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.
ततो युक्तं रथं राजा समारोहत्त्वरान्वितः। अथ पर्यपतन्भूमौ जानुभिस्ते हयोत्तमाः
Then the king, eager, mounted the chariot that had been yoked; and the best horses pawed the ground with their knees.
ततो नरवरः श्रीमान्नलो राजा विशांपते। सान्त्वयामास तानश्वांस्तेजोबलसमन्वितान्
Then the illustrious king Nala, best of men, comforted those horses endowed with energy and strength.
रश्मिभिश्च समुद्यम्य नलो यातुमियेष सः। सूतमारोप्य वार्ष्णेयं जवमास्थाय वै परम्
Nala, having gathered the reins, prepared to depart; he placed the Vrishni hero as charioteer and took up the utmost speed.
ते चोद्यमाना विधिवद्बाहुकेन हयोत्तमाः। समुत्पेतुरिवाकाशं रथिनं मोहयन्ति च
Those excellent horses, urged properly by his arms, sprang forth as if into the sky, bewildering the charioteer.
तथा तु दृष्ट्वा तानश्वान्वहतो वातरंहसः। अयोध्याधिपतिः श्रीमान्विस्मयं परमं ययौ
Seeing those horses running with the swiftness of the wind, the illustrious king of Ayodhya was struck with the highest wonder.
रथघोषं तु तं श्रुत्वा हयसंग्रहणं च तत्। वार्ष्णेयश्चिन्तयामास बाहुकस्य हयज्ञताम्
Hearing the sound of the chariot and the gathering of the horses, the Vrishni hero began to ponder Bahuka’s mastery over horses.
किंनु स्यान्मातलिरयं देवराजस्य सारथिः। तथा तल्लक्षणं वीरे बाहुके दृश्यते महत्
Could this be Mātali, the charioteer of the king of the gods? Such great signs are seen in the valiant Bahuka.
शालिहोत्रोऽथ किंतु स्याद्धयानां कुलतत्त्ववित्। मानुपं समनुप्राप्तो वपुः परमशोभनम्
Or perhaps it is Śālihotra, the expert in the lineage of horses, who has arrived in human form, possessing a most splendid appearance.
उताहोस्विद्भवेद्राजा नलः परपुरंजयः। सोयं नृपतिरायात इत्येवं समचिन्तयत्
Or could it be King Nala, the conqueror of enemy cities? This king has arrived—so he thought.
अथवाऽयंनलात्प्राप्तो विद्यां तामेव बाहुकः। तुल्यं हि लक्षये ज्ञानं बाहुकस्य नलस्य च
Or else, Bahuka has obtained that knowledge from Nala; for I observe equal skill in both Bahuka and Nala.