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.
अपिचेदं वयस्तुल्यं बाहुकस्य नलस्य च। नायं नलो महावीर्यस्तद्विद्यश्च भविष्यति
Moreover, the age of Bahuka and Nala is the same; but this is not Nala, the mighty hero, though he will possess that knowledge.
प्रच्छन्ना हि महात्मानश्चरन्ति पृथिवीमिमाम्। दैवेन विधिना युक्ताः शास्त्रोक्तैश्च निरूपणैः
Great souls wander this earth concealed, endowed by destiny and recognized by the marks described in the scriptures.
भवेन्न मतिभेदो मे गात्रवैरूप्यता प्रति। प्रमाणात्परिहीनस्तु भवेदिति मतिर्मम
Let there not be confusion in my mind regarding his altered appearance; my thought is that he is diminished only in form.
वयःप्रमाणं तत्तुल्यं रूपेण तु विपर्ययः। नलं सर्वगुणैर्युक्तं मन्ये बाहुकमन्ततः
Their age is equal, but their appearance is opposite; I consider Nala to be endowed with all virtues, and Bahuka to be so as well.
एवं विचार्य बहुशो वार्ष्णोयः पर्यचिन्तयत्। हृदयेन महाराज पुण्यश्लोकस्य सारथिः
Thus, pondering repeatedly, the Vrishni hero reflected in his heart upon the charioteer of the illustrious king.
ऋतुपर्णश्च राजेनद्रो बाहुकस्य हयज्ञताम्। चिन्तयन्मुमुदे राजा सहवार्ष्णेयसारथिः
King Rituparna, thinking about Bahuka’s mastery over horses, rejoiced together with the Vrishni charioteer.
ऐकाग्र्यं च तथोत्साहं हयसंग्रहणं च तत्। कौशलं चापि संप्रेक्ष्य परां सुदमवाप ह
Observing his concentration, enthusiasm, and skill in gathering the horses, Sudama attained supreme delight.
स नदीः पर्वतांश्चैव वनानि च सरांसि च। अचिरेणातिचक्राम स्वेचरः खे चरन्निव
He swiftly crossed rivers, mountains, forests, and lakes, moving freely as if traveling through the sky.
तथा प्रयाते तु रथे तदा भागस्वरिर्नृपः। उत्तरीयमधोपश्यद्धष्टं परपुरंजयः
As the chariot advanced, the king, Bhāgasvari, saw his upper garment fall, and the conqueror of cities noticed it.
ततः स त्वरमाणस्तु पटे निपतिते तदा। ग्रहीष्यामीति तं राजा नलमाह महामनाः
Then, as it fell quickly to the ground, the great-minded king said to Nala, 'I will retrieve it.'