बृहत्सेने पुनर्गच्छ वार्ष्णेयं नलशासनात्। सूतमानय कल्याणि महत्कार्यमुपस्थितम्
O Bṛhatsene, go again and summon Vārṣṇeya at Nala's command; bring the charioteer, dear one, for a great task is at hand.
बृहत्सेना तु सा श्रुत्वा दमयन्त्याः प्रभाषितम्। वार्ष्णेयमानयामास पुरुषैराप्तकारिभिः
Hearing Damayantī's words, Bṛhatsenā brought Vārṣṇeya with trustworthy attendants.
वार्ष्णेयं तु ततो भैमी सान्त्वयञ्छ्लक्ष्णया गिरा। उवाच देशकालज्ञा प्राप्तकालमनिन्दिता
Then Bhīma's daughter, skilled in time and place, blameless and gentle in speech, comforted Vārṣṇeya and spoke at the proper moment.
जानषे त्वं यथा राजा सम्यग्वृत्तः सदा त्वयि। तस्य त्वं विपमस्थस्य साहाय्यं कर्तुमर्हसि
You know well how the king has always acted rightly toward you; now that he is in misfortune, you ought to help him.
यथायथा हि नृपतिः पुष्करेणैव जीयते। तथातथाऽस्य वै द्यूते रागो भूयोऽभिवर्धते
Just as the king is defeated again and again by Puṣkara at dice, so too his passion for gambling only grows stronger.
यथा च पुष्करस्याक्षाः पतन्ति वशवर्तिनः। तथा विपर्ययश्चापि नलस्याक्षेषु दृश्यते
As the dice always fall under Puṣkara's control, so the opposite is seen for Nala in the game.
सुहृत्स्वजनवाक्यानि यथाऽयं न शृणोति च। ममापि च तथा वाक्यं नाभिनन्दति नैषध
He does not listen to the words of friends and relatives, nor does the king of Niṣadha heed my words.
यथा राज्ञः प्रदीप्तानां भाग्यानामद्य सारथे। नूनं मन्ये न शेषोस्ति नैषधस्य महात्मनः
O charioteer, as the king's blazing fortunes are now spent, I believe there is nothing left for the great-souled Niṣadha.
यत्तु मे वचनं राजा नाभिनन्दति मोहितः। शरणं त्वां प्रपन्नाऽस्मि सारथे कुरु मद्वचः। न हि मे शुध्ते भावो विनाशं प्रति सारथे
Since the king, deluded, does not accept my counsel, I take refuge in you, charioteer; do as I say. My heart harbors no ill intent toward his destruction, charioteer.
नलस्य दयितानश्वान्योजयित्वा मनोजवान्। रथमारोप्य मिथुनं कुण्डिनं यातुर्महसि
Harness Nala's beloved, swift horses to the chariot, and take the pair to Kuṇḍina, the great city.
मम ज्ञातिषु निक्षिप्य दारकौ स्यन्दनं तथा। अश्वांश्चेमान्यथाकामं वस वाऽन्यत्र गच्छवा
Leave the two children among my relatives, as well as the chariot; keep the horses as you wish, or go elsewhere if you desire.
दमयन्त्यास्तु तद्वाक्यं वार्ण्येयो नलसारथिः। न्यवेदयदशेषेण नलामात्येषु मुख्यशः
Vārṣṇeya, Nala's charioteer, faithfully reported Damayantī's words in full to Nala's chief ministers.
तैः समेत्य विनिश्चित्य सोऽनुज्ञातो महीपते। ययौ मिथुनमारोप्य विदर्भांस्तेन वाहिना
After meeting and deliberating, permitted by the king, he set out with the pair and went to the Vidarbhas with that force.
हयांस्तत्र विनिक्षिप्य सूतो रथवरं च तम्। इन्द्रसेनां च तां कन्यामिन्द्रसेनं च बालकम्
There the charioteer left the horses and that excellent chariot, as well as Indrasenā, the maiden, and Indrasena, the boy.
आमन्त्र्य भीमं राजानमार्तः शोचन्नलं नृपम्। क्व नु यास्यामि मनसा चिन्तयानो मुहुर्मुहुः। अटमानस्ततोऽयोध्यां जगाम नगरीं तदा
Taking leave of King Bhīma, grieving for King Nala, he wondered again and again, 'Where shall I go now?' and wandering, he then went to the city of Ayodhyā.
ऋतुपर्णं स राजानमुपतस्थे सुदुःखितः। भृतिं च स ददौ चास्य सारथ्येन नियोजितः
There, deeply distressed, he approached King Ṛtuparṇa, who employed him as a charioteer and gave him sustenance.
ततस्तु याते वार्ष्णेये पुण्यश्लोकस्य दीव्यतः। पुष्करेण हृतं राज्यं यच्चापि वसु किंचन
After Vārṣṇeya departed, as the virtuous Nala played dice, Puṣkara seized the kingdom and whatever wealth there was.
हृतराज्यं नलं राजन्प्रहसन्पुष्करोऽब्रवीत्। द्यूतं प्रवर्ततां भूयः प्रतिपाणोऽस्ति कस्तव
Puṣkara, laughing, said to Nala, who had lost his kingdom, 'Let the dice game continue, king; who will wager against you now?'
शिष्टा ते दमयन्त्येका सर्वमन्यद्धृतं मया। दमयन्त्याः पणः साधु वर्ततां यदि मन्यसे
Only Damayanti remains to you; all else has been taken by me. Let Damayanti be the stake, if you so wish.
पुष्रेणैवमुक्तस्य पुण्यश्लोकस्य मन्युना। व्यदीर्यतेव हृदयं न चैनं किंचिदब्रवीत्
When Puṣkara spoke thus to the renowned one, Nala's heart seemed to break with anger, yet he said nothing.
ततः पुष्करमालोक्य नलः परममन्युमान्। `उवाच विद्यतेऽन्यच्च धनं मम नराधम
Then, looking at Puṣkara, Nala, filled with intense wrath, said: 'There is other wealth of mine, wretch among men.'
षणरूपेण निक्षिप्य पुण्यश्लोकः सुदुर्मनाः। उत्तरीयं तथा वस्त्रं तस्याश्चाभरणानि च'। उन्सृज्य सर्वगात्रभ्यो भूषणानि सहायशाः
The renowned one, deeply distressed, staked his upper garment, then his clothing and her ornaments, releasing all the adornments from every limb.
सुकवासा ह्यसंवीतः सुहृच्छोकविवर्धनः। निश्चक्राम ततोराजा त्यक्त्वा सुविपुलां श्रियम्
Clad in a single garment, unadorned, increasing the sorrow of his friends, the king departed, abandoning his vast prosperity.
दमयन्त्येकवस्त्राऽथ गच्छन्तं पृष्ठतोऽन्वगात्। स तया नगराभ्याशे त्रिरात्रं नैपधोऽवसत्
Damayanti, wearing but one garment, followed him as he went; together, they stayed near the city for three nights without shelter.
पुष्करस्तु महाराज धोषयामास वै पुरे। नले यः सम्यगातिष्ठेत्स गच्छेद्वध्यतां मम
Puṣkara, O great king, proclaimed in the city: 'Whoever shelters Nala shall be subject to my punishment.'
पुष्करस्य तु वाक्येन तस्य विद्वेषणेन च। पौरा न तस्य सत्कारं कृतवन्तो युधिष्ठिर
Because of Puṣkara's words and his hostility, the townspeople did not show Nala any hospitality, O Yudhishthira.
स तथा नगराभ्याशे सत्कारार्हो न सन्कृतः। त्रिरत्रमुषितो राजा जलमात्रेण वर्तयन्
Thus, though worthy of honor, the king was not received near the city; for three nights he subsisted only on water.
[पीड्यमानः क्षुधा तत्र फलमृलानि कर्पयन्। प्रातिष्ठत ततो राजा दमयन्ती तमन्वगात् ।।]
Afflicted by hunger, he gathered fruits and roots there; then the king departed, and Damayanti followed him.
क्षुधया पीड्यमानम्तु नलो बहुतिथेऽहनि। अपश्यच्छकुनान्कांश्चिद्धिरण्यसदृशच्छदान्
Tormented by hunger for many days, Nala saw some birds with golden-colored wings.
स चिन्तयामास तदा निषधाधिपतिर्बली। अस्ति भक्ष्यो ममाद्यापि वसु चेदं भविष्यति
Then the powerful lord of Niṣadha thought: 'There is still food for me; if I get this, it will be wealth.'