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?'
क्वासौ भिक्षुः कुरूपः क्व दमयन्ती ममात्मजा । विपरीतमिदं कार्यं न विधेयं कदाचन
'Where is that ugly beggar, and where is my daughter Damayantī? This is a perverse act, never to be done.'
तामेकान्ते सुकेशान्ते निवारय हठात्सुताम् । युक्त्या मुनिरतां मुग्धां शास्त्रवृद्धानुसारया
'In private, with gentle words, restrain our innocent daughter, who is devoted to the sage, by reasoning and according to the guidance of the elders and scriptures.'
इति भर्तृवचः श्रुत्वा जननी तामथाब्रवीत् । च ते रूपं मुनिः क्वासौ वानरास्योऽधनः पुनः
Hearing her husband's words, the mother then spoke to her: 'Where is that sage, and where is his form? He is monkey-faced and poor.'
कथं मोहमवाप्तासि भिक्षुके चतुरा पुनः । लताकोमलदेहा त्वं भस्मरूक्षतनुस्त्वयम्
'How have you come under delusion for a beggar, though you are clever? You are tender as a vine, while he is rough-skinned, smeared with ashes.'
वार्ता वानरवक्त्रेण कथं युक्ता तवानघे । का प्रीतिः कुत्सिते पुंसि भविष्यति शुचिस्मिते
'How is it proper for you, O faultless one, to be associated with one who has a monkey's face? What affection can arise in you, O pure-smiling one, for such a contemptible man?'
वरस्ते राजपुत्रोऽस्तु मा कुरु त्वं वृथा हठम् । पिता ते दुःखमाप्नोति श्रुत्वा धात्रीमुखाद्वचः
'Let your chosen husband be a prince; do not stubbornly persist in vain. Your father will suffer upon hearing these words from the nurse.'
लग्नां बुबूलवृक्षेण कोमलां मालतीलताम् । दृष्ट्वा कस्य मनः खेदं चतुरस्य न गच्छति
'Who, seeing a tender jasmine vine entwined with a poisonous gourd tree, would not feel distress in his heart, even if he is wise?'
दासेरकाय ताम्बूलीदलानि कोमलानि कः । ददाति भक्षणार्थाय मूर्खोऽपि धरणीतले
'Who would give tender betel leaves to a lowly servant for eating, even a fool on this earth would not do so?'
वीक्ष्य त्वां करसंलग्नां नारदस्य समीपतः । विवाहे वर्तमाने तु कस्य चेतो न दह्यति
Seeing you with your hand joined to Nārada's, right at his side during the wedding, whose heart would not burn?
कुमुखेन समं वार्ता न रुचिं जनयत्यतः । आमृतेस्तु कथं कालः क्षपितव्यस्त्वयामुना
Conversation with someone whose face is unpleasant brings no delight; how, then, could you bear to spend time with one who is like poison, when you are like nectar?
नारद उवाच इति मातुर्वचः श्रुत्वा दमयन्ती भृशातुरा । मातरं प्राह तन्वङ्गी मयि सा कृतनिश्चया
Nārada said: Hearing these words of her mother, Damayantī, deeply distressed, spoke to her mother, slender-limbed as she was, 'She has already made up her mind about me.'
किं मुखेन च रूपेण मूर्खस्य च धनेन किम् । किं राज्येनाविदग्धस्य रसमार्गाविदोऽस्य च
What use is a handsome face, or beauty, or the wealth of a fool? What is the value of a kingdom to one who lacks discernment, or to one ignorant of the path of taste?
हरिण्योऽपि वने धन्या या नादेन विमोहिताः । मातः प्राणान्प्रयच्छन्ति धिङ्मूर्खान्मानुषान्भुवि
Even the does in the forest are blessed, mother, for they surrender their lives, enchanted by sound; shame on foolish humans in this world!
नारदो वेत्ति यां विद्यां मातः सप्तस्वरात्मिकाम् । तृतीयः कोऽपि नो वेद शिवादन्यः पुमान्किल
Mother, Nārada knows that knowledge which is composed of the seven notes; apart from Śiva, who else knows it? No third man, indeed.
मूर्खेण सह संवासो मरणं तत्क्षणे क्षणे । रूपवान्धनवांस्त्याज्यो गुणहीनो नरः सदा
To dwell with a fool is to die, moment by moment; a man who is beautiful or wealthy but lacks virtue should always be abandoned.
धिङ्मैत्रीं मूर्खभूपाले वृथा गर्वसमन्विते । गुणज्ञे भिक्षुके श्रेष्ठा वचनात्सुखदायिनी
Shame on friendship with a foolish king, full of vain pride; friendship with a virtuous beggar, who brings happiness through his words, is best.
स्वरज्ञो ग्रामवित्कामं मूर्च्छनाज्ञानभेदभाक् । दुर्लभः पुरुषश्चाष्टरसज्ञो दुर्बलोऽपि वै
One who knows the notes, the villages, and the distinctions of melody and modulation—such a man is rare, even if he is weak, but one who knows all eight flavors is truly hard to find.
यथा नयति कैलासं गङ्गा चैव सरस्वती । तथा नयति कैलासं स्वरज्ञानविशारदः
Just as the Gaṅgā and Sarasvatī flow to Kailāsa, so too does one skilled in the knowledge of notes lead to Kailāsa.
स्वरमानं तु यो वेद स देवो मानुषोऽपि सन् । सप्तभेदं न यो वेद स पशुः सुरराडपि
He who knows the science of notes is a god, even if he is a man; but he who does not know the sevenfold distinctions is an animal, even if he is lord of the gods.
मूर्च्छनातानमार्गं तु श्रुत्वा मोदं न याति यः । स पशुः सर्वथा ज्ञेयो हरिणाः पशवो न हि
He who, hearing the path of melody and modulation, feels no joy, should certainly be known as an animal; for deer are not animals in this sense.