Nala Goes as the Gods' Messenger

Verse 1 (3.52.1)

तेभ्यः प्रतिज्ञाय नलः करिष्य इति भारत । अथैतान्परिपप्रच्छ कृताञ्जलिरुपस्थितः ॥

tebhyaḥ pratijñāya nalaḥ kariṣya iti bhārata | athaitānparipapraccha kṛtāñjalirupasthitaḥ

Having promised them, "I will do it," O Bharata, Nala then stood before them with joined palms and asked them:

Verse 2 (3.52.2)

के वै भवन्तः कश्चासौ यस्याहं दूत ईप्सितः । किंच तत्र मया कार्यं कथयध्वं यथातथम् ॥

ke vai bhavantaḥ kaścāsau yasyāhaṃ dūta īpsitaḥ | kiṃca tatra mayā kāryaṃ kathayadhvaṃ yathātatham

"Who are you, sirs? And who is the one whose messenger you want me to be? And what must I do there? Tell me exactly."

Note on the text: Corrected तत्रमया → तत्र मया (misprint in Wikisource; two words run together, as the critical edition's tatra mayā shows).

Verse 3 (3.52.3)

एवमुक्ते नैषधेन मघवानभ्यभाषत । अमरान्वै निबोधास्मान्दमयन्त्यर्थमागतान् ॥

evamukte naiṣadhena maghavānabhyabhāṣata | amarānvai nibodhāsmāndamayantyarthamāgatān

When the king of Nishadha had said this, Maghavan (Indra) answered: "Know us to be immortals, who have come here for Damayanti's sake.

Verse 4 (3.52.4)

अहमिन्द्रोऽयमग्निश्च तथैवायमपांपतिः । शरीरान्तकरो नॄणां यमोऽयमपि पार्थिव ॥

ahamindro'yamagniśca tathaivāyamapāṃpatiḥ | śarīrāntakaro nṝṇāṃ yamo'yamapi pārthiva

I am Indra; this is Agni, and this likewise is the lord of the waters; and this, O king, is Yama, who brings the bodies of men to their end.

Verse 5 (3.52.5)

त्वं वै समागतानस्मान्दमयन्त्यै निवेदय । लोकपाला महेन्द्राद्याः समायान्ति दिदृक्षवः ॥

tvaṃ vai samāgatānasmāndamayantyai nivedaya | lokapālā mahendrādyāḥ samāyānti didṛkṣavaḥ

Announce to Damayanti that we have come. Tell her: 'The guardians of the worlds, led by great Indra, are coming, eager to see you.'

Verse 6 (3.52.6)

प्राप्तुमिच्छन्ति देवास्त्वां शक्रोऽग्निर्वरुणो यमः । तेषामन्यतमं देवं पतित्वे वरयस्व ह ॥

prāptumicchanti devāstvāṃ śakro'gnirvaruṇo yamaḥ | teṣāmanyatamaṃ devaṃ patitve varayasva ha

'The gods Shakra, Agni, Varuna and Yama wish to win you. Choose one of these gods as your husband.'"

Verse 7 (3.52.7)

एवमुक्तः स शक्रेण नलः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत् । एकार्थसमवेतं मां न प्रेषयितुमर्हथ ॥

evamuktaḥ sa śakreṇa nalaḥ prāñjalirabravīt | ekārthasamavetaṃ māṃ na preṣayitumarhatha

Addressed thus by Shakra, Nala said with joined palms: "I have come here for this very same purpose. You should not send me.

Verse 8 (3.52.8)

कथं हि जातसंकल्पः स्त्रियमुत्सृजते पुमान् । परार्थमीदृशं वक्तुं तद्वै पश्यामरेश्वर ॥

kathaṃ hi jātasaṃkalpaḥ striyamutsṛjate pumān | parārthamīdṛśaṃ vaktuṃ tadvai paśyāmareśvara

For how can a man whose heart is already set on a woman give her up, and speak such words to her on another's behalf? Consider that, lord of the immortals."

Note on the text: Corrected कथ → कथं and वक्तं → वक्तुं (misprints in Wikisource; a dropped anusvara and a wrong vowel sign, as the critical edition's apparatus readings kathaṃ and vaktuṃ show). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); it appears in the critical edition's apparatus as 3.52.7d*216, which ends tat kṣamantu maheśvarāḥ.

Verse 9 (3.52.9)

एवमुक्तो नैषधेन मघवान्पुनरब्रवीत् । करिष्य इति संश्रुत्य पूर्वमस्मासु नैषध । न करिष्यसि कस्मात्त्वं व्रज नैषध माचिरम् ॥

evamukto naiṣadhena maghavānpunarabravīt | kariṣya iti saṃśrutya pūrvamasmāsu naiṣadha | na kariṣyasi kasmāttvaṃ vraja naiṣadha māciram

Addressed thus by the Nishadha king, Maghavan spoke again: "You promised us before, king of Nishadha, saying, 'I will do it.' Why will you not do it now? Go, king of Nishadha, without delay.

Note on the text: Removed the backquote and quote marks and a doubled danda around the first line (editorial marks in Wikisource). Corrected इतिसंश्रुत्य → इति संश्रुत्य (misprint in Wikisource; two words run together). The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; apparatus 3.52.7d*217). The second and third lines = 3.52.8, which the critical edition gives to the gods (devā ūcuḥ); here Maghavan (Indra) speaks for them.

Verse 10 (3.52.10)

स वै त्वमागतानस्मान्दमयन्त्यै निवेदय । श्रेयसा योक्ष्यसे हि त्वं कुर्वन्नमरशासनम् ॥

sa vai tvamāgatānasmāndamayantyai nivedaya | śreyasā yokṣyase hi tvaṃ kurvannamaraśāsanam

Announce to Damayanti that we have come. By carrying out the command of the immortals you will surely be joined with good fortune."

Note on the text: Removed the backquote and quote marks and a doubled end mark (editorial marks in Wikisource). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); it appears in the critical edition's apparatus as 3.52.8d*218.

Verse 11 (3.52.11)

एवमुक्तः स देवैस्तैर्नैषधः पुनरब्रवीत् । सुरक्षितानि वेश्मानि प्रवेष्टुं कथमुत्सहे ॥

evamuktaḥ sa devaistairnaiṣadhaḥ punarabravīt | surakṣitāni veśmāni praveṣṭuṃ kathamutsahe

Addressed thus by those gods, the Nishadha king spoke again: "Her palace is closely guarded. How can I venture to enter it?"

Verse 12 (3.52.12)

प्रवेक्ष्यसीति तं शक्रः पुनरेवाभ्यभाषत । जगाम स तथेत्युक्त्वा दमयन्त्या निवेशनम् ॥

pravekṣyasīti taṃ śakraḥ punarevābhyabhāṣata | jagāma sa tathetyuktvā damayantyā niveśanam

"You will enter," Shakra told him once more. Saying, "So be it," Nala went to Damayanti's dwelling.

Verse 13 (3.52.13)

ददर्श तत्र वैदर्भीं सखीगणसमावृताम् । देदीप्यमानां वपुषा श्रिया च वरवर्णिनीम् ॥

dadarśa tatra vaidarbhīṃ sakhīgaṇasamāvṛtām | dedīpyamānāṃ vapuṣā śriyā ca varavarṇinīm

There he saw the princess of Vidarbha surrounded by her companions, the lovely woman blazing with beauty of body and with splendour,

Verse 14 (3.52.14)

अतीव सुकुमाराङ्गीं तनुमध्यां सुलोचनाम् । आक्षिपन्तीमिव च तां शशिनं स्वेन तेजसा ॥

atīva sukumārāṅgīṃ tanumadhyāṃ sulocanām | ākṣipantīmiva ca tāṃ śaśinaṃ svena tejasā

her limbs exceedingly delicate, her waist slender, her eyes lovely, as though she were outshining the moon itself with her radiance.

Verse 15 (3.52.15)

तस्य दृष्ट्वैव ववृधे कामस्तां चारुहासिनीम् । सत्यं चिकीर्षमाणस्तु धारयामास हृच्छयम् ॥

tasya dṛṣṭvaiva vavṛdhe kāmastāṃ cāruhāsinīm | satyaṃ cikīrṣamāṇastu dhārayāmāsa hṛcchayam

The moment he saw that sweetly smiling woman, his desire for her grew; but wishing to keep his word, he held his love in check.

Note on the text: Corrected चिकीर्षमाणस्तुधारयामास → चिकीर्षमाणस्तु धारयामास (misprint in Wikisource; two words run together).

Verse 16 (3.52.16)

ततस्ता नैषधं दृष्ट्वा संभ्रान्ताः परमाङ्गनाः । आसनेभ्यः समुत्पेतुस्तेजसा तस्य धर्षिताः ॥

tatastā naiṣadhaṃ dṛṣṭvā saṃbhrāntāḥ paramāṅganāḥ | āsanebhyaḥ samutpetustejasā tasya dharṣitāḥ

Then those fine women, seeing the Nishadha king, were thrown into confusion; overpowered by his splendour, they sprang up from their seats.

Verse 17 (3.52.17)

प्रशशंसुश्च सुप्रीता नलं ता विस्मयान्विताः । न चैनमभ्यभाषन्त मनोभिस्त्वभ्यपूजयन् ॥

praśaśaṃsuśca suprītā nalaṃ tā vismayānvitāḥ | na cainamabhyabhāṣanta manobhistvabhyapūjayan

Filled with wonder and delight, they praised Nala. They did not speak to him, but honoured him in their hearts:

Note on the text: Corrected मुप्रीता → सुप्रीता (misprint in Wikisource; म for स, as the critical edition's suprītā shows).

Verse 18 (3.52.18)

अहो रूपमहो कान्तिरहो धैर्यं महात्मनः । कोऽयं देवोऽथवा यक्षो गन्धर्वो वा भविष्यति ॥

aho rūpamaho kāntiraho dhairyaṃ mahātmanaḥ | ko'yaṃ devo'thavā yakṣo gandharvo vā bhaviṣyati

"Ah, what beauty! Ah, what grace! Ah, what composure in this noble one! Who can he be — a god, a yaksha or a gandharva?"

Verse 19 (3.52.19)

न तास्तं शक्नुवन्ति स्म व्याहर्तुमपि किंचन । तेजसा धर्षितास्तस्य लज्जावत्यो वराङ्गनाः ॥

na tāstaṃ śaknuvanti sma vyāhartumapi kiṃcana | tejasā dharṣitāstasya lajjāvatyo varāṅganāḥ

Those lovely women could not say a single word to him; overpowered by his splendour, they were overcome with shyness.

Verse 20 (3.52.20)

अथैनं स्मयमानेव स्मितपूर्वाभिभाषिणी । दमयन्ती नलं वीरमभ्यभाषत विस्मिता ॥

athainaṃ smayamāneva smitapūrvābhibhāṣiṇī | damayantī nalaṃ vīramabhyabhāṣata vismitā

Then Damayanti, who always spoke with a smile, smiling and full of wonder, addressed the hero Nala:

Verse 21 (3.52.21)

कस्त्वं सर्वानवद्याङ्ग मम हृच्छयवर्धन । प्राप्तोऽस्यमरवद्वीर ज्ञातुमिच्छामि तेऽनघ ॥

kastvaṃ sarvānavadyāṅga mama hṛcchayavardhana | prāpto'syamaravadvīra jñātumicchāmi te'nagha

"Who are you, flawless in every limb, who make the love in my heart grow? You have come here like an immortal, hero. I wish to know who you are, sinless one.

Note on the text: Corrected प्राप्तोस्य → प्राप्तोऽस्य (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha, critical edition prāpto 'sy).

Verse 22 (3.52.22)

कथमागमनं चेह कथं चासि न लक्षितः । सुरक्षितं हि मे वेश्म राजा चैवोग्रशासनः ॥

kathamāgamanaṃ ceha kathaṃ cāsi na lakṣitaḥ | surakṣitaṃ hi me veśma rājā caivograśāsanaḥ

How did you come here, and how is it that no one saw you? For my palace is well guarded, and the king is stern in his commands."

Verse 23 (3.52.23)

एवमुक्तस्तु वैदर्भ्या नलस्तां प्रत्युवाच ह । नलं मां विद्धि कल्याणि देवदूतमिहागतम् ॥

evamuktastu vaidarbhyā nalastāṃ pratyuvāca ha | nalaṃ māṃ viddhi kalyāṇi devadūtamihāgatam

Addressed thus by the princess of Vidarbha, Nala answered her: "Know me, fair lady, to be Nala, come here as the messenger of the gods.

Verse 24 (3.52.24)

देवास्त्वां प्राप्तुमिच्छन्ति शक्रोऽग्निर्वरुणो यमः । तेषामन्यतमं देवं पतिं वरय शोभने ॥

devāstvāṃ prāptumicchanti śakro'gnirvaruṇo yamaḥ | teṣāmanyatamaṃ devaṃ patiṃ varaya śobhane

The gods Shakra, Agni, Varuna and Yama wish to win you. Choose one of these gods as your husband, lovely one.

Verse 25 (3.52.25)

तेषामेव प्रभावेण प्रविष्टोऽहमलक्षितः । प्रविशन्तं न मां कश्चिदपश्यन्नाप्यवारयत् ॥

teṣāmeva prabhāveṇa praviṣṭo'hamalakṣitaḥ | praviśantaṃ na māṃ kaścidapaśyannāpyavārayat

It is by their power alone that I came in unseen. No one saw me as I entered, and no one stopped me.

Verse 26 (3.52.26)

एतदर्थमहं भद्रे प्रेषितः सुरसत्तमैः । एतच्छ्रुत्वा शुभे बुद्धिं प्रकुरुष्व यथेच्छसि ॥

etadarthamahaṃ bhadre preṣitaḥ surasattamaiḥ | etacchrutvā śubhe buddhiṃ prakuruṣva yathecchasi

For this purpose, gentle lady, I have been sent by the best of the gods. Now that you have heard it, fair one, make up your mind as you wish."