Critical Edition
बृहदश्व उवाच ततस्तु याते वार्ष्णेये पुण्यश्लोकस्य दीव्यतः पुष्करेण हृतं राज्यं यच्चान्यद्वसु किंचन
M. N. Dutt: Brihadashva said: After Varshneya had gone away, his kingdom and what else of wealth he possessed, were won by Pushkara from Nala of good fame, who was engaged at dice.
हृतराज्यं नलं राजन्प्रहसन्पुष्करोऽब्रवीत् द्यूतं प्रवर्ततां भूयः प्रतिपाणोऽस्ति कस्तव
M. N. Dutt: O king! Pushkara said to Nala whose kingdom had been won from him, with a (sinister) smile:-'Let our game at dice commence anew, but what else to stake you have got now?'
शिष्टा ते दमयन्त्येका सर्वमन्यद्धृतं मया दमयन्त्याः पणः साधु वर्ततां यदि मन्यसे
M. N. Dutt: Damayanti alone is left to you; everything else has been won by me. Well if you think it right hold Damayanti as your stake now?
पुष्करेणैवमुक्तस्य पुण्यश्लोकस्य मन्युना व्यदीर्यतेव हृदयं न चैनं किंचिदब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: Thus spoken to by Pushkara Nala of holy fame felt as if his heart would burst in grief. Neither did he speak a syllable to him.
ततः पुष्करमालोक्य नलः परममन्युमान् उत्सृज्य सर्वगात्रेभ्यो भूषणानि महायशाः
AI Translation: Then, seeing Pushkara, Nala, of great fame, was extremely angry. He removed all ornaments from his body,
Supplementary Passages:
3.58.5 After 5ab, T G ins.: *243 उवाच विद्यतेऽन्यच्च धनं मम नराधम पणरूपेण निक्षिप्य पुण्यश्लोकस्तु दुर्मनाः उत्तरीयं तदा वस्त्रं तस्याश्चाभरणानि च
एकवासा असंवीतः सुहृच्छोकविवर्धनः निश्चक्राम तदा राजा त्यक्त्वा सुविपुलां श्रियम्
AI Translation: Dressed in a single garment, unclothed, increasing the grief of his friends, The king then left, abandoning his vast glory.
दमयन्त्येकवस्त्रा तं गच्छन्तं पृष्ठतोऽन्वियात् स तया बाह्यतः सार्धं त्रिरात्रं नैषधोऽवसत्
M. N. Dutt: Also Damayanti, attired in a single piece of cloth, followed the departing king behind. With her the king of Naishadha, passed three nights outside the precincts of the town.
पुष्करस्तु महाराज घोषयामास वै पुरे नले यः सम्यगातिष्ठेत्स गच्छेद्वध्यतां मम
M. N. Dutt: O mighty king in the meantime Pushkara had it proclaimed within the city, that any body that should regardfully (hospitably) behave towards Nala would become his victim.
पुष्करस्य तु वाक्येन तस्य विद्वेषणेन च पौरा न तस्मिन्सत्कारं कृतवन्तो युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: O Yudhishthira! in consequence of this proclamation of Pushkara and his malice towards Nala, the citizens offered no respectful conduct towards him.
स तथा नगराभ्याशे सत्कारार्हो न सत्कृतः त्रिरात्रमुषितो राजा जलमात्रेण वर्तयन्
M. N. Dutt: Thus unregarded, though worthy of their (citizen's) regards, that king stayed three nights outside the precincts of the city living, all the while solely on water.
Supplementary Passages:
3.58.10 After 10, K1.2 B D (except D1-3) ins.: *244 पीड्यमानः क्षुधा तत्र फलमूलानि कर्षयन् प्रातिष्ठत ततो राजा दमयन्ती तमन्वगात्
क्षुधा संपीड्यमानस्तु नलो बहुतिथेऽहनि अपश्यच्छकुनान्कांश्चिद्धिरण्यसदृशच्छदान्
M. N. Dutt: Afflicted sore with (the pangs of) hunger, after the lapse of many days, Nala saw some birds, the colour of whose plumage resembled that of gold.
स चिन्तयामास तदा निषधाधिपतिर्बली अस्ति भक्षो ममाद्यायं वसु चेदं भविष्यति
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon the powerful ruler of the Nishadhas, thought (within himself)-My food today will consist of these and afterwards their plumage shall be my wealth.
ततस्तानन्तरीयेण वाससा समवास्तृणोत् तस्यान्तरीयमादाय जग्मुः सर्वे विहायसा
AI Translation: Then he covered them with a garment that was next to his body. Taking that garment, they all went away through the air.
उत्पतन्तः खगास्ते तु वाक्यमाहुस्तदा नलम् दृष्ट्वा दिग्वाससं भूमौ स्थितं दीनमधोमुखम्
M. N. Dutt: When rising up (to the sky) the birds of the earth seeing Nala sorrowful and seated on the car with his person nude and countenance down towards the ground, addressed these words to him.
वयमक्षाः सुदुर्बुद्धे तव वासो जिहीर्षवः आगता न हि नः प्रीतिः सवाससि गते त्वयि
M. N. Dutt: 'O greatly foolish one! we are even those dice. We had come hither desirous of robbing your cloth. For surely we feel no pleasure, even if you depart wearing your cloth.'
तान्समीक्ष्य गतानक्षानात्मानं च विवाससम् पुण्यश्लोकस्ततो राजा दमयन्तीमथाब्रवीत्
AI Translation: Seeing them go and himself without a wife, Then the king, the glorious one, said to Damayanti:
येषां प्रकोपादैश्वर्यात्प्रच्युतोऽहमनिन्दिते प्राणयात्रां न विन्दे च दुःखितः क्षुधयार्दितः
AI Translation: O blameless one, because of their anger and power, I have been deprived of my life. I am suffering and tormented by hunger, and I cannot find a way to live.
येषां कृते न सत्कारमकुर्वन्मयि नैषधाः त इमे शकुना भूत्वा वासोऽप्यपहरन्ति मे
AI Translation: For whose sake the Nishadas did not honor me, they have become birds and even steal my clothes.
वैषम्यं परमं प्राप्तो दुःखितो गतचेतनः भर्ता तेऽहं निबोधेदं वचनं हितमात्मनः
M. N. Dutt: I, your husband, have met with a great catastrophe. I am afflicted with sorrow and am devoid of my consciousness. Listen to my words, which (when acted upon) shall conduce to your good.
एते गच्छन्ति बहवः पन्थानो दक्षिणापथम् अवन्तीमृक्षवन्तं च समतिक्रम्य पर्वतम्
M. N. Dutt: These various roads before you, passing by the (city of) Avanti and crossing the Rikshavat mountain lead to the Deccan.
एष विन्ध्यो महाशैलः पयोष्णी च समुद्रगा आश्रमाश्च महर्षीणाममी पुष्पफलान्विताः
AI Translation: This is the great mountain Vindhya, and the river Payoshni flowing to the ocean. And these hermitages of the great sages, full of flowers and fruits.
एष पन्था विदर्भाणामयं गच्छति कोसलान् अतः परं च देशोऽयं दक्षिणे दक्षिणापथः
AI Translation: This is the path of the Vidarbhas, this leads to the Kosalas. Beyond this is the country of the Dakshinas, the southern path.
Supplementary Passages:
3.58.22 After 22, K1.2 B D (except D1-3) ins.: *245 एतद्वाक्यं नलो राजा दमयन्तीं समाहितः उवाचासकृदार्तो हि भैमीमुद्दिश्य भारत
ततः सा बाष्पकलया वाचा दुःखेन कर्शिता उवाच दमयन्ती तं नैषधं करुणं वचः
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon distressed with sorrow and in a voice choked with the vapour of grief, Damayanti spoke to Nala these piteous words.
उद्वेपते मे हृदयं सीदन्त्यङ्गानि सर्वशः तव पार्थिव संकल्पं चिन्तयन्त्याः पुनः पुनः
AI Translation: My heart trembles, my limbs are all numb Thinking again and again of your resolve, O king.
हृतराज्यं हृतधनं विवस्त्रं क्षुच्छ्रमान्वितम् कथमुत्सृज्य गच्छेयमहं त्वां विजने वने
AI Translation: Deprived of my kingdom, deprived of my wealth, naked, afflicted by hunger and fatigue, How can I leave you and go alone into the forest?
श्रान्तस्य ते क्षुधार्तस्य चिन्तयानस्य तत्सुखम् वने घोरे महाराज नाशयिष्यामि ते क्लमम्
M. N. Dutt: O illustrious sovereign! when fatigued with toil and oppressed with hunger in the midst of this dreary wilderness, you shall remember your former happiness, then shall I solace you in your troubles.
न च भार्यासमं किंचिद्विद्यते भिषजां मतम् औषधं सर्वदुःखेषु सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
M. N. Dutt: 'In all descriptions of misery there is no medicine similar to a wife, this is the opinion of all the physicians, I tell the forsooth.
नल उवाच एवमेतद्यथात्थ त्वं दमयन्ति सुमध्यमे नास्ति भार्यासमं मित्रं नरस्यार्तस्य भेषजम्
M. N. Dutt: Nala said: O you of delicate loins! O Damayanti, what you have said, is indeed true; to a man aggrieved there is no friend equal to a wife that serves as a remedy.
न चाहं त्यक्तुकामस्त्वां किमर्थं भीरु शङ्कसे त्यजेयमहमात्मानं न त्वेव त्वामनिन्दिते
M. N. Dutt: O timid one! why are you afraid? I do not intend to forsake you; O faultless one, I can part with myself, but not with you.
दमयन्त्युवाच यदि मां त्वं महाराज न विहातुमिहेच्छसि तत्किमर्थं विदर्भाणां पन्थाः समुपदिश्यते
M. N. Dutt: Damayanti said : O great monarch! if you seek not to desert me, why then do you instruct, (point out to) me, about the road that leads to the dominion of the Vidharbhas?
अवैमि चाहं नृपते न त्वं मां त्यक्तुमर्हसि चेतसा त्वपकृष्टेन मां त्यजेथा महापते
M. N. Dutt: O protector of your subjects! I know also that you cannot leave me. But, O ruler of the earth! you may renounce me, as your mind (reason) is spoiled (distracted) by Kali.
पन्थानं हि ममाभीक्ष्णमाख्यासि नरसत्तम अतोनिमित्तं शोकं मे वर्धयस्यमरप्रभ
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of men! you are repeatedly instructing me about the road. O divine one! it is in this way that you are adding to my sorrow.
यदि चायमभिप्रायस्तव राजन्व्रजेदिति सहितावेव गच्छावो विदर्भान्यदि मन्यसे
M. N. Dutt: If it be your wish that I should go back to my kinsmen, then if it list you, we both together shall repair to the kingdom of Vidharbha.
विदर्भराजस्तत्र त्वां पूजयिष्यति मानद तेन त्वं पूजितो राजन्सुखं वत्स्यसि नो गृहे
M. N. Dutt: O bestower of honor! there, the king of the Vidharbhas shall worship you. Thus held in great respect by him, you shall live in happiness in our residence.