)
चिन्तयामास वैदर्भी कस्यैष रथनिस्वनः। नलस्येव महानासीन्न च पश्यामि नैषधम् ॥०३-७१-३१॥
The princess of Vidarbha thought, 'Whose chariot noise is this? It was great like that of Nala, but I do not see Nala (the Nishadha king).' (03-71-31)
वार्ष्णेयेन भवेन्नूनं विद्या सैवोपशिक्षिता। तेनास्य रथनिर्घोषो नलस्येव महानभूत् ॥०३-७१-३२॥
Surely, it is Vārṣṇeya who has been trained in that art; therefore, the sound of his chariot has become as great as Nala's. (03-71-32)
आहो स्विदृतुपर्णोऽपि यथा राजा नलस्तथा। ततोऽयं रथनिर्घोषो नैषधस्येव लक्ष्यते ॥०३-७१-३३॥
Indeed, perhaps this is Ṛtuparṇa, also just as king Nala; therefore, this chariot sound is perceived like that of the king of Niṣadha (Nala). (03-71-33)
एवं वितर्कयित्वा तु दमयन्ती विशां पते। दूतीं प्रस्थापयामास नैषधान्वेषणे नृप ॥०३-७१-३४॥
O king, thus having considered, Damayanti, O lord of the people, sent a messenger to search for the prince of Niṣadha. (03-71-34)
