स मलेनापकृष्टन पिप्लुस्तस्या व्यरोचत। दमयन्त्या यथा व्यभ्रे नभसीव निशाकरः
When the dirt was removed, the piplu mark shone forth on Damayanti, just as the moon appears in the sky when clouds part.
पिप्लुं दृष्ट्वा सुनन्दा च राजमाता च भारत। रुदन्त्यौ तां परिष्वज्यमुहूर्तमिव तस्थतुः
Seeing the piplu mark, Sunanda and the queen embraced her, weeping, and stood for a moment.
उत्सृज्य बाष्पं शनकै राजमातेदमब्रवीत्। भगिन्या दुहिता मेऽसि पिप्लुनानेन सूचिता
Gradually restraining her tears, the queen mother spoke to her: 'You are my sister's daughter, as revealed by this bath.'
अहं च तव माता च राजन्यस्य महात्मनः। सुते दशार्णाधिपतेः सुदाम्नश्चारुदर्शने
Both I and your mother are daughters of the great king, the ruler of the Kshatriyas, and you, beautiful one, are the child of Sudāman, lord of the Daśārṇas.
भीमस्य राज्ञः सा दत्ता वीरबाहोरहं पुनः। त्वं तु जाता मया दृष्टा दशार्णेषु पितुर्गृहे
That daughter was given to King Bhīma, the mighty-armed; but you were born and seen by me in your father's house among the Daśārṇas.
यथैव ते पितुर्गेहं तथेदमपि भामिति। यथैव च ममैश्वर्यं दमयन्ति तथा तव
Just as this is your father's house, so consider this as yours; and as Damayantī shares my wealth, so do you.
तां प्रहृष्टेन मनसा दमयन्ती विशांपते। प्रणम्य मातुर्भगिनीमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Then Damayantī, delighted in her heart, bowed to her mother's sister and spoke these words:
अज्ञायमानाऽपिसती सुखमस्म्युषिता त्वयि। सर्वकामैः सुविहिता रक्ष्यमाणा सदा त्वया
'Though I was unknown to you, lady, I have lived happily with you, provided with every comfort and always protected by you.'
सुखात्सुखतरो वासो भविष्यति न संशयः। चिरविप्रोषितां मातर्मामनुज्ञातुमर्हसि
'My stay here has been most pleasant, without doubt; but, mother, now that I have been long separated, please permit me to depart.'
दारकौ च हि मे नीतौ वसतस्तत्र बालकौ। पित्रा विहीनौ शोकार्तौ मया चैव कथं नु तौ
'For my two young children were left behind when I stayed here; deprived of their father and afflicted with grief, how are they now?'
यदि चापि प्रियं किंचिन्मयि कर्तुमिहेच्छसि। विदर्भान्यातुमिच्छामि शीघ्रं मे यानमादिश
'And if you wish to do something dear for me, I desire to return to Vidarbha; please arrange my journey quickly.'
बाढमित्येव तामुक्त्वा हृष्ट्वा मातृष्वसा नृप। गुप्तां बलेन महता पुत्रस्यानुमते ततः
The queen mother, delighted, replied, 'So be it,' and with her son's consent, sent her off, well-guarded by a great force.
प्रास्थापयद्राजमाता श्रीमतीं नरवाहिना। यानेन भरतश्रेष्ठ स्वन्नपानपरिच्छदाम्
The royal mother dispatched the illustrious Damayantī with a troop of soldiers, best of the Bharatas, along with food, drink, and all comforts.
ततः सा नचिरादेव विदर्भानगमच्छुभा। तां तु बन्धुजनः सर्वः प्रहृष्टः समपूजयत्
Then, without delay, that auspicious lady reached Vidarbha, and all her relatives joyfully welcomed her.
सर्वान्कुशलिनो दृष्ट्वा बान्धवान्दारकौ च तौ। मातरं पितरं चोभौ सर्वं चैव सखीजनम्
Seeing all her kinsmen well, and her two children, she met both her mother and father, and all her companions.
देवताः पूजयामास ब्राह्मणांश्च यशस्विनी। परेण विधिना देवी दमयन्ती विशांपते
The illustrious Damayantī, O king, worshipped the gods and the Brahmins with the highest rites.
अतर्पयत्सुदेवं च गोसहस्रेण पार्थिवः। प्रीतो दृष्ट्वैव तनयां ग्रामेण द्रविणेन च
The king, pleased at seeing his daughter, gratified Sudeva with a thousand cows and villages and wealth.
सा व्युष्टा रजनीं तत्रपितुर्वेश्मनि भामिनी। विश्रान्ता मातरं राजन्निदं वचनमब्रवीत्
After spending the night in her father's house, the radiant Damayantī, having rested, spoke these words to her mother:
मां चेदिच्छसि जीवन्तीं मातः सत्यं ब्रवीमिते। नलस्य नरवीरस्य यतस्वानयने पुनः
'If you wish me to live, mother, I tell you truly: strive to bring back Nala, the heroic king.'
दमयन्त्या तथोक्ता तु सा देवी भृशदुःखिता। बाष्पेणापिहिता राज्ञी नोत्तरं किंचिदब्रवीत्
Thus addressed by Damayantī, the queen, overwhelmed with grief and choked with tears, gave no reply.
तदवस्थां तु तां दृष्ट्वा सर्वमन्तःपुरं तदा। हाहाभूतमतीवासीद्भृशं च प्ररुरोद ह
Seeing her in that condition, all the women of the inner chambers were overwhelmed, and there arose great lamentation and intense weeping.
ततो भीमं महाराजं भार्या वचनामब्रवीत्। दमयन्ती नृप भृशं भर्तारमनुशोचति
Then Damayanti, grieving deeply for her husband, spoke these words to King Bhima.
अपकृष्य च लज्जां सा स्वयमुक्तवती विभो। प्रयतन्तु तवप्रेष्याः पुण्यश्लोकस्य दर्शने
Casting aside her shame, she herself said, 'Let your servants strive to find the illustrious one.'
तयाप्रयोदितो राजा ब्राह्मणान्वशवर्तिनः। प्राश्थापयद्दिशः सर्वा यतध्वं नलदर्शने
Urged by her, the king sent forth obedient brahmins in all directions, saying, 'Go and seek Nala.'
ततो विदर्भाधिपतेर्नियोगाद्ब्राह्मणास्तदा। दमयन्तीमथापृच्छ्य प्रस्थितास्ते तथाऽव्रुवन्
Then, by the command of the lord of Vidarbha, those brahmins, after asking Damayanti, set out and spoke as instructed.
अथ तानब्रवीद्भैमी सर्वराष्ट्रेष्विदं वचः। ब्रूत वै जनसंसत्सु तत्रतत्र पुनः पुनः
Then Damayanti said to them, 'Speak these words throughout all the kingdoms, again and again among the people.'
क्वनु त्वं कितव च्छित्त्वा वस्त्रार्धं प्रस्थितो मम। उत्सृज्य वपिने सुप्तामनुरक्तां प्रियां प्रिय
'Where are you, gambler, who, after tearing my garment in half, departed, abandoning your devoted beloved, who slept in the forest?'
सा वै यथा त्वया दृष्टा तथाऽऽस्ते त्वत्प्रतीक्षिणी। दह्यमाना भृशं बाला वस्त्रार्धेनाभिसंवृता
'She whom you saw remains as she was, waiting for you, a young woman burning with grief, covered only by half a garment.'
तस्या रुदन्त्याः सततं तेन शोकेन पार्थिव। प्रसादं कुरु वै देव प्रतिवाक्यं वदस्व च
'She weeps constantly, O king, tormented by that sorrow; be gracious, O lord, and send a reply.'
एवमन्यच्च वक्तव्यं कृपां कुर्याद्यथा मयि। वायुना धूयमानो हि वनं दहति पावकः
'And say whatever else may move him to compassion for me; for just as fire burns a forest when fanned by the wind, so am I consumed.'