अयोध्यां नगरीं रम्यामद्य वै निषधेश्वर। स तेऽक्षहृदयं दाता राजाऽश्वहृदयेन वै
Today, O lord of the Nishadhas, go to the beautiful city of Ayodhya; that king will give you the secret of dice in exchange for the secret of horses.
इक्ष्वाकुकुलजः श्रीमान्मित्रं चैव भविष्यति। भविष्यसि यदाऽक्षज्ञः श्रेयसा योक्ष्यसे तदा
He is a glorious descendant of the Ikshvaku line and will become your friend; when you master the science of dice, you will attain prosperity.
संयोक्ष्यसे स्वदारैस्त्वं मा स्म शोके मनः कृथाः। राज्येन तनयाभ्यां च सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
You will be reunited with your wife; do not let your mind be troubled by sorrow. You will regain your kingdom and your sons—this I truly tell you.
स्वं रूपं च यदा द्रष्टुमिच्छेथास्त्वं नराधिप। संस्मर्तव्यस्तदा तेऽहंवासश्चदं विवासयेः
Whenever you wish to see your own form again, O king, remember me then and cast off this garment.
अनेन वाससाच्छन्नः स्वं रूपं प्रतिपत्स्यसे। इत्युक्त्वा प्रददौ तस्मै दिव्यं वासोयुगं तदा
Clothed in this garment, you will regain your true form; so saying, he then gave him a pair of divine garments.
एवं नलं च संदिश्य वासो दत्ताव च कौरव। नागराजस्ततो राजंस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत
Having thus instructed Nala and given him the garment, the serpent king disappeared from that place, O Kaurava.
तस्मिन्नन्तर्हिते नागे प्रययौ नैषधो नलः। ऋतुपर्णस्य नगरं प्राविशद्दशमेऽहनि
When the serpent vanished, Nala of the Nishadhas departed and, on the tenth day, entered the city of Rituparna.
स राजानमुपातिष्ठद्बाहुकोऽहमिति ब्रुवन्। अश्वानां वाहने युक्तः पृथिव्यां नास्ति मत्समः
He approached the king, saying, 'I am Bahuka; in driving horses, there is no one on earth equal to me.'
अर्थकृच्छ्रेषु चैवाहं प्रष्टव्यो नैपुणेषु च। अन्नसंस्कारमपि च जानाम्यन्यैर्विशेषतः
'In times of difficulty and in matters of skill, you may question me; I also know the preparation of food, better than others.'
यानि शिल्पानि लोकेऽस्मिन्यच्चैवान्यत्सुदुष्करम्। सर्वं यतिष्ये तत्कर्तुमृतुपर्ण भरस्व माम्
'Whatever crafts exist in this world, and even what is most difficult, I will strive to accomplish all of it—O Rituparna, employ me.'
इत्युक्तः स नलेनाथ ऋतुपर्णो नराधिपः। उवाच सुप्रीतमनास्तं प्रेक्ष्य च महीपते
Thus addressed by Nala, King Rituparna, the lord of men, looked upon him and, his mind greatly pleased, spoke these words.
वसबाहुक भद्रं ते सर्वमेतत्करिष्यसि। शीघ्रयाने सदा बुद्धिर्ध्रियते मे विशेषतः
O Vāsa-Bāhuka, may all be well with you! You shall do all this. My mind is always especially intent on swift chariot-driving.
स त्वमातिष्ठ योगं तं येन शीध्रां हया मम। भवेयुरश्वाध्यक्षोसि वेतनं ते शतंशतम्
Therefore, practice that skill by which my horses may become swift; you shall be the superintendent of my steeds, and your wage shall be a hundred hundred.
त्वामुपस्थास्यतश्चैव नित्यं वार्ष्णेयजीवलौ। एताभ्यां रंस्यसे सार्धं वस वै मयि बाहुक
Jīvāla and Vārṣṇeya will always attend upon you; together with these two, you shall enjoy yourself. Dwell with me, O Bāhuka.
एवमुक्तो नलस्तेन न्यवसत्तत्रपूजितः। ऋतुपर्णस्य नगरे सहवार्ष्णेयजीवलः
Thus addressed and honored by him, Nala stayed in the city of Rituparna, together with Jīvāla and Vārṣṇeya.
स वै तत्रावसद्राजा वैदर्भीमनुचिन्तयन्। सायंसायं सदा चेमं श्लोकमेकं जगाद ह
There, the king dwelled, constantly thinking of the daughter of Vidarbha, and every evening he would recite this one verse.
क्व नु सा क्षुत्पिपासार्ता श्रान्ता शेते तपस्विनी। स्मरन्ती तस्य मन्दस्य कं वाऽऽसाद्योपतिष्ठति
Where now is she, afflicted by hunger and thirst, weary, lying down, that ascetic woman, remembering her slow-witted husband? Whom has she approached, and who attends upon her?
एवं ब्रुवन्तं राजानं निशायां जीवलोऽब्रवीत्। कामेनां शोचसे नित्यं श्रोतुमिच्छामि बाहुक। आयुष्मन्कस्य वा नारी यामेवमनुशोचसि
As the king spoke thus at night, Jīvāla said: 'For whom do you grieve constantly with such longing, O Bāhuka? I wish to hear—whose wife is she, O blessed one, for whom you lament in this way?'
तमुवाच नलो राजा मन्दप्रज्ञस्य कस्यचित्। आसीद्बहुमता नारी तस्या दृढतरश्च सः
To him, King Nala replied: 'There was a woman much esteemed by a certain slow-witted man, and he was deeply attached to her.'
स वै केनचिदर्थेन तया मन्दो व्ययुज्यत। विप्रयुक्तः स मन्दात्मा भ्रमत्यसुखपीडितः
For some reason, that slow-witted man was separated from her; parted from her, his dull mind wanders, tormented by suffering.
दह्यमानः स शोकेन दिवारात्रमतन्द्रितः। निशाकाले स्मरंस्तस्याः श्लोकमेकं स्म गायति
Burning with grief, day and night without rest, he remembers her at night and sings a single verse.
स विभ्रमन्महीं सर्वां क्वचिदासाद्य किंचन। वसत्यनर्हस्तद्दुःखं भूय एवानुसंस्मरन्
Wandering over the whole earth, he sometimes finds a place to stay, yet, though unworthy of such sorrow, he remembers his pain again and again.
सा तु तं पुरुषं नारी कृच्छेऽप्यनुगता वने। त्यक्ता तेनाल्पभाग्येन दुष्करं यदि जीवति
That woman, though she followed him even in hardship through the forest, was abandoned by that unfortunate man; if she lives, it is a difficult thing.
एका बालाऽनभिज्ञा च मार्गमाणाऽतथोचिता। क्षुत्पिपासापरीताङ्गी दुष्करं यदि जीवति
Alone, young, inexperienced, seeking her way, unused to such hardship, her body afflicted by hunger and thirst—if she lives, it is a difficult thing.
श्वापदाचरिते नित्यं वने महति दारुणे। त्यक्ता तेनाल्पभाग्येन मन्दप्रज्ञेन मारिष
Abandoned by that unfortunate, slow-witted man, she dwells in the great, dreadful forest, always haunted by wild beasts, O noble one.
इत्येवं नैषधो राजा दमयन्तीमनुस्मरन्। अज्ञातवासं न्यवसद्राज्ञस्तस्य नवेशने
Thus, remembering Damayanti, King Nala of Nishadha lived in the new palace of that king, in disguise.
हृतराज्ये नले भीमः सभार्येऽदर्शनं गते। `चिन्तयामास बहुशः सहामात्यैर्नराधिपः
When Nala, deprived of his kingdom, vanished from sight with his wife, King Bhima, together with his ministers, pondered deeply many times.
समाहूय द्विजान्सर्वानिदं वचनमब्रवीत्। अग्रहारं च दास्यामिग्रामं नगरसंमितम्
Summoning all the Brahmins, he spoke these words: 'I will give you a village equal to a city as a grant.'
दमयन्तीं नलं चैव पर्यन्वेषति यो द्विजः। गवां शतसहस्राणि दाता तस्मै द्विजातये
Whoever, O Brahmin, searches for Damayanti and Nala, to that twice-born one will be given a hundred thousand cows.
इत्युक्त्वा ब्राह्मणान्सर्वान्समाहूय द्विजोत्तमान्। प्रस्थापयामास तदा तयोर्दर्शनकाङ्क्षया
Having spoken thus, he summoned all the foremost Brahmins and then sent them forth, desiring to see those two.