एवमुक्तस्तु वैदर्भ्या नलस्तां प्रत्युवाच ह। नलं मां विद्धि कल्याणि देवदूतमिहागतम्
Thus addressed by the princess of Vidarbha, Nala replied to her: 'Know me, O blessed one, to be Nala, come here as a messenger of the gods.'
देवास्त्वां प्राप्तुमिच्छन्ति शक्रोऽग्निर्वरुणो यमः। तेषामन्यतमं देवं पतिं वरय शोभने
'The gods—Śakra, Agni, Varuṇa, and Yama—desire to obtain you; choose as your husband, O beautiful one, whichever of these gods you wish.'
तेषामेव प्रभावेण प्रविष्टोऽहमलक्षितः। प्रविशन्तं न मां कश्चिदपश्यन्नाप्यवारयत्
'By their power alone have I entered here unnoticed; no one saw me enter, nor did anyone prevent me.'
एतदर्थमहं भद्रे प्रेषितः सुरसत्तमैः। एतच्छ्रुत्वा शुभे बुद्धिं प्रकुरुष्व यथेच्छसि
'For this purpose, O gentle one, have I been sent by the best of the gods; having heard this, O auspicious lady, decide as you wish.'
सा नमस्कृत्य देवेभ्यः प्रहस्य नलमब्रवीत्। प्रणयस्व यथाश्रद्धं राजन्किं करवाणि ते
She, having offered obeisance to the gods and smiling, said to Nala: 'Declare your wish, O king, according to your faith—what shall I do for you?'
अहं चैव हि यच्चान्यन्ममास्ति वसु किंचना। तत्सर्वं तव विस्रब्धं कुरु प्रणयमीश्वर
'Whatever I possess, and whatever else is my wealth, all of it is yours without reservation—do with it as you wish, O lord.'
हंसानां वचनं यत्तु तन्मां दहति पार्थिव। त्वत्कृते हि मया वीर राजानः सन्निपातिताः
'Yet, O king, the words of the swans burn me; for your sake, O hero, I have gathered the kings.'
यदि त्वं भजमानां मां प्रत्याख्यास्यसि मानद। विषमग्निं जलं रज्जुमास्थास्ये तव कारणात्
'If you, who honor me, reject me, O bestower of honor, then for your sake I shall embrace poison, fire, water, or the noose.'
एवमुक्तस्तु वैदर्भ्या नलस्तां प्रत्युवाच ह। तिष्ठत्सु लोकपालेषु कथं मानुषमिच्छसि
Thus addressed by the princess of Vidarbha, Nala replied to her: 'While the guardians of the worlds stand here, how can you desire a mortal?'
येषामहं लोककृतामीश्वराणां महात्मनाम्। न पादरजसा तुल्यो मनस्ते तेषु वर्तताम्
'Of those great-souled lords who are creators of the worlds, I am not equal even to the dust of their feet—may your mind dwell among them.'
विप्रियं ह्याचरन्मर्त्यो देवानां मृत्युच्छति। त्राहि मामनवद्याङ्गि वरयस्व सुरोत्तमान्
'A mortal who acts against the gods meets with death; protect me, O faultless one, and choose the best of the gods.'
विरजांसि च वासांसि दिव्याश्चित्राः स्रजस्तथा। भूषणानि तु दिव्यानि देवान्प्राप्य तु भुङ्क्ष्व वै
'Enjoy, having obtained the gods, garments free from stain, divine and wondrous garlands, and divine ornaments.'
य इमां पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां संक्षिप्य ग्रसते पुनः। हुताशमीशं देवानां का तं न वरयेत्पतिम्
'Who would not choose as husband him who, having gathered this entire earth, consumes it again—the lord of fire, ruler of the gods?'
यस् दण्डभयात्सर्वे भूतग्रामाः समागताः। धर्ममेवानुरुध्यन्ति का तं न वरयेत्पतिम्
'Who would not choose as husband him whom, out of fear of his rod, all beings assemble and adhere only to righteousness?'
धर्मात्मानं महात्मानं दैत्यदानवमर्दनम्। महेन्द्रं सर्वदेवानां का तं न वरयेत्पतिम्
'Who would not choose as husband Mahendra, the righteous-souled, great-souled subduer of Daityas and Dānavas, lord of all the gods?'
क्रियतामविशङ्केन मनसा यदि मन्यसे। वरुणं लोकपालानां सुहृद्वाक्यमिदं शृणु
'If you think it right, let it be done with a mind free from doubt; hear these words of Varuṇa, friend of the guardians of the worlds.'
नैषधेनैवमुक्ता सा दमयन्ती बचोऽब्रवीत्। समाप्लुताभ्यां नेत्राभ्यां शोकजेनाथ वारिणा
Thus addressed by the king of Niṣadha, Damayantī, her eyes filled with tears born of grief, spoke these words:
देवेभ्योऽहं नमस्कृत् यसर्वेभ्यः पृथिवीपते। वृणे त्वामेव भर्तारं सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
'Having paid homage to all the gods, O lord of the earth, I choose you alone as my husband—this I declare to you in truth.'
तामुवाच ततो राजा वेषमानां कृताञ्जलिम्। दौत्येनागत्य कल्याणि नोत्सहे स्वार्थमीप्सितं
Then the king said to her, who stood with folded hands, disguised: 'Having come as a messenger, O blessed one, I am unable to seek my own desire.'
कथं ह्यहं प्रतिश्रुत्य देवतानां विशेषतः। परार्थे यत्नमारभ्य कथं स्वार्थमिहोत्सहे
'How, having pledged myself especially to the gods, having undertaken this effort for another's sake, can I now seek my own interest here?'
एष धर्मो यदि स्वार्थो ममापि भविता ततः। एवं स्वार्थं करिष्यामि तथा भद्रे विधीयताम्
'If this is righteousness, then my own interest too will be fulfilled; then I shall pursue my own desire—so let it be, O gentle one.'
ततो बाष्पाकुलांवाचं दमयन्ती शुचिस्मिता। प्रत्याहरन्ती शनकैर्नलं राजानमब्रवीत्
Then Damayantī, of pure smile, her voice choked with tears, slowly drew back and spoke to King Nala.
अस्त्युपायो मया दृष्टो निरपायो नरेश्वर। येन दोषो न भविता तव राजन्कथंचन
O king, I have found a way that is free from fault, by which no blame will ever come to you.
त्वं चैव हि नरश्रेष्ठ देवाश्चेन्द्रपुरोगमाः। आयान्तु सहिताः सर्वे मम यत्र स्वयंवरः
You, best among men, and all the gods led by Indra, should come together to the place where my svayaṃvara will be held.
ततोऽहं लोकपालानां सन्निधौ त्वां नरेश्वर। वरयिष्ये नरव्याघ्र नैवं दोषो भविष्यति
Then, in the presence of the guardians of the worlds, O king, I will choose you, tiger among men; in this way, no fault will arise.
एवमुक्तस्तु वैदर्भ्या नलो राजा विशंपते। आजगाम पुनस्तत्र यत्र देवाः समागताः
Thus addressed by the princess of Vidarbha, King Nala, O lord of the people, returned again to the place where the gods had assembled.
तमपश्यंस्तथाऽऽयान्तं लोकपाला महेश्वराः। दृष्ट्वा चैनं ततोऽपृच्छन्वृत्तान्तं सर्वमेव तम्
The guardians of the worlds and the great gods saw him approaching; seeing him, they then asked him about everything that had happened.
कच्चिद्दृष्टा त्वया राजन्दमयन्ती शुचिस्मिता। किमब्रवीच्च नः सर्वान्वद भूमिपतेऽनघ
O king, did you see Damayantī, she of pure smile? What did she say to all of us? Tell us, O sinless ruler of the earth.
भवद्भिरहमादिष्टो दमयन्त्या निवेशनम्। प्रविष्टः सुमहाकक्ष्यं दण्डिभिः स्थविरैर्वृतम्
By your command, I entered Damayantī’s chambers, which were vast and guarded by elders bearing staffs.
प्रविशन्तं च मां तत्र न कश्चिद्दृष्टवान्नरः। ऋते तां पार्तिवसुतां भवतामेव तेजसा
As I entered there, no man saw me, except for that princess, by the power of your radiance.