Damayanti Hears the Chariot

Verse 1 (3.71.1)

ततो विदर्भान्संप्राप्तं सायाह्ने सत्यविक्रमम् । ऋतुपर्णं जना राज्ञे भीमाय प्रत्यवेदयन् ॥

tato vidarbhānsaṃprāptaṃ sāyāhne satyavikramam | ṛtuparṇaṃ janā rājñe bhīmāya pratyavedayan

Then, in the evening, people announced to King Bhima that Rituparna, true in valour, had reached Vidarbha.

Verse 2 (3.71.2)

स भीमवचनाद्राजा कुण्डिनं प्राविशत्पुरम् । नादयन्रथघोषेण सर्वाः स विदिशो दिशः ॥

sa bhīmavacanādrājā kuṇḍinaṃ prāviśatpuram | nādayanrathaghoṣeṇa sarvāḥ sa vidiśo diśaḥ

At Bhima's word the king entered the city of Kundina, making all the quarters and the points between them ring with the roar of his chariot.

Verse 3 (3.71.3)

ततस्तं रथनिर्घोषं नलाश्वास्तत्र शुश्रुवुः । श्रुत्वा तु समहृष्यन्त पुरेव नलसन्निधौ ॥

tatastaṃ rathanirghoṣaṃ nalāśvāstatra śuśruvuḥ | śrutvā tu samahṛṣyanta pureva nalasannidhau

Nala's horses, who were there, heard the rumble of that chariot, and hearing it they rejoiced, as they used to when Nala was near.

Verse 4 (3.71.4)

दमयन्ती तु शुश्राव रथघोषं नलस्य तम् । यथा मेघस्य नदतो गम्भीरं जलदागमे ॥

damayantī tu śuśrāva rathaghoṣaṃ nalasya tam | yathā meghasya nadato gambhīraṃ jaladāgame

Damayanti too heard that rumble of Nala's chariot, deep as the roar of a thundering cloud when the rains come.

Verse 5 (3.71.5)

परं विस्मयमापन्ना श्रुत्वा नादं महास्वनम् । नलेन संगृहीतेषु पुरेव नलवाजिषु । सदृशं रथनिर्घोषं मेने भैमी तथा हयाः ॥

paraṃ vismayamāpannā śrutvā nādaṃ mahāsvanam | nalena saṃgṛhīteṣu pureva nalavājiṣu | sadṛśaṃ rathanirghoṣaṃ mene bhaimī tathā hayāḥ

Hearing that mighty roar she was filled with wonder: Bhima's daughter, and the horses too, thought the rumble of the chariot the same as of old, when Nala held the reins of his own horses.

Note on the text: Line 1 is not in the critical edition's constituted text; it appears in the apparatus as 3.71.4d*335. Lines 2–3 are 3.71.5.

Verse 6 (3.71.6)

प्रासादस्थाश्च शिखिनः शालास्थाश्चैव वारणाः । हयाश्च शुश्रुवुस्तस्य रथघोषं महीपतेः ॥

prāsādasthāśca śikhinaḥ śālāsthāścaiva vāraṇāḥ | hayāśca śuśruvustasya rathaghoṣaṃ mahīpateḥ

The peacocks on the palace terraces, the elephants in their stalls and the horses all heard the rumble of that king's chariot.

Verse 7 (3.71.7)

तच्छ्रुत्वा रथनिर्घोषं वारणाः शिखिनस्तथा । प्रणेदुरुन्मुखा राजन्दृष्ट्वेव जलदोदयम् ॥

tacchrutvā rathanirghoṣaṃ vāraṇāḥ śikhinastathā | praṇedurunmukhā rājandṛṣṭveva jaladodayam

Hearing the roar of the chariot, the elephants and the peacocks cried out with lifted heads, O king, as though they saw rain clouds gathering.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रवेदुः → प्रणेदुः (misprint in Wikisource; प्रवेदुः is no valid form; the critical edition reads praṇedur unmukhā).

Verse 8 (3.71.8)

यथाऽसौ रथनिर्घोषः पूरयन्निव मेदिनीम् । ममाह्लादयते चेतो नल एव महीपतिः ॥

yathā'sau rathanirghoṣaḥ pūrayanniva medinīm | mamāhlādayate ceto nala eva mahīpatiḥ

"The way this rumble of the chariot gladdens my heart, as if it filled the whole earth — it is surely King Nala.

Verse 9 (3.71.9)

अद्य चन्द्राभवक्त्रं तं न पश्यामि नलं यदि । असंख्येयगुणं वीरं विनङ्क्ष्यामि न संशयः ॥

adya candrābhavaktraṃ taṃ na paśyāmi nalaṃ yadi | asaṃkhyeyaguṇaṃ vīraṃ vinaṅkṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ

If today I do not see Nala, his face bright as the moon, that hero of countless virtues, I shall perish, without a doubt.

Note on the text: Corrected नन्द्राभवक्रं → चन्द्राभवक्त्रं (misprint in Wikisource; न for च and a broken conjunct; the critical edition reads candrābhavaktraṃ).

Verse 10 (3.71.10)

यदि वै तस्य वीरस्य बाह्वोर्नाद्याहमन्तरम् । प्रविशामि सुखस्पर्शं नभविष्याम्यसंशयम् ॥

yadi vai tasya vīrasya bāhvornādyāhamantaram | praviśāmi sukhasparśaṃ nabhaviṣyāmyasaṃśayam

If today I do not enter the sweet embrace of that hero's arms, I shall cease to be, without a doubt.

Note on the text: Corrected हाह्वोर् → बाह्वोर् (misprint in Wikisource; ह for ब; the critical edition reads bāhvor).

Verse 11 (3.71.11)

यदि मां मेघनिर्घोषो नोपगच्छति नैषधः । अद्य चामीकरप्रख्यं प्रवेक्ष्यामि हुताशनम् ॥

yadi māṃ meghanirghoṣo nopagacchati naiṣadhaḥ | adya cāmīkaraprakhyaṃ pravekṣyāmi hutāśanam

If the Naishadha, whose voice is like the thunder of clouds, does not come to me, today I shall enter the fire, bright as gold.

Verse 12 (3.71.12)

यदि मां सिंहविक्रान्तो मत्तवारणविक्रमः । नाभिगच्छतिराजेन्द्रो विनङ्क्ष्यामि न संशयः ॥

yadi māṃ siṃhavikrānto mattavāraṇavikramaḥ | nābhigacchatirājendro vinaṅkṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ

If that king of kings, with the stride of a lion and the gait of an elephant in rut, does not come to me, I shall perish, without a doubt.

Verse 13 (3.71.13)

न स्मराम्यनृतं किंचिन्न स्मराम्यपकारताम् । न च पर्युषितं वाक्यं स्वैरेष्वपि महात्मनः ॥

na smarāmyanṛtaṃ kiṃcinna smarāmyapakāratām | na ca paryuṣitaṃ vākyaṃ svaireṣvapi mahātmanaḥ

I cannot remember any falsehood in that great-souled man, nor any wrong he did me, nor a word of his left unkept, even in his lightest moments.

Verse 14 (3.71.14)

प्रभुः क्षमावान्वीरश्च दाता चाप्यधिको नृपैः । अहो नीचानुवर्ती च क्लीबवन्मम नैषध ॥

prabhuḥ kṣamāvānvīraśca dātā cāpyadhiko nṛpaiḥ | aho nīcānuvartī ca klībavanmama naiṣadha

He is lordly, forgiving and brave, generous and greater than other kings; and ah, with me he was humble and gentle, as one without pride — my Naishadha!

Verse 15 (3.71.15)

गुणांस्तस्य स्मरन्त्या मे तत्पराया दिवानिशम् । हृदयं दीर्यत इदं शोकात्प्रियविनाकृतम् ॥

guṇāṃstasya smarantyā me tatparāyā divāniśam | hṛdayaṃ dīryata idaṃ śokātpriyavinākṛtam

As I think of his virtues day and night, devoted to him alone, this heart of mine, parted from my beloved, is breaking with grief."

Verse 16 (3.71.16)

एवं विलपमाना सा नष्टसंज्ञेव भारत । आरुरोह महद्वेश्म पुण्यश्लोकदिदृक्षया ॥

evaṃ vilapamānā sā naṣṭasaṃjñeva bhārata | āruroha mahadveśma puṇyaślokadidṛkṣayā

Lamenting thus, almost out of her senses, O Bharata, she climbed up to the great palace roof, longing to see Nala of sacred fame.

Verse 17 (3.71.17)

ततो मध्यमकक्षायां ददर्श रथमास्थितम् । ऋतुपर्णं महीपालं सहवार्ष्णेयबाहुकम् ॥

tato madhyamakakṣāyāṃ dadarśa rathamāsthitam | ṛtuparṇaṃ mahīpālaṃ sahavārṣṇeyabāhukam

Then, in the middle courtyard, she saw King Rituparna, protector of the earth, standing in the chariot with Varshneya and Bahuka.

Verse 18 (3.71.18)

ततोऽवतीर्य वार्ष्णेयो बाहुकश्च रथोत्तमात् । हयांस्तानवमुच्याथ स्थापयामासतू रथम् ॥

tato'vatīrya vārṣṇeyo bāhukaśca rathottamāt | hayāṃstānavamucyātha sthāpayāmāsatū ratham

Then Varshneya and Bahuka got down from the fine chariot, unyoked the horses and set the chariot in its place.

Note on the text: Corrected वार्ष्णएयो → वार्ष्णेयो (misprint in Wikisource; a stray vowel letter; the critical edition reads vārṣṇeyo).

Verse 19 (3.71.19)

सोऽवतीर्य रथोपस्थादृतुपर्णो नराधिपः । उपतस्थे महाराजं भीमं भीमपराक्रमम् ॥

so'vatīrya rathopasthādṛtuparṇo narādhipaḥ | upatasthe mahārājaṃ bhīmaṃ bhīmaparākramam

King Rituparna, lord of men, stepped down from the chariot's seat and went up to the great King Bhima, terrible in valour.

Verse 20 (3.71.20)

तं भीमः प्रतिजग्राह पूजया परया मुदा । स तेन पूजितो राज्ञा ऋतुपर्णो नराधिपः ॥

taṃ bhīmaḥ pratijagrāha pūjayā parayā mudā | sa tena pūjito rājñā ṛtuparṇo narādhipaḥ

Bhima received him joyfully, with the highest honour, and so King Rituparna, lord of men, was honoured by that king.

Note on the text: Line 1 is 3.71.20a; line 2 is not in the critical edition's constituted text and appears in the apparatus as 3.71.20b*336.

Verse 21 (3.71.21)

स तत्र कुण्डिने रम्ये वसमानो महीपतिः । न च किंचित्तदाऽपश्यत्प्रेक्षमाणो मुहुर्मुहुः । स तु राज्ञा समागम्य विदर्भपतिना तदा ॥

sa tatra kuṇḍine ramye vasamāno mahīpatiḥ | na ca kiṃcittadā'paśyatprekṣamāṇo muhurmuhuḥ | sa tu rājñā samāgamya vidarbhapatinā tadā

Staying there in lovely Kundina, the lord of the earth looked about him again and again, yet saw nothing at all. Then, when he met the king of Vidarbha,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text; it appears in the apparatus as 3.71.20b*336 (found in the vulgate recension). The critical edition's line 3.71.20c has no counterpart in Wikisource.

Verse 22 (3.71.22)

किं कार्यं स्वागतं तेऽस्तु राज्ञा पृष्टः स भारत । नाभिजज्ञे स नृपतिर्दुहित्रर्थे समागतम् ॥

kiṃ kāryaṃ svāgataṃ te'stu rājñā pṛṣṭaḥ sa bhārata | nābhijajñe sa nṛpatirduhitrarthe samāgatam

he was asked by the king, O Bharata, "Welcome to you; what brings you here?" The king did not know that he had come for his daughter's sake.

Verse 23 (3.71.23)

ऋतुपर्णोपि राजा स धीमान्सत्यपराक्रमः । राजानं राजपुत्रं वा न स्म पश्यति कंचन ॥

ṛtuparṇopi rājā sa dhīmānsatyaparākramaḥ | rājānaṃ rājaputraṃ vā na sma paśyati kaṃcana

And wise King Rituparna, true in valour, saw no king or prince there at all,

Verse 24 (3.71.24)

नैव स्वयंवरकथां न च विप्रसमागमम् । न चान्यं कंचिदारम्भं स्वयंवरविधिं प्रति ॥

naiva svayaṃvarakathāṃ na ca viprasamāgamam | na cānyaṃ kaṃcidārambhaṃ svayaṃvaravidhiṃ prati

no talk of a svayamvara, no gathering of brahmins, nor any other preparation for the rites of a svayamvara.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` '). Line 1 is 3.71.22e; line 2 is not in the critical edition's constituted text and appears in the apparatus as 3.71.22f*337.

Verse 25 (3.71.25)

ततो विगणयन्राजा मनसा कोसलाधिपः । आगतोस्मीत्युवाचैनं भवन्तमभिवादकः ॥

tato vigaṇayanrājā manasā kosalādhipaḥ | āgatosmītyuvācainaṃ bhavantamabhivādakaḥ

Then the lord of Kosala, turning it over in his mind, said to him: "I have come to pay my respects to you."

Note on the text: Corrected विगणयद् → विगणयन् (misprint in Wikisource; the participle must agree with राजा; the critical edition reads vigaṇayan) and अभिवादुकः → अभिवादकः (misprint in Wikisource; no such -uka form; the critical edition reads abhivādakaḥ).

Verse 26 (3.71.26)

राजापि च स्मयन्भीमो मनसा समचिन्तयत् । अधिकं योजनशतं तस्यागमनकारणम् । ग्रामान्बहूनतिक्रम्य नाध्यगच्छद्यथातथम् ॥

rājāpi ca smayanbhīmo manasā samacintayat | adhikaṃ yojanaśataṃ tasyāgamanakāraṇam | grāmānbahūnatikramya nādhyagacchadyathātatham

King Bhima, smiling, turned it over in his mind: to explain his coming there were more than a hundred yojanas of road; he had passed many villages on the way — yet Bhima could not find out how things truly stood.

Note on the text: Corresponds to 3.71.24 and 3.71.25a of the critical edition.

Verse 27 (3.71.27)

अल्पकार्यं विनिर्दिष्टं तस्यागमनकारणम् । पश्चादुदर्के ज्ञास्यामि कारणं यद्भविष्यति ॥

alpakāryaṃ vinirdiṣṭaṃ tasyāgamanakāraṇam | paścādudarke jñāsyāmi kāraṇaṃ yadbhaviṣyati

"The reason he gives for coming is a trifling one. Whatever the real cause may be, I shall learn it later, when it comes to light."

Note on the text: Corrected ज्ञास्याप्रि → ज्ञास्यामि (misprint in Wikisource; not a word; the apparatus reads jñāsyāmi). Line 1 is 3.71.25c; line 2 is not in the critical edition's constituted text and appears in the apparatus as 3.71.25d*339.

Verse 28 (3.71.28)

नैतदेवं स नृपतिस्तं सत्कृत्य व्यसर्जयत् । विश्राम्यतामित्युवाच क्लान्तोसीति पुनःपुनः ॥

naitadevaṃ sa nṛpatistaṃ satkṛtya vyasarjayat | viśrāmyatāmityuvāca klāntosīti punaḥpunaḥ

Thinking, "It is not as he says," the king honoured him and let him go, telling him again and again, "Rest now; you are tired."

Verse 29 (3.71.29)

स सत्कृतः प्रहृष्टात्मा प्रीतः प्रीतेन पार्थिवः । राजप्रेष्यैरनुगतो दिष्टं वेश्म समाविशत् ॥

sa satkṛtaḥ prahṛṣṭātmā prītaḥ prītena pārthivaḥ | rājapreṣyairanugato diṣṭaṃ veśma samāviśat

Honoured and glad at heart, pleased by a pleased host, the king went, followed by the royal servants, to the lodging assigned to him.

Verse 30 (3.71.30)

ऋतुपर्णे गते राजन्वार्ष्णेयसहिते नृपे । बाहुको रथमादाय रथशालामुपागमत् ॥

ṛtuparṇe gate rājanvārṣṇeyasahite nṛpe | bāhuko rathamādāya rathaśālāmupāgamat

When King Rituparna had gone with Varshneya, O king, Bahuka took the chariot to the chariot-shed.

Verse 31 (3.71.31)

स मोचयित्वा तानश्वानुपचर्य च शास्त्रतः । स्वयं चैतान्समाश्वास्य रथोपस्थ उपाविशत् ॥

sa mocayitvā tānaśvānupacarya ca śāstrataḥ | svayaṃ caitānsamāśvāsya rathopastha upāviśat

He unyoked the horses, tended them as the science of horses prescribes, soothed them with his own hands, and sat down on the chariot's seat.

Verse 32 (3.71.32)

दमयन्त्यपि शोकार्ता दृष्ट्वा भागस्वरिं नृपम् । सूतपुत्रं च वार्ष्णेयं बाहुकं च तथाविधम् ॥

damayantyapi śokārtā dṛṣṭvā bhāgasvariṃ nṛpam | sūtaputraṃ ca vārṣṇeyaṃ bāhukaṃ ca tathāvidham

Damayanti, for her part, stricken with grief, seeing King Bhangasvari, the charioteer's son Varshneya, and Bahuka in such a guise,

Verse 33 (3.71.33)

चिन्तयामास वैदर्भी कस्यैष रथनिःस्वनः । नलस्येव महानासीन्न च पश्यामि नैषधम् ॥

cintayāmāsa vaidarbhī kasyaiṣa rathaniḥsvanaḥ | nalasyeva mahānāsīnna ca paśyāmi naiṣadham

the princess of Vidarbha wondered: "Whose is this chariot's roar? It was mighty, like Nala's, yet I do not see the Naishadha.

Verse 34 (3.71.34)

वार्ष्णेयेन भवेन्नूनं विद्या सैवोपशिक्षिता । तेनाद्य रथनिर्घोषो नलस्येव महानभूत् ॥

vārṣṇeyena bhavennūnaṃ vidyā saivopaśikṣitā | tenādya rathanirghoṣo nalasyeva mahānabhūt

Surely Varshneya must have learned that same art; that is why today the chariot's roar was mighty, like Nala's.

Note on the text: Corrected वार्ष्णोयेन → वार्ष्णेयेन (misprint in Wikisource; the name is वार्ष्णेय; the critical edition reads vārṣṇeyena).

Verse 35 (3.71.35)

आहोस्विदृतुपर्णोऽपि यथा राजा नलस्तथा । यथाऽयंरथनिर्घोषो नैषधस्येव लक्ष्यते ॥

āhosvidṛtuparṇo'pi yathā rājā nalastathā | yathā'yaṃrathanirghoṣo naiṣadhasyeva lakṣyate

Or could Rituparna too be such as King Nala is, so that this chariot's roar sounds like the Naishadha's?"

Note on the text: Corrected कआहोस्विद् → आहोस्विद् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क) and नलस्यथा → नलस्तथा (misprint in Wikisource; य for त; the critical edition reads nalas tathā).

Verse 36 (3.71.36)

एवं सा तर्कयित्वा तु दमयन्ती विशांपते । दूतीं प्रस्थापयामास नैषधान्वेषणे शुभा ॥

evaṃ sā tarkayitvā tu damayantī viśāṃpate | dūtīṃ prasthāpayāmāsa naiṣadhānveṣaṇe śubhā

Having reasoned thus, O lord of the people, the lovely Damayanti sent out a woman messenger to search for the Naishadha.