Critical Edition
बृहदश्व उवाच दमयन्ती तु तच्छ्रुत्वा वचो हंसस्य भारत तदा प्रभृति नस्वस्था नलं प्रति बभूव सा
M. N. Dutt: Brihadashva said: O Bharata hearing the words of the swan, Damayanti thence forth became restless on account of her anxiety for Nala.
ततश्चिन्तापरा दीना विवर्णवदना कृशा बभूव दमयन्ती तु निःश्वासपरमा तदा
M. N. Dutt: For this reason, Damayanti became filled with great anxiety and grief; and sighning heavily became lean and pale-faced.
ऊर्ध्वदृष्टिर्ध्यानपरा बभूवोन्मत्तदर्शना न शय्यासनभोगेषु रतिं विन्दति कर्हिचित्
AI Translation: She had the vision of the higher truth, was devoted to meditation, and appeared to be mad. She never took any pleasure in sleeping, sitting, or enjoying.
Supplementary Passages:
3.51.3 After 3ab, N ins.: *213 पाण्डुवर्णा क्षणेनाथ हृच्छयाविष्टचेतना
न नक्तं न दिवा शेते हा हेति वदती मुहुः तामस्वस्थां तदाकारां सख्यस्ता जज्ञुरिङ्गितैः
AI Translation: She did not sleep at night or by day, and kept saying "Alas! Alas!" again and again. Her friends recognized her from her gestures that she was in an abnormal state.
ततो विदर्भपतये दमयन्त्याः सखीगणः न्यवेदयत नस्वस्थां दमयन्तीं नरेश्वर
AI Translation: Then the group of Damyanti's friends informed the lord of Vidarbha that Damyanti was not well.
तच्छ्रुत्वा नृपतिर्भीमो दमयन्तीसखीगणात् चिन्तयामास तत्कार्यं सुमहत्स्वां सुतां प्रति
AI Translation: Hearing this from the group of Damayanti's friends, King Bhima thought about that great task for his daughter.
Supplementary Passages:
3.51.6 After 6, K2 B D (except D2.3) T G ins.: *214 किमर्थं दुहिता मेऽद्य नातिस्वस्थेव लक्ष्यते
स समीक्ष्य महीपालः स्वां सुतां प्राप्तयौवनाम् अपश्यदात्मनः कार्यं दमयन्त्याः स्वयंवरम्
M. N. Dutt: The king, secing his daughter had attained to puberty, observed in his mind that it was his Own duty to make arrangements for Damayanti's Svayamvara (marriage).
स संनिपातयामास महीपालान्विशां पते अनुभूयतामयं वीराः स्वयंवर इति प्रभो
M. N. Dutt: O exalted one, the king united all the rulers of the earth saying, “O heroes, the Svayamvara ceremony of Damayanti is going to be held.”
श्रुत्वा तु पार्थिवाः सर्वे दमयन्त्याः स्वयंवरम् अभिजग्मुस्तदा भीमं राजानो भीमशासनात्
AI Translation: Hearing of Damayanti's svayamvara, all the kings went to Bhima, at the command of the terrible king.
हस्त्यश्वरथघोषेण नादयन्तो वसुंधराम् विचित्रमाल्याभरणैर्बलैर्दृश्यैः स्वलंकृतैः
AI Translation: Making the earth resound with the sounds of elephants, horses, and chariots, Adorned with various garlands and ornaments, with visible armies,
Supplementary Passages:
3.51.10 After 10, K2 B D (except D1-3) ins.: *215 तेषां भीमो महाबाहुः पार्थिवानां महात्मनाम् यथार्हमकरोत्पूजां तेऽवसंस्तत्र पूजिताः
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु पुराणावृषिसत्तमौ अटमानौ महात्मानाविन्द्रलोकमितो गतौ
AI Translation: At that time, the two great sages, the best of the ancient ones, Wandering, went from here to Indra's world.
नारदः पर्वतश्चैव महात्मानौ महाव्रतौ देवराजस्य भवनं विविशाते सुपूजितौ
AI Translation: Nārada and Parvata, the two great souls, the two great ascetics, entered the abode of the king of the gods, well worshipped.
तावर्चित्वा सहस्राक्षस्ततः कुशलमव्ययम् पप्रच्छानामयं चापि तयोः सर्वगतं विभुः
M. N. Dutt: The illustrious Maghavat (Indra), having offered them proper worship, inquired after their everlasting welfare and peace regarding all matters.
नारद उवाच आवयोः कुशलं देव सर्वत्रगतमीश्वर लोके च मघवन्कृत्स्ने नृपाः कुशलिनो विभो
M. N. Dutt: Narada said: O Lord, O God, we enjoy peace as regards all matters; and O Maghavat, O illustrious one, so also the beings of the entire world.
बृहदश्व उवाच नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा पप्रच्छ बलवृत्रहा धर्मज्ञाः पृथिवीपालास्त्यक्तजीवितयोधिनः
AI Translation: Brihadashva said: Having heard Narada's words, the slayer of Bala and Vritra asked: "What are the qualities of kings who are devoted to dharma, who fight to the death, and who are devoted to the welfare of the world?"
शस्त्रेण निधनं काले ये गच्छन्त्यपराङ्मुखाः अयं लोकोऽक्षयस्तेषां यथैव मम कामधुक्
AI Translation: Those who turn away from the world and die by the sword, this world is inexhaustible for them, just as it is for me, the wish-granting cow.
क्व नु ते क्षत्रियाः शूरा न हि पश्यामि तानहम् आगच्छतो महीपालानतिथीन्दयितान्मम
AI Translation: Where are those brave Kshatriyas? I do not see them. The kings who come as guests, my beloved ones,
एवमुक्तस्तु शक्रेण नारदः प्रत्यभाषत शृणु मे भगवन्येन न दृश्यन्ते महीक्षितः
AI Translation: Thus addressed by Indra, Narada replied: "Listen to me, O Lord, by whom the kings are not seen."
विदर्भराजदुहिता दमयन्तीति विश्रुता रूपेण समतिक्रान्ता पृथिव्यां सर्वयोषितः
M. N. Dutt: Narada said : O Maghavat, listen to me, why the rulers of the earth are not being seen by you now. The king of the Vidharbhas has a daughter the famous Damayanti; who, in beauty, surpasses all the women of the earth.
तस्याः स्वयंवरः शक्र भविता नचिरादिव तत्र गच्छन्ति राजानो राजपुत्राश्च सर्वशः
M. N. Dutt: O Shakra, her Svayamvara will shortly take place. There the kings and princes are going from all directions.
तां रत्नभूतां लोकस्य प्रार्थयन्तो महीक्षितः काङ्क्षन्ति स्म विशेषेण बलवृत्रनिषूदन
M. N. Dutt: O slayer of Bala and Vitra, the kings, desirous of getting that pearl of the earth, all desire to have her most eagerly.
एतस्मिन्कथ्यमाने तु लोकपालाश्च साग्निकाः आजग्मुर्देवराजस्य समीपममरोत्तमाः
M. N. Dutt: While they were discoursing thus, the most excellent of the immortals, the Lokapalas, (with Agni among them) came before the king of heaven, Indra.
ततस्तच्छुश्रुवुः सर्वे नारदस्य वचो महत् श्रुत्वा चैवाब्रुवन्हृष्टा गच्छामो वयमप्युत
M. N. Dutt: They then all heard the speeches of Narada pregnant with lofty ideas and becoming greatly delighted to hear them said that they would also go there.
ततः सर्वे महाराज सगणाः सहवाहनाः विदर्भानभितो जग्मुर्यत्र सर्वे महीक्षितः
M. N. Dutt: O great king, mounted on their vehicles, accompanied by their attendants, they all betook themselves to the country of the Vidharbhas where all the rulers of the earth had gone.
नलोऽपि राजा कौन्तेय श्रुत्वा राज्ञां समागमम् अभ्यगच्छददीनात्मा दमयन्तीमनुव्रतः
M. N. Dutt: O son of Kunti, the lofty-minded king, Nala, hearing of the assembly of the kings, set out, thinking of Damayanti.
अथ देवाः पथि नलं ददृशुर्भूतले स्थितम् साक्षादिव स्थितं मूर्त्या मन्मथं रूपसंपदा
M. N. Dutt: The celestials saw Nala on the way walking on the earth. In beauty he resembled even the god of love himself in his embodied form.
तं दृष्ट्वा लोकपालास्ते भ्राजमानं यथा रविम् तस्थुर्विगतसंकल्पा विस्मिता रूपसंपदा
M. N. Dutt: The Lokapalas, having seen him resplendent as the sun, were struck with astonishment at his wealth of beauty; and they, therefore, abandoned their idea (of getting her).
ततोऽन्तरिक्षे विष्टभ्य विमानानि दिवौकसः अब्रुवन्नैषधं राजन्नवतीर्य नभस्तलात्
M. N. Dutt: The celestials, leaving their cars, alighted from heaven and (then) addressed the king of the Nishadhas thus.
भो भो नैषध राजेन्द्र नल सत्यव्रतो भवान् अस्माकं कुरु साहाय्यं दूतो भव नरोत्तम
M. N. Dutt: "O the most exalted of the rulers of the Nishadhas, O Nala, O you who do observe the vow of truth, O the foremost of men, help us; be our messenger."