03.073
bṛhadaśva uvāca॥
Bṛhadaśva said.
damayantī tu tacchrutvā bhṛśaṁ śokaparāyaṇā| śaṅkamānā nalaṁ taṁ vai keśinīmidamabravīt ॥03-73-1॥
But Damayantī, deeply absorbed in sorrow after hearing that, suspecting Nala, said this to Keśinī. (03-73-1)
gaccha keśini bhūyas tvaṁ parīkṣāṁ kuru bāhuke। ābruvāṇā samīpasthā caritāny asya lakṣaya ॥03-73-2॥
Go, Keśinī, once more test Bahuka. Ask those who are nearby and observe his actions. (03-73-2)
yadā ca kiñcit kuryāt sa kāraṇaṃ tatra bhāmini। tatra sañceṣṭamānasya saṃlakṣyaṃ te viceṣṭitam ॥03-73-3॥
O passionate lady, when he does something there for a reason, then the actions of one behaving (thus) there, your actions, are to be noticed. (03-73-3)
na cāsya pratibandhena deyo'gnirapi bhāmini। yācate na jalaṃ deyaṃ samyagatvaramāṇayā ॥03-73-4॥
O beautiful lady, fire should not be given to him with obstruction, even for fire itself. When someone requests water, it should not be withheld but properly given by one who is not hasty. (03-73-4)
etatsarvaṃ samīkṣya tvaṃ caritaṃ me nivedaya। yac cānyad api paśyethās tac cākhyeyaṃ tvayā mama ॥03-73-5॥
After examining all this, inform me about the conduct. And whatever else you might see, that too must be told to me by you. (03-73-5)
damayantyaivamuktā sā jagāmāthāśu keśinī। niśāmya ca hayajñasya liṅgāni punarāgamat ॥03-73-6॥
Thus addressed by Damayantī, the lovely-haired woman then swiftly departed. And, having heard the signs of the horse-sacrifice, she returned again. (03-73-6)
sā tatsarvaṃ yathāvṛttaṃ damayantyai nyavedayat. nimittaṃ yattadā dṛṣṭaṃ bāhuke divyamānuṣam ॥03-73-7॥
She reported to Damayantī everything exactly as it had happened, including the divine and human omens she had seen at that time in Bāhuka. (03-73-7)
keśiny uvāca॥
Keśinī said.
dṛḍhaṃ śucy-upacāro'sau na mayā mānuṣaḥ kvacit। dṛṣṭapūrvaḥ śruto vāpi damayanti tathāvidhaḥ॥03-73-8॥
O Damayanti, I have never before seen or even heard of any human, such as this one, who is so firmly devoted to pure conduct. (03-73-8)
hrasvam āsādya sañcāraṃ nāsau vinamate kvacit। taṃ tu dṛṣṭvā yathā-saṅgam utsarpati yathā-sukham ॥ saṅkaṭe'py asya sumahad vivaraṃ jāyate'dhikam ॥03-73-9॥
Having reached a narrow passage, he never bends anywhere; but seeing it, proceeds forward according to what fits and as is comfortable. Even in a tight place, for him, a very large opening arises more. (03-73-9)
ṛtuparṇasya cārthāya bhojanīyam anekaśaḥ। preṣitaṃ tatra rājñā ca māṃsaṃ subahu pāśavam ॥03-73-10॥
For Ṛtuparṇa's purpose, the king sent there a great quantity of edible food and a large amount of animal meat. (03-73-10)
tasya prakṣālanārthāya kumbhas tatropakalpitaḥ। sa tenāvekṣitaḥ kumbhaḥ pūrṇa evābhavat tadā॥03-73-11॥
For his washing, a pitcher was prepared there. When he looked at it, the pitcher immediately became full at that time. (03-73-11)
tataḥ prakṣālanaṃ kṛtvā samadhiśritya bāhukaḥ। tṛṇamuṣṭiṃ samādāya āvidhya enaṃ samādadhat ॥03-73-12॥
Afterwards, having cleansed himself, Bāhuka approached, took a fistful of grass, swung it, and applied it to him. (03-73-12)
atha prajvalitastatra sahasā havyavāhanaḥ। tadadbhutatamaṃ dṛṣṭvā vismitāhamihāgatā ॥03-73-13॥
Then the fire suddenly blazed up there; having seen that most wonderful thing, I have come here astonished. (03-73-13)
anyacca tasmin sumahad-āścaryaṁ lakṣitaṁ mayā। yad agnim api saṁspṛśya naiva dahyaty asau śubhe॥03-73-14॥
And, O fair lady, I observed yet another very great marvel in him: namely, that even when he touches fire, he does not burn. (03-73-14)
chandena chodakaṃ tasya vahaty āvarjitaṃ drutam. atīva cānyat sumahad āścaryaṃ dṛṣṭavatya ham ॥03-73-15॥
The driver moves it at will, turning it swiftly. And I have seen another extremely great wonder. (03-73-15)
yat sa puṣpāṇy upādāya hastābhyāṃ mamṛde śanaiḥ। mṛdyamānāni pāṇibhyāṃ tena puṣpāṇi tāny atha ॥03-73-16॥
He gently took those flowers in his hands and softened them. Those flowers, being softened by his hands, (he used) then. (03-73-16)
bhūya eva sugandhīni hṛṣitāni bhavanti ca। etāny adbhutakalpāni dṛṣṭvāahaṃ drutam āgatā॥03-73-17॥
Again, indeed, fragrant and delightful things have appeared; having seen these marvelous forms, I came here quickly. (03-73-17)
bṛhadaśva uvāca॥
Bṛhadaśva said.
damayantī tu tac chṛutvā puṇyaślokasya ceṣṭitam। amanyata nalaṃ prāptaṃ karmaceṣṭābhisūcitam॥03-73-18॥
But Damayanti, having heard of the virtuous-famed one's actions, thought that Nala had come, as it was indicated by the manner of actions. (03-73-18)
sā śaṅkamānā bhartāraṃ nalaṃ bāhukarūpiṇam। keśinīṃ ślakṣṇayā vācā rudatī punarabravīt॥03-73-19॥
She, suspecting her husband Nala who had taken the form of an arm, spoke again to Keshini with gentle words, weeping. (03-73-19)
punargaccha pramattasya bāhukasya upasaṃskṛtam। mahānasāt chṛtam māṃsaṃ samādāya ihi bhāmini॥03-73-20॥
O beautiful lady, go again and take the cooked meat prepared by inattentive Bāhuka from the kitchen and come. (03-73-20)
sā gatvā bāhuke vyagre tan-māṁsam apakṛṣya ca। aty-uṣṇam eva tvaritā tat-kṣaṇaṁ priyakāriṇī॥ damayantyai tataḥ prādāt keśinī kuru-nandana॥03-73-21॥
O delight of the Kurus, Keśinī, having gone while Bāhuka was occupied, quickly pulled out the meat while it was very hot and affectionately gave it at that very moment to Damayantī. (03-73-21)
socitā nalasiddhasya māṃsasya bahuśaḥ purā। prāśya matvā nalaṃ sūdaṃ prākrośadbhṛśaduḥkhitā ॥03-73-22॥
Formerly, having often eaten meat prepared by Nala and recalling Nala as the cook, she lamented and, greatly distressed, cried out loudly. (03-73-22)
vaiklavyam ca paraṃ gatvā prakṣālya ca mukhaṃ tataḥ. mithunaṃ preṣayāmāsa keśinyā saha bhārata॥03-73-23॥
O Bhārata, then, having come out of deep confusion and having washed his mouth, he sent the pair along with Keśinī.
indrasenāṃ saha bhrātrā samabhijñāya bāhukaḥ। abhidrutya tato rājā pariṣvajyāṅkamānayat ॥03-73-24॥
When Bāhuka recognized Indrasena along with her brother, he came running; then the king embraced them and brought them onto his lap. (03-73-24)
bāhukastu samāsādya sutau surasutopamau। bhṛśaṃ duḥkhaparītātmā sasvaraṃ prarudoda ha ॥03-73-25॥
But Bāhuka, having come near his two sons, who were like sons of the gods, being overwhelmed with sorrow, cried aloud.
naiṣadho darśayitvā tu vikāramasakṛttadā। utsṛjya sahasā putrau keśinīmidamabravīt ॥03-73-26॥
Then the prince of Niṣadha, repeatedly displaying emotion, suddenly let go of his two sons and spoke this to Keśinī. (03-73-26)
idaṃ susadṛśaṃ bhadre mithunaṃ mama putrayoḥ। tato dṛṣṭvaiva sahasā bāṣpam utsṛṣṭavān aham॥03-73-27॥
O auspicious one, this pair is very similar to my sons; therefore, on seeing them, I suddenly shed tears. (03-73-27)
bahuśaḥ sampatantīṁ tvāṁ janaḥ śaṅketa doṣataḥ। vayaṁ ca deśātithayo gaccha bhadre namo'stu te॥03-73-28॥
Often, people may suspect you as being at fault when you approach. And we, being guests from another country, shall go, O noble lady. Our salutations be to you. (03-73-28)
