आश्वस्तं चैनमासीनमुपासनो युधिष्ठिरः। अभिप्रेक्ष्य महाबाहुः कृपणं बह्वभाषत
When the sage was seated and had been welcomed, Yudhishthira, the mighty-armed, gazed at him and, deeply troubled, spoke at length.
अक्षद्यूते च भगवन्धनं राज्यं च मे हृतम्। आहूय निकृतिप्रज्ञैः कितवैरक्षकोविदैः
O revered one, in the game of dice, my wealth and kingdom were taken from me, summoned by those skilled in deceit and dice, those cunning gamblers.
अनक्षज्ञस्य हि सतो निकृत्या पापनिश्चयैः। भार्या च मे सभां नीता प्राणेभ्योपि गरीयसी
For one unskilled in dice, who is upright, to be cheated by those fixed in evil—my wife, dearer to me than life, was dragged into the assembly.
पुनर्द्यूतेन मां जित्वा वनवासां सुदारुणम्। प्राव्राजयन्मंहारण्यमजिनैः परिवारितम्
Then, having defeated me again at dice, they exiled me to the terrible forest, to dwell in the wilderness, clad in deerskin.
अहं वने दुर्वसतीर्वसन्परमदुःखितः। अक्षद्यूताभिषङ्गेण गिरः शृण्वन्सुदारुणाः
Living in the forest, enduring harsh hardships, I, deeply afflicted, hear cruel words because of the disgrace of the dice.
आर्तानां सुहृदां वाचो द्यूतप्रभृति शंसताम्। अहं हृदि श्रिताः स्मृत्वा सर्वरात्रीर्विचिन्तयन्
Remembering, night after night, the words of my suffering friends, who lament the outcome of the dice, I hold their pain in my heart and ponder it constantly.
यस्मिंश्च वयमायत्ताः सदा गाण्डीवधन्वनि। `स चेन्द्रलोकं गतवानस्त्रहेतोर्महाबलः
And upon whom we are always dependent, the wielder of the Gandiva bow—he, mighty in strength, has gone to the world of Indra for the sake of weapons.
विना महात्मना तेन गतसत्व इवास्महे। कदा द्रक्ष्यामि बीभत्सुं कृतास्त्रं पुनरागतम्
Without that great-souled one, we are as if lifeless; when will I see Arjuna, skilled in arms, returned once more?
इति सर्वे महेष्वासं चिन्तयाना धनंजयम्। अनेन तु विषण्णोऽहं कारणेन सहानुजः
Thus, all of us, thinking of Dhananjaya, the great archer, are filled with concern; and for this reason, along with my brothers, I am despondent.
वनवासान्निवृत्तं मां पुनस्ते पापबुद्धयः। जानन्तः प्रीयमाणा वै देवने भ्रातृभिः सह। द्यूतेनैवाह्वयिष्यन्ति बलादक्षेषु तद्विदः
When I return from exile, those wicked-minded men, knowing I rejoice with my brothers in the forest, will surely invite me again to dice, by force, as before.
आहूतश्च पुनर्द्यूते नास्मि शक्तो निवर्तितुम्। पणे च मम नात्यर्थं वसु किंचन विद्यते
And if I am summoned again to dice, I will not be able to refuse; yet I have no great wealth left to stake.
एतत्सर्वमनुध्यायंश्चिन्तयानो दिवानिशम्। न मत्तो दुःखिततरः पुमानस्तीह कश्चन
Thinking over all this, pondering day and night, I believe there is no man here more afflicted than I am.
नास्ति राजा मया कश्चिदल्पभाग्यतरो भुवि। भवता दृष्टपूर्वो वा श्रुतपूर्वोपि वा क्वचित्। न मत्तो दुःखिततरः पुमानस्तीति मे मतिः
There is no king on earth less fortunate than I; have you ever seen or heard of anyone more sorrowful than I am? This is my conviction.
एवं ब्रुवन्तं दुःखार्तमुवाच भगवानृषिः। शोकं व्यपनुदन्राज्ञो धर्मराजस्य धीमतः
As he spoke thus, overwhelmed by sorrow, the blessed sage addressed the wise king Yudhishthira, dispelling his grief.
न विषादे मनः त्वया बुद्धिमतांवर। आगमिष्यति बीभत्सुरमित्रांश्च विजेष्यते
Let not your mind be cast down, O best of the wise; Arjuna will return, and he will conquer your enemies.
यद्ब्रवीषि महाराज न मत्तो विद्ते क्वचित्। अल्पभाग्यतरः कश्चित्पुमानस्तीति पाण्डव
What you say, O great king—that there is no one less fortunate than you, O Pandava—
अत्र ते वर्णयिष्यामि यदि शुश्रूषसेऽनघ। यस्त्वत्तो दुःखिततरो राजाऽऽसीत्पृथिवीपते
Here I will tell you, if you wish to listen, O sinless one, of a king who was more afflicted than you, O lord of the earth.
अथैनमब्रवीद्राजा ब्रवीतु भगवानिति। इमामवस्थां संप्राप्तं श्रोतुमिच्छामि पार्थिवम्
Then the king said to him, 'Let the blessed one speak; I wish to hear of the king who came to such a state.'
शृणु राजन्नवहितः सह भ्रातृभिरच्युत। यस्त्वत्तो दुःखिततरो राजाऽऽसीत्पृथिवोपते
Hear attentively, O king, together with your brothers and Krishna, of the king who was more afflicted than you, O lord of the earth.
निषधेषु महीपालो वीरसेन इति श्रुतः। तस्य पुत्रोऽभवन्नाम्ना नलो धर्मार्तकोविदः
Among the Nishadhas there was a king named Virasena, it is said; his son was Nala, renowned for righteousness and knowledge of duty.
स निकृत्याजतो राजा पुष्करेणेति नः श्रुतम्। वनवासं सुदुःखार्तो भार्यया न्यवसत्सह
That king, as we have heard, was defeated by deceit by Pushkara, and, greatly afflicted, dwelt in the forest with his wife.
न तस्य दासा न रथो न भ्राता न च भान्धवाः। वने निवसतो राजन्नश्रूयन्त कदाचन
While he lived in the forest, O king, there were no servants, no chariot, no brother, nor any relatives ever heard of with him.
भवान्हि संवृतो वीरैर्भ्रातृभिर्देवसंमितैः। ब्रह्मकल्पैर्द्विजाग्र्यैश्च तस्मान्नार्हसि शोचितुम्
But you are surrounded by heroic brothers equal to the gods, and foremost Brahmins like those of old; therefore, you should not grieve.
विस्तरेणाहमिच्छामि नलस्य सुमहात्मनः। चरितं वदतांश्रेष्ठ तन्ममाख्यातुमर्हसि
I wish to recount in detail the deeds of the great-souled Nala; O best of speakers, please relate them to me.
आसीद्राजा नलो नाम वीरसेनसुतो बली। उपपन्नो गुणैरिष्टै रूपवानश्वकोविदः
There was a king named Nala, son of Virasena, mighty and endowed with all desirable virtues, handsome, and skilled in the knowledge of horses.
यज्वा दानपतिर्दक्षः सदा शीलपुरस्कृतः'। अतिष्ठन्मनुजेन्द्राणां मूर्ध्नि देवपतिर्यथा। उपर्युपरि सर्वेषामादित्य इव तेजसा
He was a performer of sacrifices, a lord of charity, adept, always upholding good conduct; he stood foremost among kings, like the lord of the gods himself, surpassing all in brilliance like the sun.
ब्रह्मण्यो वेदविच्छ्ररो निषधेषु महीपतिः। अक्षप्रियः सत्यवादी महानक्षौहिणीपतिः
Devoted to Brahmins, learned in the Vedas, he was the ruler of the Nishadhas, fond of dice, a speaker of truth, and the lord of a great army.
ईप्सितो नरनारीणामुदारः संयतेन्द्रियः। रक्षिता धन्विनां श्रेष्ठः साक्षादिव मनुः स्वयम्
Desired by men and women, generous, with senses under control, protector and best among archers, he was like Manu himself in person.
तथैवासीद्विदर्भेषु भीमो भीमपराक्रमः। शूरः सर्वगुणैर्युक्तः प्रजाकामः स चाप्रजाः
Likewise, in Vidarbha there was Bhima, of terrible prowess, heroic, endowed with all virtues, desiring offspring, yet without children.
स प्रजार्थे परं यत्नमकरोत्सुसमाहितः। तमभ्यगच्छद्ब्रह्मर्षिर्दमनो नाम भारत
He made great and earnest efforts for the sake of progeny; to him came the Brahmarshi named Damana, O Bharata.