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.
सख्यश्चास्या मया दृष्टास्ताभिश्चाप्युपलक्षितः। विस्मिताश्चाभवन्सर्वा दृष्ट्वा मां विबुधेश्वराः
I saw her companions, and they too noticed me; all the lords of the gods were astonished upon seeing me.
वर्ण्यमानेषु च मया भवत्सु रुचिराननां। मामेव गतसंकल्पा वृणीते सा सुरोत्तमाः
As I described you among those with beautiful faces, her mind was fixed only on me; that noble maiden chose me.
अब्रवीच्चैव मां बाला आयान्तु सहिताः सुराः। त्वया सह नरव्याघ्र मम यत्रस्वयंवरः
The young woman also said to me, 'Let the gods come together with you, tiger among men, to the place of my svayaṃvara.'
तेषामहं संनिधौ त्वां वरयिष्यामि नैषध। एवं तव महाबाहो दोषो न भवितेति ह
In their presence, O Nala of Nishadha, I will choose you; thus, O mighty-armed one, no fault will arise for you.
एतावदेव विबुधा यथावृत्तमुपाहृतम्। मया शेषे प्रमाणं तु भवन्तस्त्रिदशेश्वराः
O gods, this is all that has happened, as I have reported; for the rest, you, lords of the immortals, are the witnesses.
अथ काले शुभे प्राप्ते तथौ पुण्ये क्षणे तथा। आजुहाव महीपालान्भीमो राजा स्वयंवरे
Then, when an auspicious and holy moment arrived, King Bhīma summoned the kings to the svayaṃvara.
तच्छ्रुत्वा पृथिवीपालाः सर्वे हृच्छयपीडिताः। त्वरिताः समपाजग्मुर्दमयन्तीमभीप्सवः
Hearing this, all the rulers of the earth, afflicted by love, hurriedly came, desiring Damayantī.
कनकस्तम्भरुचिरं तोरणेन विराजितम्। विविशुस्ते नृपा रङ्गं महासिंह इवाचलम्
The kings entered the arena, adorned with a golden-pillared gateway, shining like great lions approaching a mountain.
तत्रासनेषु विविधेष्वासीनाः पृथिवीक्षितः। सुरभिस्रग्धराः सर्वे प्रमृष्टमणिकुण्डलाः
There, seated on various seats, the lords of the earth, all wearing fragrant garlands and polished jeweled earrings.
संपूर्णां पुरुषव्याघ्रैर्व्याघ्रैर्गिरिगुहामिव। `प्रविवेश नलो देवैः पुण्यश्लोको नराधिप
Filled with tiger-like men, like a mountain cave with tigers, Nala, the renowned king, entered together with the gods.