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.
एवं स समयं कृत्वा द्वापरेण कलिः सह। आजगाम ततस्तत्र यत्रराजा स नैषधः
Having thus made an agreement with Dvapara, Kali then went to the place where King Nala of the Nishadhas was.
स नित्यमन्तरप्रेक्षी निषधेष्ववसच्चिरम्। अथास्य द्वादशे वर्षे ददर्श कलिरन्तरम्
He remained there constantly, watching for a fault, and dwelled among the Nishadhas for a long time; then, in the twelfth year, Kali found an opening.
कृत्वा मूत्रमुपस्पृश्य संध्यामन्वास्त नैषधः। अकृत्वा पादयोः शौचं तत्रैनं कलिराविशत्
Having passed urine and performed purification, Nala attended to his evening rites; but without washing his feet, Kali entered him at that moment.
स समाविश्य च नलं समीपं पुष्करस्य च। गत्वा पुष्करमाहेदमेहि दीव्य नलेन वै
Having entered Nala, and also approaching Pushkara, Kali said to Pushkara: 'Come, let us play dice with Nala.'
अक्षद्यूते नलं जेता भवान्हि सहितो मया। निषधान्प्रतिपद्यस्व जित्वा राज्यं नलं नृपम्
With me at your side, you will defeat Nala in a game of dice; having conquered King Nala, reclaim the kingdom of the Nishadhas.
एवमुक्तस्तु कलिना पुष्करो नलमभ्ययात्। कलिश्चैव वृषो भूत्वा तं वै पुष्करमन्वयात्
Thus addressed by Kali, Pushkara approached Nala; and Kali, having taken the form of a dice, followed Pushkara.
आसाद्य तु नलं वीरं पुष्करः परवीरहा। दीव्यावेत्यब्रवीद्धाता वृषेणेति मुहुर्मुहुः
Having come before the heroic Nala, Pushkara, the subduer of foes, repeatedly challenged him to play dice, invoking the dice as witness.
न चक्षमे ततो राजा समाह्वानं महामनाः। वैदर्भ्याः प्रेक्षमाणायाः प्राप्तकालममन्यत
The great-minded king could not refuse the challenge, especially as Damayanti was watching; he considered the time had come.
ततः स राज्ञा सहसा देवितुं संप्रचक्रमे
Then, together with the king, he suddenly began to play dice.
भ्रात्रा देवाभिभूतेन दैवाविष्टो जनाधिपः।' हिरण्यस्य सुवर्णस्य यानयुग्यस् वाससाम्। आविष्टः कलिना द्यूते जीयते स्म नलस्तदा
Possessed by Kali in the game, the lord of men—overcome by fate through his brother, who was under the sway of the gods—staked gold, jewels, chariots, and garments, and Nala was defeated.