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?'
इहैव पुत्रौ निक्षिप्य नलस्य प्रियदर्शनौ। गतस्ततो यथाकामं नैष जानाति नैषधम्
Here, having left behind the two sons of Nala, who are delightful to behold, he departed as he wished; this Nishadha does not know.
न चान्यः पुरुषः कश्चिन्नलं वेत्ति यशस्विनि। गूढश्चरति लोकेऽस्मिन्नष्टरूपो महीपतिः
Nor does any other person, O illustrious lady, know Nala; the king moves concealed in this world, lost in form.
आत्मैव तु नलं वेद या चास्य तदनन्तरा। न हि वै स्वानि लिङ्गानि नलं शंसन्ति कर्हिचित्
Only Nala himself knows, and she who is closest to him; for his own marks never reveal Nala at any time.
योसावयोध्यां प्रथमं गतोसौ ब्राह्मणस्तदा। इमानि नारीवाक्यानि कथयानः पुनःपुनः
That brahmin who first went to Ayodhya, repeatedly spoke these words of a woman:
क्वनु त्वं कितव च्छित्त्वा वस्त्रार्धं प्रस्थितो मम। उत्सृज्य विपिने सुप्तामनुरक्तां प्रियां प्रिय
Where have you gone, gambler, after cutting my garment in half and departing, abandoning your loving wife, dear to you, asleep in the forest?
सा वै यथा समादिष्टा तथाऽऽस्ते त्वत्प्रतीक्षिणी। दह्यमाना दिवारात्रौ वस्त्रार्धेनाभिसंवृता
She, as instructed, remains awaiting you, burning day and night, covered only by half a garment.
तस्या रुदनत्याः सततं तेन दुःखेन पार्थिव। प्रसादं कुरु मे वीर प्रतिवाक्यं वदस्व च
She, ever weeping in her sorrow, O king, asks you to show her favor, hero, and to give her a reply.
तस्यास्तत्प्रियमाख्यानं प्रवदस्व महामते। तदेव वाक्यं वैदर्भी श्रोतुमिच्छन्त्यनिन्दिता
Speak to her, O wise one, that dear message; that very speech Vaidehi, blameless one, wishes to hear.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा प्रतिवचस्तस्य दत्तं त्वया किल। यत्पुरा तत्पुनस्त्वत्तो वैदर्भी श्रोतुमिच्छति
Having heard this, you once gave her a reply; now again Vaidehi wishes to hear it from you.
एवमुक्तस्य केशिन्या नलस्य कुरुनन्दन। हृदयं व्यथितं चासीदश्रुपूर्णे च लोचने
Hearing these words of Kesini, O descendant of Kuru, Nala's heart was pained, and his eyes filled with tears.
स निग्राह्यात्मनो दुःखं दह्यमानो महीपतिः। बाष्पसंदिग्धया वाचा पुनरेवेदमब्रवीत्
That king, burning with sorrow, restrained himself and, with a voice choked by tears, spoke again:
वैषम्यमपि संप्राप्ता गोपायन्ति कुलस्त्रियः। आत्मानमात्मना सत्यो जितः स्वर्गो न संशयः
Even when adversity comes, noble women guard themselves by their own virtue; truly, heaven is won, there is no doubt.
रहिता भर्तृभिश्चापि न क्रुध्यन्ति कदाचन। प्राणांश्चारित्रकवचान्धारयन्ति वरस्त्रियः
Even when separated from their husbands, noble women never grow angry, but protected by the armor of character, they preserve their lives.
विषमस्थेन मूढेन परिभ्रष्टसुखेन च। यत्सा तेन परित्यक्ता तत्रन क्रोद्धुमर्हति
Since she was abandoned by one in distress, deluded, and deprived of happiness, she should not be angry at that.
प्राणयात्रां परिप्रेप्सोः शकुनैर्हतवाससः। आधिभिर्दह्यमानस्य श्यामा न क्रोद्धुमर्हति
Desiring only the means to live, his clothes taken by birds, burning with sorrows, Shyama should not be angry.
सत्कृताऽसत्कृता वाऽपि पतिं दृष्ट्वा तथाविधम्। राज्यभ्रष्टं श्रिया हीनं क्षिधितं व्यसनाप्लुतम्
Whether honored or dishonored, seeing her husband thus—deprived of kingdom, bereft of wealth, hungry, overwhelmed by misfortune—
एवं ब्रुवाणस्तद्वाक्यं नलः परमदुर्मनाः। न बाष्पमशकत्सोढुं प्ररुरोद च भारत
Thus speaking these words, Nala, greatly distressed, could not restrain his tears and wept, O Bharata.
ततः सा केशिनी गत्वा दमयन्त्यै न्यवेदयत्। तत्सर्वं कथितं चैव विकारं तस्य चैव तम्
Then Kesini went and reported all this to Damayanti, telling her everything that was said and his condition as well.
केशिन्यास्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा दमयन्ती विशांपते। शङ्कमाना नलं तं वै केशिनीमिदमब्रवीत्
Hearing those words of Kesini, Damayanti, O lord of men, suspecting that Bahuka was Nala, spoke thus to Kesini:
गच्छ केशिनि भूयस्त्वं परीक्षां कुरु बाहुके। अब्रुवाणा समीपस्था चरितान्यस्य लक्षय
Go again, Kesini, and test Bahuka; without speaking, observe closely his actions while you are near him.