मुखे तं पाटयामास शस्त्रेण निशितेन च। निर्विचेष्टं भुजङ्गं तं विशस् मृगजीवनः
With a sharp weapon he tore open the serpent’s mouth, and the hunter who lived by the forest killed the motionless snake.
मोक्षयित्वा स तांव्याधः प्रक्षाल्य सलिलेन ह। समाश्वास्य कृताहारामथ पप्रच्छ भारत
Having freed her, the hunter washed her with water, comforted her, gave her food, and then questioned her, O Bhārata.
कस्य त्वं मृगशावाक्षि कथं चास्यागता वनम्। कथं चेदं महत्कृच्छ्रं प्राप्तवत्यसि भामिनि
Whose are you, doe-eyed one? How did you come to this forest? And how, O beautiful lady, have you come to such great distress?
दमयन्ती तथा तेन पृच्छ्यमाना विशांपते। सर्वमेतद्यथावृत्तमाचचक्षेऽस्य भारत
Thus questioned by him, O ruler of men, Damayantī told him everything as it had happened.
तामर्धवस्त्रसंवीतां पीनश्रोणिपयोधराम्। सुकुमारानवद्याङ्गीं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम्
Her body half-covered in garments, with full hips and breasts, delicate, flawless in form, her face radiant as the full moon—
अरालपक्ष्मनयनां तथा मधुरभाषिणीम्। लक्षयित्वा मृगव्याधः कामस्य वशमीयिवान्
With curling lashes, sweetly speaking, the hunter, seeing her, fell under the sway of desire.
तामथ श्लक्ष्णया वाचा लुब्धको मृदुपूर्वया। सान्त्वयामास कामार्तस्तदबुध्यत भामिनी
Then the hunter, overcome by passion, began to soothe her with gentle, soft words; but the lady understood his intent.
दमयन्त्यपि तं दुष्टमुपलभ्य पतिव्रता। तीव्ररोषसमाविष्टा प्रजज्वालेव मन्युना
Damayantī, devoted to her husband, perceiving that wicked man, was seized by intense anger, blazing with wrath.
स तु पापमतिः क्षुद्रः प्रधर्षयितुमातुरः। दुर्धर्षां तर्कयामास दीप्तामग्निशिखामिव
But that evil-minded, base man, burning with lust, sought to violate her, as if trying to seize a blazing tongue of fire.
दमयन्ती तु दुःखार्था पतिराज्यविनाकृता। अतीतवाक्यथे काले शशापैनं रुषा किल
Damayantī, afflicted by sorrow, deprived of husband and kingdom, after his words had passed, cursed him in anger.
यथाऽहं नैषधादन्यं मनसाऽपि न चिन्तये। तथाऽयं पततां क्षुद्रः परासुर्मृगजीवनः
As I do not even think of any man other than Niṣadha in my mind, so let this base hunter perish among the fallen.
उक्तमात्रे तु वचने तया स मृगजीवनः। व्यसुः पपात मेदिन्यामग्निदग्ध इव द्रुमः
As soon as she uttered these words, the hunter lost his life and fell to the ground, like a tree struck by fire.
सा निहत्य मृगव्याधं प्रतस्थे कमलेक्षणा। वनं प्रतिभयं शून्यं झिल्लिकागणनादितम्
Having slain the hunter, the lotus-eyed woman set out into the fearful, empty forest, resounding with the cries of crickets.
सिंहद्वीपिरुरुव्याघ्रवराहर्क्षगणैर्युतम्। नानापक्षिगणाकीर्णां म्लेच्छतस्करसेवितम्
It was filled with lions, tigers, great leopards, boars, and bears, crowded with many kinds of birds, and frequented by outcasts and thieves.
सालवेणुधवाश्वत्थतिन्दुकेङ्गुदिकिंशुकैः। अर्जुनारिष्टसंछन्नं स्यन्दनैश्च सशाल्मलैः
Covered with śāla, bamboo, dhava, aśvattha, tinduka, eṅgudi, kiṃśuka, arjuna, and ariṣṭa trees, and with chariots and śālmalī trees.
जम्ब्वाम्रलोध्रखदिरशाकवेत्रसमाकुलम्। पद्मकामलकप्लक्षकदम्बोदुम्बरावृतम्
Thick with jambū, mango, lodhra, khadira, śāka, and vetasa trees, and filled with padma, kāmala, plakṣa, kadamba, and udumbara trees.
बदरीबिल्वसंछन्नं न्यग्रोधैश्च समाकुलम्। प्रियालतालखर्जूरहरीतकिबिभीतकैः
Covered with jujube and wood-apple trees, crowded with banyans, and adorned with beloved creepers, palmyras, dates, myrobalans, and bibhitaka trees.
नानाधातुशतैर्नद्धान्विविधानपि चाचलान्। निकुञ्जान्पक्षिसंघुष्टान्दरीश्चाद्भुतदर्शनाः
Bound with hundreds of various minerals, and also with diverse mountains, thickets resounding with flocks of birds, and caves of wondrous appearance.
नदी सरांसि वापीश्च विविधांश्चरतो द्विजान्। सा बहून्भीमरूपांश्च पिशाचोरगराक्षसान्
She beheld rivers, lakes, and ponds of many kinds as she wandered, and also many fearsome beings—demons, serpents, and rākṣasas.
पल्वलानि तटाकानि गिरिकूटानि सर्वशः। सरित्सरांसि च तदा ददर्शाद्भुतदर्शनाम्
She saw marshes, pools, and mountain peaks everywhere, and also rivers and lakes of wondrous appearance.
यूथशो ददृशे चात्र विदर्भाधिपनन्दिनी। महिषान्वराहान्गोमायूनृक्षवानरपन्नगान्
There, the daughter of the king of Vidarbha saw herds of buffaloes, boars, jackals, bears, monkeys, and serpents.
तेजसा यशसा लक्ष्म्या स्थित्या च परया युता। वैर्दभी विचचारैका नलमन्वेषती तदा
Endowed with energy, fame, beauty, and steadfastness, the Vidarbha princess wandered alone, searching for Nala.
नाबिभ्यत्सा नृपसुता भैमी तत्राथ कस्यचित्। दारुणामटवीं प्राप्य भर्तृव्यसनकर्शिता
That princess, Bhīmā's daughter, did not fear as she entered a dreadful forest, though afflicted by her husband's misfortune.
विदर्भतनया राजन्विललाप सुदुःखिता। भर्तृशोकपरीताङ्गी शिलातलमथाश्रिता
O King, the daughter of Vidarbha, greatly distressed, lamented, her body consumed by grief for her husband, as she sat upon a rock.
सिह्योरस्क महाबाहो निषधानां जनाधिप। क्वनु राजन्गतोसि त्वं त्यक्त्वा मां विजने वने
O lion-chested, mighty-armed lord of Niṣadha, where have you gone, O king, leaving me alone in this desolate forest?
अश्वमेधादिभिर्वीर क्रतुभिश्चाप्तदक्षिणैः। कथमिष्ट्वा नरव्याघ्र मयि मिथ्या प्रवर्तसे
O hero, having performed horse-sacrifices and other rites with abundant gifts, how can you, O tiger among men, act falsely toward me?
यत्त्वयोक्तं नरश्रेष्ठ मत्समक्षं महाद्युते। कर्तुमर्हसि कल्याण तदृतं पार्थिवर्षभ
What you promised before me, O best of men, O greatly illustrious one, you ought to fulfill, O bull among kings, for that is right.
यच्चोक्तं विहगैर्हंसैः समीपे तव भूमिप। मत्सकाशे च तैरुक्तं तदवेक्षितुमर्हसि
And what was spoken by the birds, the swans, near you, O king, and what they said to me—you ought to consider that.
चत्वार एकतो वेदाः साङ्गोपाङ्गाः सविस्तराः। स्वधीता मनुजव्याघ्र सत्यमेकं किलैकतः
On one side are the four Vedas, with their branches and explanations, thoroughly studied, O tiger among men; on the other, truth alone stands.
तस्मादर्हसि शत्रुघ्न सत्यं कर्तुं नरेश्वर। उक्तवानसि यद्वीर मत्सकाशे पुरा वचः
Therefore, O destroyer of foes, O lord of men, you ought to keep your word, O hero, that you once spoke to me.