Critical Edition
बृहदश्व उवाच सा नमस्कृत्य देवेभ्यः प्रहस्य नलमब्रवीत् प्रणयस्व यथाश्रद्धं राजन्किं करवाणि ते
M. N. Dutt: Brihadashva said: Saluting the celestials, (Damayanti) smilingly said to Nala, "O king! love me with due respect and say what shall I do for you.
अहं चैव हि यच्चान्यन्ममास्ति वसु किंचन सर्वं तत्तव विश्रब्धं कुरु प्रणयमीश्वर
M. N. Dutt: Myself and whatever riches that I have got are all yours. O lord, make love with full confidence.
हंसानां वचनं यत्तत्तन्मां दहति पार्थिव त्वत्कृते हि मया वीर राजानः संनिपातिताः
M. N. Dutt: O prince, the speeches of the swans are burning me out. It is for you indeed, O lord I have caused the kings assemble here.
यदि चेद्भजमानां मां प्रत्याख्यास्यसि मानद विषमग्निं जलं रज्जुमास्थास्ये तव कारणात्
M. N. Dutt: O the bestower of honor, if you forsake me who worship you, I must have recourse to either poison or fire, water or the rope for your sake."
एवमुक्तस्तु वैदर्भ्या नलस्तां प्रत्युवाच ह तिष्ठत्सु लोकपालेषु कथं मानुषमिच्छसि
M. N. Dutt: Thus addressed by the daughter of the king of the Vidharbhas, Nala said to her in reply: “How is it that you choose a man rejecting the Lokapalas (guardians of the worlds) who are present?
येषामहं लोककृतामीश्वराणां महात्मनाम् न पादरजसा तुल्यो मनस्ते तेषु वर्तताम्
M. N. Dutt: Do you lead your heart towards those illustrious cclestials, who are the creators of the worlds and even with the dust of whose feet I aim not equal.
विप्रियं ह्याचरन्मर्त्यो देवानां मृत्युमृच्छति त्राहि मामनवद्याङ्गि वरयस्व सुरोत्तमान्
M. N. Dutt: By offending the celestials, the mortals receive death. Therefore, O beauteous lady, save me by choosing one of the gods for your lord.
ततो बाष्पकलां वाचं दमयन्ती शुचिस्मिता प्रव्याहरन्ती शनकैर्नलं राजानमब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon Damayanti, whose words were choked up with tears, spoke to Nala with blameless smiles.
अस्त्युपायो मया दृष्टो निरपायो नरेश्वर येन दोषो न भविता तव राजन्कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: "O the most supreme among men, I find out this sinless way, following which no sin, whatever, O king, will hang upon you.
त्वं चैव हि नरश्रेष्ठ देवाश्चाग्निपुरोगमाः आयान्तु सहिताः सर्वे मम यत्र स्वयंवरः
M. N. Dutt: O the foremost of men, yourself and the celestials with Indra at their head, all come together when my Svayamvara takes place.
ततोऽहं लोकपालानां संनिधौ त्वां नरेश्वर वरयिष्ये नरव्याघ्र नैवं दोषो भविष्यति
M. N. Dutt: O the best of men, there I will accept you for my lord among the guardians of the world. Thus, O foremost of men, there will be no blame hanging upon you.
एवमुक्तस्तु वैदर्भ्या नलो राजा विशां पते आजगाम पुनस्तत्र यत्र देवाः समागताः
M. N. Dutt: O ruler of the earth! thus addressed by the daughter of the king of the Vidarbhas, king Nala returned where the assembled celestials took their quarters.
तमपश्यंस्तथायान्तं लोकपालाः सहेश्वराः दृष्ट्वा चैनं ततोऽपृच्छन्वृत्तान्तं सर्वमेव तत्
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon the great lords, who are the guardians of the world, seeing him approach, to them, inquired of him about all that had taken place there.
देवा ऊचुः कच्चिद्दृष्टा त्वया राजन्दमयन्ती शुचिस्मिता किमब्रवीच्च नः सर्वान्वद भूमिपतेऽनघ
M. N. Dutt: "O Prince, did you see Damayanti of blameless smiles? O blameless one, O Prince, tell us all whatever she pronounced.
नल उवाच भवद्भिरहमादिष्टो दमयन्त्या निवेशनम् प्रविष्टः सुमहाकक्ष्यं दण्डिभिः स्थविरैर्वृतम्
M. N. Dutt: Nala said: At your behest, I entered the mansion of Damayanti consisting of large and beautiful chambers and guarded by old guards with bludgeons in their hands.
प्रविशन्तं च मां तत्र न कश्चिद्दृष्टवान्नरः ऋते तां पार्थिवसुतां भवतामेव तेजसा
M. N. Dutt: When I entered, no man, through your influence, discovered me there except the daughter of the king.
सख्यश्चास्या मया दृष्टास्ताभिश्चाप्युपलक्षितः विस्मिताश्चाभवन्दृष्ट्वा सर्वा मां विबुधेश्वराः
M. N. Dutt: I was preceived by her hand-maids, whom I saw too. O the foremost of the gods, beholding me they were all struck with ainazement.
वर्ण्यमानेषु च मया भवत्सु रुचिरानना मामेव गतसंकल्पा वृणीते सुरसत्तमाः
M. N. Dutt: O the most excellent of the celestials, although I related all about you, yet the faircomplexioned one settled her mind to choose me for her lord.
अब्रवीच्चैव मां बाला आयान्तु सहिताः सुराः त्वया सह नरश्रेष्ठ मम यत्र स्वयंवरः
M. N. Dutt: The Maiden said: O the foremost of men, I wish the assembled celestials would come with you where my Svayamvara will take place.
तेषामहं संनिधौ त्वां वरयिष्ये नरोत्तम एवं तव महाबाहो दोषो न भवितेति ह
M. N. Dutt: O king of Nishadhas, I will choose you among those celestials. O you mighty-armed warrior, if this be done, no blame will surely touch you.
एतावदेव विबुधा यथावृत्तमुदाहृतम् मयाशेषं प्रमाणं तु भवन्तस्त्रिदशेश्वराः
M. N. Dutt: O the exalted of gods, this is all, I relate to you what happened there. O the lords of the gods, it behoves, you therefore, to settle everything finally