The Marvels of Bahuka

Verse 1 (3.73.1)

केशिन्यास्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा दमयन्ती विशांपते । शङ्कमाना नलं तं वै केशिनीमिदमब्रवीत् ॥

keśinyāstadvacaḥ śrutvā damayantī viśāṃpate | śaṅkamānā nalaṃ taṃ vai keśinīmidamabravīt

Hearing Keshini's words, O lord of the people, Damayanti, who suspected that he was Nala, said this to Keshini:

Verse 2 (3.73.2)

गच्छ केशिनि भूयस्त्वं परीक्षां कुरु बाहुके । अब्रुवाणा समीपस्था चरितान्यस्य लक्षय ॥

gaccha keśini bhūyastvaṃ parīkṣāṃ kuru bāhuke | abruvāṇā samīpasthā caritānyasya lakṣaya

"Go again, Keshini, and put Bahuka to the test. Stay near him without speaking, and watch what he does."

Note on the text: Speaker set to दमयन्ती: verses 2–5 are Damayanti's instructions, introduced by "इदमब्रवीत्" in verse 1.

Verse 3 (3.73.3)

यदा च किंचित्कुर्यात्स कारणं तत्र भामिनि । तत्र संचेष्टमानस्य संलक्षेथा विचेष्टितम् ॥

yadā ca kiṃcitkuryātsa kāraṇaṃ tatra bhāmini | tatra saṃceṣṭamānasya saṃlakṣethā viceṣṭitam

"And whenever he does anything for some purpose, good woman, watch closely how he goes about it."

Note on the text: Speaker set to दमयन्ती. Separated the run-together तत्र संचेष्टमानस्य.

Verse 4 (3.73.4)

न चास्य प्रतिबन्धेन देयोऽग्निरपि केशिनि । याचते न जलं देयं सकृच्चात्वरमाणया । एतत्सर्वं समीक्ष्य त्वं चरितं मे निवेदय ॥

na cāsya pratibandhena deyo'gnirapi keśini | yācate na jalaṃ deyaṃ sakṛccātvaramāṇayā | etatsarvaṃ samīkṣya tvaṃ caritaṃ me nivedaya

"To put obstacles in his way, give him no fire, Keshini, and no water even if he asks, and do not hurry to help him. Watch all this and tell me how he behaves."

Note on the text: Speaker set to दमयन्ती. The third line corresponds to the critical edition's 3.73.5ab; Wikisource prints it with this verse. Separated the run-together समीक्ष्य त्वं.

Verse 5 (3.73.5)

निमित्तं यत्त्वया दृष्टं बाहुके दैवमानुषम् । यच्चान्यदपि पश्येथास्तच्चाख्येयं त्वया मम ॥

nimittaṃ yattvayā dṛṣṭaṃ bāhuke daivamānuṣam | yaccānyadapi paśyethāstaccākhyeyaṃ tvayā mama

"Whatever sign you see in Bahuka, divine or human, and whatever else you may notice, tell me that as well."

Note on the text: Speaker set to दमयन्ती. The first line is not in the critical edition's text (it appears in the apparatus as star passage 340 after 3.73.5ab; found in the vulgate recension); the second line is 3.73.5cd.

Verse 6 (3.73.6)

दमयन्त्यैवमुक्ता सा जगामाथ च केशिनी । निशाम्याथ हयज्ञस्य लिङ्गानि पुनरागमत् ॥

damayantyaivamuktā sā jagāmātha ca keśinī | niśāmyātha hayajñasya liṅgāni punarāgamat

So instructed by Damayanti, Keshini went, and after observing the marks of the master of horses she came back.

Verse 7 (3.73.7)

सा तत्सर्वं यथावृत्तं दमयन्त्यै न्यवेदयत् । निमित्तं यत्तया दृष्टं बाहुके दिव्यमानुषम् ॥

sā tatsarvaṃ yathāvṛttaṃ damayantyai nyavedayat | nimittaṃ yattayā dṛṣṭaṃ bāhuke divyamānuṣam

She told Damayanti everything just as it had happened, every sign, divine and human, that she had seen in Bahuka.

Verse 8 (3.73.8)

दृढं शुच्यपदानोऽसौ न मया मानुषः क्वचित् । दृष्टपूर्वः श्रुतो वाऽपि दमयन्ति तथाविधः ॥

dṛḍhaṃ śucyapadāno'sau na mayā mānuṣaḥ kvacit | dṛṣṭapūrvaḥ śruto vā'pi damayanti tathāvidhaḥ

"Truly, Damayanti, this man is pure in all he does. Never before have I seen or heard of any human being like him."

Note on the text: Corrected शुच्यपदानोसौ → शुच्यपदानोऽसौ (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha). The reading शुच्यपदानः is kept (critical edition śucyupacāraḥ).

Verse 9 (3.73.9)

ह्रस्वमासाद्य तु द्वारं नासौ विनमते क्वचित् । तं तु दृष्ट्वा यथासङ्गमुत्सर्पति यथासुखम् । संकटेऽप्यस्य सुमहद्विवरं जायतेऽधिकम् ॥

hrasvamāsādya tu dvāraṃ nāsau vinamate kvacit | taṃ tu dṛṣṭvā yathāsaṅgamutsarpati yathāsukham | saṃkaṭe'pyasya sumahadvivaraṃ jāyate'dhikam

"When he comes to a low doorway he never stoops; at the sight of him it rises as high as he needs and he passes through at ease. Even in a narrow place a wide opening appears for him."

Verse 10 (3.73.10)

ऋतुपर्णस्य चार्थाय भोजनीयमनेकशः । प्रेषितं तत्र राज्ञा तु मांसं बहु च पाशवम् ॥

ṛtuparṇasya cārthāya bhojanīyamanekaśaḥ | preṣitaṃ tatra rājñā tu māṃsaṃ bahu ca pāśavam

"The king had sent there many kinds of food for Rituparna, and a great deal of meat from animals."

Note on the text: Removed a duplicated line: Wikisource prints "ऋतुपर्णस्य चार्थाय भोजनीयमनेकशः" twice. Separated the run-together तत्र राज्ञा.

Verse 11 (3.73.11)

तस्य प्रक्षालनार्थाय कुम्भास्तत्रोपकल्पिताः । ते तेनावेक्षिताः कुम्भाः पूर्णा एवाभवंस्ततः ॥

tasya prakṣālanārthāya kumbhāstatropakalpitāḥ | te tenāvekṣitāḥ kumbhāḥ pūrṇā evābhavaṃstataḥ

"Pitchers had been set out there for washing it, and when he looked at them the pitchers became full."

Verse 12 (3.73.12)

ततः प्रक्षालनं कृत्वा समधिश्रित्य बाहुकः । तृणमुष्टिं समादाय सवितुस्तं समादधत् ॥

tataḥ prakṣālanaṃ kṛtvā samadhiśritya bāhukaḥ | tṛṇamuṣṭiṃ samādāya savitustaṃ samādadhat

"Then, after washing it and setting it on the hearth, Bahuka took a handful of grass and held it up to the sun,"

Verse 13 (3.73.13)

अथ प्रज्वलितस्तत्र सहसा हव्यवाहनः । तदद्भुततमं दृष्ट्वा विस्मिताहमिहागता ॥

atha prajvalitastatra sahasā havyavāhanaḥ | tadadbhutatamaṃ dṛṣṭvā vismitāhamihāgatā

"and at once fire blazed up there. Amazed at that great marvel, I have come here."

Note on the text: Corrected विस्मिताऽमिहागता → विस्मिताहमिहागता (misprint in Wikisource; अहम् garbled, critical edition vismitāham ihāgatā).

Verse 14 (3.73.14)

अन्यच्च तस्मिन्सुमहदाश्चर्यं लक्षितं मया । यदग्निमपि संस्पृश्य नैवासौ दह्यते शुभे ॥

anyacca tasminsumahadāścaryaṃ lakṣitaṃ mayā | yadagnimapi saṃspṛśya naivāsau dahyate śubhe

"And I noticed another great wonder in him: even when he touches fire he is not burned, fair lady."

Verse 15 (3.73.15)

छन्देन चोदकं तस्य वहत्यावर्जितं द्रुतम् । अतीव चान्यत्सुमहदाश्चर्यं दृष्टवत्यहम् ॥

chandena codakaṃ tasya vahatyāvarjitaṃ drutam | atīva cānyatsumahadāścaryaṃ dṛṣṭavatyaham

"Water pours out for him at his will, and quickly. And I saw yet another very great wonder:"

Verse 16 (3.73.16)

यत्स पुष्पाण्युपादाय हस्ताभ्यां ममृदे शनैः । मृद्यमानानि पाणिभ्यां तेन पुष्पाणि नान्यथा । भूय एव सुगन्धीनि हृषितानि भवन्ति हि ॥

yatsa puṣpāṇyupādāya hastābhyāṃ mamṛde śanaiḥ | mṛdyamānāni pāṇibhyāṃ tena puṣpāṇi nānyathā | bhūya eva sugandhīni hṛṣitāni bhavanti hi

"he took some flowers and slowly crushed them in his hands, and the flowers he crushed did not wither; they became even more fragrant and fresh."

Note on the text: Corrected हृपितानि → हृषितानि (misprint in Wikisource; critical edition hṛṣitāni). The third line corresponds to the critical edition's 3.73.17ab; Wikisource prints it with this verse.

Verse 17 (3.73.17)

एतान्यद्भुतकल्पानि दृष्ट्वाऽहं भृशविस्मिता । चेष्टितानि विशालाक्षि बाहुकस्य समीपतः ॥

etānyadbhutakalpāni dṛṣṭvā'haṃ bhṛśavismitā | ceṣṭitāni viśālākṣi bāhukasya samīpataḥ

"Having seen these marvellous doings of Bahuka from close by, large-eyed lady, I am utterly astonished."

Note on the text: The first line corresponds to the critical edition's 3.73.17cd; the second line is not in its text (it appears in the apparatus as star passage 341; found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 18 (3.73.18)

दमयन्ती तु तच्छ्रुत्वा पुण्यश्लोकस्य चेष्टितम् । अमन्यत नलं प्राप्तं कर्मचेष्टाभिसूचितम् ॥

damayantī tu tacchrutvā puṇyaślokasya ceṣṭitam | amanyata nalaṃ prāptaṃ karmaceṣṭābhisūcitam

When Damayanti heard of these doings of the man of holy fame, she believed that Nala had come, for his deeds and conduct pointed to him.

Verse 19 (3.73.19)

सा शङ्कमाना भर्तारं नलं बाहुकरूपिणम् । केशिनीं श्लक्ष्णया वाचा रुदन्ती पुनरब्रवीत् ॥

sā śaṅkamānā bhartāraṃ nalaṃ bāhukarūpiṇam | keśinīṃ ślakṣṇayā vācā rudantī punarabravīt

Suspecting that her husband Nala had taken the form of Bahuka, she spoke again to Keshini in a gentle voice, weeping:

Verse 20 (3.73.20)

पुनर्गच्छ प्रमत्तस्य बाहुकस्योपसंस्कृतम् । महानसाच्छ्रितं मांसमानयस्वेह भामिनि ॥

punargaccha pramattasya bāhukasyopasaṃskṛtam | mahānasācchritaṃ māṃsamānayasveha bhāmini

"Go once more, good woman, and while Bahuka is not looking, bring me here some of the meat he has cooked in the kitchen."

Note on the text: Speaker set to दमयन्ती: the verse is her instruction to Keshini, introduced by "पुनरब्रवीत्" in verse 19.

Verse 21 (3.73.21)

सा दृष्ट्वा बाहुके व्यग्रे तन्मांसमपकृष्य च । अत्युष्णमेव त्वरिता तत्क्षणात्प्रियकारिणी । दमयन्त्यै ततः प्रादात्केशिनी कुरुनन्दन ॥

sā dṛṣṭvā bāhuke vyagre tanmāṃsamapakṛṣya ca | atyuṣṇameva tvaritā tatkṣaṇātpriyakāriṇī | damayantyai tataḥ prādātkeśinī kurunandana

Keshini, eager to please her, saw that Bahuka was busy, took some of the meat, and at once hurried back with it still very hot and gave it to Damayanti, O joy of the Kurus.

Note on the text: Separated the run-together दृष्ट्वा बाहुके.

Verse 22 (3.73.22)

साऽशिता नलसिद्धस्य मांसस्य बहुशः पुरा । प्राश्य मत्वा नलं सूतं प्राक्रोशद्भृशदुःखिता ॥

sā'śitā nalasiddhasya māṃsasya bahuśaḥ purā | prāśya matvā nalaṃ sūtaṃ prākrośadbhṛśaduḥkhitā

She had often eaten meat cooked by Nala in the past. Tasting it, she knew the charioteer was Nala, and cried out in deep distress.

Note on the text: Corrected नलसिद्धस् → नलसिद्धस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, critical edition nalasiddhasya).

Verse 23 (3.73.23)

वैक्लव्यं परमं गत्वा प्रक्षाल्य च मुखं ततः । मिथुनं प्रेषयामास केशिन्या सह भारत ॥

vaiklavyaṃ paramaṃ gatvā prakṣālya ca mukhaṃ tataḥ | mithunaṃ preṣayāmāsa keśinyā saha bhārata

Deeply shaken, she washed her face and then sent her two children with Keshini, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Corrected भारत् → भारत (misprint in Wikisource; stray virama on the vocative). Separated the run-together गत्वा प्रक्षाल्य.

Verse 24 (3.73.24)

इन्द्रसेनां सह भ्रात्रा समभिज्ञाय बाहुकः । अभिद्रुत्य तदा राजा परिष्वज्याङ्कमानयत् ॥

indrasenāṃ saha bhrātrā samabhijñāya bāhukaḥ | abhidrutya tadā rājā pariṣvajyāṅkamānayat

Bahuka recognized Indrasena and her brother; the king ran to them, embraced them and took them on his lap.

Verse 25 (3.73.25)

बाहुकस्तु समासाद्य सुतौ सुरसुतोपमौ । भृशं दुःखपरीतात्मा सुस्वरं प्ररुरोद ह ॥

bāhukastu samāsādya sutau surasutopamau | bhṛśaṃ duḥkhaparītātmā susvaraṃ praruroda ha

Coming upon his children, who were like the children of the gods, Bahuka was overwhelmed with grief and wept aloud.

Verse 26 (3.73.26)

नैषधो दर्शयित्वा तु विकारमसकृत्तदा । उत्सृज्य सहसा पुत्रौ केशिनीमिदमब्रवीत् ॥

naiṣadho darśayitvā tu vikāramasakṛttadā | utsṛjya sahasā putrau keśinīmidamabravīt

Having shown his emotion again and again, the king of Nishadha suddenly let the children go and said to Keshini:

Verse 27 (3.73.27)

इदं च सदृशं भद्रे मिथुनं मम पुत्रयोः । अतो दृष्ट्वैव सहसा बाष्पमुत्सृष्टवानहम् ॥

idaṃ ca sadṛśaṃ bhadre mithunaṃ mama putrayoḥ | ato dṛṣṭvaiva sahasā bāṣpamutsṛṣṭavānaham

"This pair is very like my own two children, good woman; that is why I wept when I suddenly saw them."

Note on the text: Corrected मदृशं → सदृशं (misprint in Wikisource; म for स, critical edition susadṛśam). Speaker set to बाहुक: Nala, as Bahuka, speaks verses 27–28.

Verse 28 (3.73.28)

बहुशः संपतन्तीं त्वां जनः शङ्केत दोषतः । वयं च देशातिथयो गच्छ भद्रे यथासुखम् ॥

bahuśaḥ saṃpatantīṃ tvāṃ janaḥ śaṅketa doṣataḥ | vayaṃ ca deśātithayo gaccha bhadre yathāsukham

"If you keep coming here so often, people may suspect some wrong. We are strangers in this land. Go, good woman, as you please."

Note on the text: Speaker set to बाहुक. Separated the run-together वयं च.