प्रत्यक्षदर्शनं यज्ञे गतिं चानुत्तमां शुभाम्। नैषधाय ददौ शक्रः प्रीयमाणः शचीपतिः
Indra, pleased, lord of Śacī, granted Nishadha the ability to be seen directly at the sacrifice and the highest auspicious path.
अग्निरात्मभवं प्रादाद्यत्र वाञ्छति नैषधः। लोकानात्मप्रभांश्चैव ददौ तस्मै हुताशनः
Agni gave him self-born offspring wherever Nishadha desired, and the fire-god granted him worlds shining with his own radiance.
यमस्त्वन्नरसं प्रादाद्धर्मे च परमां स्थितिम्। अपांपतिरपां भावं यत्रवाञ्छति नैपधः ।। स्रजश्चोत्तमगन्धाढ्याः सर्वेच मिथुनं ददुः
Yama bestowed the taste of food and supreme steadfastness in righteousness; the lord of waters granted the essence of water wherever Nishadha wished. They all gave him garlands rich in the finest fragrance and a pair for each.
वरानेवं प्रदायास्य देवास्ते त्रिदिवं गताः। `एतत्सर्वं नलोऽपश्यद्दमयन्ती च भारत। यथा स्वप्नं महाराज तथैव ददृशुर्जनाः
Having thus granted him boons, those gods departed to heaven. Nala and Damayantī, O Bhārata, saw it all; and the people witnessed it as if in a dream, O great king.
ततः स्वयवरं चक्रे भीमो राजाऽतिमानुषम्। समागतेषु सर्वेषु भूपालेसु विशांपते
Then King Bhīma held the svayamvara, surpassing the human realm, when all the kings had assembled, O lord of the people.
दमयन्त्यपि तद्दृष्ट्वाराजमण्डलमृद्धिमत्। अन्वीक्ष्यनैषधं वव्रे भैमी धर्मेण भारत
Damayantī, seeing the splendid circle of kings, considered Nishadha and chose him, O Bhārata, in righteousness.
वृते च नैषधे भैम्या निवृत्ते च स्वयंवरे। सर्व एव महीपालाः प्रतिजग्मुर्यथागतम्
When the princess of Vidarbha had chosen the king of Nishadha, and the self-choice ceremony was concluded, all the assembled kings departed as they had come.
पार्थिवाश्चानुभूयास्य विवाहं विस्मयान्विताः। दमयन्त्याश्च मुदिताः प्रतिजग्मुर्यथागतम्
The rulers of the earth, having witnessed this wondrous wedding and rejoicing for Damayanti, returned to their own realms as they had arrived.
गतेषु पार्थिवेन्द्रेषु भीमः प्रीतो महामनाः। विवाहं कारयामास दमयन्त्या नलस्य च
When the great kings had departed, Bhima, delighted and magnanimous, arranged the marriage of Damayanti and Nala.
उष्य तत्र तथाकामं नैषधो द्विपदांवरः। भीमेन समनुज्ञातो जगाम नगरं स्वकम्। अवाप्य नारीरत्नं तु पुण्यश्लोकोपि पार्थिवः
Having stayed there as long as he wished, the illustrious king of Nishadha, permitted by Bhima, returned to his own city, having obtained the jewel among women and fame.
रेमे सह तया राजञ्छच्येव बलवृत्रहा। अतीव मुदितो राजा भ्राजमानोंशुमानिव
With her, O King, Nala rejoiced like Indra with Shachi after slaying Vritra, the king radiant and exceedingly joyful.
अरञ्जयत्प्रजा वीरो धर्मेण परिपालयन्। ईजे चाप्यश्वमेधेन ययातिरिव नाहुषः। अन्यैश्च बहुभिर्धीमान्क्रतुभिश्चाप्तदक्षिणैः
That heroic king ruled his subjects with righteousness, delighting them; he performed an ashvamedha sacrifice like Yayati, son of Nahusha, and many other great sacrifices with abundant gifts.
पुगश्च रमणीयेषु वनेषूपवनेषु च। दमयन्त्या सह नलो विजहारामरोपमः
In beautiful groves and forests, Nala, equal to the gods, sported with Damayanti.
जनयामास च ततो दमयन्त्यां महामनाः। इन्द्रसेनं सुतं चापि इन्द्रसेनां चकन्यकाम्
From Damayanti, the noble-hearted Nala begot a son named Indrasena and a daughter named Indrasenā.
एवं स यजमानश्च विहरंश्च नराधिपः। ररक्ष वसुसंपूर्णां वसुधां वसुधाधिपः
Thus, ruling and enjoying himself, the lord of men protected the earth, filled with wealth, like a true sovereign.
वृते तु नैषधे भैम्या लोकपाला महौजसः। यान्तो ददृशुरायान्तं द्वापरं कलिना सह
When the mighty guardians of the world departed after Damayanti had chosen the king of Nishadha, they saw Dvapara approaching, accompanied by Kali.
अथाब्रवीत्कलिं शक्रः संप्रेक्ष्य बलवृत्रहा। द्वापरेण सहायेन कले ब्रूहि क्व यास्यसि
Then Indra, the slayer of Vritra, seeing Kali with Dvapara, spoke: 'Kali, with your companion Dvapara, tell me, where are you going?'
ततोऽब्रवीत्कलिः शक्रं दमयन्त्याः स्वयंवरम्। गत्वा हि वरयिष्ये तां मनो हि मम तां गतम्
Kali replied to Indra, 'I am going to Damayanti's self-choice ceremony, for I wish to choose her; my heart is set on her.'
तमब्रवीत्प्रहस्येन्द्रो निर्वृत्तः स स्वयंवरः। वृतस्तया नलो राजा पतिरस्मत्समीपतः
Indra laughed and said to him, 'The self-choice is over; Damayanti has chosen King Nala as her husband in our presence.'
एवमुक्तस्तु शक्रेण कलिः कोपसमन्वितः। देवानामन्त्र्य तान्सर्वानुवाचेदं वचस्तदा
Thus addressed by Indra, Kali, filled with anger, spoke these words to all the gods, having first taken leave of them.
देवानां मानुषं मध्ये यत्सा पतिमविन्दत। ननु तस्या भवेन्न्याय्यं विपुलं दण्डधारणम्
'Since she chose a mortal husband among the gods, surely she deserves to be severely punished.'
एवमुक्ते तु कलिना प्रत्यूचुस्ते दिवौकसः। अस्माभिः सभनुज्ञाते दमयन्त्या नलो वृतः
When Kali had spoken thus, the gods replied, 'Nala was chosen by Damayanti with our consent.'
का हि सर्वगुणोपेतं नाश्रयेत नलं नृपम्। यो वेद धर्मानखिलान्यथावच्चरितव्रतः
'For who would not choose King Nala, endowed with all virtues, who knows all the laws and observes them faithfully?'
योऽधीते चतुरो वेदान्सर्वानाख्यानपञ्चमान्। अहिंसानिरतो यश्च सत्यवादी दृढव्रतः
'He who has mastered the four Vedas and all the stories, who is devoted to non-violence, speaks the truth, and is firm in his vows.'
यस्मिन्दाक्ष्यं धृतिर्ज्ञानं तपः शौचं दमः शमः। ध्रुवाणि पुरुषव्याघ्रे लोकपालसमे नृपे
In whom reside skill, steadfastness, wisdom, austerity, purity, self-control, and tranquility—firmly established, O tiger among men, as in a king equal to the guardians of the world—
एवंरूपं नलं यो वै कामयेच्छपितुं कले। आत्मानं स शपेन्मूढो हन्यादात्मानमात्मना
Whoever, out of delusion, would wish to defeat such a Nala in dice, desires his own ruin and destroys himself by his own hand.
एवंगुणं नलं यो वै कामयेच्छपितुं कले। कृच्छ्रे स नरके मञ्जेदगाधे विपुले ह्रदे
Whoever would wish to overcome such a virtuous Nala in dice, would sink into a great and unfathomable hell.
एवमुक्त्वा कलिं देवा द्वापरं च दिवं ययुः। ततो गतेषु देवेषु कलिर्द्वापरमब्रवीत्
Having spoken thus to Kali and Dvapara, the gods returned to heaven; and when the gods had departed, Kali spoke to Dvapara.
संयन्तुं नोत्सहे कोपं नले वत्स्यामि द्वापर। भ्रंशयिष्यामि तं राज्यान्न भैम्या सह रंस्यते
I am not able to restrain my anger; I shall dwell with Nala, O Dvapara, and I will cause him to fall from his kingdom; he shall not enjoy happiness with Damayanti.
त्वमप्यक्षान्समाविश्य साहाय्यं कर्तुमर्हसि। `मम प्रियकृते ह्यस्मन्कृतवांश्च भविष्यसि
You too, entering the dice, must assist me; for the sake of my pleasure, you will have done this for us.