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.
तथा ब्रुवति वायौ तु पुष्पवृष्टिः पपात ह। देवदुन्दुभयो नेदुर्ववौ च पवनः शिवः
As he spoke thus, a shower of flowers fell upon the wind; divine drums resounded, and the auspicious breeze blew.
तदद्भुतमयं दृष्ट्वा नलो राजाऽथ भारत। दमयन्त्यां विशङ्कां तामुपाकर्षदरिंदमः
Seeing this wondrous event, King Nala, O Bhārata, drew Damayantī, who was anxious, close to him.
ततस्तद्वस्त्रमरजः प्रावृणोद्वसुधाधिपः। संस्मृत्य नागराजं तं ततो लेभे स्वकं वपुः
Then the lord of the earth put on that spotless garment, and, remembering the serpent king, he regained his own form.
स्वरूपिणं तु भर्तारं दृष्ट्वा भीमसुता तदा। प्राक्रोशदुच्चैरालिङ्ग्य पुण्यश्लोकमनिन्दिता
When Bhīma’s daughter beheld her husband in his true form, she cried out loudly, embraced him, and praised the blameless one.
भैमीमपि नलो राजा भ्राजमानो यथा पुरा। सस्वजे स्वसुतौ चापि यथावत्प्रत्यनन्दत
King Nala, shining as before, embraced Bhīmī and also his two children, greeting them as was fitting.
ततः स्वोरसि विन्यस्य वक्रं तस्य शुभानना। परीता तेन दुःखेन निशश्वासायतेक्षणा
Then the beautiful-faced one, laying her curved cheek on his chest, afflicted by that sorrow, sighed deeply with her wide eyes.
तथैव मलदिग्धाङ्गीं परिष्वज्य शुचिस्मिताम्। सुचिरं पुरुषव्याघ्रस्तस्थौ शोकपरिप्लुतः
Just so, the tiger among men, embracing the smiling, pure one, her limbs smeared with dirt, stood for a long time, overwhelmed by grief.
ततः सर्वं यथावृत्तं दमयन्त्या नलस्य च। भीमायाकथयत्प्रीत्या वैदर्भ्या जननी नृप
Then, with affection, the mother of the Vidarbha princess told King Bhīma all that had happened to Damayantī and Nala.
ततोऽब्रवीन्महाराजः कृतशौचमहंनलम्। दमयन्त्या सहोपेतं कल्ये द्रष्टा सुखोषितम्
Then the great king said, 'I have completed my purification; tomorrow I shall see Nala, united with Damayantī, rejoicing.'
ततस्तौ सहितौ रात्रिं कथयन्तौ पुरातनम्। वने विचरितं सर्वमूषतुर्मुदितौ नृप
Then the two, together, spent the night joyfully, recounting all their adventures in the forest, O king.