त्वया हि मे बहुकृतंयदन्यो न करिष्यति। यद्भर्त्राऽहं समेष्यामि शीघ्रमेव द्विजोत्तम
'For you have done for me what no other would do; soon, O best of Brahmins, I shall be reunited with my husband.'
स एवमुक्तोऽथाश्वास्य आशीर्वादैः सुमङ्गलैः। गृहानुपययौ चापि कृतार्थः सुमहामनाः
Thus addressed, and comforted with auspicious blessings, he departed for his home, his purpose fulfilled and his mind greatly satisfied.
ततः सुदेवमानाय्य दमयन्ती युधिष्ठिर। अब्रवीत्सन्निदौ मातुर्दुःखशोकसमन्विता
Then Damayanti, filled with sorrow and grief, summoned Sudeva and spoke to him in the presence of her mother, O Yudhishthira.
गत्वा सुदेव नगरीमयोध्यावासिनं नृपम्। ऋतुपर्णं वचो ब्रूहि पतिमन्यं चिकीर्षती
'Go, Sudeva, to the city and speak these words to King Rituparna of Ayodhya, who is seeking another wife.'
आस्थास्यति पुनर्भैमी दमयन्ती स्वयंवरम्। तत्र गच्छन्ति राजानो राजपुत्राश्च सर्वशः
'The princess Bhimi's daughter, Damayanti, will hold another svayamvara; all the kings and princes will come there.'
तथा च गणितः कालः श्वोभूते स भविष्यति। यदि संभाविनीयं ते गच्छ शीघ्रमरिंदम
'The time has been fixed, and it will be tomorrow; if you consider this possible, go quickly, O subduer of foes.'
सूर्योदये द्वतीयं सा भर्तारं वरयिष्यति। न हि स ज्ञायते वीरो नलो जीवन्मृतोपि वा
'At sunrise on the second day, she will choose her husband; for it is not known whether the hero Nala is alive or dead.'
एवं तथा यथोक्तो वै गत्वा राजानमब्रवीत्। ऋतुपर्णं महाराज सुदेवो ब्राह्मणस्तदा
Thus, as instructed, Sudeva went and spoke these words to King Rituparna, O great king.
श्रुत्वा वचः सुदेवस्य ऋतुपर्णो नराधिपः। `सारथीन्स समानीय वार्ष्णेयप्रभृतीन्नृपः। कथयामास यद्वृत्तं ब्राह्मणेन श्रुतं तथा
Hearing Sudeva's words, King Rituparna summoned his charioteers, including Varshneya, and told them all that he had learned from the Brahmin.
बाहुकं च समाहूय दमयन्त्याः स्वयंवरम्'। सान्त्यञ्श्र्लक्ष्णया वाचा बाहुकं प्रत्यभाषत
He also called Bahuka and, with gentle and auspicious words, spoke to him about Damayanti's svayamvara.
विदर्भान्यातुमिच्छामि दमयन्त्याः स्वयंवरम्। एकाह्ना हयतत्त्वज्ञ मन्यसे यदि बाहुक
'I wish to go to Vidarbha for Damayanti's svayamvara; if you think it possible, O Bahuka, let us reach there in a single day, you who know the ways of horses.'
एवमुक्तस्य कौन्तेय तेन राज्ञा नलस्य ह। व्यदीर्यत मनो दुःखात्प्रदध्यौ च महामनाः
Thus addressed by the king, Nala's heart was torn with sorrow, and he pondered deeply.
दमयन्ती भवेदेवं किंनु दुःखेन मोहिता। अस्मदर्थे भवेद्बाऽयमुपायश्चिन्तितो महान्
'Could Damayanti truly do this, bewildered by grief? Or is this some great plan devised for my sake?'
नृशंसं बत वैदर्भी कर्तुकामा तपस्विनी। यया क्षुद्रेण निकृताकृपणा पापबुद्धिना। स्त्रीस्वभावश्चलो लोके मम दोषश्च दारुणः
'Alas, the virtuous Damayanti wishes to do something cruel; she, so steadfast, has been deceived by a petty, wretched, evil-minded man. The nature of women is fickle in this world, and my own fault is terrible.'
मम शोकेन संविग्ना नैराश्यात्तनुमध्यमा। नैवं सा कर्हिचित्कुर्यात्सापत्या च विशेषतः
Distressed by my sorrow and despair, that slender-waisted woman would never act so, especially as she has a child.
यदत्र सत्यं वाऽसत्यं गत्वा वेत्स्यामि निश्चयम्। ऋतुपर्णस्य वै काममात्मार्थं च करोम्यहम्
Whether this is true or false, I will go and find out for certain; I will fulfill the desire of Rituparna for my own purpose.
इति निश्चित्य मनसा बाहुको दीनमानसः। कृतालुरुवाचेदमृतुपर्णं जनाधिपम्
Having resolved thus in his mind, Bahuka, whose heart was troubled, humbly spoke these words to King Rituparna.
प्रतिजानामि ते वाक्यं गमिष्यामि नराधिप। एकाह्ना पुरुषव्याघ्र विदर्भनगरीं नृप। `तत्रादित्योदये काले श्वो विदर्भान्गमिष्यसि
I promise you this, O king: I will go, O tiger among men, and in a single day bring you to the city of Vidarbha; at sunrise tomorrow you will reach Vidarbha.
एवमुक्तोऽब्रवीद्राजा बाहुकं प्रहसन्निव। किं ते कामं करोम्यद्य तुष्टोऽस्मि तव बाहुक
Thus addressed, the king replied to Bahuka with a smile: 'What do you desire of me today, Bahuka? I am pleased with you.'
यावद्यानमिदं सज्जमृतुपर्ण करोम्यहम्
Let me prepare this chariot, O Rituparna, as quickly as possible.
ततः परीक्षामश्वानां चक्रे राजन्स बाहुकः। अश्वशालामुपागम्य भागस्वरिनृपाज्ञया
Then Bahuka, by the king's command, went to the horse-stable and began to examine the horses, O king.
स त्वर्यमाणो बहुश ऋतुपर्णन बाहुकः। अश्वाञ्जिज्ञासमानो वै विचार्य च पुनःपुनः। अध्यगच्छत्कृशानश्वान्समर्थानध्वनि क्षमान्
Urged repeatedly by Rituparna, Bahuka carefully inspected the horses again and again, and found some lean but capable of enduring the journey.
तेजोबलसमायुक्तान्कुलशीलसमन्वितान्। वर्जिताँल्लक्षणैर्हीनैः पृथुप्रोथान्महाहनून्
They were endowed with energy and strength, born of noble lineage and good character, free from faults, broad-chested, and with great jaws.
शुद्धान्दशभिरावर्तैः सिन्धुजान्वातरंहसः। `दृश्यमानान्कृशानङ्गैर्जवेनाप्रतिमान्पथि
Pure, with ten whorls in their hair, Sindhu-bred, swift as the wind, their slender bodies visible, unmatched in speed on the road.
तान्दृष्ट्वा दुर्बलान्नाजा प्राह कोपसमन्वितः। किमिदं प्रार्थितं कर्तुं प्रलब्धव्या न ते वचम्
Seeing those weak horses, the charioteer, filled with anger, said: 'What is this? What you intend cannot be accomplished; your words will not succeed.'
कथमल्पबलप्राणा वक्ष्यन्तीमे हया रथम्। महानध्वा स चैकाह्ना गन्तव्यः कथमीदृशैः
How can these horses, weak in strength and breath, pull the chariot? The road is long, and how can such as these cover it in a single day?
[एको ललाटे द्वे मूर्ध्नि द्वौद्वौ पार्श्वोपपार्श्वयोः। द्वौद्वौ वक्षसि विज्ञैर्यौ प्रयाणे चैक एव तु ।।]
[One on the forehead, two on the head, two and two on the sides and near the sides, two and two on the chest—these are the marks known to experts, and one only for travel.]
एते हया गमिष्यन्ति विदर्भान्नात्र संशयः। यानन्यान्मन्यसे राजन्ब्रूहि तान्योजयामिते
These horses will reach Vidarbha, there is no doubt; if you think others are better, O king, tell me and I will harness them.
त्वमेव हयतत्त्वज्ञः कुशलो ह्यसि बाहुक। यान्मन्यसे समर्थास्त्वं क्षिप्रं तानेव योजय
You alone, Bahuka, know the true nature of horses and are skilled; harness quickly those you consider capable.
ततः सदश्वांश्चतुरः कुलशीलसमन्वितान्। योजयामास कुशलो जवयुक्तान्रथे नलः
Then the skilled Nala yoked four excellent horses, endowed with noble lineage and good character, swift to the chariot.