Adi Parva · Adhyaya 212

The Story of Nalayani

Alone with Drupada, Vyasa tells him not to grieve: his daughter's five husbands were ordained long before, through the austerities of Yaja and Upayaja. He then tells the story of Nalayani, who devotedly served her aged, diseased and ill-tempered husband, the sage Maudgalya, even eating from his plate after his thumb fell into the food. Pleased, Maudgalya granted her wish by dividing himself into five, and the two roamed heaven and earth together in many forms. That same Nalayani, Vyasa reveals, has been reborn from the altar as Drupada's daughter Krishna. This whole adhyaya is absent from the critical edition.

Adhyaya 211 All adhyayas Adhyaya 213

व्यास उवाच · Vyasa said

Verse 1 (1.212.1)

मा भूद्राजंस्तव तापो मनस्थः । पञ्चानां भार्या दुहिता ममेति । मातुरेषा प्रार्थिता स्यात्तदानीं । पञ्चानां भार्या दुहिता ममेति ॥

mā bhūdrājaṃstava tāpo manasthaḥ | pañcānāṃ bhāryā duhitā mameti | mātureṣā prārthitā syāttadānīṃ | pañcānāṃ bhāryā duhitā mameti

Let no grief dwell in your mind, O king, at the thought, 'My daughter is to be the wife of five.' For this is what her mother prayed for at that time: 'May my daughter be the wife of five.'

Note on the text: This whole adhyaya (the story of Nalayani) is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 2 (1.212.2)

याजोपयाजौ धर्मरतौ तपोभ्यां । तौ चक्रतुः पञ्चपतित्वमस्याः । तत्पञ्चभिः पाण्डुसुतैरवाप्ता । भार्या कृष्णा मोदतां वै कुलं ते ॥

yājopayājau dharmaratau tapobhyāṃ | tau cakratuḥ pañcapatitvamasyāḥ | tatpañcabhiḥ pāṇḍusutairavāptā | bhāryā kṛṣṇā modatāṃ vai kulaṃ te

Yaja and Upayaja, devoted to dharma, by their austerities ordained that she should have five husbands. So let Krishna, won as wife by the five sons of Pandu, be glad, and let your house rejoice.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 3 (1.212.3)

लोके नान्यो विद्यते त्वद्विशिष्टः । सर्वारीणामप्रधृष्योऽसि राजन् । भूयस्त्विदं शृणु मे त्वं विशोको । यथाऽऽगतं पञ्चपत्नीत्वमस्याः ॥

loke nānyo vidyate tvadviśiṣṭaḥ | sarvārīṇāmapradhṛṣyo'si rājan | bhūyastvidaṃ śṛṇu me tvaṃ viśoko | yathā''gataṃ pañcapatnītvamasyāḥ

In the world there is no one greater than you; none of your enemies can overcome you, O king. Hear further from me, free of grief, how she came to be the wife of five.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 4 (1.212.4)

एषा नालायनी पूर्वं मौद्गल्यं स्थविरं पतिम् । आराधयामास तदा कुष्ठिनं तमनिन्दिता ॥

eṣā nālāyanī pūrvaṃ maudgalyaṃ sthaviraṃ patim | ārādhayāmāsa tadā kuṣṭhinaṃ tamaninditā

Long ago this woman was Nalayani, and the blameless one devotedly served her husband Maudgalya, an old man afflicted with leprosy.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 5 (1.212.5)

त्वगस्थिभूतं कटुकं लोलमीर्ष्युं सुकोपनम् । सुगन्धेतरगन्धाढ्यं वलीपलितमूर्धजम् ॥

tvagasthibhūtaṃ kaṭukaṃ lolamīrṣyuṃ sukopanam | sugandhetaragandhāḍhyaṃ valīpalitamūrdhajam

He was mere skin and bone, harsh, fickle, jealous and quick to anger, reeking of foul odours, his skin wrinkled and his hair grey;

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 6 (1.212.6)

स्थविरं विकृताकारं शीर्यमाणनखत्वचम् । उच्छिष्टमुपभुञ्जाना पर्युपास्ते महामुनिम् ॥

sthaviraṃ vikṛtākāraṃ śīryamāṇanakhatvacam | ucchiṣṭamupabhuñjānā paryupāste mahāmunim

old and misshapen, his nails and skin falling away. Yet she waited upon the great sage, eating what he left over.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 7 (1.212.7)

ततः कदाचिदङ्गुष्ठो भुञ्जानस्य व्यशीर्यत । अन्नादुद्धृत्य तच्चान्नमुपभुङ्क्तेऽविशङ्किता ॥

tataḥ kadācidaṅguṣṭho bhuñjānasya vyaśīryata | annāduddhṛtya taccānnamupabhuṅkte'viśaṅkitā

Then one day, as he was eating, his thumb rotted and fell off. She lifted it out of the food and ate that food without the least hesitation.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 8 (1.212.8)

तेन तस्याः प्रसन्नेन कामव्याहारिणा तदा । वरं वृणीष्वेत्यसकृदुक्ता वव्रे वरं तदा ॥

tena tasyāḥ prasannena kāmavyāhāriṇā tadā | varaṃ vṛṇīṣvetyasakṛduktā vavre varaṃ tadā

Pleased with her, the sage, ready to grant whatever she desired, said to her again and again, 'Choose a boon.' And so she chose a boon.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

मौद्गल्य उवाच · Maudgalya said

Verse 9 (1.212.9)

नाहं वृद्धो न कटुको नेर्ष्यावान्नैव कोपनः । न च दुर्गन्धवदनो न कृशो न च लोलुपः ॥

nāhaṃ vṛddho na kaṭuko nerṣyāvānnaiva kopanaḥ | na ca durgandhavadano na kṛśo na ca lolupaḥ

I am not old, nor harsh, nor jealous, nor given to anger; my mouth is not foul-smelling, and I am neither thin nor greedy.

Note on the text: Corrected नेर्व्यावान् → नेर्ष्यावान् (misprint in Wikisource; व्य for ष्य in ईर्ष्यावान् 'jealous', the word used of him in verse 5). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 10 (1.212.10)

कथं त्वां रमयामीह कथं त्वां वासयाम्यहम् । वद कल्याणि भद्रं ते यथा त्वं मनसेच्छसि ॥

kathaṃ tvāṃ ramayāmīha kathaṃ tvāṃ vāsayāmyaham | vada kalyāṇi bhadraṃ te yathā tvaṃ manasecchasi

How shall I delight you here? How shall I keep you? Tell me, lovely one—bless you—what your heart desires.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

व्यास उवाच · Vyasa said

Verse 11 (1.212.11)

सा तमक्लिष्टकर्माणं वरदं सर्वकामदम् । भर्तारमनवद्याङ्गी प्रसन्नं प्रत्युवाच ह ॥

sā tamakliṣṭakarmāṇaṃ varadaṃ sarvakāmadam | bhartāramanavadyāṅgī prasannaṃ pratyuvāca ha

Then the woman of faultless limbs answered her husband, the gracious giver of boons and of every desire, whose deeds were achieved without strain:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

नालायन्युवाच · Nalayani said

Verse 12 (1.212.12)

पञ्चधा प्रविभक्तात्मा भगवांल्लोकविश्रुतः । रमय त्वमचिन्त्यात्मन्पुनश्चैकत्वमागतः ॥

pañcadhā pravibhaktātmā bhagavāṃllokaviśrutaḥ | ramaya tvamacintyātmanpunaścaikatvamāgataḥ

Blessed lord, renowned in the world, divide yourself fivefold and delight me; and then, inconceivable one, become one again.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

व्यास उवाच · Vyasa said

Verse 13 (1.212.13)

तां तथेत्यब्रवीद्धीमान्महर्षिर्वै महातपाः । स पञ्चधा तु भूत्वा तां रमयामास सर्वतः ॥

tāṃ tathetyabravīddhīmānmaharṣirvai mahātapāḥ | sa pañcadhā tu bhūtvā tāṃ ramayāmāsa sarvataḥ

The wise great seer of great austerity said to her, 'So be it.' Becoming fivefold, he delighted her in every way—

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Speaker set to Vyasa: Wikisource prints नालायन्युवाच before verse 12 only, and Vyasa's account to Drupada resumes here (the input carried Nalayani over).

Verse 14 (1.212.14)

नालायनीं सुकेशान्तां मौद्गल्यश्चारुहासिनीम् । आश्रमेष्वधिकं चापि पूज्यमानो महर्षिभिः ॥

nālāyanīṃ sukeśāntāṃ maudgalyaścāruhāsinīm | āśrameṣvadhikaṃ cāpi pūjyamāno maharṣibhiḥ

—Maudgalya delighted Nalayani of the beautiful tresses and lovely smile. Highly honoured by the great seers in the hermitages too,

Verse 15 (1.212.15)

स चचार यथाकामं कामरूपवपुः पुनः । यदा ययौ दिवं चापि तत्र देवर्षिभिः सह ॥

sa cacāra yathākāmaṃ kāmarūpavapuḥ punaḥ | yadā yayau divaṃ cāpi tatra devarṣibhiḥ saha

he roamed as he pleased, taking whatever form he wished. And when he went to heaven with the divine seers,

Verse 16 (1.212.16)

चचार सोऽमृताहारः सुरलोके चचार ह । पूज्यमानस्तथा शच्या शक्रस्य भवनेष्वपि ॥

cacāra so'mṛtāhāraḥ suraloke cacāra ha | pūjyamānastathā śacyā śakrasya bhavaneṣvapi

he lived there on nectar and roamed the world of the gods, honoured too by Shachi in the palaces of Shakra.

Verse 17 (1.212.17)

महेन्द्रसेनया सार्धं पर्यधावद्रिरंसया । सूर्यस्य च रथं दिव्यमारुह्य भगवान्प्रभुः ॥

mahendrasenayā sārdhaṃ paryadhāvadriraṃsayā | sūryasya ca rathaṃ divyamāruhya bhagavānprabhuḥ

He ranged about with Mahendrasena, longing for love; and the blessed lord mounted the divine chariot of the Sun,

Verse 18 (1.212.18)

पर्युपेत्य पुनर्मेरुं मेरौ वासमरोचयत् । आकाशगङ्गामाप्लुत्य तया सह तपोधनः ॥

paryupetya punarmeruṃ merau vāsamarocayat | ākāśagaṅgāmāplutya tayā saha tapodhanaḥ

went round Meru once more and chose to dwell on Meru. The ascetic bathed with her in the heavenly Ganga.

Note on the text: Corrected मेरु → मेरुं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara, leaving पर्युपेत्य 'having gone round' without its object). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Speaker set to Vyasa: Wikisource prints नालायन्युवाच before verse 12 only, and Vyasa's account to Drupada resumes here (the input carried Nalayani over).

Verse 19 (1.212.19)

रश्मिजालेषु चन्द्रस्य उवास च यथाऽनिलः । गिरिरूपधरो योगी स महर्षिस्तदा पुनः ॥

raśmijāleṣu candrasya uvāsa ca yathā'nilaḥ | girirūpadharo yogī sa maharṣistadā punaḥ

He dwelt like the wind among the nets of the moon's rays. Then again the great seer, a master of yoga, took the form of a mountain,

Note on the text: Corrected उवाच → उवास (misprint in Wikisource; च for स — 'spoke like the wind in the moon's rays' makes no sense, 'dwelt' does). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Speaker set to Vyasa: Wikisource prints नालायन्युवाच before verse 12 only, and Vyasa's account to Drupada resumes here (the input carried Nalayani over).

Verse 20 (1.212.20)

तत्प्रभावेन सा तस्य मध्ये जज्ञे महानदी । यदा पुष्पाकुलः सालः संजज्ञे भगवानृषिः ॥

tatprabhāvena sā tasya madhye jajñe mahānadī | yadā puṣpākulaḥ sālaḥ saṃjajñe bhagavānṛṣiḥ

and by his power she became a great river flowing through his midst. When the blessed sage became a sal tree laden with blossoms,

Verse 21 (1.212.21)

लतात्वमनुसंपेदे तमेवाभ्यनुवेष्टती । पुपोष च वपुर्यस्य तस्य तस्यानुगं पुनः ॥

latātvamanusaṃpede tamevābhyanuveṣṭatī | pupoṣa ca vapuryasya tasya tasyānugaṃ punaḥ

she became a creeper, twining all about him. Whatever body he took on, she in turn took on one to match it.

Verse 22 (1.212.22)

सा पुपोष समं भर्त्रा स्कन्धेनापि चचार ह । ततस्तस्य च तस्याश्च तुल्या प्रीतिरवर्धत ॥

sā pupoṣa samaṃ bhartrā skandhenāpi cacāra ha | tatastasya ca tasyāśca tulyā prītiravardhata

She grew alongside her husband and went with him in every bodily form. And so the love of each for the other grew equally.

Verse 23 (1.212.23)

तथा स भगवांस्तस्याः प्रसादादृषिसत्तमः । विरराम च सा चैव दैवयोगेन भामिनी ॥

tathā sa bhagavāṃstasyāḥ prasādādṛṣisattamaḥ | virarāma ca sā caiva daivayogena bhāminī

In this way, by her favour, the blessed best of seers came to rest from it; and so, by the working of fate, did that passionate lady.

Note on the text: Corrected सा → स (misprint in Wikisource; the feminine pronoun cannot go with the masculine भगवान् ऋषिसत्तमः). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Speaker set to Vyasa: Wikisource prints नालायन्युवाच before verse 12 only, and Vyasa's account to Drupada resumes here (the input carried Nalayani over).

Verse 24 (1.212.24)

स च तां तपसा देवीं रमयामास योगतः । एकपत्नी तथा भूत्वा सदैवाग्रे यशस्विनी ॥

sa ca tāṃ tapasā devīṃ ramayāmāsa yogataḥ | ekapatnī tathā bhūtvā sadaivāgre yaśasvinī

And he delighted that goddess through austerity, by the power of yoga. Thus she became a wife devoted to one husband, ever foremost and renowned;

Verse 25 (1.212.25)

अरुन्धतीव सीतेव बभूवातिपतिव्रता । दमयन्त्याश्च मातुः सा विशेषमधिकं ययौ ॥

arundhatīva sīteva babhūvātipativratā | damayantyāśca mātuḥ sā viśeṣamadhikaṃ yayau

like Arundhati, like Sita, she was supremely devoted to her husband, and she surpassed even her mother Damayanti in excellence.

Note on the text: Corrected स → सा (misprint in Wikisource; the subject is Nalayani, who surpassed her mother Damayanti, so the pronoun must be feminine). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Speaker set to Vyasa: Wikisource prints नालायन्युवाच before verse 12 only, and Vyasa's account to Drupada resumes here (the input carried Nalayani over).

Verse 26 (1.212.26)

एतत्तथ्यं महाराज मा ते भूद्बुद्धिरन्यथा । सा वै नालायनी जज्ञे दैवयोगेन केनचित् ॥

etattathyaṃ mahārāja mā te bhūdbuddhiranyathā | sā vai nālāyanī jajñe daivayogena kenacit

This is the truth, great king; let your mind not think otherwise. That same Nalayani, by some working of fate, has been born—

Verse 27 (1.212.27)

राजंस्तवात्मजा कृष्णा वेद्यां तेजस्विनी शुभा । तस्मिंस्तस्या मनः सक्तं न चचाल कदाचन ॥

rājaṃstavātmajā kṛṣṇā vedyāṃ tejasvinī śubhā | tasmiṃstasyā manaḥ saktaṃ na cacāla kadācana

—as your daughter, O king, the radiant and auspicious Krishna, from the altar. Her mind was fixed on him and never once wavered;

Verse 28 (1.212.28)

तथा प्रणिहितो ह्यात्मा तस्यास्तस्मिन्द्विजोत्तमे ॥

tathā praṇihito hyātmā tasyāstasmindvijottame

so wholly was her heart set on that best of brahmins.

Note on the text: A single line, as printed in Wikisource (numbered 28a); the account continues in the next adhyaya. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Speaker set to Vyasa: Wikisource prints नालायन्युवाच before verse 12 only, and Vyasa's account to Drupada resumes here (the input carried Nalayani over).

Adhyaya 211 All adhyayas Adhyaya 213