Critical Edition
बृहदश्व उवाच एवं स समयं कृत्वा द्वापरेण कलिः सह आजगाम ततस्तत्र यत्र राजा स नैषधः
M. N. Dutt: Brihadashva said : Having entered into this agreement with Dvapara, Kali came to the place where the king of the Nishadhas was.
स नित्यमन्तरप्रेक्षी निषधेष्ववसच्चिरम् अथास्य द्वादशे वर्षे ददर्श कलिरन्तरम्
M. N. Dutt: Always intent on detecting a flaw in Nala, he resided in the country of the Nishadhas. In the twelfth vear Kali found out a fault of his.
कृत्वा मूत्रमुपस्पृश्य संध्यामास्ते स्म नैषधः अकृत्वा पादयोः शौचं तत्रैनं कलिराविशत्
M. N. Dutt: Naishadha, after having with water, rinsed his mouth, performed the Sandhya ceremony, without having previously washed his two feet. Thereupon Kali possessed him.
स समाविश्य तु नलं समीपं पुष्करस्य ह गत्वा पुष्करमाहेदमेहि दीव्य नलेन वै
M. N. Dutt: He, having entered into Nala, went to Pushkara and said to the latter, “Come, play at dice with Nala?
अक्षद्यूते नलं जेता भवान्हि सहितो मया निषधान्प्रतिपद्यस्व जित्वा राजन्नलं नृपम्
M. N. Dutt: With my help you shall conquer Nala at a game of dice; and vanquishing king Nala and wining his kingdom, do you govern the Nishadhas?"
Supplementary Passages:
3.56.5 After 5, K4 ins.: *233 एवमुक्तस्तु कलिना पुष्करस्तमभाषत K4 (om. lines 2-3) cont.: K3 D1 ins. after 5: *234 पुष्कर उवाच पणेन दीव्यते वीर नास्ति वित्तं पणाय मे वित्तहीनेन च नलः क्रीडते न मया सह पुष्करेणैवमुक्तस्तु कलिर्वचनमब्रवीत् भविष्येऽहं वृषश्रेष्ठस्तेन दीव्य पणेन वै
एवमुक्तस्तु कलिना पुष्करो नलमभ्ययात् कलिश्चैव वृषो भूत्वा गवां पुष्करमभ्ययात्
M. N. Dutt: Thus spoken to by Kali, Pusłıkara went to Nala; Kali also repaired to Pushkara becoming the principal die.
आसाद्य तु नलं वीरं पुष्करः परवीरहा दीव्यावेत्यब्रवीद्भ्राता वृषेणेति मुहुर्मुहुः
M. N. Dutt: Pushkara, the chastiser of hostile heroes, having approached the warlike Nala, repeatedly asked him to game together at dice.
न चक्षमे ततो राजा समाह्वानं महामनाः वैदर्भ्याः प्रेक्षमाणायाः पणकालममन्यत
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon the illustrious monarch could not desire to reject the summons. For the reason of Damayanti's presence there, he fixed the time for game also.
Supplementary Passages:
3.56.8 After 8, K3 ins.: *235 आहूतो न निवर्तेत द्यूतादपि पणादपि while S (M om. line 2) ins.: *236 ततः स राजा सहसा देवितुं संप्रचक्रमे भ्रात्रा दैवाभिभूतेन दैवाविष्टो जनाधिपः
हिरण्यस्य सुवर्णस्य यानयुग्यस्य वाससाम् आविष्टः कलिना द्यूते जीयते स्म नलस्तदा
AI Translation: of gold, of silver, of chariots, of horses, of garments, was overcome by gambling with dice and was defeated by Nala.
तमक्षमदसंमत्तं सुहृदां न तु कश्चन निवारणेऽभवच्छक्तो दीव्यमानमचेतसम्
AI Translation: He was not restrained by anyone, not even by his friends, when he was gambling, out of his mind. No one was able to restrain him.
ततः पौरजनः सर्वो मन्त्रिभिः सह भारत राजानं द्रष्टुमागच्छन्निवारयितुमातुरम्
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon, O Bharata, all the inhabitants of the city with the ministers came to see the troubled prince and also to dissuade him (from the play).
ततः सूत उपागम्य दमयन्त्यै न्यवेदयत् एष पौरजनः सर्वो द्वारि तिष्ठति कार्यवान्
M. N. Dutt: Then the charioteer, having approached Damayanti, said to her" 'O auspicious one, all the citizens and the state officers are staying at the gate."
निवेद्यतां नैषधाय सर्वाः प्रकृतयः स्थिताः अमृष्यमाणा व्यसनं राज्ञो धर्मार्थदर्शिनः
M. N. Dutt: O lady, do you inform the king of the Nishadhas that all his citizens have come here, who cannot rcally bear with the calamitous game of their monarch, who is so very well versed in virtue and in the acquisition or wealth.
ततः सा बाष्पकलया वाचा दुःखेन कर्शिता उवाच नैषधं भैमी शोकोपहतचेतना
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon the daughter of Bhima, overpowered by grief and deprived of scnses by distresses, said to the prince of the Nishadhas in terins chocked with tears-
राजन्पौरजनो द्वारि त्वां दिदृक्षुरवस्थितः मन्त्रिभिः सहितः सर्वै राजभक्तिपुरस्कृतः तं द्रष्टुमर्हसीत्येवं पुनः पुनरभाषत
AI Translation: O king, the citizens are standing at the door, eager to see you, together with the ministers, honored with devotion to the king. You should see them," he said again and again.
Supplementary Passages:
3.56.15 After 15cd, K1 ins. the reading of 15ab given by Ś1 K4 etc. (see above): while S ins.: *237 वृद्धैर्ब्राह्मणमुख्यैश्च वणिग्भिश्च समन्वितः आगतं सहितं राजंस्त्वत्प्रसादावलम्बिनम्
तां तथा रुचिरापाङ्गीं विलपन्तीं सुमध्यमाम् आविष्टः कलिना राजा नाभ्यभाषत किंचन
AI Translation: Seeing her with her beautiful side-glances, lamenting, of slender waist, the king, possessed by Kali, did not say anything.
ततस्ते मन्त्रिणः सर्वे ते चैव पुरवासिनः नायमस्तीति दुःखार्ता व्रीडिता जग्मुरालयान्
AI Translation: Then all the ministers and the citizens of the city, afflicted with grief, ashamed, went to their homes, saying, "He is not here."
तथा तदभवद्द्यूतं पुष्करस्य नलस्य च युधिष्ठिर बहून्मासान्पुण्यश्लोकस्त्वजीयत
AI Translation: And so it was with the gambling match between Pushkara and Nala. O Yudhisthira, for many months the virtuous-souled one won.