03.072
damayantyuvāca॥
Damayanti said.
gaccha keśini jānīhi ka eṣa rathavāhakaḥ। upaviṣṭo rathopasthe vikṛto hrasvabāhukaḥ॥03-72-1॥
O Keśinī, go and find out who this charioteer is, who is seated in the chariot, deformed and with short arms. (03-72-1)
abhyetya kuśalaṃ bhadre mṛdupūrvaṃ samāhitā। pṛcchethāḥ puruṣaṃ hyenaṃ yathātattvamanindite॥03-72-2॥
O gentle and blameless lady, having attentively approached, gently ask this person about his well-being, just as it truly is. (03-72-2)
atra me mahatī śaṅkā bhaved eṣa nalo nṛpaḥ। tathā ca me manas-tuṣṭir hṛdayasya ca nirvṛtiḥ॥03-72-3॥
Here, a great doubt arises for me—whether this is Nala the king. Yet, this also brings contentment to my mind and joy to my heart. (03-72-3)
brūyāś cainaṃ kathānte tvaṃ parṇād avacanaṃ yathā। prativākyaṃ ca suśroṇi budhyethās tvam anindite ॥03-72-4॥
At the end of the conversation, you should say to him the message from Parṇa, and you, O beautiful-hipped and blameless one, should also understand his reply. (03-72-4)
bṛhadaśva uvāca॥
Bṛhadaśva said.
evaṃ samāhitā gatvā dūtī bāhukaṃ abravīt। damayanty api kalyāṇī prāsādasthān vavaikṣata ॥03-72-5॥
Thus, the composed female messenger went and spoke to Bāhuka; Damayantī, the auspicious one, also looked about the parts of the palace. (03-72-5)
keśiny uvāca॥
Keśini said.
svāgataṃ te manuṣyendra kuśalaṃ te bravīmy aham। damayantyā vacaḥ sādhu nibodha puruṣarṣabha॥03-72-6॥
Welcome to you, O king of men; I wish you well. Please listen carefully to the words of Damayantī, O noblest of men. (03-72-6)
kadā vai prasthitā yūyam kimartham iha ca āgatāḥ। tattvaṃ brūhi yathā-nyāyaṃ vaidarbhī śrotum icchati॥03-72-7॥
When did you set out, and for what purpose have you come here? Tell the truth properly, for Vaidarbhī wishes to hear it. (03-72-7)
bāhuka uvāca॥
Bāhuka said.
śrutaḥ svayaṃvaro rājñā kausalyena yaśasvinā। dvitīyo damayantyā vai śvo bhūta iti bhāmini॥03-72-8॥
The illustrious king Kausalya heard of the self-choice ceremony; Damayanti's second will indeed happen tomorrow, O beautiful one. (03-72-8)
śrutvā taṃ prasthito rājā śatayojanayāyibhiḥ। hayair vātajavair mukhyair aham asya ca sārathiḥ॥03-72-9॥
Having heard him, the king set out with horses famed for covering a hundred yojanas a day, foremost in speed as the wind, and I was his charioteer. (03-72-9)
keśinyuvāca॥
Keśinī said.
atha yo'sau tṛtīyo vaḥ sa kutaḥ kasya vā punaḥ। tvaṃ ca kasya kathaṃ cedaṃ tvayi karma samāhitam ॥03-72-10॥
Now, who is that third among you—where is he from, whose is he, or again? And you—whose are you, how has this action come to be centered in you? (03-72-10)
bāhuka uvāca॥
Bahuka said;
puṇyaślokasya vai sūto vārṣṇeya iti viśrutaḥ। sa nale vidrute bhadre bhāṅgasvarim upasthitaḥ॥03-72-11॥
Indeed, the charioteer of Puṇyaśloka, Vārṣṇeya by name and well-known as such, O blessed lady, approached Bhāṅgasvarī when Nala was disturbed. (03-72-11)
aham apy aśvakuzalaḥ sūdatve ca suniṣṭhitaḥ। ṛtuparṇena sārathye bhojane ca vṛtaḥ svayam॥03-72-12॥
I too am skilled with horses and well-trained in cooking; I have been personally employed by Ṛtuparṇa for charioteering and preparing food. (03-72-12)
keśiny uvāca॥
Keshini said.
atha jānāti Vārṣṇeyaḥ kva nu rājā Nalo gataḥ। kathaṃcit tvayi vai tena kathitaṃ syāt tu Bāhuka॥03-72-13॥
Then Vārṣṇeya may find out where King Nala has gone. Somehow, perhaps, this may be revealed to you by Bāhuka. (03-72-13)
bāhuka uvāca॥
Bāhuka said.
ihaiva putrau nikṣipya nalasyāśubhakarmaṇaḥ। gatastato yathākāmaṃ naiṣa jānāti naiṣadham ॥03-72-14॥
Leaving the two sons of Nala, who had committed evil deeds, here itself, he departed from there as he wished; this person does not know about Nala. (03-72-14)
na cānyaḥ puruṣaḥ kaścinnalaṃ vetti yaśasvini. gūḍhaścarati loke'sminnaṣṭarūpo mahīpatiḥ ॥03-72-15॥
And no other man is able to know, O illustrious one; in this world, the king, taking eight forms, moves about in secret. (03-72-15)
ātmaiva hi nalaṃ vetti yā cāsya tadanantarā। na hi vai tāni liṅgāni nalaṃ śaṃsanti karhicit ॥03-72-16॥
Only his own self and the woman nearest to him truly know Nala; for those marks never reveal Nala at any time. (03-72-16)
keśiny uvāca॥
Keśini said.
yo'sāv ayodhyāṃ prathamaṃ gatavān brāhmaṇaḥ tadā. imāni nārī-vākyāni kathayānaḥ punaḥ punaḥ ॥03-72-17॥
That Brāhmaṇa, who had first gone to Ayodhyā at that time, kept repeating these words of the women again and again. (03-72-17)
kva nu tvaṃ kitava chittvā vastrārdhaṃ prasthito mama। utsṛjya vipine suptām-anuraktāṃ priyāṃ priya ॥03-72-18॥
Where have you gone, O deceitful one, after having cut away half of my garment and departed— abandoning me, your devoted and sleeping beloved, in the forest, O beloved? (3-72-18)
sā vai yathā samādiṣṭā tatrāste tvatpratīkṣiṇī। dahyamānā divārātraṃ vastrārdhenābhisaṃvṛtā ॥03-72-19॥
She is truly living there, as instructed, awaiting you, tormented day and night, clothed only with half a garment. (03-72-19)
tasyā rudantyāḥ satataṃ tena duḥkhena pārthiva। prasādaṃ kuru vai vīra prativākyaṃ prayaccha ca ॥03-72-20॥
O king, as she weeps constantly from that sorrow, show her your favor, O hero, and give her a reply. (03-72-20)
tasyās-tat-priyam ākhyānaṁ prabravīhi mahā-mate। tad eva vākyaṁ vaidarbhī śrotum icchati aninditā॥03-72-21॥
O great-minded one, speak that dear story of hers; Vaidarbhi, the blameless, indeed wishes to hear that.
etacchrutvā prativacas tasya dattaṃ tvayā kila। yat purā tat punas tvatto vaidarbhī śrotum icchati ॥03-72-22॥
After hearing this, Vaidarbhi desires to hear once again from you the reply that you formerly gave to him. (03-72-22)
bṛhadaśva uvāca॥
Bṛhadaśva said.
evam-uktasya keśinyā nalasya kurunandana। hṛdayam vyathitaṃ cāsīd aśru-pūrṇe ca locane ॥03-72-23॥
O Kurunandana, when Keśinī spoke thus to Nala, his heart was distressed and his eyes were filled with tears. (03-72-23)
sa nigṛhyātmano duḥkhaṃ dahyamāno mahīpatiḥ। bāṣpasaṃdigdhyā vācā punarevedamabravīt ॥03-72-24॥
The king, restraining his own sorrow and tormented within, said this again with a voice choked with tears. (03-72-24)
vaiṣamyam api samprāptā gopāyanti kulastriyaḥ। ātmānam ātmanā satyo jitasvargā na saṃśayaḥ॥03-72-25॥
Even when faced with adversity, noble women protect themselves; truly, they are conquerors of heaven, there is no doubt. (03-72-25)
rahitā bhartṛbhiś caiva na krudhyanti kadācana। prāṇāṃś cāritrakavacā dhārayantīha satstriyaḥ॥03-72-26॥
Here, the virtuous women, even when without their husbands, never become angry; protected by the armor of their character, they sustain their very lives. (03-72-26)
prāṇayātrāṃ pariprepsoḥ śakunair hṛtavāsasaḥ। ādhibhir dahyamānasya śyāmā na krodhum arhati॥03-72-27॥
Śyāmā should not become angry with one who, wishing to survive, has had his clothes taken by birds and is being tormented by troubles. (03-72-27)
satkṛtāsatkṛtā vāpi patiṃ dṛṣṭvā tathāgatam| bhraṣṭarājyaṃ śriyā hīnaṃ kṣudhitaṃ vyasanāplutam ॥03-72-28॥
Whether honored or dishonored, even if she sees her husband thus—who has come deprived of his kingdom, bereft of wealth, hungry, and overwhelmed with suffering.
evaṃ bruvāṇas tad vākyam nalaḥ paramaduḥkhitaḥ। na bāṣpam aśakat soḍhuṃ praruroda ca bhārata॥03-72-29॥
While speaking thus those words, Nala, overwhelmed with grief, could not bear his tears and wept aloud, O Bhārata. (03-72-29)
tataḥ sā keśinī gatvā damayantyai nyavedayat। tat sarvaṃ kathitaṃ caiva vikāraṃ caiva tasya tam ॥03-72-30॥
Then Keśinī, having gone to Damayantī, reported everything—she related all that had happened, as well as his condition. (03-72-30)
