Critical Edition
बृहदश्व उवाच अपक्रान्ते नले राजन्दमयन्ती गतक्लमा अबुध्यत वरारोहा संत्रस्ता विजने वने
AI Translation: Brihadashva said: When Nala had left, Damayanti, who was tired, became aware, O king, in the desolate forest, frightened and beautiful.
सापश्यमाना भर्तारं दुःखशोकसमन्विता प्राक्रोशदुच्चैः संत्रस्ता महाराजेति नैषधम्
AI Translation: Seeing her husband, she was filled with sorrow and grief. She cried out loudly in fear, calling out to the great king Nīṣadha.
हा नाथ हा महाराज हा स्वामिन्किं जहासि माम् हा हतास्मि विनष्टास्मि भीतास्मि विजने वने
M. N. Dutt: O master! O mighty sovereign! O husband! why have you forsaken me? Alas! I am done for, I ain lost, I am (greatly) terrified in this lonely forest.
ननु नाम महाराज धर्मज्ञः सत्यवागसि कथमुक्त्वा तथासत्यं सुप्तामुत्सृज्य मां गतः
M. N. Dutt: O mighty monarch! you are virtuous and truthful. How then, promising not to do so you have forsaken me asleep, in the woods?
कथमुत्सृज्य गन्तासि वश्यां भार्यामनुव्रताम् विशेषतोऽनपकृते परेणापकृते सति
M. N. Dutt: Why have you gone away forsaking your able and devoted, wife, specially when she had done you no harın, but you have been wronged by others?
शक्ष्यसे ता गिरः सत्याः कर्तुं मयि नरेश्वर यास्त्वया लोकपालानां संनिधौ कथिताः पुरा
M. N. Dutt: O lord of your people! you ought faithfully to fulfill those words of yours in respect of mc, that you had uttered in days gone by, before the guardian deities of the worlds.
Supplementary Passages:
3.60.6 After 6, K2 B D (except D1-3) ins.: *249 नाकाले विहितो मृत्युर्मर्त्यानां पुरुषर्षभ यत्र कान्ता त्वयोत्सृष्टा मुहूर्तमपि जीवति
पर्याप्तः परिहासोऽयमेतावान्पुरुषर्षभ भीताहमस्मि दुर्धर्ष दर्शयात्मानमीश्वर
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of men! enough of this joke, let us have no more of it. O invincible one! I am awfully frightened. O lord! show yourself.
दृश्यसे दृश्यसे राजन्नेष तिष्ठसि नैषध आवार्य गुल्मैरात्मानं किं मां न प्रतिभाषसे
M. N. Dutt: You are discovered O king! you discovered! O ruler of the Nishadhas I have scen you! concealing yourself behind the corpses, why do you not answer me?
Supplementary Passages:
3.60.8 After ab, D2.3 ins.: *250 आधार्यमाणेषु मया शोकमूलेषु दुःखितः
नृशंसं बत राजेन्द्र यन्मामेवंगतामिह विलपन्तीं समालिङ्ग्य नाश्वासयसि पार्थिव
M. N. Dutt: Alas, O king of kings! it is very cruel of you. For sceing me in this and so bewailing, you do not, O king, come near to console me.
न शोचाम्यहमात्मानं न चान्यदपि किंचन कथं नु भवितास्येक इति त्वां नृप शोचिमि
M. N. Dutt: I lament not for myself, nor for any thing else. But, O king, I only grieve thinking, how you will live alone.
Supplementary Passages:
3.60.10 After 10ab, B4 ins.: *251 सत्यवागसि मां त्यक्त्वा गतसत्यः कथं भवान्
कथं नु राजंस्तृषितः क्षुधितः श्रमकर्शितः सायाह्ने वृक्षमूलेषु मामपश्यन्भविष्यसि
M. N. Dutt: O king! when, in the evening you will sit thirsty, hungry and worn out with toils under the trees, how will you live without seeing ine (by your side)?
ततः सा तीव्रशोकार्ता प्रदीप्तेव च मन्युना इतश्चेतश्च रुदती पर्यधावत दुःखिता
M. N. Dutt: Then oppressed with poignant grief and burning with anger, the miserable Damayanti began to run hither and thither bewailing.
Supplementary Passages:
3.60.12 After 12, D2.3 ins.: *252 मां त्वं संभाषय विभो अनाथां निर्जने वने इतश्चेतश्च धावन्ती शोकव्याकुलचेतसा सहसा मुह्यते बाला मुहू रोदिति शोचती
मुहुरुत्पतते बाला मुहुः पतति विह्वला मुहुरालीयते भीता मुहुः क्रोशति रोदिति
M. N. Dutt: At times the youthful princess would stand up suddenly. At other times she would sink down bewildered. Now she would conceal herself alarmed and the next moment, she would cry and wail aloud.
सा तीव्रशोकसंतप्ता मुहुर्निःश्वस्य विह्वला उवाच भैमी निष्क्रम्य रोदमाना पतिव्रता
M. N. Dutt: Then the chaste daughter of Bhima, bewildered and afflicted with heavy grief and sighing again and again, spoke weeping:
Supplementary Passages:
3.60.14 After 14ab, D2.3 ins.: *253 पतिव्रता सा रुदती भर्तृशोकसमाकुला
यस्याभिशापाद्दुःखार्तो दुःखं विन्दति नैषधः तस्य भूतस्य तद्दुःखाद्दुःखमभ्यधिकं भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: ‘May that being suffer grief greater than ours, through whose curse the afflicted king of the Nishadhas bear this woc!'
अपापचेतसं पापो य एवं कृतवान्नलम् तस्माद्दुःखतरं प्राप्य जीवत्वसुखजीविकाम्
M. N. Dutt: May that sinful wretch, who has reduced Nala of pious heart into this plight, live a more miserable life than his (Nala's) own, fraught with such greater woes.'
एवं तु विलपन्ती सा राज्ञो भार्या महात्मनः अन्वेषति स्म भर्तारं वने श्वापदसेविते
AI Translation: Thus lamenting, the queen of the great king was searching for her husband in the forest frequented by beasts of prey.
उन्मत्तवद्भीमसुता विलपन्ती ततस्ततः हा हा राजन्निति मुहुरितश्चेतश्च धावति
AI Translation: Like a mad woman, the daughter of Bhima wails here and there, "Crying out, ""Alas, King!"" she runs back and forth."
तां शुष्यमाणामत्यर्थं कुररीमिव वाशतीम् करुणं बहु शोचन्तीं विलपन्तीं मुहुर्मुहुः
AI Translation: She was drying up, like a female cuckoo calling out in distress, She was lamenting piteously, weeping again and again.
सहसाभ्यागतां भैमीमभ्याशपरिवर्तिनीम् जग्राहाजगरो ग्राहो महाकायः क्षुधान्वितः
AI Translation: The great-bodied crocodile, hungry, seized the suddenly arrived Bhima, who was turning around nearby,
सा ग्रस्यमाना ग्राहेण शोकेन च पराजिता नात्मानं शोचति तथा यथा शोचति नैषधम्
M. N. Dutt: Being devoured by the monster and swelling with sorrow, she grieved not so much for herself, as for the king of the Nishadhas.
हा नाथ मामिह वने ग्रस्यमानामनाथवत् ग्राहेणानेन विपिने किमर्थं नाभिधावसि
M. N. Dutt: 'O lord! why do you not run after me, seeing that I am swallowed by this huge serpent like one helpless, in this desolate wilderness?
कथं भविष्यसि पुनर्मामनुस्मृत्य नैषध पापान्मुक्तः पुनर्लब्ध्वा बुद्धिं चेतो धनानि च
AI Translation: How will you be again, remembering me, son of Nala, freed from sin, having regained intelligence and wealth of mind?
Supplementary Passages:
3.60.23 After 23ab, Dn ins.: *254 कथं भवाञ्जगामाद्य मामुत्सृज्य वने प्रभो
श्रान्तस्य ते क्षुधार्तस्य परिग्लानस्य नैषध कः श्रमं राजशार्दूल नाशयिष्यति मानद
M. N. Dutt: How will you live without me, when liberated from your curse, you will regain your mind, senses and wealth? O lord of the Nishadhas! O sinless one! O foremost of kings! who will remove your fatigue when you will be worn out with toil, oppressed with hunger and depressed with grief?'
तामकस्मान्मृगव्याधो विचरन्गहने वने आक्रन्दतीमुपश्रुत्य जवेनाभिससार ह
M. N. Dutt: Then a hunter who was roaming in the deep forest, hearing the sound of her loud wailing's speedily came near her.
तां स दृष्ट्वा तथा ग्रस्तामुरगेणायतेक्षणाम् त्वरमाणो मृगव्याधः समभिक्रम्य वेगितः
AI Translation: Seeing her thus seized by the serpent, the hunter, with eyes rolling, hurriedly approached her, swiftly.
Supplementary Passages:
3.60.26 After 26, M2 ins.: *255 समतिक्रम्य वेगेन सत्वरः स वनेचरः
मुखतः पातयामास शस्त्रेण निशितेन ह निर्विचेष्टं भुजंगं तं विशस्य मृगजीवनः
AI Translation: With a sharp weapon, he threw it out of his mouth. Having pierced the motionless snake, the hunter
मोक्षयित्वा च तां व्याधः प्रक्षाल्य सलिलेन च समाश्वास्य कृताहारामथ पप्रच्छ भारत
AI Translation: Having released her, the hunter washed her with water, and after comforting her and making her eat, he asked, O descendant of Bharata.
कस्य त्वं मृगशावाक्षि कथं चाभ्यागता वनम् कथं चेदं महत्कृच्छ्रं प्राप्तवत्यसि भामिनि
M. N. Dutt: 'O you having cyes like those of a young gazelle! whose are you! Why also have you entered into this forest? O handsome one! how have you fallen in this great predicament?'
दमयन्ती तथा तेन पृच्छ्यमाना विशां पते सर्वमेतद्यथावृत्तमाचचक्षेऽस्य भारत
M. N. Dutt: O lord of your people! O descendant of Bharata's race! thus questioned by him, Damayanti, related unto him precisely, all that had occurred.
तामर्धवस्त्रसंवीतां पीनश्रोणिपयोधराम् सुकुमारानवद्याङ्गीं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम्
AI Translation: She was half-clothed, with full hips and breasts, Delicate, faultless in limbs, with a face like the full moon,
Supplementary Passages:
3.60.31 After 31, K1 ins.: *256 प्रफुल्लपद्मनयनां तथा मधुरभाषिणीम्
अरालपक्ष्मनयनां तथा मधुरभाषिणीम् लक्षयित्वा मृगव्याधः कामस्य वशमेयिवान्
AI Translation: Having seen her with eyes like lotus petals, with eyelashes like a cow's tail, with eyes like a deer's eye, with eyes like a lotus, with eyes like a deer's eye, with eyes like a lotus, with eyes like a deer's eye, with eyes like
तामथ श्लक्ष्णया वाचा लुब्धको मृदुपूर्वया सान्त्वयामास कामार्तस्तदबुध्यत भामिनी
M. N. Dutt: Inflamed with lust, the hunter comforted her mildly and in smooth words. But the graceful Damayanti soon saw through his purposes.
दमयन्ती तु तं दुष्टमुपलभ्य पतिव्रता तीव्ररोषसमाविष्टा प्रजज्वालेव मन्युना
M. N. Dutt: The chaste Damayanti then understanding the intentions of this evil-minded one, possessed with fierce rage, seemed to blaze forth in anger.
स तु पापमतिः क्षुद्रः प्रधर्षयितुमातुरः दुर्धर्षां तर्कयामास दीप्तामग्निशिखामिव
M. N. Dutt: That evil minded one, having waxed irascible and fired with desire, endeavoured to insult her (by force) who was unconquerable even as a flame of blazing fire.
दमयन्ती तु दुःखार्ता पतिराज्यविनाकृता अतीतवाक्पथे काले शशापैनं रुषा किल
M. N. Dutt: Then Damayanti afflicted with sorrow and deprived of her husband and kingdom, bursting with rage, cursed the huntsman when he had passed the limit of being checked by words.
यथाहं नैषधादन्यं मनसापि न चिन्तये तथायं पततां क्षुद्रः परासुर्मृगजीवनः
M. N. Dutt: 'If even in my mind I have never thought of any other person than the king of the Nishadhas, then let this puny one living by। hunting, fall down devoid of life.
उक्तमात्रे तु वचने तया स मृगजीवनः व्यसुः पपात मेदिन्यामग्निदग्ध इव द्रुमः
M. N. Dutt: No sooner did she utter these words, than that one subsisting on chase, fell down dead on the ground, even as a tree consumed by fire.