अनागसं प्रियां भार्यां विजने श्रममोहिताम्। अपहाय तु को गच्चेत्पुण्यश्लोकमृतेनलम्
Who would abandon his innocent beloved wife, exhausted and bewildered in a lonely place, and go away, if he were not bereft of virtue and fame?
किमु तस्य मया बाल्यादपराद्धं महीपतेः। यो मामुत्सृज्य विपिने गतवान्निद्रयाऽर्दिताम्
What offense did I commit in my youth against that king, who left me in the forest, afflicted by sleep?
साक्षाद्देवानपाहाय वृतो यः स पुरा मया। अनुव्रतामभिमतां पुत्रिणीं त्यक्तवान्कथम्
How could he, who was chosen by me over the gods, who was devoted, desired, and a father, abandon me?
अग्नौ पाणिगृहीता च हंसानां वचने स्थिताम्। भरिष्यामीति सत्यं तु प्रतिश्रुत्य क्व तद्गतम्
Having taken my hand in fire, and standing by the words of the swans, he promised, 'I will support you'—where has that truth gone?
दमयन्त्या ब्रुवन्त्यास्तु सर्वमेतदरिदम। शोकजं वारिनेत्राभ्यामसुखं प्रास्रवद्बहु
As Damayanti spoke all this, tears born of sorrow flowed abundantly from her eyes.
अतीव कृष्णताराभ्यां रक्तान्ताभ्यां जलंतु तत्। परिस्रवन्नलो राजा शोकार्तइदमब्रवीत्
From her extremely dark and bloodshot eyes, that water streamed forth; King Nala, afflicted by grief, spoke thus:
नलोऽहं विपुलश्रोणि त्वामुत्सृज्य यतो गतः। आविष्टः कलिना भद्रे तेन मोहवशं गतः
I am Nala, O broad-hipped one; I departed after abandoning you, because I was possessed by Kali, O gentle one, and thus fell under the sway of delusion.
मम राज्यं प्रनष्टं यन्नाहं तत्कृतवान्स्वयम्। कलिना तत्कृतं भीरु यच्च त्वामहमत्यजम्
My kingdom was lost, not by my own doing; it was Kali who caused it, O timid one, and it was he who made me abandon you.
यत्त्वया धर्मकृच्छ्रे तु शापेनाभिहतः पुरा। वनस्थया दुःखितया शोचन्त्या मांदिवानिशम्
When you, afflicted by the hardships of righteousness and struck by the curse, dwelt in the forest, grieving for me day and night—
स मच्छरीरे त्वच्छापाद्दह्यमानोऽवसत्कलिः। त्वच्छापदग्धः सततं सोऽग्नावग्निरिवाहितः
Kali remained in my body, burning because of your curse; scorched by your curse, he was always tormented, like fire placed in fire.
मम च व्यवसायेन तपसा चैव निर्जितः। दुःखस्यान्तेन चानेन भवितव्यं हि नौ शुभे
By my resolve and by austerity, he was subdued; and by this end of suffering, O auspicious one, it was destined for us.
विमुच्य मां गतः पापस्ततोऽहमिह चागतः। त्वदर्थं विपुलश्रोणि न हि मेऽन्यत्प्रयोजनम्
The wicked one left me, and thus I have come here; for your sake, O broad-hipped one, I have no other purpose.
कथं नु नारी भर्तारमनुरक्तमनुव्रतम्। उत्सृज्य वरयेदन्यं यथा त्वं भीरु कर्हिचित्
How could a woman, devoted and faithful to her loving husband, ever choose another man, as you suspect, O timid one?
दूताश्चरन्ति पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां नृपतिशासनात्। भैमी किल स्म भर्तारं द्वितीयं वरयिष्यति
Messengers travel the whole earth by the king’s command, saying, 'Bhaimi is about to choose a second husband.'
स्वैरवृत्ता यथाकाममनुरूपमिवात्मनः। श्रुत्वैव चैवं त्वरितो भागस्वरिरुपस्थितः
It is said she acts as she pleases, following her own desires; hearing this, Bhagasvari hastened there at once.
दमयन्ती तु तच्छ्रुत्वा नलस्य परिदेवितम्। प्राञ्जलिर्वेपमाना च भीता वचनमब्रवीत्
But Damayanti, hearing Nala’s lament, trembling and with joined palms, spoke these words in fear.
न मामर्हसि कल्याण पापेन परिशङ्कितुम्। मया हि देवानुत्सृज्य वृतस्त्वं निषधाधिप
You must not, O noble one, suspect me of wrongdoing; for I chose you, king of Nishadha, forsaking even the gods.
तवाभिगमनार्थं तु सर्वतो ब्राह्मणा गताः। वाक्यानि मम गाथाभिर्गायमाना दिशो दश
For your sake, brahmins went everywhere, singing my words in verses to the ten directions.
ततस्त्वां ब्राह्मणो विद्वान्पर्णादो नाम पार्थिव। अभ्यगच्छत्कोसलायामृतुपर्णनिवेशने
Then a learned brahmin named Parnada, O king, came to you at the palace of Rituparna in Kosala.
तेन वाक्ये कृतेसम्यक्प्रतिवाक्ये तथा हृते। उपायोऽयंमया दृष्टो नैषधानयने तव
When he had spoken and received a proper reply, I saw this as the means to bring you, the Nishadhan, back.
त्वामृते नहि लोकेऽन्य एकाह्ना पृथिवीपते। समर्थो योजनशतं गन्तुमश्वैर्नराधिप
Except for you, O lord of earth, no one else in the world could travel a hundred leagues in a single day without horses.
तथापि मां महीपाल भजेतां चरणौ तव।' स्पृशेयं तेन सत्येन पादावेतौ महीपते। यथा नासत्कृतं किंचिन्मनसाऽपि चराम्यहम्
Yet, O king, let me touch your feet; by this truth may I touch them, for I have not, even in thought, done anything unworthy.
अयं चरति लोकेऽस्मिन्भूतसाक्षी सदागतिः। एष मे मुञ्चतु प्राणान्यदि पापं चराम्यहम्
This ever-moving wind, witness of all beings, roams the world; let it take my life if I have acted wrongly.
यथा चरति तिग्मांशुः परितो भुवनं सदा। स मुञ्चतु मम प्राणान्यदि पापं चराम्यहम्
As the blazing sun always moves around the world, let it take my life if I have acted wrongly.
चन्द्रमाः सर्वभूतानामन्तश्चरति साक्षिवत्। स मुञ्चतु मम प्राणान्यदि पापं चराम्यहम्
As the moon, witness-like, moves within all beings, let it take my life if I have acted wrongly.
एते देवास्त्रयः कृत्स्नं त्रैलोक्यं धारयन्ति वै। विब्रुवन्तु यथा सत्यमेतद्देवास्त्यजन्तु माम्
These three gods uphold all the three worlds; let them declare the truth of this, and if I lie, let the gods abandon me.
एवमुक्ते ततो वायुरन्तरिक्षादभाषत। नैषा कृतवती पापं नल सत्यं ब्रवीमि ते
When she had spoken thus, the wind spoke from the sky: 'She has not committed any wrong, Nala; I tell you the truth.'
राजञ्शीलनिधिः स्फीतो दमयन्त्या सुरक्षितः। साक्षिणो रक्षिणश्चास्या वयं त्रीन्परिवत्सरान्
O king, Damayanti’s virtue is abundant and secure; for three years we have been her witnesses and protectors.
उपायो विहितश्चायं त्वदर्थमतुलोऽनया। न ह्येकाह्ना शतं गन्ता त्वामृतेऽन्यः पुमानिह
This matchless plan was devised by her for your sake; for except you, no man could travel a hundred leagues in a day.
उपपन्ना त्वया भैमी त्वं च भैम्या महीपते। नात्र शङ्का त्वया कार्या संगच्छ सह भार्यया
You are worthy of Bhaimi, and she of you, O king; you should have no doubt—be united with your wife.