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.
वरं विषधरः सर्पः श्रुत्वा नादं मनोहरम् । अश्रोत्रोऽपि मुदं याति धिक्सकर्णांश्च मानवान्
Even a venomous serpent, upon hearing a delightful sound, feels joy, though it has no ears; shame on those humans who have ears but do not.
बालोऽपि सुस्वरं गेयं श्रुत्वा मुदितमानसः । जायते किन्तु ते वृद्धा न जानन्ति धिगस्तु तान्
Even a child, upon hearing a well-sung, melodious song, becomes joyful; but those elders who do not understand—shame upon them!
पिता मे किं न जानाति नारदस्य गुणान् बत । द्वितीयः सामगो नास्ति त्रिषु लोकेषु तत्समः
Why does my father not know the virtues of Nārada? Truly, there is no second singer of Sāma equal to him in the three worlds.
तस्मादसौ मया नूनं वृतः पूर्वं समागमात् । पश्चाच्छापवशाज्जातो वानरास्यो गुणाकरः
Therefore, it is certain that I chose him before, at our first meeting; later, by the force of a curse, this treasure of virtues became monkey-faced.
किन्नरा न प्रियाः कस्य भवन्ति तुरगाननाः । गानविद्यासमायुक्ताः किं मुखेन वरेण ह
Who would not love the Kinnaras, though they have horse faces, when they are endowed with the science of song? What use is a handsome face in a husband?
पितरं ब्रूहि मे मातर्वृतोऽयं मुनिसत्तमः । तस्मात्त्वमाग्रहं त्यक्त्वा देहि तस्मै च मां मुदा
Mother, tell my father that this best of sages has been chosen by me; so, giving up your insistence, gladly give me to him.
नारद उवाच इति पुत्र्या वचः श्रुत्वा राज्ञी राज्ञे न्यवेदयत् । आग्रहं सुन्दरी ज्ञात्वा सुताया नारदे मुनौ
Nārada said: Hearing her daughter's words, the queen informed the king; knowing her daughter's insistence regarding the sage Nārada, the queen spoke to the king.
विवाहं कुरु राजेन्द्र दमयन्त्याः शुभे दिने । मुनिना स च सर्वज्ञो वृतोऽसौ मनसानया
Arrange the marriage of Damayantī on an auspicious day, O king; for the sage, who knows all, has been chosen by her in her heart.
नारद उवाच इति सञ्चोदितो राज्ञ्या सञ्जयः पृथिवीपतिः । चकार विथिवत्सर्वं विधिं वैवाहिकं ततः
Nārada said: Thus urged by the queen, King Sañjaya performed all the prescribed marriage rites accordingly.
एवं दारग्रहं कृत्वा वानरास्यः परन्तप । स्थितस्तत्रैव मनसा दह्यमानेन चान्वहम्
Thus, having taken a wife, I, with a monkey's face, scorcher of foes, remained there, my mind burning day after day.