; दमयन्तीविवाहप्रस्ताववर्णनम् व्यास उवाच इति मे वचनं श्रुत्वा नारदः परमार्थवित् । मामाह च स्मितं कृत्वा पृच्छन्तं मोहकारणम्
Vyāsa said: Having heard my words, Nārada, knower of the highest truth, smiled and spoke to me, who was asking about the cause of delusion.
नारद उवाच पाराशर्य पुराणज्ञ किं पृच्छसि सुनिश्चयम् । संसारेऽस्मिन्विना मोहं कोऽपि नास्ति शरीरवान्
Nārada said: O son of Parāśara, knower of the Purāṇas, why do you ask with such certainty? In this world, no embodied being exists without delusion.
ब्रह्माविष्णुस्तथा रुद्रः सनकः कपिलस्तथा । मायया वेष्टिताः सर्वे भ्रमन्ति भववर्त्मनि
Even Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Sanaka, and Kapila—all are enveloped by Māyā and wander on the path of worldly existence.
ज्ञानिनं मां जनो वेत्ति भ्रान्तोऽहं सर्वलोकवत् । शृणु मे पूर्ववृत्तान्तं प्रब्रवीमि सुनिश्चितम्
People consider me a knower, but I too am deluded like all beings. Listen as I recount my previous story, which I will tell you with certainty.
दुःखं मया यथा पूर्वमनुभूतं महत्तरम् । स्वकृतेन च मोहेन भार्यार्थे वासवीसुत
How I previously experienced great suffering, caused by my own delusion for the sake of a wife, O son of Vāsavī, I will tell you.
एकदा पर्वतश्चाहं देवलोकान्महीतलम् । प्राप्तो विलोकनार्थाय भारतं खण्डमुत्तमम्
Once, I, Parvata, came down from the worlds of the gods to the earth, to behold the excellent land of Bhārata.
भ्रमन्तौ सहितावुर्व्यां पश्यन्तौ तीर्थमण्डलम् । पावनानि च स्थानानि मुनीनामाश्रमाञ्छुभान्
Wandering together on the earth, we observed the circles of holy places and the pure hermitages of sages.
शपथं देवलोकात्तु कृत्वा पूर्वं परस्परम् । चलितौ समयं चेमं सम्मन्त्र्य निश्चयेन वै
Having previously made a vow to each other in the world of the gods, we set out, having firmly agreed upon this arrangement.
चित्तवृत्तिस्तु वक्तव्या यादृशी यस्य जायते । शुभा वाप्यशुभा वापि न गोप्तव्या कदाचन
Whatever arises in the mind of either—whether auspicious or inauspicious—must always be spoken and never concealed.
भोजनेच्छा धनेच्छापि रतीच्छा वा भवेदपि । यादृशी यस्य चित्ते तु कथनीया परस्परम्
Whether it is a desire for food, wealth, or pleasure—whatever is in the mind—must be told to each other.
इत्यावां समयं कृत्वा स्वर्गाद्भूलोकमागतौ । एकचित्तौ मुनीभूतौ विचरन्तौ यथेच्छया
Thus, having made this agreement, we came from heaven to earth, united in mind, living as sages, wandering as we pleased.
एवं भ्रमन्तौ लोकेऽस्मिन्ग्रीष्मान्ते समुपागते । सञ्जयस्य पुरं रम्यं सम्प्राप्तौ नृपते पुनः
In this way, as we wandered the world and the end of summer approached, we arrived again at the delightful city of King Sañjaya.
तेन सम्पूजितौ भक्त्या राज्ञा सम्मानितौ भृशम् । स्थितौ तत्र गृहे तस्य चातुर्मास्यं महात्मनः
There, we were worshipped with devotion and greatly honored by the king, and we stayed in his house for the four months of the rainy season.
वार्षिकाश्चतुरो मासा दुर्गमाः पथि सर्वदा । तस्मादेकत्र विबुधैः स्थातव्यमिति निश्चयः
The four months of the rainy season are always difficult for travel, so the wise have determined that one should remain in one place during this time.
अष्टौ मासांस्तु प्रवसेत्सदा कार्यवशाद्द्विजः । वर्षाकाले न गन्तव्यं प्रवासे सुखमिच्छता
A twice-born should always reside away from home for eight months if duty requires; but one who desires comfort should not travel during the rainy season.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा सञ्जयस्य गृहे तदा । संस्थितौ मानितौ राज्ञा कृतातिथ्यौ महात्मना
Thinking thus in his mind, at that time, we stayed in the house of Sañjaya, honored and treated as guests by the noble king.
दमयन्तीति विख्याता तस्य पुत्री महीपतेः । आज्ञप्ता परिचर्यार्थं सुदती सुन्दरी भृशम्
Damayantī, the renowned daughter of that king, was instructed to serve us—she was exceedingly beautiful and charming.
विवेकज्ञा विशालाक्षी राजपुत्री कृतोद्यमा । सेवनं सर्वकाले च व्यदधादुभयोरपि
The wise, wide-eyed princess, eager in her duties, attended to both of us at all times.
स्नानार्थमुदकं काले भोजनं मृष्टमायतम् । मुखवासं तथा चान्यं यदिष्टं तद्ददाति सा
She would provide water for bathing at the proper time, delicious and well-prepared food, fragrant mouth fresheners, and anything else we desired.
मनोऽभिलषितान्कामानुभयोरपि कन्यका । व्यजनासनशय्यादीन्वाञ्छितानप्यकल्पयत्
The maiden fulfilled all the wishes of both of us, arranging fans, seats, beds, and whatever else we wanted.
एवं संसेव्यमानौ तु स्थितौ राज्ञो गृहे किल । वेदाध्ययनसंशीलावावां वेदव्रते रतौ
Thus, being served in this way, we stayed in the king's house, devoted to Vedic study and observance of Vedic vows.
अहं वीणां करे कृत्वा साधयित्वा स्वरोत्तमम् । गायत्रं साम सुस्वादमगां कर्णरसायनम्
I took up the vīṇā in my hand, tuned it to the finest notes, and sang the Sāma hymns, sweet and pleasing to the ear.
राजपुत्री तु तच्छ्रुत्वा सामगानं मनोहरम् । बभूव मयि रागाढ्या प्रीतियुक्ता विशारदा
Hearing that enchanting Sāma song, the princess became deeply attached to me, filled with affection and skill.
दिने दिनेऽनुरागोऽस्या मयि वृद्धिं गतः परः । ममापि प्रीतियुक्तायां मनो जातं स्पृहापरम्
Day by day, her love for me grew greatly; and seeing her affection, a deep longing arose in my own heart as well.
मम तस्य च सा कन्या भोजनादिषु कर्हिचित् । अकरोदन्तरं किञ्चित्सेवाभेदं रसान्विता
That maiden never made any distinction between me and Parvata in serving food and other needs, always attentive and full of feeling.
स्नानायोष्णजलं मह्यं पर्वताय च शीतलम् । दधि मह्यं तथा तक्रं पर्वतायाप्यकल्पयत्
She would prepare warm water for my bath and cool water for Parvata, and provide curds for me and buttermilk for Parvata.
शयनास्तरणं शुभ्रं मदर्थे पर्यकल्पयत् । प्रीत्या परमया यद्वत्पर्वताय न तादृशम्
She arranged a spotless bed for me out of great affection, but not one of the same quality for Parvata.
विलोकयति मां प्रेम्णा सुन्दरी न च पर्वतम् । ततोऽस्यास्तादृशं दृष्ट्वा पर्वतः प्रेमकारणम्
The beautiful maiden looked at me with love, but not at Parvata; seeing this, Parvata understood the reason for her affection.
मनसा चिन्तयामास किमेतदिति विस्मितः । पप्रच्छ मां रहः सम्यग्ब्रूहि नारद सर्वथा
Astonished, he thought in his mind, 'What is this?' and privately asked me, 'Tell me everything, Nārada, without reservation.'
राजपुत्री त्वयि प्रेम करोति मुदिता भृशम् । ददाति भक्ष्यभोज्यानि स्नेहयुक्ता समन्ततः
The princess is deeply in love with you, delighted, and gives you all kinds of food and drink with affection.