क्रमेण भक्षयित्वा च यथोक्तं भरतर्षभ स्वत एवार्धमश्नीयाद्गत्वा रम्ये जलाशये
Having eaten them in order as prescribed, O best of the Bharatas, he should himself eat half, then go to a pleasant water reservoir.
दशावतारानभ्यर्च्य पुष्पधूपविलेपनैः
After worshipping the ten avatars with flowers, incense, and ointments,
मत्स्यं कूर्मं वराहं च नरसिंहं त्रिविक्रमम्
Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Narasiṃha, and Trivikrama,
गतोऽस्मि शरणं देवं हरिं नारायणं प्रभुम्
I have taken refuge in the divine Lord Hari, Nārāyaṇa, the master.
छिनत्तु वैष्णवीं मायां भक्त्या जातो जनर्दनः
Janārdana, born through devotion, cuts the Vaiṣṇava illusion.
एवं यः कुरुते पार्थ विधिनानेन सुव्रत
Thus, O Partha, whoever performs this with the prescribed method and good vow,
श्रूयते यास्त्विमालोच्य पुरुषाणां दशा दश
It is heard that, after observing these, the ten conditions of men,
संसारसागरे घोरे मज्जत तत्र मां हरिः
In the dreadful ocean of worldly existence, when one sinks, Hari lifts me there.
किं तस्य न भवेल्लोके यस्य तुष्टो जनार्दनः मर्त्यलोके स्वयं पार्थ भूभारोत्तारकारणम्
What is lacking in this world for one whom Janārdana is pleased with? In the world of mortals, O Partha, he himself is the cause of lifting the burden of the earth.
या स्त्री व्रतमिदं पार्थ चरिष्यति मयोदितम् 4.63.
Any woman who, O Partha, performs this vow as I have described—
मर्त्यलोके चिरं स्थित्वा विष्णुलोके महीयते
After dwelling long in the world of mortals, one is honored in the realm of Vishnu.
ये पूजयंति पुरुषाः पुरुषोत्तमस्य मत्स्यादिकांस्तु दशमीषु दशावतारान्
Those men who worship the ten incarnations of the Supreme Person, from Matsya onward, on the tenth days—
आशादशमीवर्णनम् शृणुष्वावहितो वच्मि तवाशादशमीव्रतम्
Listen attentively as I tell you about the vow of the Āshāda tenth day.
नलनामाभवत्पूर्वं निषधेषु महीपते
Once, in the land of the Nishadhas, there was a king named Nala.
अक्षैर्द्यूतेन राजेन्द्र निर्ययौ भार्यया सह
O king, through a game of dice, he departed with his wife.
स गत्वा प्रत्यहोरात्रं जलमात्रेण वर्तयन्
Having gone forth, he survived each day and night subsisting only on water.
ग्रहीतुमिच्छंस्तान्राजन्समाच्छाद्य स्ववाससा
Desiring to seize them, O king, he covered them with his own garment.
गते तु नैषधे भैमी प्रबुद्धै वाञ्चितानना इतश्चेतश्च बभ्राम हाहेति रुदती मुहुः
When the Nishadha king had gone, Bhīmā's daughter, deceived by the awakened ones, wandered here and there, weeping again and again, crying 'Alas!'
दुःखशोकसमाक्रांता नलदर्शनलालसा
Overcome by sorrow and grief, longing to see Nala,
उन्मत्तवत्परिवृता शिशुभिः कौतुकाकुलैः
She wandered like one mad, surrounded by curious children.
चन्द्रलेखेव पतिता भूमौ भासितदिङ्मुखा 4.64.
She fell to the ground like a crescent moon, her face shining in all directions.
उवाच भैमी सव्रीडं सैरंध्रीं मां निबोधताम्
Bhīmā's daughter, with modesty, spoke to the maid Sairandhri—listen to me.
यदि प्रार्थयते कश्चिद्दंड्यस्ते सांप्रतं भवेत् एवमस्त्वनवद्यांगि राज माताप्युवाच ताम्
If anyone seeks you now, let him be punished; so be it, O faultless one, the queen mother also said to her.
एवंविधा तद्भवने कंचित्कालमनिंदिता आनयामास मुदितो दमयंतीं गृहं पितुः
Thus, in that house, she remained blameless for some time; then, joyfully, Damayantī was brought to her father's home.
मात्रा पित्रा समायुक्ता सुतैर्भ्रातृभिरेव च
She was united with her mother and father, with her sons and brothers as well.
प्रोवाच विमनाहूय व्रतं दानमथापि वा
She spoke, having been summoned in distress, about a vow or a gift.
तत्रेतिहासकुशलो विप्रः प्रोवाच बुद्धिमान्
There, a learned and wise Brahmin versed in history spoke.
चकार सर्वं तन्वंगी यत्पुराणविदा तदा
The slender-bodied one performed everything as instructed by the knower of the ancient lore.
व्रतस्यास्य प्रभावेण दमयंत्या नरोत्तम
By the power of this vow, Damayanti, O best of men,
सर्वमेतत्समाचक्ष्व मां सर्वज्ञोसि यादव
Tell me all of this, for you are all-knowing, O Yadava.