Bahuka Yokes the Horses for Vidarbha

Verse 1 (3.69.1)

श्रुत्वा वचः सुदेवस्य ऋतुपर्णो नराधिपः । सारथीन्स समानीय वार्ष्णेयप्रभृतीन्नृपः । कथयामास यद्वृत्तं ब्राह्मणेन श्रुतं तथा ॥

śrutvā vacaḥ sudevasya ṛtuparṇo narādhipaḥ | sārathīnsa samānīya vārṣṇeyaprabhṛtīnnṛpaḥ | kathayāmāsa yadvṛttaṃ brāhmaṇena śrutaṃ tathā

Having heard Sudeva's words, Rituparna, lord of men, called together his charioteers, Varshneya and the others, and told them what had happened, just as he had heard it from the brahmin.

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki quote mark (`). Lines 2–3 are not in the critical edition's constituted text; they appear in the apparatus as 3.69.1b*316 (vulgate recension).

Verse 2 (3.69.2)

बाहुकं च समाहूय दमयन्त्याः स्वयंवरम् । सान्त्वयञ्श्लक्ष्णया वाचा बाहुकं प्रत्यभाषत ॥

bāhukaṃ ca samāhūya damayantyāḥ svayaṃvaram | sāntvayañślakṣṇayā vācā bāhukaṃ pratyabhāṣata

He also summoned Bahuka and told him of Damayanti's svayamvara; then, soothing him with gentle words, he said to Bahuka:

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki quote mark ('). Corrected सान्त्यञ्श्र्लक्ष्णया → सान्त्वयञ्श्लक्ष्णया (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped व and a broken conjunct; the critical edition reads sāntvayañ ślakṣṇayā). Line 1 is apparatus 3.69.1b*316; line 2 is 3.69.1c.

Verse 3 (3.69.3)

विदर्भान्यातुमिच्छामि दमयन्त्याः स्वयंवरम् । एकाह्ना हयतत्त्वज्ञ मन्यसे यदि बाहुक ॥

vidarbhānyātumicchāmi damayantyāḥ svayaṃvaram | ekāhnā hayatattvajña manyase yadi bāhuka

"I wish to reach Vidarbha in a single day for Damayanti's svayamvara, Bahuka, you who know the true nature of horses — if you think it can be done."

Verse 4 (3.69.4)

एवमुक्तस्य कौन्तेय तेन राज्ञा नलस्य ह । व्यदीर्यत मनो दुःखात्प्रदध्यौ च महामनाः ॥

evamuktasya kaunteya tena rājñā nalasya ha | vyadīryata mano duḥkhātpradadhyau ca mahāmanāḥ

When the king spoke to him thus, son of Kunti, Nala's heart was torn with grief, and the great-souled man sank into thought.

Verse 5 (3.69.5)

दमयन्ती भवेदेवं किंनु दुःखेन मोहिता । अस्मदर्थे भवेद्वाऽयमुपायश्चिन्तितो महान् ॥

damayantī bhavedevaṃ kiṃnu duḥkhena mohitā | asmadarthe bhavedvā'yamupāyaścintito mahān

"Could Damayanti really have come to this, bewildered by grief? Or perhaps this is some great stratagem she has devised for my sake.

Note on the text: Corrected भवेद्बाऽयम् → भवेद्वाऽयम् (misprint in Wikisource; ब for व; the critical edition reads bhaved vāyam).

Verse 6 (3.69.6)

नृशंसं बत वैदर्भी कर्तुकामा तपस्विनी । मया क्षुद्रेण निकृताकृपणा पापबुद्धिना । स्त्रीस्वभावश्चलो लोके मम दोषश्च दारुणः ॥

nṛśaṃsaṃ bata vaidarbhī kartukāmā tapasvinī | mayā kṣudreṇa nikṛtākṛpaṇā pāpabuddhinā | strīsvabhāvaścalo loke mama doṣaśca dāruṇaḥ

Alas, the poor princess of Vidarbha means to do a cruel thing — she, the gentle lady whom I, base and evil-minded, so wronged. A woman's nature is fickle in this world, and my own fault is terrible.

Note on the text: Corrected यया → मया (misprint in Wikisource; the feminine relative has nothing to agree with beside क्षुद्रेण … पापबुद्धिना, and the critical edition reads mayā). The verse corresponds to 3.69.5 and 3.69.6a of the critical edition.

Verse 7 (3.69.7)

मम शोकेन संविग्ना नैराश्यात्तनुमध्यमा । नैवं सा कर्हिचित्कुर्यात्सापत्या च विशेषतः ॥

mama śokena saṃvignā nairāśyāttanumadhyamā | naivaṃ sā karhicitkuryātsāpatyā ca viśeṣataḥ

Shaken by grief for me, in her despair — would the slender-waisted one do this? No, she would never do such a thing, least of all as a mother of children.

Note on the text: Corresponds to 3.69.6e and 3.69.7a of the critical edition; the critical edition's line 3.69.6c has no counterpart in Wikisource.

Verse 8 (3.69.8)

यदत्र सत्यं वाऽसत्यं गत्वा वेत्स्यामि निश्चयम् । ऋतुपर्णस्य वै काममात्मार्थं च करोम्यहम् ॥

yadatra satyaṃ vā'satyaṃ gatvā vetsyāmi niścayam | ṛtuparṇasya vai kāmamātmārthaṃ ca karomyaham

Whether it is true or false, I shall go there and learn for certain. I will do what Rituparna wants, and serve my own purpose as well."

Note on the text: Corresponds to 3.69.7c–e of the critical edition.

Verse 9 (3.69.9)

इति निश्चित्य मनसा बाहुको दीनमानसः । कृताञ्जलिरुवाचेदमृतुपर्णं जनाधिपम् ॥

iti niścitya manasā bāhuko dīnamānasaḥ | kṛtāñjaliruvācedamṛtuparṇaṃ janādhipam

Having resolved this in his mind, Bahuka, heavy at heart, joined his palms and said to King Rituparna, ruler of the people:

Note on the text: Corrected कृतालुरुवाचेदम् → कृताञ्जलिरुवाचेदम् (misprint in Wikisource; कृतालु is not a word; the critical edition reads kṛtāñjalir uvācedam).

Verse 10 (3.69.10)

प्रतिजानामि ते वाक्यं गमिष्यामि नराधिप । एकाह्ना पुरुषव्याघ्र विदर्भनगरीं नृप । तत्रादित्योदये काले श्वो विदर्भान्गमिष्यसि ॥

pratijānāmi te vākyaṃ gamiṣyāmi narādhipa | ekāhnā puruṣavyāghra vidarbhanagarīṃ nṛpa | tatrādityodaye kāle śvo vidarbhāngamiṣyasi

"I accept your word, lord of men: I will go to the city of Vidarbha in a single day, tiger among men, O king. Tomorrow, at the hour of sunrise, you shall set out for Vidarbha."

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki quote mark (`). Lines 1–2 correspond to 3.69.9 of the critical edition; line 3 is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 11 (3.69.11)

एवमुक्तोऽब्रवीद्राजा बाहुकं प्रहसन्निव । किं ते कामं करोम्यद्य तुष्टोऽस्मि तव बाहुक ॥

evamukto'bravīdrājā bāhukaṃ prahasanniva | kiṃ te kāmaṃ karomyadya tuṣṭo'smi tava bāhuka

Thus addressed, the king said to Bahuka, as if laughing: "What wish of yours shall I grant today? I am pleased with you, Bahuka."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text; a variant of it appears in the apparatus as 3.69.9d*317 (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 12 (3.69.12)

यावद्यानमिदं सज्जमृतुपर्ण करोम्यहम् ॥

yāvadyānamidaṃ sajjamṛtuparṇa karomyaham

"Only wait, Rituparna, while I make this chariot ready."

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki quote mark ('). A single line, printed so in Wikisource. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 13 (3.69.13)

ततः परीक्षामश्वानां चक्रे राजन्स बाहुकः । अश्वशालामुपागम्य भागस्वरिनृपाज्ञया ॥

tataḥ parīkṣāmaśvānāṃ cakre rājansa bāhukaḥ | aśvaśālāmupāgamya bhāgasvarinṛpājñayā

Then, O king, Bahuka went to the stables and, at King Bhangasvari's command, put the horses to the test.

Verse 14 (3.69.14)

स त्वर्यमाणो बहुश ऋतुपर्णेन बाहुकः । अश्वाञ्जिज्ञासमानो वै विचार्य च पुनःपुनः । अध्यगच्छत्कृशानश्वान्समर्थानध्वनि क्षमान् ॥

sa tvaryamāṇo bahuśa ṛtuparṇena bāhukaḥ | aśvāñjijñāsamāno vai vicārya ca punaḥpunaḥ | adhyagacchatkṛśānaśvānsamarthānadhvani kṣamān

Urged on again and again by Rituparna, Bahuka tried the horses, weighing them over and over, and chose lean horses that were strong and able to bear the road —

Note on the text: Corrected ऋतुपर्णन → ऋतुपर्णेन (misprint in Wikisource; the instrumental needs ए; the critical edition reads ṛtuparṇena). Line 2 is not in the critical edition's constituted text; it appears in the apparatus as 3.69.11b*318.

Verse 15 (3.69.15)

तेजोबलसमायुक्तान्कुलशीलसमन्वितान् । वर्जिताँल्लक्षणैर्हीनैः पृथुप्रोथान्महाहनून् ॥

tejobalasamāyuktānkulaśīlasamanvitān | varjitām̐llakṣaṇairhīnaiḥ pṛthuprothānmahāhanūn

horses full of spirit and strength, of good breed and good temper, free of inauspicious marks, with wide nostrils and broad jaws,

Verse 16 (3.69.16)

शुद्धान्दशभिरावर्तैः सिन्धुजान्वातरंहसः । दृश्यमानान्कृशानङ्गैर्जवेनाप्रतिमान्पथि ॥

śuddhāndaśabhirāvartaiḥ sindhujānvātaraṃhasaḥ | dṛśyamānānkṛśānaṅgairjavenāpratimānpathi

pure in their ten whorls, born in the Sindhu country and swift as the wind — lean of limb to look at, but matchless in speed on the road.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` '). Line 1 is 3.69.12e; line 2 is not in the critical edition's constituted text and appears in the apparatus as 3.69.12f*319.

Verse 17 (3.69.17)

तान्दृष्ट्वा दुर्बलान्राजा प्राह कोपसमन्वितः । किमिदं प्रार्थितं कर्तुं प्रलब्धव्या न ते वयम् ॥

tāndṛṣṭvā durbalānrājā prāha kopasamanvitaḥ | kimidaṃ prārthitaṃ kartuṃ pralabdhavyā na te vayam

Seeing those weak-looking horses, the king spoke in anger: "What is this you are trying to do? We are not to be tricked by you.

Note on the text: Corrected नाजा → राजा (misprint in Wikisource; न for र; the critical edition reads rājā) and वचम् → वयम् (misprint in Wikisource; वचम् is not a word; the critical edition reads pralabdhavyā hi te vayam).

Verse 18 (3.69.18)

कथमल्पबलप्राणा वक्ष्यन्तीमे हया रथम् । महानध्वा स चैकाह्ना गन्तव्यः कथमीदृशैः ॥

kathamalpabalaprāṇā vakṣyantīme hayā ratham | mahānadhvā sa caikāhnā gantavyaḥ kathamīdṛśaiḥ

How will these horses, so poor in strength and stamina, draw the chariot? The road is long, and it must be covered in a single day — how, with horses like these?"

Verse 19 (3.69.19)

एको ललाटे द्वौ मूर्ध्नि द्वौद्वौ पार्श्वोपपार्श्वयोः । द्वौद्वौ वक्षसि विज्ञेयौ प्रयाणे चैक एव तु ॥

eko lalāṭe dvau mūrdhni dvaudvau pārśvopapārśvayoḥ | dvaudvau vakṣasi vijñeyau prayāṇe caika eva tu

"One whorl on the forehead, two on the crown, two each on the sides and the flanks, two each on the chest, and a single one on the back — these are the marks to be known.

Note on the text: Removed the editorial square brackets and a doubled end mark. Corrected द्वे → द्वौ (misprint in Wikisource; the whorls counted here are masculine, as एको and द्वौद्वौ show; the apparatus reads dvau) and विज्ञैर्यौ → विज्ञेयौ (misprint in Wikisource; not a word; the apparatus reads vijñeyau). Not in the critical edition's constituted text; it appears in the apparatus as 3.69.15d*320, after the following verse (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 20 (3.69.20)

एते हया गमिष्यन्ति विदर्भान्नात्र संशयः । यानन्यान्मन्यसे राजन्ब्रूहि तान्योजयामिते ॥

ete hayā gamiṣyanti vidarbhānnātra saṃśayaḥ | yānanyānmanyase rājanbrūhi tānyojayāmite

These horses will reach Vidarbha; of that there is no doubt. But if you have others in mind, O king, tell me which, and I will yoke them for you."

Verse 21 (3.69.21)

त्वमेव हयतत्त्वज्ञः कुशलो ह्यसि बाहुक । यान्मन्यसे समर्थास्त्वं क्षिप्रं तानेव योजय ॥

tvameva hayatattvajñaḥ kuśalo hyasi bāhuka | yānmanyase samarthāstvaṃ kṣipraṃ tāneva yojaya

"You alone know the true nature of horses, Bahuka; you are the expert. Whichever you think capable, yoke those, and quickly."

Verse 22 (3.69.22)

ततः सदश्वांश्चतुरः कुलशीलसमन्वितान् । योजयामास कुशलो जवयुक्तान्रथे नलः ॥

tataḥ sadaśvāṃścaturaḥ kulaśīlasamanvitān | yojayāmāsa kuśalo javayuktānrathe nalaḥ

Then skilful Nala yoked to the chariot four fine horses of good breed and temper, full of speed.

Verse 23 (3.69.23)

ततो युक्तं रथं राजा समारोहत्त्वरान्वितः । अथ पर्यपतन्भूमौ जानुभिस्ते हयोत्तमाः ॥

tato yuktaṃ rathaṃ rājā samārohattvarānvitaḥ | atha paryapatanbhūmau jānubhiste hayottamāḥ

The king mounted the yoked chariot in haste, and at that the fine horses sank to the ground on their knees.

Verse 24 (3.69.24)

ततो नरवरः श्रीमान्नलो राजा विशांपते । सान्त्वयामास तानश्वांस्तेजोबलसमन्वितान् ॥

tato naravaraḥ śrīmānnalo rājā viśāṃpate | sāntvayāmāsa tānaśvāṃstejobalasamanvitān

Then glorious Nala, best of men, the king, O lord of the people, calmed those horses, so full of spirit and strength.

Verse 25 (3.69.25)

रश्मिभिश्च समुद्यम्य नलो यातुमियेष सः । सूतमारोप्य वार्ष्णेयं जवमास्थाय वै परम् ॥

raśmibhiśca samudyamya nalo yātumiyeṣa saḥ | sūtamāropya vārṣṇeyaṃ javamāsthāya vai param

Gathering up the reins, Nala made ready to go; he took Varshneya the charioteer up with him and set off at the greatest speed.

Verse 26 (3.69.26)

ते चोद्यमाना विधिवद्बाहुकेन हयोत्तमाः । समुत्पेतुरिवाकाशं रथिनं मोहयन्ति च ॥

te codyamānā vidhivadbāhukena hayottamāḥ | samutpeturivākāśaṃ rathinaṃ mohayanti ca

Driven in the proper way by Bahuka, the fine horses rose as if into the sky, bewildering the man who rode in the chariot.

Verse 27 (3.69.27)

तथा तु दृष्ट्वा तानश्वान्वहतो वातरंहसः । अयोध्याधिपतिः श्रीमान्विस्मयं परमं ययौ ॥

tathā tu dṛṣṭvā tānaśvānvahato vātaraṃhasaḥ | ayodhyādhipatiḥ śrīmānvismayaṃ paramaṃ yayau

Seeing those horses carry him along with the speed of the wind, the glorious lord of Ayodhya was utterly amazed.

Verse 28 (3.69.28)

रथघोषं तु तं श्रुत्वा हयसंग्रहणं च तत् । वार्ष्णेयश्चिन्तयामास बाहुकस्य हयज्ञताम् ॥

rathaghoṣaṃ tu taṃ śrutvā hayasaṃgrahaṇaṃ ca tat | vārṣṇeyaścintayāmāsa bāhukasya hayajñatām

Hearing the thunder of the chariot and seeing such command of the horses, Varshneya pondered Bahuka's mastery of horses:

Verse 29 (3.69.29)

किंनु स्यान्मातलिरयं देवराजस्य सारथिः । तथा तल्लक्षणं वीरे बाहुके दृश्यते महत् ॥

kiṃnu syānmātalirayaṃ devarājasya sārathiḥ | tathā tallakṣaṇaṃ vīre bāhuke dṛśyate mahat

"Could this be Matali, charioteer of the king of the gods? For just such a great mark is seen in heroic Bahuka.

Verse 30 (3.69.30)

शालिहोत्रोऽथ किंतु स्याद्धयानां कुलतत्त्ववित् । मानुषं समनुप्राप्तो वपुः परमशोभनम् ॥

śālihotro'tha kiṃtu syāddhayānāṃ kulatattvavit | mānuṣaṃ samanuprāpto vapuḥ paramaśobhanam

Or is he Shalihotra, who knows the breeds and nature of horses, come here in a most splendid human body?

Note on the text: Corrected मानुपं → मानुषं (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the critical edition reads mānuṣaṃ).

Verse 31 (3.69.31)

उताहोस्विद्भवेद्राजा नलः परपुरंजयः । सोयं नृपतिरायात इत्येवं समचिन्तयत् ॥

utāhosvidbhavedrājā nalaḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ | soyaṃ nṛpatirāyāta ityevaṃ samacintayat

Or could he be King Nala, conqueror of enemy cities — has that king come here?" So he pondered.

Verse 32 (3.69.32)

अथवाऽयंनलात्प्राप्तो विद्यां तामेव बाहुकः । तुल्यं हि लक्षये ज्ञानं बाहुकस्य नलस्य च ॥

athavā'yaṃnalātprāpto vidyāṃ tāmeva bāhukaḥ | tulyaṃ hi lakṣaye jñānaṃ bāhukasya nalasya ca

"Or else Bahuka has learned that same art from Nala, for I see the same knowledge in Bahuka as in Nala.

Verse 33 (3.69.33)

अपिचेदं वयस्तुल्यं बाहुकस्य नलस्य च । नायं नलो महावीर्यस्तद्विद्यश्च भविष्यति ॥

apicedaṃ vayastulyaṃ bāhukasya nalasya ca | nāyaṃ nalo mahāvīryastadvidyaśca bhaviṣyati

Bahuka and Nala are alike in age, too. If this is not mighty Nala, he must be one who has Nala's knowledge.

Verse 34 (3.69.34)

प्रच्छन्ना हि महात्मानश्चरन्ति पृथिवीमिमाम् । दैवेन विधिना युक्ताः शास्त्रोक्तैश्च निरूपणैः ॥

pracchannā hi mahātmānaścaranti pṛthivīmimām | daivena vidhinā yuktāḥ śāstroktaiśca nirūpaṇaiḥ

For great-souled men do wander this earth in disguise, bound by fate and ordinance, in such guises as the scriptures tell of.

Verse 35 (3.69.35)

भवेन्न मतिभेदो मे गात्रवैरूप्यतां प्रति । प्रमाणात्परिहीनस्तु भवेदिति मतिर्मम ॥

bhavenna matibhedo me gātravairūpyatāṃ prati | pramāṇātparihīnastu bhavediti matirmama

The ugliness of his body should not alter my judgment; my thought is only that he has fallen away from his proper form.

Note on the text: Corrected गात्रवैरूप्यता → गात्रवैरूप्यतां (misprint in Wikisource; प्रति needs the accusative; the critical edition reads gātravairūpyatāṃ prati).

Verse 36 (3.69.36)

वयःप्रमाणं तत्तुल्यं रूपेण तु विपर्ययः । नलं सर्वगुणैर्युक्तं मन्ये बाहुकमन्ततः ॥

vayaḥpramāṇaṃ tattulyaṃ rūpeṇa tu viparyayaḥ | nalaṃ sarvaguṇairyuktaṃ manye bāhukamantataḥ

In age and build he is the same, though in looks the very opposite. In the end I take Bahuka to be Nala, endowed with every virtue."

Verse 37 (3.69.37)

एवं विचार्य बहुशो वार्ष्णेयः पर्यचिन्तयत् । हृदयेन महाराज पुण्यश्लोकस्य सारथिः ॥

evaṃ vicārya bahuśo vārṣṇeyaḥ paryacintayat | hṛdayena mahārāja puṇyaślokasya sārathiḥ

Having weighed it this way and that, great king, Varshneya, the charioteer of Nala of sacred fame, kept turning it over in his heart.

Note on the text: Corrected वार्ष्णोयः → वार्ष्णेयः (misprint in Wikisource; the name is वार्ष्णेय, as elsewhere in the adhyaya; the critical edition reads vārṣṇeyaḥ).

Verse 38 (3.69.38)

ऋतुपर्णश्च राजेन्द्रो बाहुकस्य हयज्ञताम् । चिन्तयन्मुमुदे राजा सहवार्ष्णेयसारथिः ॥

ṛtuparṇaśca rājendro bāhukasya hayajñatām | cintayanmumude rājā sahavārṣṇeyasārathiḥ

And Rituparna, king of kings, thinking on Bahuka's mastery of horses, rejoiced, together with Varshneya his charioteer.

Note on the text: Corrected राजेनद्रो → राजेन्द्रो (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct; the critical edition reads rājendra).

Verse 39 (3.69.39)

ऐकाग्र्यं च तथोत्साहं हयसंग्रहणं च तत् । कौशलं चापि संप्रेक्ष्य परां मुदमवाप ह ॥

aikāgryaṃ ca tathotsāhaṃ hayasaṃgrahaṇaṃ ca tat | kauśalaṃ cāpi saṃprekṣya parāṃ mudamavāpa ha

Seeing his single-minded attention, his zeal, his command of the horses and his skill, the king was filled with the greatest delight.

Note on the text: Corrected सुदम् → मुदम् (misprint in Wikisource; स for म; the critical edition reads parāṃ mudam avāpa).