तं भीमः प्रतिजग्राह पूजया परया मुदा। स तेन पूजितो राज्ञा ऋतुपर्णो नराधिपः
Bhima received him with great honor and joy; thus honored by the king, Rituparna, lord of men, was pleased.
स तत्र कुण्डिने रम्ये वसमानो महीपतिः। न च किंचित्तदाऽपश्यत्प्रेक्षमाणो मुहुर्मुहुः। स तु राज्ञा समागम्य विदर्भपतिना तदा
That king, dwelling there in the beautiful city of Kundina, saw nothing, though he looked again and again; but then he met the king of Vidarbha.
किं कार्यं स्वागतं तेऽस्तु राज्ञा पृष्टः स भारत। नाभिजज्ञे स नृपतिर्दुहित्रर्थे समागतम्
Asked by the king, 'What is your purpose? Welcome to you,' he did not reveal that he had come for the sake of the princess.
ऋतुपर्णोपि राजा स धीमान्सत्यपराक्रमः। राजानं राजपुत्रं वा न स्म पश्यति कंचन
That wise and truthful king Rituparna did not see any king or prince there.
नैव स्वयंवरकथां न च विप्रसमागमम्। `न चान्यं कंचिदारम्भं स्वयंवरविधिं प्रति
Nor did he hear any talk of a svayamvara, nor the gathering of Brahmins, nor any other activity related to the svayamvara ceremony.
ततो विगणयद्राजा मनसा कोसलाधिपः। आगतोस्मीत्युवाचैनं भवन्तमभिवादुकः
Then the king of Kosala, reflecting in his mind, said, 'I have come,' and greeted him respectfully.
राजापि च स्मयन्भीमो मनसा समचिन्तयत्। अधिकं योजनशतं तस्यागमनकारणम्। ग्रामान्बहूनतिक्रम्य नाध्यगच्छद्यथातथम्
King Bhima, smiling, thought to himself: 'He has traveled over a hundred yojanas for this reason; passing through many villages, he did not find things as expected.'
अल्पकार्यं विनिर्दिष्टं तस्यागमनकारणम्। पश्चादुदर्के ज्ञास्याप्रि कारणं यद्भविष्यति
The reason for his coming was declared to be a minor matter; later, in due course, the true reason will become known.
नैतदेवं स नृपतिस्तं सत्कृत्य व्यसर्जयत्। विश्राम्यतामित्युवाच क्लान्तोसीति पुनःपुनः
The king, having thus honored him, dismissed him, saying again and again, 'Rest, for you are weary.'
स सत्कृतः प्रहृष्टात्मा प्रीतः प्रीतेन पार्थिवः। राजप्रेष्यैरनुगतो दिष्टं वेश्म समाविशत्
Thus honored and delighted, the pleased king, accompanied by royal attendants, entered the appointed residence.
ऋतुपर्णे गते राजन्वार्ष्णेयसहिते नृपे। बाहुको रथमादाय रथशालामुपागमत्
When Rituparna, together with the Vrishni hero, had gone, Bahuka took the chariot and went to the chariot-house.
स मोचयित्वा तानश्वानुपचर्य च शास्त्रतः। स्वयं चैतान्समाश्वास्य रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्
Having unyoked the horses and tended to them according to the rules, he comforted them himself and then sat down in the chariot.
दमयन्त्यपि शोकार्ता दृष्ट्वा भागस्वरिं नृपम्। सूतपुत्रं च वार्ष्णेयं बाहुकं च तथाविधम्
Damayanti too, afflicted with sorrow, saw Bhagasvamin the king, the charioteer’s son, the Vrishni, and Bahuka in such a state.
चिन्तयामास वैदर्भी कस्यैष रथनिःस्वनः। नलस्येव महानासीन्न च पश्यामि नैषधम्
The daughter of Vidarbha pondered, 'To whom does this chariot’s sound belong? It was once so great for Nala, but I do not see the Nishadha king.'
वार्ष्णोयेन भवेन्नूनं विद्या सैवोपशिक्षिता। तेनाद्य रथनिर्घोषो नलस्येव महानभूत्
'Surely, the Vrishni must have learned that very skill; by him today the chariot’s roar has become as mighty as Nala’s.'
कआहोस्विदृतुपर्णोऽपि यथा राजा नलस्यथा। यथाऽयंरथनिर्घोषो नैषधस्येव लक्ष्यते
'Or perhaps Rituparna himself, the king, has become like Nala, for this chariot’s sound appears just like that of the Nishadha.'
एवं सा तर्कयित्वा तु दमयन्ती विशांपते। दूतीं प्रस्थापयामास नैषधान्वेषणे शुभा
Thus reflecting, Damayanti, O king, sent her trusted messenger to search for the Nishadha.
गच्छ केशिनि जानीहि क एष रथवाहकः। उपविष्टो रथोपस्थे विकृतो ह्रस्वबाहुकः
'Go, Keshini, and find out who this charioteer is, seated on the chariot, deformed, short-armed Bahuka.'
अभ्येत्य कुशलं भद्रे मृदुपूर्वंसमाहिता। पृच्छेथाः पुरुषे ह्येनं यथातत्त्वमनिन्दिते
'Approach him gently, with courtesy, and ask this man the truth, O blameless one, with care and in a soft manner.'
अत्र मे महती शङ्का भवेदेष नलो नृपः। यथाच मनसस्तुष्टिर्हृदयस्य च निर्वृतिः
'I have a great suspicion that this is King Nala, for my mind is satisfied and my heart finds peace.'
ब्रूयाश्चैनं कथान्ते त्वं पर्णादवचनं यथा। प्रतिवाक्यं च सुश्रोणि बुद्ध्येथास्त्वमनिन्दिते
'At the end of your conversation, speak to him the words from the parna leaf, and listen carefully to his reply, O lovely-hipped one, O blameless lady.'
एवं समाहिता गत्वा दूती बाहुकमब्रवीत्। दमयन्त्यपि कल्याणी प्रासादस्थाऽनव्वैक्षत
Thus resolved, the messenger went and spoke to Bahuka, while Damayanti the noble lady watched from the palace.
स्वागतं ते मनुष्येन्द्र कुशलं ते ब्रवीम्यहम्। दमयन्त्या वचः साधु निबोध पुरुषर्षभ
'Welcome to you, O best of men; I bring you greetings. Hear the words of Damayanti, O bull among men.'
कदा वै प्रस्थिता यूयं किमर्थमिह चागताः। तत्त्वं ब्रूहि यथान्यायं वैदर्भी श्रोतुमिच्छति
'When did you set out, and for what purpose have you come here? Speak the truth as is proper, for the daughter of Vidarbha wishes to know.'
श्रुतः स्वयंवरो राज्ञा कोसलेन महात्मना। द्वितीयो दमयन्त्या वै भविता श्व इति द्विजात्
'The self-choice of the great-souled king of Kosala has been announced; Damayanti’s second svayamvara will take place tomorrow, O twice-born one.'
श्रुत्वैतत्प्रस्थितो राजा शतयोजनयायिभिः। हयैर्वातजवैर्मुख्यैरहमस्य च सारथिः
'Hearing this, the king set out with horses that travel a hundred yojanas, swift as the wind, and I am his charioteer.'
अथ योसौ तृतीयो वः स कुतः कस्य वा पुनः। त्वं च कस्य कथं चेदंत्वयि कर्म समाहितम्
'And that third man with you, who is he, and whose is he? And you, whose are you, and how did you come to have this task?'
पुण्यश्लोकस्य वै सूतो वार्ष्णेय इति विश्रतः। स नले विद्रुते भद्रेभागस्वरिमुपस्थितः
'The charioteer of the famed one is known as Varshneya; when Nala fled, he attended Bhagasvamin.'
अहमप्यश्वकुशलः सूतत्वे च प्रतिष्ठितः। ऋतुपर्णेन सारथ्ये भोजने च वृतः स्वयम्
'I too am skilled with horses, established as a charioteer, and was personally chosen by Rituparna for driving and for cooking.'
अथ जानाति वार्ष्णेयः क्वनु राजा नलो गतः। कथं च त्वयि वा तेन कथितं स्यात्तु बाहुक
'But does Varshneya know where King Nala has gone? And did he ever speak to you about this, O Bahuka?'