सत्यवान्धर्मवित्प्राज्ञः सत्यसंधोऽरिमर्दनः। ब्रह्मण्यो दैवतपरः श्रीमान्परपुरंजयः
Truthful, knower of righteousness, wise, steadfast in his word, subduer of foes, devoted to Brahmins and the gods, prosperous, and conqueror of enemy cities.
नलो नाम नृपश्रेष्ठो देवराजसमद्युतिः। मम भर्ता विशालाक्षः पूर्णेन्दुवदनोऽरिहा
Nala, the foremost of kings, equal in splendor to the king of the gods, is my husband, broad-eyed, with a face like the full moon, destroyer of enemies.
आहर्ता क्रतुमुख्यानां वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः। सपत्नानां मृधे हन्ता रविसोमसमप्रभः
Performer of chief sacrifices, accomplished in the Vedas and their branches, slayer of rivals in battle, radiant like the sun and moon.
स कैश्चिन्निकृतिप्रज्ञैरनार्यैरकृतात्मभिः। आहृय पृथिवीपालः सत्यधर्मपरायणः। देवनेकुशलैर्जिह्मैर्जितो राज्यं वसूनि च
That king, devoted to truth and righteousness, was deceived by some cunning, ignoble, and wicked men, and, though skilled in virtue, was defeated by deceitful experts in the art of dice, losing his kingdom and wealth.
तस्य मामवगच्छध्वं भार्यां राजर्पभस्य वै। दमयन्तीति विख्यातां भर्तुर्दर्शनलालसाम्
Know me to be the wife of that illustrious king, renowned as Damayanti, longing for the sight of her husband.
सा वनानि गिरींश्चैव सरांसि सरितस्तथा। पल्वलानि च सर्वाणि तथाऽरण्यानि सर्वशः
She has wandered through forests, mountains, lakes, rivers, all the marshes, and all the wildernesses.
अन्वेपमाणआ भर्तारं नलं रणविशारदम्। महात्मानं कृतास्त्रं च विचरामीह दुःखिता
Seeking her husband Nala, skilled in battle, great-souled and accomplished in arms, I wander here in sorrow.
कच्चिद्भगवतां रम्यं तपोवनमिदं नृपः। भवेत्प्राप्तो नलो नाम निपधानां जनाधिपः
Has the king named Nala, lord of the Nishadhas, perhaps come to this beautiful hermitage of the blessed ones?
यत्कृतेऽहमिदं दुःखं प्रपन्ना भृशदारुणम्। वनं प्रतियं धोरं शार्दूलमृगसेवितम्
For his sake I have come to this terribly harsh forest, frequented by tigers and deer, plunged into great suffering.
यदि कैश्चिदहोरात्रैर्न द्रक्ष्यामि नलं नृपम्। आत्मानं श्रेयसा योक्ष्ये देहस्यास्य विमोक्षणात्
If within a few days and nights I do not see King Nala, I will unite my soul with blessedness by abandoning this body.
कोनु मे जीवितेनार्थस्तमृते पुरुषर्षभम्। कथं भविष्याम्यद्याहं भर्तृशोकाभिपीडिता
What purpose does my life serve without that best of men? How shall I live, afflicted by the grief of separation from my husband?
तथा विलपतीमेकामरण्ये भीमनन्दिनीम्। दमयन्तीमथोचुस्ते तापसाः सत्यवादिनः
As she lamented thus alone in the forest, Damayanti, praised for her virtue, was addressed by the ascetics, speakers of truth.
उदर्कस्तव कल्याणि कल्याणो भविता शुभे। वयं पश्याम तपसा क्षिप्रं द्रक्ष्यसि नैषधम्
A blessed and auspicious outcome awaits you, O noble lady; by our ascetic power we see that you will soon behold the Nishadha king.
निपधानामधिपतिं नलं रिपुनिपातिनम्। भैमि धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठं द्रक्ष्यसे विगतज्वरम्
You will see Nala, lord of the Nishadhas, subduer of enemies, O daughter of Bhima, best among the righteous, free from affliction.
विमुक्तं सर्वपापेभ्यः सर्वरत्नसमन्वितम्। तदेव नगरं श्रेष्ठं प्रशासतमरिन्दमम्
Freed from all sins, endowed with all gems, ruling that excellent city, the subduer of foes.
द्विपतां भयकर्तारं सुहृदां शोकनाशनम्। पतिमेष्यसि कल्याणि कल्याणाभिजनं नृपम्
You will regain as husband the king of noble birth, who causes fear among enemies and removes the sorrow of friends, O blessed lady.
एवमुक्त्वा नलस्येष्टां महिषीं पार्थिवात्मजाम्। अन्तर्हितास्तापसास्ते साग्निहोत्राश्रमास्तथा
Having spoken thus to Nala's beloved queen, the daughter of the king, those ascetics, along with their sacrificial fires and hermitage, vanished from sight.
सा दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यं विस्मिता ह्यभवत्तदा। दमयन्त्यनवद्याङ्गी वीरसेननृपस्नुषा
Seeing this great wonder, Damayanti, flawless in form and daughter-in-law of King Virasena, was utterly astonished.
चिन्तयामास वैदर्भी किमेतद्दृष्टवत्यहम्
The princess of Vidarbha began to ponder, 'What is this that I have just witnessed?'
किंनु स्वप्नो मया दृष्टः कोऽयंविधिरिहाभवत्। क्वनु ते तापसाः सर्वे क्व तदाश्रममण्डलम्
'Was it a dream that I saw? What kind of fate has occurred here? Where have all those ascetics gone, and where is that circle of hermitages?'
क्व सा पुण्यजला रम्या नदी द्विजनिषेविता। क्वनु ते ह नगा हृद्याः फलपुष्पोपशोभिताः
'Where is that lovely, sacred river frequented by twice-born sages? And where are those delightful trees adorned with fruit and flowers?'
इत्येवं नरशार्दूल विस्मिता कमलेक्षणा।' ध्यात्वा चिरं भीमसुता दमयन्ती शुचिस्मिता। भर्तृशोकपरा दीनाविवर्णवदनाऽभवत्
O tiger among men, thus, lotus-eyed Damayanti, lost in wonder, pondered for a long time; the pure-smiling daughter of Bhima, overwhelmed by grief for her husband, became pale and dispirited.
सा गत्वाऽथापरां भूमिं बाष्पसंदिग्धया गिरा। विललापाश्रुपूर्णाक्षी दृष्ट्वाऽशोकतरुं ततः
Then, with a voice choked by tears, she went to another place; her eyes filled with tears, she lamented upon seeing an ashoka tree there.
उपगम्य तरुश्रेष्ठमशोकं पुष्पितं वने। पल्लवापीडितं हृद्यं विहङ्गैरनुनादितम्
Approaching that best of trees, the blossoming ashoka in the forest, covered with fresh shoots and pleasing, resounding with the calls of birds—
अहो बतायमगमः श्रीमानस्मिन्वनान्तरे। आपीडैर्बहुभिर्भाति श्रीमान्पर्वतराडिव
'Ah, how splendid is this lordly tree in the heart of the forest! Laden with many clusters of leaves, it shines like a king of mountains.'
विशोकां कुरु मां क्षिप्रमशोक प्रियदर्शन। वीतशोकभयाबाधं कच्चित्त्वं दृष्टवान्नृपम्
'O beautiful ashoka, quickly make me free from sorrow! Free from grief, fear, and affliction—have you perhaps seen my husband, the king?'
नलं नामारिदमनं नमयन्त्याः प्रियं पतिम्। निमधानामधिपतिं दृष्टवानसि मे प्रियम्
'Have you seen Nala, subduer of foes, beloved husband of Damayanti, lord of the Nishadhas, my dear one?'
एकवस्त्रार्धसंवीतं सुकुमारतनुत्वचम्। व्यसनेनार्दितं वीरमरण्यमिदमागतम्
'Clad in a single garment, half-covered, with delicate limbs, afflicted by misfortune, that hero who has come to this forest—have you seen him?'
यथा विशोका गच्छेयमशोकनग तत्कुरु। सत्यनामा भवाशोक मम शोकविनाशनात्
'O ashoka tree, grant that I may become free from sorrow as your name proclaims; let your name be true by destroying my grief.'
एवंसाऽशोकवृत्तं तमार्ता वै परिगम्य ह। जगाम दारुणतरं देशं भैमी वराङ्गना
Thus, grieving, she circled the ashoka tree, and the noble Bhaimi, stricken with sorrow, went on to a region even more desolate.