इन्द्रसेनस्य जननी कुपिता माऽशपत्पुरा। यदा त्वया परित्यक्ता ततोऽहं भृशपीडितः
The mother of Indrasena, once angered, did not curse me; but when you were abandoned, I was greatly tormented.
अवसं त्वयि राजेन्द्र सुदुःखभपराजित। विषेण नागराजस्य दह्यमानो दिवानिशम्
I dwelled in you, O king, overcome by great suffering, burned day and night by the poison of the serpent king.
शरणं त्वां प्रपन्नोस्मि शृणु चेदं वचो मम। ये च त्वां मनुजा लोके कीर्तयिष्यन्त्यतन्द्रिताः। मत्प्रत्सूतं भयं तेषां न कदाचिद्भविष्यति
I have taken refuge in you; listen to these words of mine. Those people in the world who tirelessly praise you—no fear born from me will ever befall them.
न तेषां मानसं किंचिच्छारीरं वाचिकं तथा। भविष्यति महाराज कीर्तयिष्यन्ति ये नलम्'। भयार्तं शरणं यातं यदि मां त्वं न शप्स्यसे
Nothing mental, physical, or verbal will befall those, O great king, who praise Nala, who came to me for refuge in fear, if you do not curse me.
एवमुक्तो नलो राजा न्ययच्छत्कोपमात्मनः। ततो बीतः कलिः क्षिप्रं प्रविवेश विभीतकम्। कलिस्त्वन्येन नो दृष्टः कथयन्नैषधेन वै
Thus addressed, King Nala restrained his anger; then Kali, afraid, quickly entered the Vibhitaka tree. Kali was not seen by anyone else, as told by the Nishadhan.
ततो गतत्वरो राजा नैषधः परवीरहा। संप्रनष्टे कलौ राजा संख्यायास्य फलान्युत
Then the king of Nishadha, destroyer of enemy heroes, hastened on; when Kali had vanished, the king counted its fruits.
मुदा परमया युक्तस्तेजसाऽथ परेण वै। रथमारुह्य तेजस्वी प्रययौ जवनैर्हयैः
Filled with supreme joy and radiant energy, the illustrious one mounted his chariot and set out, his swift horses carrying him onward.
बिभीतकश्चाप्रशस्तः संवृत्तः कलिसंश्रयात्। `ततः प्रभृतिराजेन्द्र लोकेऽस्मिन्पाण्डुनन्दन
Because of Kali's influence, Bibhitaka became infamous; from that time on, O king, the world called the son of Pandu by that name.
हयोत्तभानुत्पततो द्विजानिव पुनः पुनः। नलः संचोदयामास प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना
As the noble steeds leapt up again and again, like twice-born sages, Nala urged them on with delight in his heart.
विदर्भाभिमुखो राजा प्रययौ स महायशाः। नले तु समतिक्रान्ते कलिरप्यगमद्गृहम्
The renowned king journeyed toward Vidarbha; and when Nala had departed, Kali too returned to his own abode.
ततो गतज्वरो राजा नलोऽभूत्पृथिवीपतिः। विमुक्तः कलिना राजन्रूपमात्रवियोजितः
Then the king, lord of the earth, was freed from fever and released from Kali, O king, parted only from his outward form.
ततो विदर्भान्संप्राप्तं सायाह्ने सत्यविक्रमम्। ऋतुपर्णं जना राज्ञे भीमाय प्रत्यवेदयन्
Then, as evening fell, the people informed King Bhima that the valiant Rituparna had arrived in Vidarbha.
स भीमवचनाद्राजा कुण्डिनं प्राविशत्पुरम्। नादयन्रथघोषेण सर्वाः स विदिशो दिशः
At Bhima's command, the king entered the city of Kundina, the sound of his chariot filling all the directions.
ततस्तं रथनिर्घोषं नलाश्वास्तत्र शुश्रुवुः। श्रुत्वा तु समहृष्यन्त पुरेव नलसन्निधौ
Hearing the thunder of the chariot, Nala's horses rejoiced, for they recognized the sound as if Nala himself were present in the city.
दमयन्ती तु शुश्राव रथघोषं नलस्य तम्। यथा मेघस्य नदतो गम्भीरं जलदागमे
Damayanti too heard that deep chariot-rumble of Nala, like the roar of clouds at the coming of the rains.
परं विस्मयमापन्ना श्रुत्वा नादं महास्वनम्। नलेन संगृहीतेषु पुरेव नलवाजिषु। सदृशं रथनिर्घोषं मेने भैमी तथा हयाः
Struck with great wonder at that mighty sound, Bhaimi thought the chariot-noise and the horses were just as they had been when Nala held the reins in the city.
प्रासादस्थाश्च शिखिनः शालास्थाश्चैव वारणाः। हयाश्च शुश्रुवुस्तस्य रथघोषं महीपतेः
The peacocks on the palace roofs, the elephants in their stalls, and the horses too heard the king's chariot-thunder.
तच्छ्रुत्वा रथनिर्घोषं वारणाः शिखिनस्तथा। प्रवेदुरुन्मुखा राजन्दृष्ट्वेव जलदोदयम्
Hearing that chariot-sound, the elephants and peacocks turned their faces toward it, O king, as if beholding the rise of rain-clouds.
यथाऽसौ रथनिर्घोषः पूरयन्निव मेदिनीम्। ममाह्लादयते चेतो नल एव महीपतिः
Just as this chariot-thunder, filling the earth, delights my heart, so too does King Nala alone gladden me.
अद्य नन्द्राभवक्रं तं न पश्यामि नलं यदि। असंख्येयगुणं वीरं विनङ्क्ष्यामि न संशयः
If today I do not see Nala, that heroic one of countless virtues, I will surely perish—of this there is no doubt.
यदि वै तस्य वीरस्य हाह्वोर्नाद्याहमन्तरम्। प्रविशामि सुखस्पर्शं नभविष्याम्यसंशयम्
If I do not enter the embrace of that hero's arms today, which are soft to the touch, I will not survive, without doubt.
यदि मां मेघनिर्घोषो नोपगच्छति नैषधः। अद्य चामीकरप्रख्यं प्रवेक्ष्यामि हुताशनम्
If Nala, whose chariot thunders like clouds, does not come to me today, I will enter the fire, shining like gold.
यदि मां सिंहविक्रान्तो मत्तवारणविक्रमः। नाभिगच्छतिराजेन्द्रो विनङ्क्ष्यामि न संशयः
If that lion-like king, whose stride is like a maddened elephant, does not come to me, I will surely perish, without doubt.
न स्मराम्यनृतं किंचिन्न स्मराम्यपकारताम्। न च पर्युषितं वाक्यं स्वैरेष्वपि महात्मनः
I remember no falsehood, nor any wrong done, nor any harsh word spoken, even in jest, by that great-souled one.
प्रभुः क्षमावान्वीरश्च दाता चाप्यधिको नृपैः। अहो नीचानुवर्ती च क्लीबवन्मम नैषध
He is a lord, patient, a hero, and more generous than other kings; yet, alas, my Nala follows the lowly and is as if unmanly.
गुणांस्तस्य स्मरन्त्या मे तत्पराया दिवानिशम्। हृदयं दीर्यत इदं शोकात्प्रियविनाकृतम्
As I recall his virtues, to which I am wholly devoted, day and night, my heart is torn with grief, bereft of my beloved.
एवं विलपमाना सा नष्टसंज्ञेव भारत। आरुरोह महद्वेश्म पुण्यश्लोकदिदृक्षया
Thus lamenting, she seemed to lose consciousness, O descendant of Bharata, and ascended the great mansion, longing to see the illustrious one.
ततो मध्यमकक्षायां ददर्श रथमास्थितम्। ऋतुपर्णं महीपालं सहवार्ष्णेयबाहुकम्
There, in the middle chamber, she saw King Rituparna seated in his chariot, together with Bahuka of the Vrishni clan.
ततोऽवतीर्य वार्ष्णएयो बाहुकश्च रथोत्तमात्। हयांस्तानवमुच्याथ स्थापयामासतू रथम्
Then the Vrishni hero and Bahuka both descended from the excellent chariot, unyoked the horses, and set the chariot in place.
सोऽवतीर्य रथोपस्थादृतुपर्णो नराधिपः। उपतस्थे महाराजं भीमं भीमपराक्रमम्
King Rituparna, having descended from the chariot, approached mighty Bhima, the king of great prowess.