Keshini Questions Bahuka

Verse 1 (3.72.1)

गच्छ केशिनि जानीहि क एष रथवाहकः । उपविष्टो रथोपस्थे विकृतो ह्रस्वबाहुकः ॥

gaccha keśini jānīhi ka eṣa rathavāhakaḥ | upaviṣṭo rathopasthe vikṛto hrasvabāhukaḥ

"Go, Keshini, and find out who this chariot-driver is, the misshapen man with short arms sitting on the chariot's seat."

Verse 2 (3.72.2)

अभ्येत्य कुशलं भद्रे मृदुपूर्वं समाहिता । पृच्छेथाः पुरुषं ह्येनं यथातत्त्वमनिन्दिते ॥

abhyetya kuśalaṃ bhadre mṛdupūrvaṃ samāhitā | pṛcchethāḥ puruṣaṃ hyenaṃ yathātattvamanindite

"Go up to him, good woman, with a composed mind, greet him gently and ask after his welfare, and find out the truth about this man, blameless one."

Note on the text: Corrected पुरुषे → पुरुषं (misprint in Wikisource; पृच्छ् needs the accusative, as in the critical edition). Separated the run-together मृदुपूर्वं समाहिता.

Verse 3 (3.72.3)

अत्र मे महती शङ्का भवेदेष नलो नृपः । यथा च मनसस्तुष्टिर्हृदयस्य च निर्वृतिः ॥

atra me mahatī śaṅkā bhavedeṣa nalo nṛpaḥ | yathā ca manasastuṣṭirhṛdayasya ca nirvṛtiḥ

"A great doubt has arisen in me that this may be King Nala. Find out, so that my mind may be satisfied and my heart at rest."

Note on the text: Separated the run-together यथा च.

Verse 4 (3.72.4)

ब्रूयाश्चैनं कथान्ते त्वं पर्णादवचनं यथा । प्रतिवाक्यं च सुश्रोणि बुध्येथास्त्वमनिन्दिते ॥

brūyāścainaṃ kathānte tvaṃ parṇādavacanaṃ yathā | prativākyaṃ ca suśroṇi budhyethāstvamanindite

"And at the end of your talk repeat to him the words Parnada spoke, and take careful note of his reply, fair-hipped and blameless one."

Note on the text: Corrected बुद्ध्येथाः → बुध्येथाः (misprint in Wikisource; doubled द् in the optative of budh, critical edition budhyethāḥ).

Verse 5 (3.72.5)

एवं समाहिता गत्वा दूती बाहुकमब्रवीत् । दमयन्त्यपि कल्याणी प्रासादस्थाऽन्ववैक्षत ॥

evaṃ samāhitā gatvā dūtī bāhukamabravīt | damayantyapi kalyāṇī prāsādasthā'nvavaikṣata

Thus instructed, the messenger went, collected in mind, and spoke to Bahuka, while the lovely Damayanti watched from the palace.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रासादस्थाऽनव्वैक्षत → प्रासादस्थाऽन्ववैक्षत (misprint in Wikisource; garbled conjunct, critical edition prāsādasthānvavaikṣata). Speaker set to बृहदश्व: this verse is narration; the heading "बृहदश्व उवाच" stands before it in the critical edition and in the poem block on the Wikisource page, though the table drops it.

Verse 6 (3.72.6)

स्वागतं ते मनुष्येन्द्र कुशलं ते ब्रवीम्यहम् । दमयन्त्या वचः साधु निबोध पुरुषर्षभ ॥

svāgataṃ te manuṣyendra kuśalaṃ te bravīmyaham | damayantyā vacaḥ sādhu nibodha puruṣarṣabha

"Welcome, lord of men. I wish you well. Hear, best of men, the words of Damayanti."

Verse 7 (3.72.7)

कदा वै प्रस्थिता यूयं किमर्थमिह चागताः । तत्त्वं ब्रूहि यथान्यायं वैदर्भी श्रोतुमिच्छति ॥

kadā vai prasthitā yūyaṃ kimarthamiha cāgatāḥ | tattvaṃ brūhi yathānyāyaṃ vaidarbhī śrotumicchati

"When did you set out, and why have you come here? Tell me the truth as it is, for the princess of Vidarbha wishes to hear it."

Verse 8 (3.72.8)

श्रुतः स्वयंवरो राज्ञा कोसलेन महात्मना । द्वितीयो दमयन्त्या वै भविता श्व इति द्विजात् ॥

śrutaḥ svayaṃvaro rājñā kosalena mahātmanā | dvitīyo damayantyā vai bhavitā śva iti dvijāt

"The noble king of Kosala heard from a brahmin that Damayanti's second svayamvara would take place tomorrow."

Verse 9 (3.72.9)

श्रुत्वैतत्प्रस्थितो राजा शतयोजनयायिभिः । हयैर्वातजवैर्मुख्यैरहमस्य च सारथिः ॥

śrutvaitatprasthito rājā śatayojanayāyibhiḥ | hayairvātajavairmukhyairahamasya ca sārathiḥ

"Hearing this, the king set out with the finest horses, swift as the wind, able to run a hundred yojanas, and I am his charioteer."

Verse 10 (3.72.10)

अथ योऽसौ तृतीयो वः स कुतः कस्य वा पुनः । त्वं च कस्य कथं चेदं त्वयि कर्म समाहितम् ॥

atha yo'sau tṛtīyo vaḥ sa kutaḥ kasya vā punaḥ | tvaṃ ca kasya kathaṃ cedaṃ tvayi karma samāhitam

"Then the third among you, where does he come from, and whose man is he? And you, whose are you, and how was this work given to you?"

Note on the text: Corrected योसौ → योऽसौ (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha). Separated the run-together चेदं त्वयि.

Verse 11 (3.72.11)

पुण्यश्लोकस्य वै सूतो वार्ष्णेय इति विश्रुतः । स नले विद्रुते भद्रे भाङ्गस्वरिमुपस्थितः ॥

puṇyaślokasya vai sūto vārṣṇeya iti viśrutaḥ | sa nale vidrute bhadre bhāṅgasvarimupasthitaḥ

"He is the charioteer of Nala of holy fame, known as Varshneya. When Nala fled, good woman, he went to Bhangasvari."

Note on the text: Corrected विश्रतः → विश्रुतः and भागस्वरिम् → भाङ्गस्वरिम् (misprints in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign, and dropped nasal in Rituparna's patronymic; critical edition viśrutaḥ, bhāṅgasvarim). Separated the run-together भद्रे भाङ्गस्वरिम्.

Verse 12 (3.72.12)

अहमप्यश्वकुशलः सूतत्वे च प्रतिष्ठितः । ऋतुपर्णेन सारथ्ये भोजने च वृतः स्वयम् ॥

ahamapyaśvakuśalaḥ sūtatve ca pratiṣṭhitaḥ | ṛtuparṇena sārathye bhojane ca vṛtaḥ svayam

"I too am skilled with horses and established as a charioteer. Rituparna himself chose me to drive his chariot and to cook his food."

Verse 13 (3.72.13)

अथ जानाति वार्ष्णेयः क्व नु राजा नलो गतः । कथं च त्वयि वा तेन कथितं स्यात्तु बाहुक ॥

atha jānāti vārṣṇeyaḥ kva nu rājā nalo gataḥ | kathaṃ ca tvayi vā tena kathitaṃ syāttu bāhuka

"Then does Varshneya know where King Nala has gone? Or might he have told you something about it, Bahuka?"

Note on the text: Separated the run-together क्व नु.

Verse 14 (3.72.14)

इहैव पुत्रौ निक्षिप्य नलस्य प्रियदर्शनौ । गतस्ततो यथाकामं नैष जानाति नैषधम् ॥

ihaiva putrau nikṣipya nalasya priyadarśanau | gatastato yathākāmaṃ naiṣa jānāti naiṣadham

"He left Nala's two lovely children here and then went off wherever he pleased. He does not know where the king of Nishadha is."

Verse 15 (3.72.15)

न चान्यः पुरुषः कश्चिन्नलं वेत्ति यशस्विनि । गूढश्चरति लोकेऽस्मिन्नष्टरूपो महीपतिः ॥

na cānyaḥ puruṣaḥ kaścinnalaṃ vetti yaśasvini | gūḍhaścarati loke'sminnaṣṭarūpo mahīpatiḥ

"Nor does any other man know Nala, glorious lady. The king wanders through this world in hiding, his true form lost."

Verse 16 (3.72.16)

आत्मैव तु नलं वेद या चास्य तदनन्तरा । न हि वै स्वानि लिङ्गानि नलं शंसन्ति कर्हिचित् ॥

ātmaiva tu nalaṃ veda yā cāsya tadanantarā | na hi vai svāni liṅgāni nalaṃ śaṃsanti karhicit

"Only Nala's own self knows Nala, and she who is closest to him; for his own marks never anywhere declare him to be Nala."

Verse 17 (3.72.17)

योऽसावयोध्यां प्रथमं गतोऽसौ ब्राह्मणस्तदा । इमानि नारीवाक्यानि कथयानः पुनः पुनः ॥

yo'sāvayodhyāṃ prathamaṃ gato'sau brāhmaṇastadā | imāni nārīvākyāni kathayānaḥ punaḥ punaḥ

"That brahmin who first went to Ayodhya repeated again and again these words of a woman:"

Note on the text: Corrected योसावयोध्यां → योऽसावयोध्यां and गतोसौ → गतोऽसौ (misprints in Wikisource; missing avagrahas). Separated पुनः पुनः.

Verse 18 (3.72.18)

क्व नु त्वं कितव च्छित्त्वा वस्त्रार्धं प्रस्थितो मम । उत्सृज्य विपिने सुप्तामनुरक्तां प्रियां प्रिय ॥

kva nu tvaṃ kitava cchittvā vastrārdhaṃ prasthito mama | utsṛjya vipine suptāmanuraktāṃ priyāṃ priya

"'Where have you gone, gambler, my beloved, after cutting away half my garment and leaving in the forest your sleeping, loving wife?'"

Note on the text: Separated the run-together क्व नु.

Verse 19 (3.72.19)

सा वै यथा समादिष्टा तथाऽऽस्ते त्वत्प्रतीक्षिणी । दह्यमाना दिवारात्रौ वस्त्रार्धेनाभिसंवृता ॥

sā vai yathā samādiṣṭā tathā''ste tvatpratīkṣiṇī | dahyamānā divārātrau vastrārdhenābhisaṃvṛtā

"'She waits for you just as you bade her, burning with grief day and night, wrapped in half a garment.'"

Verse 20 (3.72.20)

तस्या रुदन्त्याः सततं तेन दुःखेन पार्थिव । प्रसादं कुरु मे वीर प्रतिवाक्यं वदस्व च ॥

tasyā rudantyāḥ satataṃ tena duḥkhena pārthiva | prasādaṃ kuru me vīra prativākyaṃ vadasva ca

"She weeps without end in that sorrow, O king. Do me this kindness, hero, and speak a reply."

Note on the text: Corrected रुदनत्याः → रुदन्त्याः (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct, critical edition rudantyāḥ).

Verse 21 (3.72.21)

तस्यास्तत्प्रियमाख्यानं प्रवदस्व महामते । तदेव वाक्यं वैदर्भी श्रोतुमिच्छन्त्यनिन्दिता ॥

tasyāstatpriyamākhyānaṃ pravadasva mahāmate | tadeva vākyaṃ vaidarbhī śrotumicchantyaninditā

"Tell me the words that will please her, wise one; the blameless princess of Vidarbha longs to hear that very speech."

Verse 22 (3.72.22)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा प्रतिवचस्तस्य दत्तं त्वया किल । यत्पुरा तत्पुनस्त्वत्तो वैदर्भी श्रोतुमिच्छति ॥

etacchrutvā prativacastasya dattaṃ tvayā kila | yatpurā tatpunastvatto vaidarbhī śrotumicchati

"They say that when you heard this you gave him an answer. What you said then, the princess of Vidarbha wishes to hear from you again."

Verse 23 (3.72.23)

एवमुक्तस्य केशिन्या नलस्य कुरुनन्दन । हृदयं व्यथितं चासीदश्रुपूर्णे च लोचने ॥

evamuktasya keśinyā nalasya kurunandana | hṛdayaṃ vyathitaṃ cāsīdaśrupūrṇe ca locane

When Keshini had spoken so, O joy of the Kurus, Nala's heart was pained and his eyes filled with tears.

Verse 24 (3.72.24)

स निगृह्यात्मनो दुःखं दह्यमानो महीपतिः । बाष्पसंदिग्धया वाचा पुनरेवेदमब्रवीत् ॥

sa nigṛhyātmano duḥkhaṃ dahyamāno mahīpatiḥ | bāṣpasaṃdigdhayā vācā punarevedamabravīt

Holding back his grief, though he was burning within, the king spoke again in a voice choked with tears:

Note on the text: Corrected निग्राह्य → निगृह्य (misprint in Wikisource; wrong vowel in the absolutive, critical edition nigṛhya).

Verse 25 (3.72.25)

वैषम्यमपि संप्राप्ता गोपायन्ति कुलस्त्रियः । आत्मानमात्मना सत्यो जितः स्वर्गो न संशयः ॥

vaiṣamyamapi saṃprāptā gopāyanti kulastriyaḥ | ātmānamātmanā satyo jitaḥ svargo na saṃśayaḥ

"Women of good family, even when they fall into hardship, guard themselves by their own strength. Such true women win heaven; there is no doubt of it."

Note on the text: Speaker set to बाहुक: Nala, as Bahuka, speaks verses 25–29 (introduced by "पुनरेवेदमब्रवीत्" in verse 24).

Verse 26 (3.72.26)

रहिता भर्तृभिश्चापि न क्रुध्यन्ति कदाचन । प्राणांश्चारित्रकवचान्धारयन्ति वरस्त्रियः ॥

rahitā bhartṛbhiścāpi na krudhyanti kadācana | prāṇāṃścāritrakavacāndhārayanti varastriyaḥ

"Even when their husbands have left them, they are never angry. Noble women keep themselves alive, armoured with good conduct."

Note on the text: Speaker set to बाहुक (Nala's reply continues).

Verse 27 (3.72.27)

विषमस्थेन मूढेन परिभ्रष्टसुखेन च । यत्सा तेन परित्यक्ता तत्र न क्रोद्धुमर्हति ॥

viṣamasthena mūḍhena paribhraṣṭasukhena ca | yatsā tena parityaktā tatra na kroddhumarhati

"If she was abandoned by a man in distress, bewildered and fallen from all happiness, she should not be angry at that."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition at this point (found in the vulgate recension); the same verse stands at 3.68.9 in the critical edition, in Nala's first reply as Parnada reported it. Speaker set to बाहुक. Separated the run-together तत्र न.

Verse 28 (3.72.28)

प्राणयात्रां परिप्रेप्सोः शकुनैर्हृतवाससः । आधिभिर्दह्यमानस्य श्यामा न क्रोद्धुमर्हति ॥

prāṇayātrāṃ pariprepsoḥ śakunairhṛtavāsasaḥ | ādhibhirdahyamānasya śyāmā na kroddhumarhati

"The dark-eyed lady should not be angry with a man who was only trying to stay alive, whose garment the birds had carried off, and who was burning with anguish,"

Note on the text: Corrected हतवाससः → हृतवाससः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ृ, the birds carried off his garment; critical edition hṛtavāsasaḥ). Speaker set to बाहुक.

Verse 29 (3.72.29)

सत्कृताऽसत्कृता वाऽपि पतिं दृष्ट्वा तथाविधम् । राज्यभ्रष्टं श्रिया हीनं क्षुधितं व्यसनाप्लुतम् ॥

satkṛtā'satkṛtā vā'pi patiṃ dṛṣṭvā tathāvidham | rājyabhraṣṭaṃ śriyā hīnaṃ kṣudhitaṃ vyasanāplutam

"whether she was honoured or dishonoured, when she sees her husband in such a state: cast out of his kingdom, stripped of fortune, hungry and drowned in misfortune."

Note on the text: Corrected क्षिधितं → क्षुधितं (misprint in Wikisource; wrong vowel sign, critical edition kṣudhitam). Speaker set to बाहुक.

Verse 30 (3.72.30)

एवं ब्रुवाणस्तद्वाक्यं नलः परमदुर्मनाः । न बाष्पमशकत्सोढुं प्ररुरोद च भारत ॥

evaṃ bruvāṇastadvākyaṃ nalaḥ paramadurmanāḥ | na bāṣpamaśakatsoḍhuṃ praruroda ca bhārata

As he spoke these words, Nala, deeply dejected, could not hold back his tears and wept aloud, O Bharata.

Verse 31 (3.72.31)

ततः सा केशिनी गत्वा दमयन्त्यै न्यवेदयत् । तत्सर्वं कथितं चैव विकारं तस्य चैव तम् ॥

tataḥ sā keśinī gatvā damayantyai nyavedayat | tatsarvaṃ kathitaṃ caiva vikāraṃ tasya caiva tam

Then Keshini went and told Damayanti all that had been said, and also how he had been shaken.