Nala Wins Back His Kingdom

Verse 1 (3.76.1)

स मासमुष्य कौन्तेय भीममामन्त्र्य नैषधः । पुरादल्पपरीवारो जगाम निषधान्प्रति ॥

sa māsamuṣya kaunteya bhīmamāmantrya naiṣadhaḥ | purādalpaparīvāro jagāma niṣadhānprati

After staying there a month, son of Kunti, Nala of Nishadha took leave of Bhima and set out from the city for the land of the Nishadhas with a small retinue,

Verse 2 (3.76.2)

रथेनैकेन शुभ्रेण दन्तिभिः परिषोडशैः । पञ्चाशद्भिर्हयैश्चैव षट्शतैश्च पदातिभिः ॥

rathenaikena śubhreṇa dantibhiḥ pariṣoḍaśaiḥ | pañcāśadbhirhayaiścaiva ṣaṭśataiśca padātibhiḥ

with a single gleaming chariot, sixteen elephants, fifty horses and six hundred foot-soldiers.

Note on the text: Corrected परिषोडशै → परिषोडशैः (misprint in Wikisource; the instrumental plural has lost its visarga; the critical edition reads pariṣoḍaśaiḥ).

Verse 3 (3.76.3)

स कम्पयन्निव महीं त्वरमाणो महापुरीम् । प्रविवेशाथ संरब्धस्तरसैव महामनाः ॥

sa kampayanniva mahīṃ tvaramāṇo mahāpurīm | praviveśātha saṃrabdhastarasaiva mahāmanāḥ

Making the earth tremble, as it were, the great-hearted king hurried on and, full of resolve, swiftly entered the great city.

Verse 4 (3.76.4)

ततः पुष्करमासाद्य वीरसेनसुतो नलः । उवाच दीव्याव पुनर्बहुवित्तं मयाऽर्जितम् ॥

tataḥ puṣkaramāsādya vīrasenasuto nalaḥ | uvāca dīvyāva punarbahuvittaṃ mayā'rjitam

Then Nala, son of Virasena, went to Pushkara and said: "Let us play again. I have earned a great deal of wealth.

Verse 5 (3.76.5)

दमयन्ती च यच्चान्यन्मम किंचन विद्यते । एष वै मम संन्यासस्तव राज्यं तु पुष्कर ॥

damayantī ca yaccānyanmama kiṃcana vidyate | eṣa vai mama saṃnyāsastava rājyaṃ tu puṣkara

Damayanti and whatever else I have: that is my stake, Pushkara, and yours is the kingdom.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (राज्यंतु → राज्यं तु). Direct speech of Nala, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 6 (3.76.6)

पुनः प्रवर्ततां द्यूतमिति मे निश्चिता मतिः । एकपाणेन भद्रं ते प्राणयोश्च पणावहे ॥

punaḥ pravartatāṃ dyūtamiti me niścitā matiḥ | ekapāṇena bhadraṃ te prāṇayośca paṇāvahe

Let the game begin again: my mind is made up. Good luck to you! Let us play for a single stake, and let us stake our lives as well.

Note on the text: Direct speech of Nala, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 7 (3.76.7)

जित्वा परस्वमाहृत्य राज्यं वा यदि वा वसु । प्रतिपाणः प्रदातव्यः प्राणो हि पणमुच्यते ॥

jitvā parasvamāhṛtya rājyaṃ vā yadi vā vasu | pratipāṇaḥ pradātavyaḥ prāṇo hi paṇamucyate

Whoever has won and carried off another's property, a kingdom or riches, must give the loser a stake in return; and life itself, they say, is a stake.

Note on the text: Corrected आहृत् → आहृत्य (misprint in Wikisource; the gerund has lost its final य, leaving the pada a syllable short; the critical edition reads āhṛtya). Restored a missing word space (राज्यंवा → राज्यं वा). Direct speech of Nala, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 8 (3.76.8)

न चेद्वाञ्छसि तद्द्यूतं युद्धद्यूतं प्रवर्तताम् । द्वैरथेनास्तु वै शान्तिस्तव वा मम वा नृप ॥

na cedvāñchasi taddyūtaṃ yuddhadyūtaṃ pravartatām | dvairathenāstu vai śāntistava vā mama vā nṛpa

If you do not want that game of dice, let the game of battle begin. Let single combat by chariot settle it, king, for you or for me.

Note on the text: Direct speech of Nala, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 9 (3.76.9)

वंशभोज्यमिदं राज्यमर्थितव्यं यथा तथा । येनकेनाप्युपायेन वृद्धानामिति शासनम् ॥

vaṃśabhojyamidaṃ rājyamarthitavyaṃ yathā tathā | yenakenāpyupāyena vṛddhānāmiti śāsanam

This kingdom, to be enjoyed by our line, may be sought by any means whatever, in one way or another: so the elders have taught.

Note on the text: Direct speech of Nala, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 10 (3.76.10)

द्वयोरेकतरे बुद्धिः क्रियतामद्य पुष्कर । कैतवेनाक्षवत्यां वा युद्धे वा नाम्यतां धनुः ॥

dvayorekatare buddhiḥ kriyatāmadya puṣkara | kaitavenākṣavatyāṃ vā yuddhe vā nāmyatāṃ dhanuḥ

Make up your mind to one of the two today, Pushkara: either the cheating game on the dice-board, or let the bow be bent in battle."

Note on the text: Direct speech of Nala, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 11 (3.76.11)

नैषधेनैवमुक्तस्तु पुष्करः प्रहसन्निव । ध्रुवमात्मजयं मत्वा प्रत्याह निषधाधिपम् ॥

naiṣadhenaivamuktastu puṣkaraḥ prahasanniva | dhruvamātmajayaṃ matvā pratyāha niṣadhādhipam

Addressed in this way by the Naishadha, Pushkara, laughing as it were and sure of his own victory, answered the lord of Nishadha:

Verse 12 (3.76.12)

दिष्ट्या त्वयाऽर्जितं वित्तं प्रतिपाणाय नैषध । दिष्ट्या च दुष्कृतं कर्म दमयन्त्याः क्षयं गतम् ॥

diṣṭyā tvayā'rjitaṃ vittaṃ pratipāṇāya naiṣadha | diṣṭyā ca duṣkṛtaṃ karma damayantyāḥ kṣayaṃ gatam

"How fortunate that you have earned wealth to stake again, Naishadha! How fortunate that Damayanti's evil fortune has run its course!

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (दुष्कृतंकर्म → दुष्कृतं कर्म). Matches the first two lines of the critical edition's 3.77.12, which the automatic alignment missed. Direct speech of Pushkara, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 13 (3.76.13)

दिष्ट्या वै ध्रियसे राजन्मम लाभाय नैषध । पुनर्द्यूते च ते बुद्धिर्दिष्ट्या पुरुषसत्तम ॥

diṣṭyā vai dhriyase rājanmama lābhāya naiṣadha | punardyūte ca te buddhirdiṣṭyā puruṣasattama

How fortunate that you are still alive, king, for my gain, Naishadha! And how fortunate, best of men, that you have a mind to play again!

Note on the text: Corrected प्रीसे → ध्रियसे (misprint in Wikisource; प्रीसे is no word and leaves the pada a syllable short; the critical edition's 3.77.12e and the reading Wikisource's own apparatus cites from manuscript झ both have dhriyase). The first line is a variant of 3.77.12ef; the second line appears in the critical edition's apparatus as 3.77.12f*351. Direct speech of Pushkara, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 14 (3.76.14)

धनेनानेन वै भैमी जितेन समलंकृता । मामुपस्थास्यति व्यक्तं दिवि शक्रमिवाप्सराः ॥

dhanenānena vai bhaimī jitena samalaṃkṛtā | māmupasthāsyati vyaktaṃ divi śakramivāpsarāḥ

Won with this wealth, Bhima's daughter, finely adorned, will surely come to wait on me, as the apsarases wait on Shakra in heaven.

Note on the text: Direct speech of Pushkara, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 15 (3.76.15)

नित्यशो हि स्मरामि त्वां प्रतीक्षेऽपि च नैषध । देवने च मम प्रीतिर्भवत्येवासुहृद्गणैः ॥

nityaśo hi smarāmi tvāṃ pratīkṣe'pi ca naiṣadha | devane ca mama prītirbhavatyevāsuhṛdgaṇaiḥ

I have always kept you in mind and waited for you, Naishadha; and my pleasure in dicing comes only with those who are no friends of mine.

Note on the text: Corrected मभ → मम (misprint in Wikisource; मभ is no word, and the critical edition reads mama). Direct speech of Pushkara, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 16 (3.76.16)

जित्वा त्वद्य वरारोहां दमयन्तीमनिन्दिताम् । कृतकृत्यो भविष्यामि सा हि मे नित्यशो हृदि ॥

jitvā tvadya varārohāṃ damayantīmaninditām | kṛtakṛtyo bhaviṣyāmi sā hi me nityaśo hṛdi

Once I have won today the lovely-hipped, faultless Damayanti, I shall have achieved my purpose, for she is always in my heart."

Note on the text: Corrected कतकृत्यो → कृतकृत्यो (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads kṛtakṛtyo). Restored a missing word spaces (जित्वात्वद्य → जित्वा त्वद्य, हिमे → हि मे). Direct speech of Pushkara, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 17 (3.76.17)

श्रुत्वा तु तस्य ता वाचो बह्वबद्धप्रलापिनः । इयेष स शिरश्छेत्तुं खड्गेन कुपितो नलः ॥

śrutvā tu tasya tā vāco bahvabaddhapralāpinaḥ | iyeṣa sa śiraśchettuṃ khaḍgena kupito nalaḥ

Hearing those words of the man babbling so wildly, Nala grew angry and wanted to cut off his head with his sword.

Note on the text: Corrected तस् → तस्य (misprint in Wikisource; the genitive has lost its final य, leaving the pada a syllable short; the critical edition reads tasya) and खङ्गेन → खड्गेन (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads khaḍgena).

Verse 18 (3.76.18)

स्मयंस्तु रोषताम्राक्षस्तमुवाच नलो नृपः । पणावः किं व्याहरसे जितो न व्याहरिष्यसि ॥

smayaṃstu roṣatāmrākṣastamuvāca nalo nṛpaḥ | paṇāvaḥ kiṃ vyāharase jito na vyāhariṣyasi

But King Nala, smiling, his eyes red with anger, said to him: "Let us play. Why do you prattle? Once you are beaten you will prattle no more."

Verse 19 (3.76.19)

ततः प्रावर्तत द्यूतं पुष्करस्य नलस्य च । एकपाणेन भद्रं ते नलेन स पराजितः ॥

tataḥ prāvartata dyūtaṃ puṣkarasya nalasya ca | ekapāṇena bhadraṃ te nalena sa parājitaḥ

Then the game began between Pushkara and Nala. Fortune be with you, king: with a single stake Pushkara was beaten by Nala,

Note on the text: Matches the first two lines of the critical edition's 3.77.18, which the automatic alignment missed.

Verse 20 (3.76.20)

स रत्नकोशनिचयैः प्राणेन पणितोऽपि च । जित्वा च पुष्करं राजा प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत् ॥

sa ratnakośanicayaiḥ prāṇena paṇito'pi ca | jitvā ca puṣkaraṃ rājā prahasannidamabravīt

though he had staked his heaps of jewels and treasure, and his life as well. Having beaten Pushkara, the king laughed and said:

Note on the text: Added the missing avagraha (पणितोपि → पणितोऽपि; the critical edition reads paṇito 'pi). The first line corresponds to the critical edition's 3.77.18ef and the second to 3.77.19ab; the automatic alignment missed both.

Verse 21 (3.76.21)

मम सर्वमिदं राज्यमव्यग्रं हतकण्टकम् । वैदर्भी न त्वया शक्या राजापसद वीक्षितुम् । तस्यास्त्वं सपरीवारो मूढ दासत्वमागतः ॥

mama sarvamidaṃ rājyamavyagraṃ hatakaṇṭakam | vaidarbhī na tvayā śakyā rājāpasada vīkṣitum | tasyāstvaṃ saparīvāro mūḍha dāsatvamāgataḥ

"This whole kingdom is mine, untroubled, its thorns cleared away. You, lowest of kings, cannot so much as look at the princess of Vidarbha; you fool, you and your household have become her slaves.

Note on the text: Corrected हतकण्ठकम् → हतकण्टकम् (misprint in Wikisource; the sense is "with its thorns removed", and the critical edition reads hatakaṇṭakam), राजापशद → राजापसद (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads rājāpasada) and वीक्षितम् → वीक्षितुम् (misprint in Wikisource; शक्या needs the infinitive, and the critical edition reads vīkṣitum). The first line corresponds to the critical edition's 3.77.19cd, the others to 3.77.20; the automatic alignment missed them. Direct speech of Nala, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 22 (3.76.22)

न त्वया तत्कृतं कर्म येनाहं विजितः पुरा । कलिना तत्कृतं कर्म त्वं च मूढ न बुध्यसे ॥

na tvayā tatkṛtaṃ karma yenāhaṃ vijitaḥ purā | kalinā tatkṛtaṃ karma tvaṃ ca mūḍha na budhyase

It was not you who did the deed by which I was beaten before; Kali did that deed, and you, fool, do not understand it.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (तत्कृतंकर्म → तत्कृतं कर्म). A variant of the critical edition's 3.77.21abcd, which the automatic alignment missed. Direct speech of Nala, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 23 (3.76.23)

नाहं परकृतं दोषं त्वय्याधास्ये कथंचन । यथासुखं वै जीव त्वं प्राणानवसृजामि ते ॥

nāhaṃ parakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ tvayyādhāsye kathaṃcana | yathāsukhaṃ vai jīva tvaṃ prāṇānavasṛjāmi te

I will in no way lay on you a fault that another committed. Live as you please: I grant you your life.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word spaces (जीवत्वंप्राणान् → जीव त्वं प्राणान्). The first line corresponds to the critical edition's 3.77.21ef and the second to 3.77.22ab (variant); the automatic alignment missed them. Direct speech of Nala, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 24 (3.76.24)

तथैव सर्वसंभारं स्वमंशं वितरामि ते । तथैव च मम प्रीतिस्त्वयि वीर न संशयः ॥

tathaiva sarvasaṃbhāraṃ svamaṃśaṃ vitarāmi te | tathaiva ca mama prītistvayi vīra na saṃśayaḥ

I also give you back all your goods and your own share; and my affection for you, hero, is just as it was; there is no doubt of it.

Note on the text: The first line appears in the critical edition's apparatus as 3.77.22b*352; the second is 3.77.22cd. The automatic alignment missed both. Direct speech of Nala, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 25 (3.76.25)

सौहार्दं चापि मे त्वत्तो न कदाचित्प्रहास्यति । पुष्कर त्वं हि मे भ्राता संजीव शरदः शतम् ॥

sauhārdaṃ cāpi me tvatto na kadācitprahāsyati | puṣkara tvaṃ hi me bhrātā saṃjīva śaradaḥ śatam

Nor will my friendship toward you ever fail. Pushkara, you are my brother: live a hundred autumns."

Note on the text: Direct speech of Nala, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 26 (3.76.26)

एवं नलः सान्त्वयित्वा भ्रातरं सत्यविक्रमः । वचनैस्तोषयामास परिष्वज्य पुनः पुनः ॥

evaṃ nalaḥ sāntvayitvā bhrātaraṃ satyavikramaḥ | vacanaistoṣayāmāsa pariṣvajya punaḥ punaḥ

Having comforted his brother in this way, Nala, whose strength was truth, embraced him again and again and cheered him with his words.

Verse 27 (3.76.27)

सान्त्वितो नैषधेनैवं पुष्करः प्रत्युवाच तम् । पुण्यश्लोकं तदा राजन्नभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः ॥

sāntvito naiṣadhenaivaṃ puṣkaraḥ pratyuvāca tam | puṇyaślokaṃ tadā rājannabhivādya kṛtāñjaliḥ

Thus comforted by the Naishadha, Pushkara joined his palms, bowed to Punyashloka, and answered him then, O king:

Note on the text: Corrected पुष्ररः → पुष्करः (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads puṣkaraḥ).

Verse 28 (3.76.28)

कीर्तिरस्तु तवाक्षय्या जीव वर्षायुतं सुखी । यो मे वितरसि प्राणानधिष्ठानं च पार्थिव ॥

kīrtirastu tavākṣayyā jīva varṣāyutaṃ sukhī | yo me vitarasi prāṇānadhiṣṭhānaṃ ca pārthiva

"May your fame never perish! Live happily for ten thousand years, king, you who give me my life and a place to dwell."

Note on the text: Direct speech of Pushkara, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 29 (3.76.29)

स तथा सत्कृतो राज्ञा मासमुष्य तदा नृपः । प्रययौ पुष्करो हृष्टः स्वपुरं स्वजनावृतः ॥

sa tathā satkṛto rājñā māsamuṣya tadā nṛpaḥ | prayayau puṣkaro hṛṣṭaḥ svapuraṃ svajanāvṛtaḥ

So honoured by the king, King Pushkara stayed a month and then went joyfully to his own city, surrounded by his own people,

Note on the text: Corrected पुषरो → पुष्करो (misprint in Wikisource; the conjunct ष्क has lost its क; the critical edition reads puṣkaraḥ).

Verse 30 (3.76.30)

महत्या सेनया सार्धं विनीतैः परिचारकैः । भ्राजमान इवादित्यो वपुषा पुरुषर्षभ ॥

mahatyā senayā sārdhaṃ vinītaiḥ paricārakaiḥ | bhrājamāna ivādityo vapuṣā puruṣarṣabha

with a great army and well-trained attendants, his body shining like the sun, O bull among men.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (सार्धंविनीतैः → सार्धं विनीतैः).

Verse 31 (3.76.31)

प्रस्थाप्य पुष्करं राजा वित्तवन्तमनामयम् । प्रविवेश पुरं श्रीमानत्यर्थमुपशोभितम् ॥

prasthāpya puṣkaraṃ rājā vittavantamanāmayam | praviveśa puraṃ śrīmānatyarthamupaśobhitam

Having sent Pushkara off, wealthy and unharmed, the glorious king entered his city, which had been splendidly adorned.

Note on the text: Corrected उपशोभिताम् → उपशोभितम् (misprint in Wikisource; the participle must agree with the neuter पुरं, and the critical edition reads upaśobhitam). Matches the critical edition's 3.77.29abcd, which the automatic alignment missed.

Verse 32 (3.76.32)

प्रविश्य सान्त्वयामास पौरांश्च निषधाधिपः । हितेषु चैषां सततं पितेवावहितोऽभवत् ॥

praviśya sāntvayāmāsa paurāṃśca niṣadhādhipaḥ | hiteṣu caiṣāṃ satataṃ pitevāvahito'bhavat

On entering it, the lord of the Nishadhas comforted the townspeople, and he watched over their welfare constantly, like a father.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` … ') around the second line. The first line is the critical edition's 3.77.29ef; the second appears in its apparatus as 3.77.29f*355.

Verse 33 (3.76.33)

पौरा जानपदाश्चापि संप्रहृष्टतनूरुहाः । ऊचुः प्राञ्जलयः सर्वे सामात्यप्रमुखा जनाः ॥

paurā jānapadāścāpi saṃprahṛṣṭatanūruhāḥ | ūcuḥ prāñjalayaḥ sarve sāmātyapramukhā janāḥ

The townspeople and the country folk, their hair bristling with joy, and all the people headed by the ministers, said with joined palms:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text; it appears in the apparatus as 3.77.29f*353 (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 34 (3.76.34)

अद्य स्म निर्वृता राजन्पुरे जनपदेऽपि च । उपासितुं पुनः प्राप्ता देवा इव शतक्रतुम् ॥

adya sma nirvṛtā rājanpure janapade'pi ca | upāsituṃ punaḥ prāptā devā iva śatakratum

"Today, king, we are at peace, in the city and in the countryside alike. We have come again to serve you, as the gods serve Indra of the hundred sacrifices."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text; it appears in the apparatus as 3.77.29f*353 (found in the vulgate recension). Restored a missing word space (अद्यस्म → अद्य स्म). Direct speech of the Citizens, with no printed heading; given to them.