Sudeva Finds Damayanti in Chedi

Verse 1 (3.65.1)

हृतराज्ये नले भीमः सभार्येऽदर्शनं गते । चिन्तयामास बहुशः सहामात्यैर्नराधिपः ॥

hṛtarājye nale bhīmaḥ sabhārye'darśanaṃ gate | cintayāmāsa bahuśaḥ sahāmātyairnarādhipaḥ

When Nala had lost his kingdom and passed out of sight together with his wife, Bhima, the lord of men, pondered the matter long with his ministers.

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark (backtick) before the second line. The first line corresponds to CE 3.65.1a (which reads 'preṣyatāṃ gate'); the second line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 2 (3.65.2)

समाहूय द्विजान्सर्वानिदं वचनमब्रवीत् । अग्रहारं च दास्यामि ग्रामं नगरसंमितम् ॥

samāhūya dvijānsarvānidaṃ vacanamabravīt | agrahāraṃ ca dāsyāmi grāmaṃ nagarasaṃmitam

He summoned all the brahmins and spoke these words: "I will give a grant of land, and a village as large as a town;

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Spacing normalised (दास्यामिग्रामं → दास्यामि ग्रामं).

Verse 3 (3.65.3)

दमयन्तीं नलं चैव पर्यन्वेषति यो द्विजः । गवां शतसहस्राणि दाता तस्मै द्विजातये ॥

damayantīṃ nalaṃ caiva paryanveṣati yo dvijaḥ | gavāṃ śatasahasrāṇi dātā tasmai dvijātaye

and to the brahmin who searches out Damayanti and Nala, to that twice-born man a hundred thousand cows shall be given."

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

Verse 4 (3.65.4)

इत्युक्त्वा ब्राह्मणान्सर्वान्समाहूय द्विजोत्तमान् । प्रस्थापयामास तदा तयोर्दर्शनकाङ्क्षया ॥

ityuktvā brāhmaṇānsarvānsamāhūya dvijottamān | prasthāpayāmāsa tadā tayordarśanakāṅkṣayā

Having said this, and having gathered all the brahmins, the best of the twice-born, he sent them out, longing to see the two of them again.

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark (quote) at the end of the verse. The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the second line parallels CE 3.65.1c ('naladarśanakāṅkṣayā').

Verse 5 (3.65.5)

संदिदेश च तान्भीमो वसु दत्त्वा च पुष्कलम् । मृगयध्वं नलं चैव दमयन्तीं च मे सुताम् ॥

saṃdideśa ca tānbhīmo vasu dattvā ca puṣkalam | mṛgayadhvaṃ nalaṃ caiva damayantīṃ ca me sutām

Bhima gave them ample wealth and instructed them: "Search for Nala, and for my daughter Damayanti.

Note on the text: Corrected दत्ता → दत्त्वा (misprint in Wikisource; the absolutive 'having given' is required; CE dattvā).

Verse 6 (3.65.6)

अस्मिन्कर्मणि निष्पन्ने विज्ञाते निषधाधिपे । गवां सहस्रं दास्यामि यो वस्तावानयिष्यति ॥

asminkarmaṇi niṣpanne vijñāte niṣadhādhipe | gavāṃ sahasraṃ dāsyāmi yo vastāvānayiṣyati

When this task is accomplished and the lord of Nishadha is found, I will give a thousand cows to whichever of you brings the two of them back.

Verse 7 (3.65.7)

अग्रहारांश्च दास्यामि ग्रामं नगरसंमितम् । हिरण्यं च सुवर्णं च दासीदासं तथैव च ॥

agrahārāṃśca dāsyāmi grāmaṃ nagarasaṃmitam | hiraṇyaṃ ca suvarṇaṃ ca dāsīdāsaṃ tathaiva ca

I will give grants of land as well, a village as large as a town, treasure and gold, and serving women and men besides.

Note on the text: Corrected तथैव → तथैव च (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara leaves the line a syllable short; the critical edition's apparatus reads 'tathaiva ca'). Spacing normalised (हिरण्यंच → हिरण्यं च). The first line is CE 3.65.3e; the second line is not in the CE constituted text but appears in its apparatus as star passage 304 after 3.65.3.

Verse 8 (3.65.8)

न चेच्छक्याविहानेतुं दमयन्ती नलोऽपि वा । ज्ञातमात्रेऽपि दास्यामि गवां दशशतं धनम् ॥

na cecchakyāvihānetuṃ damayantī nalo'pi vā | jñātamātre'pi dāsyāmi gavāṃ daśaśataṃ dhanam

And if Damayanti or Nala cannot be brought here, then for the mere news of where they are I will give wealth of a thousand cows."

Verse 9 (3.65.9)

इत्युक्तास्ते ययुर्हृष्टा ब्राह्मणाः सर्वतो दिशम् । पुरराष्ट्राणि चिन्वन्तो नैषधं सह भार्यया । नैव क्वापि प्रपश्यन्ति नलं वा भीमपुत्रिकाम् ॥

ityuktāste yayurhṛṣṭā brāhmaṇāḥ sarvato diśam | purarāṣṭrāṇi cinvanto naiṣadhaṃ saha bhāryayā | naiva kvāpi prapaśyanti nalaṃ vā bhīmaputrikām

So addressed, the brahmins set out joyfully in every direction, searching cities and kingdoms for the Naishadha and his wife; but nowhere did they see Nala or the daughter of Bhima.

Note on the text: The third line is not in the CE constituted text; it appears in the critical edition's apparatus as star passage 305 after 3.65.5.

Verse 10 (3.65.10)

ततश्चेदिपुरीं रम्यां सुदेवो नाम वै द्विजः । विचिन्वानोऽथ वैदर्भीमपश्यद्राजवेश्मनि ॥

tataścedipurīṃ ramyāṃ sudevo nāma vai dvijaḥ | vicinvāno'tha vaidarbhīmapaśyadrājaveśmani

Then a brahmin named Sudeva, searching for the princess of Vidarbha, saw her in the king's palace in the lovely city of Chedi.

Verse 11 (3.65.11)

तयैव राजमाता च ब्राह्मणान्पर्यवेषयत् । भोजनार्थे सुदेवोऽपि तत्रैव प्रविवेश ह ॥

tayaiva rājamātā ca brāhmaṇānparyaveṣayat | bhojanārthe sudevo'pi tatraiva praviveśa ha

The queen mother, together with her, was serving food to the brahmins, and Sudeva too had come in there for the meal.

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

Verse 12 (3.65.12)

कृशां विवर्णां मलिनां भर्तृशोकपरायणाम् । पुण्याहवाचने राज्ञः सुनन्दासहितां स्थिताम् ॥

kṛśāṃ vivarṇāṃ malināṃ bhartṛśokaparāyaṇām | puṇyāhavācane rājñaḥ sunandāsahitāṃ sthitām

She was thin, pale and soiled, wholly given over to grief for her husband, and she stood beside Sunanda at the king's rite of proclaiming the auspicious day.

Note on the text: The first line is not in the CE constituted text (it appears in the apparatus as star passage 306 after 3.65.6c); the second line is CE 3.65.6e.

Verse 13 (3.65.13)

मन्दं प्रख्यायमानेन रूपेणाप्रतिमेन ताम् । निबद्धां धूमजालेन प्रभामिव विभावसोः ॥

mandaṃ prakhyāyamānena rūpeṇāpratimena tām | nibaddhāṃ dhūmajālena prabhāmiva vibhāvasoḥ

Her matchless beauty showed only faintly, like the radiance of fire wrapped in a veil of smoke.

Verse 14 (3.65.14)

तां समीक्ष्य विशालाक्षीमधिकं मलिनां कृशाम् । तर्कयामास भैमीति कारणैरुपपादयन् ॥

tāṃ samīkṣya viśālākṣīmadhikaṃ malināṃ kṛśām | tarkayāmāsa bhaimīti kāraṇairupapādayan

Looking closely at the large-eyed woman, very soiled and thin, he weighed the signs and concluded: "This is Bhima's daughter."

Verse 15 (3.65.15)

यथेयं मे पुरा दृष्टा तथारूपेयमङ्गना । कृतार्थोस्म्यद्य दृष्ट्वेमां लोककान्तामिव श्रियं ॥

yatheyaṃ me purā dṛṣṭā tathārūpeyamaṅganā | kṛtārthosmyadya dṛṣṭvemāṃ lokakāntāmiva śriyaṃ

"As I saw her before, so is this woman's form. Seeing her today, like Shri herself whom all the world loves, I have achieved my purpose.

Verse 16 (3.65.16)

पूर्णचन्द्राननां श्यामां चारुवृत्तपयोधराम् । कुर्वन्तीं प्रभया देवीं सर्वावितिमिरा दिशः ॥

pūrṇacandrānanāṃ śyāmāṃ cāruvṛttapayodharām | kurvantīṃ prabhayā devīṃ sarvāvitimirā diśaḥ

Her face is like the full moon; she is in the bloom of youth, her breasts beautifully rounded; with her radiance the goddess clears the darkness from every quarter.

Verse 17 (3.65.17)

चारुपद्मविशालाक्षीं मन्मथस्य रतीमिव । इष्टां समस्तलोकस्य पूर्णचन्द्रप्रभामिव ॥

cārupadmaviśālākṣīṃ manmathasya ratīmiva | iṣṭāṃ samastalokasya pūrṇacandraprabhāmiva

Her large eyes are lovely as lotuses; she is like Rati, the wife of Manmatha, the god of love; dear to the whole world, like the light of the full moon.

Verse 18 (3.65.18)

विदर्भसरसस्तस्माद्दैवदोषादिवोद्धृताम् । मलपङ्कानुलिप्ताङ्गीं प्रम्लानां नलिनीमिव ॥

vidarbhasarasastasmāddaivadoṣādivoddhṛtām | malapaṅkānuliptāṅgīṃ pramlānāṃ nalinīmiva

She is like a lotus pulled from that lake of Vidarbha, as if by an evil turn of fate, her limbs smeared with mud and grime, a faded lotus plant.

Verse 19 (3.65.19)

पौर्णमासीमिव निशां राहुग्रस्तनिशाकराम् । पतिशोकाकुलां दीनां कृशस्रोतां नदीमिव ॥

paurṇamāsīmiva niśāṃ rāhugrastaniśākarām | patiśokākulāṃ dīnāṃ kṛśasrotāṃ nadīmiva

She is like a full-moon night whose moon has been seized by Rahu; distraught with grief for her husband, wretched, like a river whose stream has shrunk.

Note on the text: Corrected कृशस्त्रोतां → कृशस्रोतां (misprint in Wikisource; the word is स्रोतस्, 'stream'; CE reads 'śuṣkasrotāṃ').

Verse 20 (3.65.20)

विध्वस्तपर्णकमलां वित्रासितविहंगमाम् । हस्तिहस्तपरिक्लिष्टां व्याकुलामिव पद्मिनीम् ॥

vidhvastaparṇakamalāṃ vitrāsitavihaṃgamām | hastihastaparikliṣṭāṃ vyākulāmiva padminīm

She is like a lotus pool churned up by an elephant's trunk, its leaves and lotuses torn, its birds frightened away, all in disorder.

Verse 21 (3.65.21)

सुकुमारीं सुजाताङ्गीं रत्नगर्भगृहोचिताम् । दह्यमानामिवार्केण मृणालीमिव चोद्धृताम् ॥

sukumārīṃ sujātāṅgīṃ ratnagarbhagṛhocitām | dahyamānāmivārkeṇa mṛṇālīmiva coddhṛtām

Delicate, graceful of limb, fit for a jewelled inner chamber, she is like a lotus stalk pulled from the water and scorched by the sun.

Verse 22 (3.65.22)

रूपौदार्यगुणोपेतां मण्डनार्हाममण्डिताम् । चन्द्रलेखामिव नवां व्योम्नि नीलाभ्रसंवृताम् ॥

rūpaudāryaguṇopetāṃ maṇḍanārhāmamaṇḍitām | candralekhāmiva navāṃ vyomni nīlābhrasaṃvṛtām

Endowed with beauty, nobility and virtue, worthy of ornaments yet unadorned, she is like the new crescent moon in the sky, veiled by dark clouds.

Note on the text: Spacing normalised (नवांव्योम्नि → नवां व्योम्नि).

Verse 23 (3.65.23)

कामभोगैः प्रियैर्हीनां हीनां बन्धुजनेन च । देहं धारयतीं दीनं भर्तृदर्शनकाङ्क्षया ॥

kāmabhogaiḥ priyairhīnāṃ hīnāṃ bandhujanena ca | dehaṃ dhārayatīṃ dīnaṃ bhartṛdarśanakāṅkṣayā

Bereft of the pleasures and delights she loved, bereft too of her kinsfolk, she keeps her wretched body alive only in the hope of seeing her husband.

Verse 24 (3.65.24)

भर्ता नाम परं नार्या भूषणं भूषणैर्विना । एषा हि रहिता तेन शोभमाना न शोभते ॥

bhartā nāma paraṃ nāryā bhūṣaṇaṃ bhūṣaṇairvinā | eṣā hi rahitā tena śobhamānā na śobhate

For a woman, her husband is her highest ornament, even without ornaments. Parted from him, this lady, beautiful as she is, does not shine.

Verse 25 (3.65.25)

दुष्करं कुरुतेऽत्यन्तं हीनो यदनया नलः । धारयत्यात्मनो देहं न शोकेनापि सीदति ॥

duṣkaraṃ kurute'tyantaṃ hīno yadanayā nalaḥ | dhārayatyātmano dehaṃ na śokenāpi sīdati

Nala does a very hard thing indeed, if, parted from her, he keeps his body alive and does not sink under his grief.

Verse 26 (3.65.26)

इमामसितकेशान्तां शतपत्रायतेक्षणाम् । सुखार्हां दुःखितां दृष्ट्वा ममापि व्यथते मनः ॥

imāmasitakeśāntāṃ śatapatrāyatekṣaṇām | sukhārhāṃ duḥkhitāṃ dṛṣṭvā mamāpi vyathate manaḥ

When I see her, with her dark hair and her eyes long as the petals of a hundred-petalled lotus, a woman who deserves happiness now in sorrow, my own heart aches too.

Verse 27 (3.65.27)

कदा नु खलु दुःखस्य पारं यास्यति वै शुभा । भर्तुः समागमात्साध्वी रोहिणी शशिनो यथा ॥

kadā nu khalu duḥkhasya pāraṃ yāsyati vai śubhā | bhartuḥ samāgamātsādhvī rohiṇī śaśino yathā

When will this fair and faithful lady reach the far shore of her sorrow, through reunion with her husband, as Rohini does with the moon?

Note on the text: Corrected खलुः → खलु (misprint in Wikisource; stray visarga on an indeclinable; CE khalu). Spacing normalised (साध्वीरोहिणी → साध्वी रोहिणी).

Verse 28 (3.65.28)

अस्या नूनं पुनर्लाभान्नैषधः प्रीतिमेष्यति । राजा राज्यपरिभ्रष्टः पुनर्लब्ध्वेव मेदिनीम् ॥

asyā nūnaṃ punarlābhānnaiṣadhaḥ prītimeṣyati | rājā rājyaparibhraṣṭaḥ punarlabdhveva medinīm

Surely the Naishadha will rejoice in winning her back, as a king driven from his kingdom rejoices in regaining the earth.

Verse 29 (3.65.29)

तुल्यशीलवयोयुक्तां तुल्याभिजनसंवृताम् । नैषधोऽर्हति वैदर्भीं तं चेयमसितेक्षणा ॥

tulyaśīlavayoyuktāṃ tulyābhijanasaṃvṛtām | naiṣadho'rhati vaidarbhīṃ taṃ ceyamasitekṣaṇā

The Naishadha is worthy of the princess of Vidarbha, his equal in character and age and in nobility of birth; and this dark-eyed lady is worthy of him.

Note on the text: Corrected संवृतम् → संवृताम् (misprint in Wikisource; the adjective qualifies वैदर्भीं; CE has the feminine 'saṃyutām').

Verse 30 (3.65.30)

युक्तं तस्याप्रमेयस्य वीर्यसत्त्ववतो मया । समाश्वासयितुं भार्यां पतिदर्शनलालसाम् ॥

yuktaṃ tasyāprameyasya vīryasattvavato mayā | samāśvāsayituṃ bhāryāṃ patidarśanalālasām

It is right that I should comfort the wife of that immeasurable man, so rich in valour and courage, as she longs to see her husband.

Note on the text: Corrected वीर्यसत्ववतो → वीर्यसत्त्ववतो (misprint in Wikisource; सत्त्व; CE vīryasattvavato).

Verse 31 (3.65.31)

अहमाश्वासयाम्येनां पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम् । अदृष्टदुःखां दुःखार्तां ध्यानरोदनतत्पराम् ॥

ahamāśvāsayāmyenāṃ pūrṇacandranibhānanām | adṛṣṭaduḥkhāṃ duḥkhārtāṃ dhyānarodanatatparām

I will comfort her, this woman with a face like the full moon, who never knew sorrow before and is now stricken with grief, lost in brooding and weeping."

Verse 32 (3.65.32)

एवं विमृश्य विविधैः कारणैर्लक्षणैश्च ताम् । उपगम्य ततो भैमीं सुदेवो ब्राह्मणोऽब्रवीत् ॥

evaṃ vimṛśya vividhaiḥ kāraṇairlakṣaṇaiśca tām | upagamya tato bhaimīṃ sudevo brāhmaṇo'bravīt

Having reflected in this way on the many signs and marks by which he knew her, the brahmin Sudeva then went up to Bhima's daughter and spoke.

Verse 33 (3.65.33)

अहं सुदेवो वैदर्भि भ्रातुस्ते दयितः सखा । भीमस्य वचनाद्राज्ञस्त्वामन्वेष्टुमिहागतः ॥

ahaṃ sudevo vaidarbhi bhrātuste dayitaḥ sakhā | bhīmasya vacanādrājñastvāmanveṣṭumihāgataḥ

"Princess of Vidarbha, I am Sudeva, your brother's dear friend. At the bidding of King Bhima I have come here to look for you.

Verse 34 (3.65.34)

कुशली ते पिता राज्ञि जननी भ्रातरश्च ते । आयुष्मन्तौ कुशलिनौ तत्रस्थौ दारकौ च ते ॥

kuśalī te pitā rājñi jananī bhrātaraśca te | āyuṣmantau kuśalinau tatrasthau dārakau ca te

Your father is well, my queen, and so are your mother and your brothers. Your two children, who are staying there, are alive and well.

Verse 35 (3.65.35)

त्वत्कृते बन्धुवर्गाश्च गतसत्त्वा इवासते । अन्वेष्टारो ब्राह्मणाश्च भ्रमन्ति शतशो महीम् ॥

tvatkṛte bandhuvargāśca gatasattvā ivāsate | anveṣṭāro brāhmaṇāśca bhramanti śataśo mahīm

Because of you, all your kinsfolk sit as if lifeless, and brahmins searching for you are wandering the earth by the hundreds."

Note on the text: Corrected गतसत्वा → गतसत्त्वा (misprint in Wikisource; CE gatasattvā). Spacing normalised (त्वत्कृतेबन्धुवर्गाश्च → त्वत्कृते बन्धुवर्गाश्च). The first line is CE 3.65.28e; the second line is not in the CE constituted text but appears in its apparatus as star passage 308 after 3.65.28.

Verse 36 (3.65.36)

अभिज्ञाय सुदेवं तं दमयन्ती युधिष्ठिर । पर्यपृच्छत तान्सर्वान्क्रमेण सुहृदः स्वकान् ॥

abhijñāya sudevaṃ taṃ damayantī yudhiṣṭhira | paryapṛcchata tānsarvānkrameṇa suhṛdaḥ svakān

Recognising Sudeva, O Yudhishthira, Damayanti asked him about each of her friends and kin in turn.

Verse 37 (3.65.37)

रुरोद च भृशं राजन्वैदर्भी शोककर्शिता । दृष्ट्वा सुदेवं सहसा भ्रातुरिष्टं द्विजोत्तमम् ॥

ruroda ca bhṛśaṃ rājanvaidarbhī śokakarśitā | dṛṣṭvā sudevaṃ sahasā bhrāturiṣṭaṃ dvijottamam

And the princess of Vidarbha, worn with grief, wept bitterly, O king, at the sudden sight of Sudeva, the excellent brahmin her brother loved.

Verse 38 (3.65.38)

ततो रुदन्तीं तां दृष्ट्वा सुनन्दा शोककर्शिता । सुदेवेन सहैकान्ते कथयन्तीं च भारत ॥

tato rudantīṃ tāṃ dṛṣṭvā sunandā śokakarśitā | sudevena sahaikānte kathayantīṃ ca bhārata

Then Sunanda, herself stricken with grief, saw her weeping and talking with Sudeva alone, O Bharata,

Verse 39 (3.65.39)

जनित्र्याः प्रेषयामास सैरन्ध्री रुदते भृशम् । ब्राह्मणेन सहागम्य तां विद्धि यदि मन्यसे ॥

janitryāḥ preṣayāmāsa sairandhrī rudate bhṛśam | brāhmaṇena sahāgamya tāṃ viddhi yadi manyase

and sent word to her mother: "The Sairandhri is weeping bitterly after meeting with a brahmin. Find out about her, if you think fit."

Note on the text: Spacing normalised (तांविद्धि → तां विद्धि).

Verse 40 (3.65.40)

अथ चेदिपतेर्माता राज्ञश्चान्तःपुरात्तदा । जगाम यत्र सा बाला ब्राह्मणेन सहाभवत् ॥

atha cedipatermātā rājñaścāntaḥpurāttadā | jagāma yatra sā bālā brāhmaṇena sahābhavat

Then the mother of the king of Chedi came out of the king's inner apartments to where the young woman was with the brahmin.

Note on the text: Spacing normalised (यत्रसा → यत्र सा).

Verse 41 (3.65.41)

ततः सुदेवमानाय्य राजमाता विशांपते । पप्रच्छ भार्या कस्येयं सुता वा कस्य भामिनी ॥

tataḥ sudevamānāyya rājamātā viśāṃpate | papraccha bhāryā kasyeyaṃ sutā vā kasya bhāminī

Then, lord of the people, the queen mother had Sudeva brought before her and asked: "Whose wife is this, or whose daughter, this lovely lady?

Verse 42 (3.65.42)

कथं च नष्टा ज्ञातिभ्यो भर्तुर्वा वामलोचना । त्वया च विदिता विप्र कथमेवंगता सती ॥

kathaṃ ca naṣṭā jñātibhyo bharturvā vāmalocanā | tvayā ca viditā vipra kathamevaṃgatā satī

How was this fair-eyed woman lost to her kinsmen, or to her husband? And how, brahmin, did you recognise her in such a state?

Verse 43 (3.65.43)

एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं त्वत्तः सर्वमशेषतः । तत्त्वेन हि ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छन्त्या देवरूपिणीम् ॥

etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ tvattaḥ sarvamaśeṣataḥ | tattvena hi mamācakṣva pṛcchantyā devarūpiṇīm

All this I wish to hear from you, every bit of it. Tell me truly, for I ask you about this woman of godlike beauty."

Note on the text: Spacing normalised (पृच्छन्त्यादेवरूपिणीम् → पृच्छन्त्या देवरूपिणीम्).

Verse 44 (3.65.44)

एवमुक्तस्तया राजन्सुदेवो द्विजसत्तमः । सुखोपविष्ट आचष्ट दमयन्त्या यथातथम् ॥

evamuktastayā rājansudevo dvijasattamaḥ | sukhopaviṣṭa ācaṣṭa damayantyā yathātatham

Thus addressed by her, O king, Sudeva, the best of brahmins, sat down at ease and told her the truth about Damayanti.