Critical Edition
बृहदश्व उवाच हृतराज्ये नले भीमः सभार्ये प्रेष्यतां गते द्विजान्प्रस्थापयामास नलदर्शनकाङ्क्षया
M. N. Dutt: Brihadashva said : When Nala, deprived of his kingdom, turned himself to a servant with his wife, then king Bhima sent away Brahmanas, with the object of seeing Nala.
संदिदेश च तान्भीमो वसु दत्त्वा च पुष्कलम् मृगयध्वं नलं चैव दमयन्तीं च मे सुताम्
M. N. Dutt: Bhima, having given immense wealth to the Brahmanas, asked them to go in quest of Nala and his daughter, Damayanti.
अस्मिन्कर्मणि निष्पन्ने विज्ञाते निषधाधिपे गवां सहस्रं दास्यामि यो वस्तावानयिष्यति अग्रहारं च दास्यामि ग्रामं नगरसंमितम्
AI Translation: When this task is accomplished, when the lord of the Nishadhas is known, I will give a thousand cows to the one who brings him here. And I will give a village, equal to a city, as a gift.
Supplementary Passages:
3.65.3 After 3, S ins.: *304 हिरण्यं च सुवर्णं च दासीदासं तथैव च
न चेच्छक्याविहानेतुं दमयन्ती नलोऽपि वा ज्ञातमात्रेऽपि दास्यामि गवां दशशतं धनम्
AI Translation: And it is not possible to bring here Damayanti or Nala. Even if it is known, I will give one hundred cows.
इत्युक्तास्ते ययुर्हृष्टा ब्राह्मणाः सर्वतोदिशम् पुरराष्ट्राणि चिन्वन्तो नैषधं सह भार्यया
AI Translation: Thus addressed, the Brahmanas went in all directions, searching for the city and kingdom, together with the wife of the son of the king of Nishadha.
Supplementary Passages:
3.65.5 After 5, Dn D1 ins.: *305 नैव क्वापि प्रपश्यन्ति नलं वा भीमपुत्रिकाम्
ततश्चेदिपुरीं रम्यां सुदेवो नाम वै द्विजः विचिन्वानोऽथ वैदर्भीमपश्यद्राजवेश्मनि पुण्याहवाचने राज्ञः सुनन्दासहितां स्थिताम्
AI Translation: Then, in the beautiful city of Chedi, a brahmin named Sudeva was searching for Vaidehi and saw her in the king's palace. She was standing there with Sunanda during the auspicious recitation for the king.
Supplementary Passages:
3.65.6 After 6cd, S ins.: *306 कृशां विवर्णां मलिनां भर्तृशोकपरायणाम्
मन्दप्रख्यायमानेन रूपेणाप्रतिमेन ताम् पिनद्धां धूमजालेन प्रभामिव विभावसोः
AI Translation: With a form that was shining dimly, with a form that was incomparable, She was enveloped in a net of smoke, like the radiance of the sun.
तां समीक्ष्य विशालाक्षीमधिकं मलिनां कृशाम् तर्कयामास भैमीति कारणैरुपपादयन्
AI Translation: Seeing her with large eyes, more dirty and emaciated, he inferred that she was Bhima, justifying it with reasons.
सुदेव उवाच यथेयं मे पुरा दृष्टा तथारूपेयमङ्गना कृतार्थोऽस्म्यद्य दृष्ट्वेमां लोककान्तामिव श्रियम्
M. N. Dutt: Sudeva said: As I saw the lady beforehand, she seems to be the self-same in appearance at present. This day I think myself blessed by the very sight of her, who is like Sree herself, delighting all the worlds.
पूर्णचन्द्राननां श्यामां चारुवृत्तपयोधराम् कुर्वन्तीं प्रभया देवीं सर्वा वितिमिरा दिशः
M. N. Dutt: Also, the lady is like the full moon in splendour. She looks ever youthful, possessing a handsome breast; and dispelling darkness from all the directions by virtue of her effulgence.
चारुपद्मपलाशाक्षीं मन्मथस्य रतीमिव इष्टां सर्वस्य जगतः पूर्णचन्द्रप्रभामिव
M. N. Dutt: She again looks even as Kama's Rati herself, having eyes as large as the handsome lotusleaves. She is the delight of all the worlds like the rays of the full moon.
विदर्भसरसस्तस्माद्दैवदोषादिवोद्धृताम् मलपङ्कानुलिप्ताङ्गीं मृणालीमिव तां भृशम्
AI Translation: From the lake of Vidarbha, as if lifted up by the fault of fate, She, with her body smeared with dirt and mud, like a lotus stalk, very much,
पौर्णमासीमिव निशां राहुग्रस्तनिशाकराम् पतिशोकाकुलां दीनां शुष्कस्रोतां नदीमिव
AI Translation: Like the night of the full moon, with the moon swallowed by Rahu, Distressed by grief for her husband, like a river with dried-up channels,
विध्वस्तपर्णकमलां वित्रासितविहंगमाम् हस्तिहस्तपरिक्लिष्टां व्याकुलामिव पद्मिनीम्
M. N. Dutt: She looks (in her present condition) like a ravaged lake, with the leaves of its lotuses crushed by the trunks of elephants and with its birds all flying away from fear.
सुकुमारीं सुजाताङ्गीं रत्नगर्भगृहोचिताम् दह्यमानामिवोष्णेन मृणालीमचिरोद्धृताम्
M. N. Dutt: Possessed of slender constitution and handsome limbs and fit to dwell in a jewelled palace, she looks like a transplanted lotus-stalk burnt by the rays of the sun.
रूपौदार्यगुणोपेतां मण्डनार्हाममण्डिताम् चन्द्रलेखामिव नवां व्योम्नि नीलाभ्रसंवृताम्
M. N. Dutt: Endued with beauty and liberality and undecked in ornaments, although befitting thein, she looks like the crescent of the moon, newly appearing in heaven and enveloped with the dark clouds.
कामभोगैः प्रियैर्हीनां हीनां बन्धुजनेन च देहं धारयतीं दीनां भर्तृदर्शनकाङ्क्षया
M. N. Dutt: Deprived of all the delightful objects of enjoyments and separated from friends and relatives, she lives a miserable life, cherishing the hope of beholding her husband again.
भर्ता नाम परं नार्या भूषणं भूषणैर्विना एषा विरहिता तेन शोभनापि न शोभते
M. N. Dutt: The best ornament of a woman, who is without the ornaments, is (the accompaniment of) her husband. Destitute so such an ornament (as the husband), she does not shine, although she is beautiful.
दुष्करं कुरुतेऽत्यर्थं हीनो यदनया नलः धारयत्यात्मनो देहं न शोकेनावसीदति
M. N. Dutt: Nala performs a very arduous task by holding his life without his dear wife and also without succumbing to sorrow.
इमामसितकेशान्तां शतपत्रायतेक्षणाम् सुखार्हां दुःखितां दृष्ट्वा ममापि व्यथते मनः
M. N. Dutt: My heart aches to behold that maiden, possessing black hairs and eyes as large as the lotus leaves and afflicted with sorrow, although she is most deserving of prosperity.
कदा नु खलु दुःखस्य पारं यास्यति वै शुभा भर्तुः समागमात्साध्वी रोहिणी शशिनो यथा
M. N. Dutt: When, after sometime, the auspicious lady will surely have bridged over this ocean of woe, then she, devoted to her husband as ever, will, in company with her lord, look like Rohini in company with the Moon.
अस्या नूनं पुनर्लाभान्नैषधः प्रीतिमेष्यति राजा राज्यपरिभ्रष्टः पुनर्लब्ध्वेव मेदिनीम्
M. N. Dutt: Certainly the king of the Nishadhas will obtain great delight by regaining his wife, even as the monarch, deprived of his kingdom, does by recovering his lost territories.
तुल्यशीलवयोयुक्तां तुल्याभिजनसंयुताम् नैषधोऽर्हति वैदर्भीं तं चेयमसितेक्षणा
M. N. Dutt: The king of the Nishadhas deserves the daughter of Vidharbha, who is like Nala in disposition, age and birth; as also the daughter of Vidharbha with black eyes is quite becoming to him.
युक्तं तस्याप्रमेयस्य वीर्यसत्त्ववतो मया समाश्वासयितुं भार्यां पतिदर्शनलालसाम्
M. N. Dutt: It is my duty to console the wife of that immensely powerful one who is gifted with prowess and goodness, as she is most anxious for beholding her lord.
अयमाश्वासयाम्येनां पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम् अदृष्टपूर्वां दुःखस्य दुःखार्तां ध्यानतत्पराम्
M. N. Dutt: I will (rather must) comfort the lady the splendour of whose face is like that of the full moon; and who is oppressed with such an woe that she had never experienced before, and also who is ever in fervid devotion for her husband.
बृहदश्व उवाच एवं विमृश्य विविधैः कारणैर्लक्षणैश्च ताम् उपगम्य ततो भैमीं सुदेवो ब्राह्मणोऽब्रवीत्
AI Translation: Brihadashva said: Having thus pondered on various reasons and characteristics, the brahmin Sudeva approached Bhima's daughter and said:
अहं सुदेवो वैदर्भि भ्रातुस्ते दयितः सखा भीमस्य वचनाद्राज्ञस्त्वामन्वेष्टुमिहागतः
AI Translation: I am Sudeva, the beloved friend of your brother, at the bidding of King Bhima, I have come here to seek you.
कुशली ते पिता राज्ञि जनित्री भ्रातरश्च ते आयुष्मन्तौ कुशलिनौ तत्रस्थौ दारकौ च ते त्वत्कृते बन्धुवर्गाश्च गतसत्त्वा इवासते
M. N. Dutt: O princess! your father is at peace, as also your mother and brothers. Those, your son and daughter, are enjoying length of days and living in peace.
Supplementary Passages:
3.65.28 After 28cd, M ins.: *307 किं तु राजा दृढं भीमो जनित्री भ्रातरश्च ते After 28, K2 B (except B1) Dc Dn D6 ins.: *308 अन्वेष्टारो ब्राह्मणाश्च भ्रमन्ति शतशो महीम्
अभिज्ञाय सुदेवं तु दमयन्ती युधिष्ठिर पर्यपृच्छत्ततः सर्वान्क्रमेण सुहृदः स्वकान्
M. N. Dutt: Brihadashva said: O Yudhishthira! Damayanti to recognize Sudeva; and then asked him about all her friends and relatives in succession.
रुरोद च भृशं राजन्वैदर्भी शोककर्शिता दृष्ट्वा सुदेवं सहसा भ्रातुरिष्टं द्विजोत्तमम्
M. N. Dutt: O king! crushed with misery as she was, the daughter of the king of the Vidharbhas began to lament most bitterly at the unexpected sight of that best of the Brahmanas, Sudeva, who is the friend of her brother.
ततो रुदन्तीं तां दृष्ट्वा सुनन्दा शोककर्शिताम् सुदेवेन सहैकान्ते कथयन्तीं च भारत
AI Translation: Then, seeing her weeping and afflicted with grief, and speaking in private with Sudeva, O descendant of Bharata,
जनित्र्यै प्रेषयामास सैरन्ध्री रुदते भृशम् ब्राह्मणेन समागम्य तां वेद यदि मन्यसे
AI Translation: He sent the Śaiva woman, who was crying bitterly, to the mother, and said, "If you think it is proper, let her meet with the brahmin.
अथ चेदिपतेर्माता राज्ञश्चान्तःपुरात्तदा जगाम यत्र सा बाला ब्राह्मणेन सहाभवत्
M. N. Dutt: Thereafter the mother of the king of the Nishadhas, having left the inner apartments of the palace, repaired to the place where that lady (Damayanti) was waiting with the Brahmana.
ततः सुदेवमानाय्य राजमाता विशां पते पप्रच्छ भार्या कस्येयं सुता वा कस्य भामिनी
AI Translation: Then, O lord of the earth, the queen, having summoned Sudeva, asked, "Whose wife is this beautiful daughter? Whose is she?"
कथं च नष्टा ज्ञातिभ्यो भर्तुर्वा वामलोचना त्वया च विदिता विप्र कथमेवंगता सती
AI Translation: How did the one with the beautiful eyes become lost to her relatives or her husband? And you, O Brahmin, how did you come to know of her in this state?
एतदिच्छाम्यहं त्वत्तो ज्ञातुं सर्वमशेषतः तत्त्वेन हि ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छन्त्या देवरूपिणीम्
M. N. Dutt: I desire to hear from you all about her in detail. Do you surely relate to me, as I am asking of that lady of celestials splendour.”
एवमुक्तस्तया राजन्सुदेवो द्विजसत्तमः सुखोपविष्ट आचष्ट दमयन्त्या यथातथम्
M. N. Dutt: O monarch! Sudeva, the foremost of the Brahmanas, thus addressed by the Queenmother, sat at his ease and began to relate the true account of Damayanti.