न तथा मयि भेदोऽत्र सन्देहं जनयत्यसौ । मन्यते त्वां पतिं कर्तुं सर्वथा सञ्जयात्मजा
She does not treat me the same way, which arouses my doubt; Sañjaya's daughter surely wishes to make you her husband.
तवापि तादृशं भावं जानामि लक्षणैरहम् । नेत्रवक्त्रविकारैश्च ज्ञायते प्रीतिकारणम्
I also know your feelings are the same, by the signs—your eyes, your face, and your expressions reveal the cause of your affection.
सत्यं वद न ते मिथ्या वक्तव्यं वचनं मुने । स्वर्गतः समयं कृत्वा चलितौ संस्मराधुना
Speak the truth; do not utter false words, O sage. Having made a promise in heaven, you have now broken it—recall this at once.
नारद उवाच पृष्टोऽहं पर्वतेनेदं कारणं तु हठाद्यदा । तदाहं ह्रीसमाक्रान्तः सञ्जातश्चाब्रुवं पुनः
Nārada said: When I was questioned by Parvata about this matter, compelled by insistence, I, overcome with shame, spoke again.
पर्वतैषा विशालाक्षी पतिं मां कर्तुमुद्यता । ममापि मानसो भावो वर्ततेऽस्यां विशेषतः
This wide-eyed woman, Parvati, is eager to make me her husband; and I too have a special affection for her in my heart.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं सत्यं पर्वतः कोपसंयुतः । मामुवाच मुनिर्वाक्यं धिग्धिगिति पुनः पुनः
Hearing these truthful words, Parvata, filled with anger, addressed me repeatedly with the words 'shame, shame!'
प्रथमं शपथान्कृत्वा वञ्चितोऽहं त्वया यतः । भव वानरवक्त्रस्त्वं शापाच्च मम मित्रधुक्
Since you deceived me after first making oaths, become one with the face of a monkey, as a result of my curse, O betrayer of a friend.
इति शप्तस्तु तेनाहं कुपितेन महात्मना । सहसा ह्यभवं क्रूरः शाखामृगमुखस्तदा
Thus cursed by that great soul, in his wrath, I suddenly became cruel, with the face of a branch-dwelling animal.
मयापि न कृता तस्मिन्क्षमा तु भगिनीसुते । सोऽपि शप्तोऽतिकोपाद्वै मा स्वर्गे ते गतिः किल
I did not forgive him for this regarding the daughter of his sister; out of intense anger, I too cursed him: 'May you have no passage to heaven.'
स्वल्पेऽपराधे यस्मान्मां शप्तवानसि पर्वत । तस्मात्तवापि मन्दात्मन् मृत्युलोके स्थितिः किल
Because you cursed me for such a minor offense, O Parvata, therefore you too, dull-minded one, shall remain in the world of mortals.
पर्वतस्तु गतस्तस्मान्नगराद्विमना भृशम् । अहं वानरवक्त्रस्तु सञ्जातस्तत्क्षणादपि
Parvata, greatly distressed, departed from the city; and I, with the face of a monkey, became so at that very moment.
दृष्ट्वा मां वानरं क्रूरं राजपुत्री विलक्षणा । विमनातीव सञ्जाता वीणाश्रवणलालसा
Seeing me as a cruel monkey, the princess became utterly disheartened, longing to hear the sound of the vīṇā.
व्यास उवाच ततः किमभवद्ब्रह्मन् कथं शापान्निवर्तितः । मानुषास्यः पुनर्जातो भवान्ब्रूहि यथाविधि
Vyāsa said: What happened then, O brāhman? How were the curses lifted? Tell how you regained a human face, according to the proper account.
पर्वतः क्व गतो भूयः सङ्गमो युवयोरभूत् । कदा कुत्र कथं सर्वं विस्तरेण वदस्व ह
Where did Parvata go? Did you two meet again? When, where, and how? Tell everything in detail.
नारद उवाच किं ब्रवीमि महाभाग मायायाश्चरितं महत् । दुःखितोऽहं भृशं तत्र पर्वते रुषिते गते
Nārada said: What can I say, O highly fortunate one, about the great deeds of Māyā? I was deeply distressed when Parvata, angered, departed.
पुनः सेवापरात्यर्थं राजपुत्री ममाभवत् । गतेऽथ पर्वते कामं स्थितस्तत्रैव सद्मनि
The princess became exceedingly devoted to service for me; after Parvata left, I remained there in the house, desiring her.
अहं दुःखान्वितो दीनस्तथा वानरवन्मुखः । विशेषेण तु चिन्तार्तः किं मे स्यादिति चिन्तयन्
I, afflicted by sorrow and misery, with the face of a monkey, was especially troubled, pondering what might happen to me.
सञ्जयोऽथ सुतां दृष्ट्वा किञ्चित्प्रकटयौवनाम् । विवाहार्थे राजसुतामपृच्छत्सचिवं तदा
Then Sañjaya, seeing his daughter with signs of emerging youth, asked his minister about the royal princess for marriage.
विवाहकालः सम्प्राप्तः सुताया मम साम्प्रतम् । योग्यं वरं मम ब्रूहि राजपुत्रं सुसम्मतम्
The time for my daughter's marriage has now arrived; tell me an appropriate groom, a royal prince who is well approved.
रूपौदार्यगुणैर्युक्तं शूरं सुकुलसम्भवम् । विवाहं विधिवत्पुत्र्याः करोमि किल साम्प्रतम्
One endowed with beauty, generosity, and virtues, brave and of noble lineage—I will arrange my daughter's marriage according to proper rites, now.
प्रधानस्त्वब्रवीद्राजन् राजपुत्रा ह्यनेकशः । वर्तन्ते भुवि पुत्र्यास्ते योग्याः सर्वगुणान्विताः
The chief said, O King, 'There are many royal princes on earth, all endowed with every virtue, who are suitable for your daughter.'
यस्मिन् रुचिस्ते राजेन्द्र तमाहूय नृपात्मजम् । देहि कन्यां धनं भूरि हस्त्यश्वरथसंयुतम्
O best of kings, summon whichever prince your daughter desires, and give her to him in marriage, along with abundant wealth, elephants, horses, and chariots.
नारद उवाच पितुश्चिकीर्षितं ज्ञात्वा दमयन्ती तदा नृपम् । धात्र्या मुखेन वाक्यज्ञा तमुवाच रहः स्थितम्
Nārada said: Knowing her father's intention, Damayantī then spoke to the king, through her nurse, understanding his words, and addressed him in private.
धात्र्युवाच दमयन्ती महाराज पुत्री ते मामथाब्रवीत् । पितरं ब्रूहि धात्रेयि वचनान्मे सुखान्वितम्
The nurse said: 'O great king, your daughter Damayantī has spoken thus to me: "O nurse, tell my father these words of mine, filled with happiness."'
मया वृतोऽथ मेधावी नारदो महतीयुतः । नादमोहितया कामं नान्यः कोऽपि प्रियो मम
'I have chosen the wise and illustrious Nārada, endowed with great qualities; I am not deluded by desire, nor is anyone else dear to me.'
कुरु मे वाञ्छितं तात विवाहं मुनिना सह । नान्यं वरिष्ये धर्मज्ञ नारदं तु पतिं विना
'Grant me, father, my wish: to marry the sage; I will not choose anyone else, O knower of dharma, except Nārada as my husband.'
मग्नाहं नादसिन्धौ वै नक्रहीने रसात्मके । अक्षारे सुखसम्पूर्णे तिमिङ्गिलविवर्जिते
'I am immersed in the ocean of Nārada, which is without crocodiles, full of essence, imperishable, filled with happiness, and free from monstrous fish.'
; नारदस्य मायादमयन्त्या सह विवाहवर्णनम् नारद उवाच तत्पुत्र्या वचनं श्रुत्वा राजा धात्रीमुखात्ततः । भार्यां प्रोवाच कैकेयीं समीपस्थां सुलोचनाम्
Nārada said: Hearing his daughter's words from the nurse, the king then spoke to his wife Kaikeyī, who was nearby and beautiful-eyed.
राजोवाच यदुक्तं वचनं कान्ते धात्र्या तत्तु त्वया श्रुतम् । वृतोऽयं नारदः कामं मुनिर्वानरवक्त्रभाक्
The king said: 'Beloved, you have heard the words spoken by the nurse; Damayantī has chosen Nārada, the sage with a monkey's face, as she desires.'
किमिदं चिन्तितं पुत्र्या बुद्धिहीनं विचेष्टितम् । कथमस्मै मया देया कन्या हरिमुखाय सा
'What is this thoughtless and irrational action my daughter has taken? How can I give my daughter to one with a monkey's face?'