The Gods Set Out for Damayanti's Svayamvara

Verse 1 (3.51.1)

दमयन्ती तु तच्छ्रुत्वा वचो हंसस्य भारत । तदा प्रभृति न स्वस्था नलं प्रति बभूव सा ॥

damayantī tu tacchrutvā vaco haṃsasya bhārata | tadā prabhṛti na svasthā nalaṃ prati babhūva sā

When Damayanti heard the swan's words, O Bharata, from that time on she was no longer at ease, for her thoughts were all of Nala.

Verse 2 (3.51.2)

ततश्चिन्तापरा दीना विवर्णवदना कृशा । बभूव दमयन्ती तु निःश्वासपरमा तदा ॥

tataścintāparā dīnā vivarṇavadanā kṛśā | babhūva damayantī tu niḥśvāsaparamā tadā

Damayanti became lost in thought and dejected; her face grew pale and her body thin, and she did nothing but sigh.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (बभूवदमयन्ती → बभूव दमयन्ती).

Verse 3 (3.51.3)

ऊर्ध्वदृष्टिर्ध्यानपरा बभूवोन्मत्तदर्शना । पाण्डुवर्णा क्षणेनाथ हृच्छयाविष्टचेतना ॥

ūrdhvadṛṣṭirdhyānaparā babhūvonmattadarśanā | pāṇḍuvarṇā kṣaṇenātha hṛcchayāviṣṭacetanā

Gazing upward, lost in reverie, she looked like one distracted; in a moment she would turn pale, her mind possessed by love.

Note on the text: The first line is the critical edition's 3.51.3ab; the second line is not in its constituted text (found in the vulgate recension; it appears in the apparatus as 3.51.3b*213). The alignment missed the verse because Wikisource divides these verses differently.

Verse 4 (3.51.4)

न शय्यासनभोगेषु रतिं विन्दति कर्हिचित् । न नक्तं न दिवा शेते हाहेति रुदती मुहुः ॥

na śayyāsanabhogeṣu ratiṃ vindati karhicit | na naktaṃ na divā śete hāheti rudatī muhuḥ

She found no pleasure at all in bed, seat or any comfort; she slept neither by night nor by day, weeping again and again, 'Alas! Alas!'

Note on the text: The first line is the critical edition's 3.51.3cd, the second its 3.51.4ab (vadatī for रुदती, a variant, kept); the alignment missed it.

Verse 5 (3.51.5)

तामस्वस्थां तदाकारां सख्यस्ता जज्ञुरिङ्गितैः ॥

tāmasvasthāṃ tadākārāṃ sakhyastā jajñuriṅgitaiḥ

From her gestures her companions understood that she was unwell and what state she was in.

Note on the text: Corrected जज्ञिरिङ्गितैः → जज्ञुरिङ्गितैः (misprint in Wikisource; ि for ु; Wikisource's own note glosses जज्ञुः, and the critical edition reads jajñur iṅgitaiḥ). A single line in Wikisource, as in the critical edition, where it is 3.51.4cd; nothing is lost.

Verse 6 (3.51.6)

ततो विदर्भपतये दमयन्त्याः सखीजनः । न्यवेदयत्तामस्वस्थां दमयन्तीं नरेश्वर ॥

tato vidarbhapataye damayantyāḥ sakhījanaḥ | nyavedayattāmasvasthāṃ damayantīṃ nareśvara

Then Damayanti's companions told the lord of Vidarbha that Damayanti was unwell, O lord of men.

Note on the text: Corrected नरेश्वरः → नरेश्वर (misprint in Wikisource; a stray visarga turns the vocative addressed to Yudhishthira into a nominative that agrees with nothing; the critical edition reads nareśvara). सखीजनः and तामस्वस्थां are variants of sakhīgaṇaḥ and na svasthāṃ and are kept.

Verse 7 (3.51.7)

तच्छ्रुत्वा नृपतिर्भीमो दमयन्तीसखीगणात् । किमर्थं दुहिता मेऽद्य नातिस्वस्थेव लक्ष्यते ॥

tacchrutvā nṛpatirbhīmo damayantīsakhīgaṇāt | kimarthaṃ duhitā me'dya nātisvastheva lakṣyate

Hearing this from Damayanti's companions, King Bhima thought, 'Why does my daughter seem so unwell today?'

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (मेऽद्यनातिस्वस्थेव → मेऽद्य नातिस्वस्थेव). The first line is the critical edition's 3.51.6ab; the second line replaces its 3.51.6cd and is found in the apparatus as 3.51.6d*214 (vulgate recension).

Verse 8 (3.51.8)

स समीक्ष्य महीपालः स्वां सुतां प्राप्तयौवनाम् । अपश्यदात्मना कार्यं दमयन्त्याः स्वयंवरम् ॥

sa samīkṣya mahīpālaḥ svāṃ sutāṃ prāptayauvanām | apaśyadātmanā kāryaṃ damayantyāḥ svayaṃvaram

Considering that his daughter had come of age, the king saw for himself what must be done: Damayanti's svayamvara.

Verse 9 (3.51.9)

स सन्निपातयामास महीपालान्विशांपतिः । एषोऽनुभूयतां वीराः स्वयंवर इति प्रभो ॥

sa sannipātayāmāsa mahīpālānviśāṃpatiḥ | eṣo'nubhūyatāṃ vīrāḥ svayaṃvara iti prabho

The lord of the people summoned the kings: 'Heroes, come and witness this svayamvara,' my lord.

Note on the text: Corrected चीराः → वीराः (misprint in Wikisource; च for व; the critical edition reads vīrāḥ). एषोऽनुभूयतां and विशांपतिः are variants of anubhūyatām ayaṃ and viśāṃ pate and are kept.

Verse 10 (3.51.10)

श्रुत्वा तु पार्थिवाः सर्वे दमयन्त्याः स्वयंवरम् । अभिजग्मुस्ततो वीरा राजानो भीमशासनात् ॥

śrutvā tu pārthivāḥ sarve damayantyāḥ svayaṃvaram | abhijagmustato vīrā rājāno bhīmaśāsanāt

Hearing of Damayanti's svayamvara, all the kings, heroes every one, came at Bhima's summons,

Note on the text: ततो वीरा for the critical edition's tadā bhīmaṃ is a variant and is kept.

Verse 11 (3.51.11)

हस्त्यश्वरथघोषेण नादयन्तो वसुंधराम् । विचित्रमाल्याभरणैर्बलैर्दृश्यैः स्वलंकृतैः ॥

hastyaśvarathaghoṣeṇa nādayanto vasuṃdharām | vicitramālyābharaṇairbalairdṛśyaiḥ svalaṃkṛtaiḥ

making the earth resound with the din of elephants, horses and chariots, with handsome, well-adorned troops wearing bright garlands and ornaments.

Verse 12 (3.51.12)

तेषां भीमो महाबाहुः पार्थिवानां महात्मनाम् । यथार्हमकरोत्पूजां तेऽवसंस्तत्र पूजिताः ॥

teṣāṃ bhīmo mahābāhuḥ pārthivānāṃ mahātmanām | yathārhamakarotpūjāṃ te'vasaṃstatra pūjitāḥ

The mighty-armed Bhima paid those great-souled kings the honour each deserved, and they stayed there, honoured.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); it appears in the apparatus as 3.51.10d*215.

Verse 13 (3.51.13)

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु सुराणामृषिसत्तमौ । अटमानौ महात्मानाविन्द्रलोकमितो गतौ ॥

etasminneva kāle tu surāṇāmṛṣisattamau | aṭamānau mahātmānāvindralokamito gatau

At that very time the two best of the gods' seers, great-souled ones, roaming about, went from this world to Indra's world:

Note on the text: सुराणाम् for the critical edition's purāṇāv is a variant and is kept.

Verse 14 (3.51.14)

नारदः पर्वतश्चैव महाप्राज्ञौ महाव्रतौ । देवराजस्य भवनं विविशाते सुपूजितौ ॥

nāradaḥ parvataścaiva mahāprājñau mahāvratau | devarājasya bhavanaṃ viviśāte supūjitau

Narada and Parvata, very wise and keepers of great vows. Received with high honour, they entered the palace of the king of the gods.

Note on the text: Corrected देवराजस् → देवराजस्य (misprint in Wikisource; the syllable य had dropped, leaving a bare halanta; the critical edition reads devarājasya). महाप्राज्ञौ for mahātmānau is a variant and is kept.

Verse 15 (3.51.15)

तावर्चयित्वा मघवा ततः कुशलमव्ययम् । पप्रच्छानामयं चापि तयोः सर्वगतं विभुः ॥

tāvarcayitvā maghavā tataḥ kuśalamavyayam | papracchānāmayaṃ cāpi tayoḥ sarvagataṃ vibhuḥ

Maghavan honoured them, and then the all-pervading lord asked after their unbroken welfare and their health in every respect.

Note on the text: मघवा for the critical edition's sahasrākṣas is a variant and is kept.

Verse 16 (3.51.16)

आवयोः कुशलं देव सर्वत्रगतमीश्वर । लोके च मघवन्कृत्स्ने नृपाः कुशलिनो विभो ॥

āvayoḥ kuśalaṃ deva sarvatragatamīśvara | loke ca maghavankṛtsne nṛpāḥ kuśalino vibho

All is well with us, O god, everywhere, O lord; and in the whole world, Maghavan, the kings are well, my lord.

Note on the text: Corrected कशलं → कुशलं and कृत्स्नो → कृत्स्ने (misprints in Wikisource; a dropped vowel sign, and ो for े, which leaves कृत्स्नो agreeing with nothing; the critical edition reads kuśalaṃ … kṛtsne).

Verse 17 (3.51.17)

नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा पप्रच्छ बलवृत्रहा । धर्मज्ञाः पृथिवीपालास्त्यक्तजीवितयोधिनः ॥

nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā papraccha balavṛtrahā | dharmajñāḥ pṛthivīpālāstyaktajīvitayodhinaḥ

Hearing Narada's words, the slayer of Bala and Vritra asked: The kings who know dharma, who fight with no thought for their lives,

Note on the text: The verse mixes narration and the start of Indra's question, so it stays with Brihadashva.

Verse 18 (3.51.18)

शस्त्रेण निधनं काले ये गच्छन्त्यपराङ्मुखाः । अयं लोकोऽक्षयस्तेषां यथैव मम कामधुक् ॥

śastreṇa nidhanaṃ kāle ye gacchantyaparāṅmukhāḥ | ayaṃ loko'kṣayasteṣāṃ yathaiva mama kāmadhuk

who, when their time comes, meet death by the sword without turning their backs: this world is theirs, imperishable, granting their every wish, as it is mine.

Note on the text: Corrected अपराड्युखाः → अपराङ्मुखाः (misprint in Wikisource; a broken conjunct; the critical edition reads aparāṅmukhāḥ). Wikisource prints no speaker heading; Indra's question, begun in the previous verse, fills this verse and the next, so they are given to Indra rather than to Brihadashva.

Verse 19 (3.51.19)

क्व नु ते क्षत्रियाः शूरा नहि पश्यामि तानहम् । आगच्छतो महीपालान्दयितानतिथीन्मम ॥

kva nu te kṣatriyāḥ śūrā nahi paśyāmi tānaham | āgacchato mahīpālāndayitānatithīnmama

Where are those brave kshatriyas? I do not see those kings, my beloved guests, coming here.

Note on the text: Corrected दयितामनिथीन्मम → दयितानतिथीन्मम (misprint in Wikisource; म for न and नि for ति; दयितान् अतिथीन्, as in the critical edition's atithīn dayitān mama, in a different order) and restored a missing word space (क्वनु → क्व नु). Given to Indra (see the previous verse).

Verse 20 (3.51.20)

एवमुक्तस्तु शक्रेण नारदः प्रत्यभाषत । शृणु मे मघवन्येन न दृश्यन्ते महीक्षितः ॥

evamuktastu śakreṇa nāradaḥ pratyabhāṣata | śṛṇu me maghavanyena na dṛśyante mahīkṣitaḥ

So addressed by Shakra, Narada replied: Hear from me, Maghavan, why the kings are not to be seen.

Note on the text: The verse mixes narration and the start of Narada's reply, so it stays with Brihadashva. मघवन् for the critical edition's bhagavan is a variant and is kept.

Verse 21 (3.51.21)

विदर्भराज्ञो दुहिता दमयन्तीति विश्रुता । रूपेण समतिक्रान्ता पृथिव्यां सर्वयोषितः ॥

vidarbharājño duhitā damayantīti viśrutā | rūpeṇa samatikrāntā pṛthivyāṃ sarvayoṣitaḥ

The daughter of the king of Vidarbha, famed as Damayanti, surpasses in beauty all the women of the earth.

Note on the text: Wikisource prints no speaker heading; Narada's reply, begun in the previous verse, fills verses 21–23, so they are given to Narada rather than to Brihadashva.

Verse 22 (3.51.22)

तस्याः स्वयंवरः शक्र भविता नचिरादिव । तत्र गच्छन्ति राजानो राजपुत्राश्च सर्वशः ॥

tasyāḥ svayaṃvaraḥ śakra bhavitā nacirādiva | tatra gacchanti rājāno rājaputrāśca sarvaśaḥ

Her svayamvara, Shakra, will take place before long, and kings and princes from every side are going there.

Verse 23 (3.51.23)

तां रत्नभूतां लोकस्य प्रार्थयन्तो महीक्षितः । काङ्क्षन्ति स्म विशेषेण बलवृत्रनिषूदन ॥

tāṃ ratnabhūtāṃ lokasya prārthayanto mahīkṣitaḥ | kāṅkṣanti sma viśeṣeṇa balavṛtraniṣūdana

Seeking her, the jewel of the world, the kings long for her above all else, slayer of Bala and Vritra.

Verse 24 (3.51.24)

एतस्मिन्कथ्यमाने तु लोकपालाश्च साग्निकाः । आजग्मुर्देवराजस्य समीपममरोत्तमाः ॥

etasminkathyamāne tu lokapālāśca sāgnikāḥ | ājagmurdevarājasya samīpamamarottamāḥ

While this was being told, the guardians of the world, together with Agni, those best of immortals, came into the presence of the king of the gods.

Verse 25 (3.51.25)

ततस्ते शुश्रुवुः सर्वे नारदस्य वचो महत् । श्रुत्वैव चाब्रुवन्हृष्टा गच्छामो वयमप्युत ॥

tataste śuśruvuḥ sarve nāradasya vaco mahat | śrutvaiva cābruvanhṛṣṭā gacchāmo vayamapyuta

They all heard Narada's momentous words, and as soon as they heard them they said in delight, 'We will go too.'

Note on the text: The verse mixes narration and the gods' words, so it stays with Brihadashva. ततस्ते for the critical edition's tatas tac is a variant and is kept.

Verse 26 (3.51.26)

ततः सर्वे महाराज सगणाः सहवाहनाः । विदर्भानभिजग्मुस्ते यतः सर्वे महीक्षितः ॥

tataḥ sarve mahārāja sagaṇāḥ sahavāhanāḥ | vidarbhānabhijagmuste yataḥ sarve mahīkṣitaḥ

Then, great king, they all set out with their followers and their mounts for the land of the Vidarbhas, where all the kings were gathering.

Note on the text: अभिजग्मुस्ते यतः for the critical edition's abhito jagmur yatra is a variant and is kept.

Verse 27 (3.51.27)

नलोऽपि राजा कौन्तेय श्रुत्वा राज्ञां समागमम् । अभ्यगच्छददीनात्मा दमयन्तीमनुव्रतः ॥

nalo'pi rājā kaunteya śrutvā rājñāṃ samāgamam | abhyagacchadadīnātmā damayantīmanuvrataḥ

King Nala too, son of Kunti, hearing of the gathering of kings, set out with an undaunted heart, devoted to Damayanti.

Note on the text: Corrected नलोपि → नलोऽपि (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha; the critical edition reads nalo 'pi).

Verse 28 (3.51.28)

अथ देवाः पथि नलं ददृशुर्भूतले स्थितम् । साक्षादिव स्थितं मूर्त्या मन्मथं रूपसंपदा ॥

atha devāḥ pathi nalaṃ dadṛśurbhūtale sthitam | sākṣādiva sthitaṃ mūrtyā manmathaṃ rūpasaṃpadā

Then the gods saw Nala on the road, standing on the earth, like Manmatha, the god of love, himself in bodily form, so rich was his beauty.

Note on the text: Corrected स्तितम् → स्थितम् (misprint in Wikisource; त for थ; the critical edition reads sthitam).

Verse 29 (3.51.29)

तं दृष्ट्वा लोकपालास्ते भ्राजमानं यथा रविम् । तस्थुर्विगतसंकल्पा विस्मिता रूपसंपदा ॥

taṃ dṛṣṭvā lokapālāste bhrājamānaṃ yathā ravim | tasthurvigatasaṃkalpā vismitā rūpasaṃpadā

Seeing him shining like the sun, the guardians of the world stood still, their hopes gone, amazed at the wealth of his beauty.

Verse 30 (3.51.30)

ततोऽन्तरिक्षे विष्टभ्य विमानानि दिवौकसः । अब्रुवन्नैषधं राजन्नवतीर्य नभस्तलात् ॥

tato'ntarikṣe viṣṭabhya vimānāni divaukasaḥ | abruvannaiṣadhaṃ rājannavatīrya nabhastalāt

Then the dwellers of heaven halted their aerial chariots in the sky, came down from the heavens, and spoke to the Naishadha, O king:

Verse 31 (3.51.31)

भो भो निषधराजेन्द्र नल सत्यव्रतो भवान् । अस्माकं कुरु साहाय्यं दूतो भव नरोत्तम ॥

bho bho niṣadharājendra nala satyavrato bhavān | asmākaṃ kuru sāhāyyaṃ dūto bhava narottama

Ho there, Nala, lord of kings of the Nishadhas! You are true to your vows. Help us: be our messenger, best of men.

Note on the text: Corrected भवात् → भवान् (misprint in Wikisource; त् for न्; the critical edition reads bhavān) and restored a missing word space (भोभो → भो भो). निषधराजेन्द्र for naiṣadha rājendra is a variant and is kept. Wikisource prints no speaker heading; the gods' words fill this verse (verse 30 introduces them), so it is given to the gods rather than to Brihadashva.