03.071
bṛhadaśva uvāca॥
Bṛhadaśva said.
tato vidarbhān samprāptaṃ sāyāhne satyavikramam। ṛtuparṇaṃ janā rājñe bhīmāya pratyavedayan ॥03-71-1॥
Then, when Satyavikrama Rtuparna arrived at Vidarbha in the evening, the people informed King Bhima. (03-71-1)
sa bhīmavacanādrājā kuṇḍinaṃ prāviśatpuram। nādayanrathaghoṣeṇa sarvāḥ sopadiśo daśa ॥03-71-2॥
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)
tatas taṃ rathanirghoṣaṃ nalāśvās tatra śuśruvuḥ। śrutvā ca samahṛṣyanta pureva nalasaṃnidhau॥03-71-3॥
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)
damayantī ca śuśrāva rathaghoṣaṃ nalasya tam। yathā meghasya nadato gambhīraṃ jaladāgame ॥03-71-4॥
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)
nalena saṅgṛhīteṣu pureva nalavājiṣu । sadṛśaṃ rathanirghoṣaṃ mene bhaimī tathā hayāḥ ॥03-71-5॥
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)
prāsādasthāś ca śikhinaḥ śālāsthāś caiva vāraṇāḥ। hayāś ca śuśruvus tatra rathaghoṣaṃ mahīpateḥ॥03-71-6॥
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)
te śrutvā ratha-nirghoṣaṁ vāraṇāḥ śikhinastathā। praṇedurunmukhā rājan meghodayamivekṣya ha ॥03-71-7॥
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)
damayanty uvāca ॥
Damayanti said.
yathāsau rathanirghoṣaḥ pūrayanniva medinīm। mama hlādayate ceto nala eṣa mahīpatiḥ ॥03-71-8॥
Just as the thunderous sound of this chariot, as if filling the earth, delights my mind, so does this king Nala. (03-71-8)
adya candrābhavaktraṃ taṃ na paśyāmi nalaṃ yadi। asaṅkhyeyaguṇaṃ vīraṃ vinaśiṣyāmyasaṃśayam ॥03-71-9॥
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)
yadi vai tasya vīrasya bāhvornādyāhamantaram। praviśāmi sukhasparśaṃ vinaśiṣyāmyasaṃśayam ॥03-71-10॥
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)
yadi māṃ meghanirghoṣo nopagacchati naiṣadhaḥ। adya cāmīkaraprakhyo vinaśiṣyāmyasaṃśayam ॥03-71-11॥
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)
yadi māṁ siṁhavikrānto mattavāraṇavāraṇaḥ। nābhigacchati rājendro vinaśiṣyāmyasaṁśayam॥03-71-12॥
O king, if that lion-striding, intoxicated elephant-subduer does not come to me, I shall certainly perish without doubt. (03-71-12)
na smarāmy anṛtaṃ kiñcin na smarāmy anupākṛtam। na ca paryuṣitaṃ vākyaṃ svaireṣv api mahātmanaḥ ॥03-71-13॥
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)
prabhuḥ kṣamāvān vīraś ca mṛdur dānto jitendriyaḥ। raho'nīcānuvartī ca klībavan mama naiṣadhaḥ ॥03-71-14॥
My Naiṣadha (Nala), though a lord, patient, heroic, gentle, subdued, and self-controlled, is humble, obedient, and in private seems almost unmanly.
guṇāṃs tasya smarantyā me tat-parāyā divā-niśam। hṛdayaṃ dīryata idaṃ śokāt priya-vinā-kṛtam॥03-71-15॥
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)
bṛhadaśva uvāca॥
Bṛhadaśva said;
evaṃ vilapamānā sā naṣṭasañjñe'va bhārata। āruroha mahadveśma puṇyaślokadidṛkṣayā ॥03-71-16॥
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)
tato madhyamakakṣāyāṃ dadarśa rathamāsthitam। ṛtuparṇaṃ mahīpālaṃ sahavārṣṇeyabāhukam॥03-71-17॥
Then, in the middle chamber, he saw the chariot with king Ṛtuparṇa, accompanied by Vārṣṇeya and Bāhuka. (03-71-17)
tato'vatīrya vārṣṇeyo bāhukaś ca rathottamāt। hayāṃs tān avamucyātha sthāpayām āsa tu ratham॥03-71-18॥
Then, having alighted from the excellent chariot, Vārṣṇeya Bāhuka untied those horses and then stationed the chariot. (03-71-18)
so'vatīrya rathopasthād r̥tuparṇo narādhipaḥ। upatasthe mahārāja bhīmaṃ bhīmaparākramam ॥03-71-19॥
Having descended from the chariot seat, King R̥tuparṇa approached Bhīma, the mighty warrior, O great king. (03-71-19)
taṃ bhīmaḥ pratijagrāha pūjayā parayā tataḥ। akasmātsa hasā prāptaṃ strīmantraṃ na sma vindati ॥03-71-20॥
Bhima received him with supreme honor; thereafter, the woman, having suddenly and instantly arrived, indeed does not find the mantra. (03-71-20)
kiṃ kāryaṃ svāgataṃ te 'stu rājñā pṛṣṭaś ca bhārata. nābhijajñe sa nṛpatir duhitṛ arthe samāgatam ॥03-71-21॥
"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)
ṛtuparṇo'pi rājā sa dhīmān satyaparākramaḥ। rājānaṃ rājaputraṃ vā na sma paśyati kañcana॥ naiva svayaṃvarakathāṃ na ca viprasamāgamam॥03-71-22॥
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)
tato vigaṇayan rājā manasā kosalādhipaḥ। āgato'smītyuvācainaṃ bhavantam abhivādakaḥ॥03-71-23॥
Then, considering with his mind, the king, lord of Kosala, greeted your honor and said to him, "I have arrived." (03-71-23)
rājāpi ca smayan bhīmo manasābhivicintayat। adhikaṃ yojanaśataṃ tasyāgamanakāraṇam ॥03-71-24॥
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)
grāmān bahūn atikramya nādhyagacchad yathā tatham। alpa-kāryaṃ vinirdiṣṭaṃ tasya āgamana-kāraṇam॥03-71-25॥
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)
naitadevaṁ sa nṛpatistaṁ satkṛtya vyasarjayat। viśrāmyatāmiti vadanklānto'sīti punaḥ punaḥ ॥03-71-26॥
Not so; the king, having honored him, dismissed him. Saying again and again, "Let him rest," (and) "You are weary." (03-71-26)
sa satkṛtaḥ prahṛṣṭātmā prītaḥ prītena pārthivaḥ। rājapreṣyairanugato diṣṭaṃ veśma samāviśat॥03-71-27॥
He, having been honored, joyful in spirit and delighted, the king accompanied by the royal messengers, entered the assigned palace. (03-71-27)
ṛtuparṇe gate rājan vārṣṇeyasahite nṛpe। bāhuko ratham āsthāya rathaśālām upāgamat ॥03-71-28॥
When King Ṛtuparṇa, accompanied by Vārṣṇeya, had set out, Bāhuka mounted the chariot and proceeded to the chariot-hall. (03-71-28)
sa mocayitvā tānaśvān paricārya ca śāstrataḥ। svayaṃ caitān samāśvāsya rathopastha upāviśat॥03-71-29॥
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)
damayantī tu śokārtā dṛṣṭvā bhāṅgasvariṃ nṛpam. sūtaputraṃ ca vārṣṇeyaṃ bāhukaṃ ca tathāvidham ॥03-71-30॥
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)
cintayāmāsa vaidarbhī kasyaiṣa ratha-nisvanaḥ। nalasyaiva mahān āsīn na ca paśyāmi naiṣadham॥03-71-31॥
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)
vārṣṇeyena bhaven nūnaṁ vidyā saiva upaśikṣitā। tenāsya rathanirghoṣo nalasyaiva mahān abhūt ॥03-71-32॥
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)
āho svid ṛtuparṇo'pi yathā rājā nalas tathā। tato'yaṃ rathanirghoṣo naiṣadhasyaiva lakṣyate ॥03-71-33॥
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)
evaṁ vitarkayitvā tu damayantī viśāṁ pate। dūtīṁ prasthāpayāmāsa naiṣadhānveṣaṇe nṛpa ॥03-71-34॥
O king, thus having considered, Damayanti, O lord of the people, sent a messenger to search for the prince of Niṣadha. (03-71-34)
