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.'
ततस्तानन्तरीयेण वाससा स समावृणोत्। तस्य तद्वस्त्रमादाय सर्वे जग्मुर्विहायसा
He covered them with his upper garment; taking his clothing, all the birds flew away into the sky.
उत्पतन्तः खगा वाक्यमेतदाहुस्ततो नलम्। दृष्ट्वा दिग्वाससं भूमौ स्थितं दीनमधोमुखम्
As they flew up, the birds spoke these words to Nala, seeing him standing on the ground, destitute, wearing only a cloth, his face cast down.
वयमक्षाः सुदुर्बुद्धे तववासो जिहीर्षवः। आगता न हि नः प्रीतिः सवाससि गते त्वयि
'We are dice, O fool; desiring your garment, we have come. There is no joy for us when you depart with your clothing.'
नान्समीक्ष्य गतानक्षानात्मानं च विवाससम्। पुण्यश्लोकस्तदा राजा दमयन्तीमथाब्रवीत्
Not looking at the departed dice and himself bereft of clothing, the renowned king then spoke to Damayanti.
येषां प्रकोपादैश्वर्यान्प्रच्युतोऽहमनिन्दिते। प्राणयात्रां न विन्देयं दुःखितः क्षुधयाऽन्वितः
'O blameless one, by whose wrath I have been deprived of sovereignty, I cannot find sustenance, suffering and afflicted by hunger.'
येषां कृते न सत्कारमकुर्वन्मयि नैषधाः। इमे ते शकुना भूत्वा वासश्चाषहरन्ति मे
'For whose sake the people of Niṣadha did not honor me, these have become birds and have taken my garment.'
वैषम्यं परमं प्राप्तो दुःखितो गतचेतनः। भर्ता तेऽहं निबोधेदं वचनं हितमात्मनः
Having reached the utmost adversity, distressed and faint of heart, I am your husband—listen now to these words that are for your own good.
एते गच्छन्ति वहवः पन्थानो दिणापथम्। अवन्तीमृक्षवन्तं च समतिक्रम्य पर्वतम्
Many roads lead onward along the southern route, passing beyond Avanti and the Riksha mountains.
एष विन्ध्यो महाशैलः पयोष्णी च समुद्रगा। आश्रमाश्च महर्षीणां बहुमूलफलान्विताः
Here is the great Vindhya mountain, and the river Payoṣṇī flowing to the sea, and the hermitages of great sages, abundant with many roots and fruits.
एष पन्था विदर्भाणामेष यास्यति कोसलान्। अतःपरं च देशोऽयं दक्षिणो दक्षिणापथः
This is the path to Vidarbha, and this leads to Kosala; beyond this, the land is the southern region, the southern route.