Critical Edition
बृहदश्व उवाच तेभ्यः प्रतिज्ञाय नलः करिष्य इति भारत अथैनान्परिपप्रच्छ कृताञ्जलिरवस्थितः
AI Translation: Brihadashva said: Having promised them, Nala said, "I shall do it," O descendant of the Bharata lineage. Then, standing with folded hands, he asked them.
के वै भवन्तः कश्चासौ यस्याहं दूत ईप्सितः किं च तत्र मया कार्यं कथयध्वं यथातथम्
AI Translation: Who are you? Who is he for whom I am the messenger? What is to be done there by me? Tell me exactly.
एवमुक्ते नैषधेन मघवान्प्रत्यभाषत अमरान्वै निबोधास्मान्दमयन्त्यर्थमागतान्
M. N. Dutt: Maghavat, being thus addressed by the king of the Nishadhas, said in reply, “Be informed that we, the celestials, come here for Damayanti.
अहमिन्द्रोऽयमग्निश्च तथैवायमपांपतिः शरीरान्तकरो नॄणां यमोऽयमपि पार्थिव
M. N. Dutt: O king I am Indra, this one is Agni; he is the lord of the waters and this is even Yama, the destroyer of human bodies.
स वै त्वमागतानस्मान्दमयन्त्यै निवेदय लोकपालाः सहेन्द्रास्त्वां समायान्ति दिदृक्षवः
M. N. Dutt: Do you inform Damayanti that we, Lokapalas with Mahendra at our head, are all come and going to the assembly (of the heroes), filled with the desire of witnessing (the Svayamvara).
प्राप्तुमिच्छन्ति देवास्त्वां शक्रोऽग्निर्वरुणो यमः तेषामन्यतमं देवं पतित्वे वरयस्व ह
M. N. Dutt: And the gods-Shakra, Agni, Vasava and Yama, all desire to win you. Hence choose one of them for your husband."
एवमुक्तः स शक्रेण नलः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत् एकार्थसमवेतं मां न प्रेषयितुमर्हथ
M. N. Dutt: Nala, being thus spoken to by Shakra, requested them with folded hands not to send him, as he also has come with the same purpose.
Supplementary Passages:
3.52.7 After 7, all MSS. except Ś1 K4 D1-3 ins.: *216 कथं तु जातसंकल्पः स्त्रियमुत्सहते पुमान् परार्थमीदृशं वक्तुं तत्क्षमन्तु महेश्वराः S cont.: *217 एवमुक्तो नैषधेन मघवान्पुनरब्रवीत्
देवा ऊचुः करिष्य इति संश्रुत्य पूर्वमस्मासु नैषध न करिष्यसि कस्मात्त्वं व्रज नैषध माचिरम्
M. N. Dutt: The Gods said : O king of the Nishadhas, you promised to us beforehand that you would do it. O king of the Nishadhas, why, therefore will you not act up to it? Tell us without (a moment's) hesitation.
Supplementary Passages:
3.52.8 After 8, T G ins.: *218 स वै त्वमागतानस्मान्दमयन्त्यै निवेदय श्रेयसा योक्ष्यसे हि त्वं कुर्वन्नमरशासनम्
बृहदश्व उवाच एवमुक्तः स देवैस्तैर्नैषधः पुनरब्रवीत् सुरक्षितानि वेश्मानि प्रवेष्टुं कथमुत्सहे
M. N. Dutt: Brihadashva said : The king of the Nishadhas, being thus spoken by the gods, said again to them: "How can I dare enter those palaces so well-guarded."
Supplementary Passages:
3.52.9 After 9, T2 G3 ins.: *219 अस्माकं मायया छन्नस्त्वं प्रवेक्ष्यसि निश्चयम् इति शक्रो नैषधं तं पुनरेवाभ्यभाषत
प्रवेक्ष्यसीति तं शक्रः पुनरेवाभ्यभाषत जगाम स तथेत्युक्त्वा दमयन्त्या निवेशनम्
M. N. Dutt: Indra again said to him in reply "you shall get access." Nala, saying “so be it," repaired to the mansion of Damayanti.
ददर्श तत्र वैदर्भीं सखीगणसमावृताम् देदीप्यमानां वपुषा श्रिया च वरवर्णिनीम्
M. N. Dutt: There he saw the daughter of the ruler of Vidharbhas, who was encircled by her handsminds, effulgent in beauty and forin and of fair color.
अतीव सुकुमाराङ्गीं तनुमध्यां सुलोचनाम् आक्षिपन्तीमिव च भाः शशिनः स्वेन तेजसा
M. N. Dutt: She also possessed extraordinarily symmetrical handsome limbs, slender waist and fair eyes; her splendour was supposed to ecclipse the light of the moon.
तस्य दृष्ट्वैव ववृधे कामस्तां चारुहासिनीम् सत्यं चिकीर्षमाणस्तु धारयामास हृच्छयम्
M. N. Dutt: His (Nala's) love increased at the very sight of that sweet smiling one (Damayanti). But being desirous of carrying out the truth, he repressed the love (that was aroused in him).
ततस्ता नैषधं दृष्ट्वा संभ्रान्ताः परमाङ्गनाः आसनेभ्यः समुत्पेतुस्तेजसा तस्य धर्षिताः
M. N. Dutt: Then beholding the king of the Nishadhas, all the respectable and beautiful ladies sprang up from their seats, possessed as they were by the splendour (of his beauty).
प्रशशंसुश्च सुप्रीता नलं ता विस्मयान्विताः न चैनमभ्यभाषन्त मनोभिस्त्वभ्यचिन्तयन्
M. N. Dutt: Filled with amazement and highly gratified, they praised Nala; but they spoke nothing to him, only worshipped him in the mind.
अहो रूपमहो कान्तिरहो धैर्यं महात्मनः कोऽयं देवो नु यक्षो नु गन्धर्वो नु भविष्यति
M. N. Dutt: Oh! what beauty, what effulgence and what patience are possessed by this high-souled one! Who is he! Is he a god or a Yaksha or a Gandharva?
न त्वेनं शक्नुवन्ति स्म व्याहर्तुमपि किंचन तेजसा धर्षिताः सर्वा लज्जावत्यो वराङ्गनाः
M. N. Dutt: Those most excellent women, over-powered by his splendour and out of bashfulness, were not at all able to go near or address him.
अथैनं स्मयमानेव स्मितपूर्वाभिभाषिणी दमयन्ती नलं वीरमभ्यभाषत विस्मिता
M. N. Dutt: Filled as she was with amazement, yet Damayanti, smilingly addressed the heroic Nala, who, also gently smiled at her. She smilingly said thus.
कस्त्वं सर्वानवद्याङ्ग मम हृच्छयवर्धन प्राप्तोऽस्यमरवद्वीर ज्ञातुमिच्छामि तेऽनघ
AI Translation: Who are you, O you whose limbs are free from all faults, O you who increase the passion of my heart? O you who are like an immortal hero, I desire to know you, O sinless one.
कथमागमनं चेह कथं चासि न लक्षितः सुरक्षितं हि मे वेश्म राजा चैवोग्रशासनः
AI Translation: How did you come here? How were you not noticed? My house is well-guarded, and the king has strict orders.
एवमुक्तस्तु वैदर्भ्या नलस्तां प्रत्युवाच ह नलं मां विद्धि कल्याणि देवदूतमिहागतम्
AI Translation: Thus addressed by Vaidehi, Nala replied to her: "Know me, O fortunate one, as Nala, a messenger of the gods come here."
देवास्त्वां प्राप्तुमिच्छन्ति शक्रोऽग्निर्वरुणो यमः तेषामन्यतमं देवं पतिं वरय शोभने
M. N. Dutt: Nala said: "O handsome damsel, know me by the name of Nala; I have come here as the messenger of the gods. The gods, Shakra, Agni, Varuna and Yama, all desire to have you. O beauteous one, choose one of the celestials as your husband.
तेषामेव प्रभावेन प्रविष्टोऽहमलक्षितः प्रविशन्तं हि मां कश्चिन्नापश्यन्नाप्यवारयत्
M. N. Dutt: It is through the influence of those celestials I have entered the palace undiscovered and for this reason also that none has perceived me, nor put obstacles in my way.
एतदर्थमहं भद्रे प्रेषितः सुरसत्तमैः एतच्छ्रुत्वा शुभे बुद्धिं प्रकुरुष्व यथेच्छसि
M. N. Dutt: O respected one, I have been sent by the illustrious gods on this errand. O lucky one, form your opinion by hearing this, as you please.