Critical Edition
सुदेव उवाच विदर्भराजो धर्मात्मा भीमो भीमपराक्रमः सुतेयं तस्य कल्याणी दमयन्तीति विश्रुता
M. N. Dutt: Sudeva said: There is a virtuous and illustrious king of the Vidharbhas, named Bhima, whose daughter is this blessed lady, known by the name of Damayanti.
राजा तु नैषधो नाम वीरसेनसुतो नलः भार्येयं तस्य कल्याणी पुण्यश्लोकस्य धीमतः
M. N. Dutt: Also there is the king of the Nishadhas, named Nala, who is the son of Virasena. This blessed damsel is the daughter of that virtuous and intelligent monarch.
स वै द्यूते जितो भ्रात्रा हृतराज्यो महीपतिः दमयन्त्या गतः सार्धं न प्रज्ञायत कर्हिचित्
M. N. Dutt: That ruler of the earth was defeated at dice by his brother; and, thereby deprived of his kingdom, went away with Damayanti without the knowledge of any body.
ते वयं दमयन्त्यर्थे चरामः पृथिवीमिमाम् सेयमासादिता बाला तव पुत्रनिवेशने
M. N. Dutt: We (the Brahmanas) are roving over the whole world for the sake of Damayanti, which lady is at last discovered in the palace of your son.
अस्या रूपेण सदृशी मानुषी नेह विद्यते अस्याश्चैव भ्रुवोर्मध्ये सहजः पिप्लुरुत्तमः श्यामायाः पद्मसंकाशो लक्षितोऽन्तर्हितो मया
M. N. Dutt: There exists no woman like her in beauty. This maiden of unchanging youth has a beautiful mark, from her birth, resembling a lotus. This freckle was seen by me; but now it has disappeared, owing to its being soiled with dust, even as the moon seems to vanish when covered over with clouds.
Supplementary Passages:
3.66.5 After 5cd, T1 ins.: *309 स दृष्टो बहुशो नाद्य लक्षितोऽन्तर्हितो मया
मलेन संवृतो ह्यस्यास्तन्वभ्रेणेव चन्द्रमाः चिह्नभूतो विभूत्यर्थमयं धात्रा विनिर्मितः
AI Translation: Covered by the stain, like the moon by a cloud, This is created by the Creator as a sign for the purpose of prosperity.
प्रतिपत्कलुषेवेन्दोर्लेखा नाति विराजते न चास्या नश्यते रूपं वपुर्मलसमाचितम् असंस्कृतमपि व्यक्तं भाति काञ्चनसंनिभम्
AI Translation: The line of the moon on the first day of the lunar month does not shine very brightly. And the form of this one is not destroyed, the body covered with dirt. Though unadorned, it shines clearly, like gold.
अनेन वपुषा बाला पिप्लुनानेन चैव ह लक्षितेयं मया देवी पिहितोऽग्निरिवोष्मणा
AI Translation: By this form, by this trembling, I have recognized this goddess, like fire covered by heat.
बृहदश्व उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य सुदेवस्य विशां पते सुनन्दा शोधयामास पिप्लुप्रच्छादनं मलम्
M. N. Dutt: O monarch! Sunanda, having heard the words of Sudeva, cleaned the dust that soiled ile freckle (between the eye-brows of Damayanti).
स मलेनापकृष्टेन पिप्लुस्तस्या व्यरोचत दमयन्त्यास्तदा व्यभ्रे नभसीव निशाकरः
M. N. Dutt: The mole of Damayanti, having been cleared of the bad dust, became conspicuous like the moon, which appears in the sky when the clouds are dispersed.
पिप्लुं दृष्ट्वा सुनन्दा च राजमाता च भारत रुदन्त्यौ तां परिष्वज्य मुहूर्तमिव तस्थतुः उत्सृज्य बाष्पं शनकै राजमातेदमब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: O Bharata! seeing that mark, Sunanda as well as the mother of the king, wept; and, embracing her, stood there for some time.
भगिन्या दुहिता मेऽसि पिप्लुनानेन सूचिता अहं च तव माता च राजन्यस्य महात्मनः सुते दशार्णाधिपतेः सुदाम्नश्चारुदर्शने
M. N. Dutt: O handsome looking one! myself and your mother are the daughters of that illustrious king, Sudaman, who is the ruler of the Dasharnas.
भीमस्य राज्ञः सा दत्ता वीरबाहोरहं पुनः त्वं तु जाता मया दृष्टा दशार्णेषु पितुर्गृहे
M. N. Dutt: She was given to king Bhima and myself was given to Virabahu. I saw you were born at our father's palace in the country of the Dasharmas.
यथैव ते पितुर्गेहं तथेदमपि भामिनि यथैव हि ममैश्वर्यं दमयन्ति तथा तव
M. N. Dutt: O beauteous lady! as is your father's house, so is mine, to you. O Damayanti! my wealth is to you, cven as your own.
तां प्रहृष्टेन मनसा दमयन्ती विशां पते अभिवाद्य मातुर्भगिनीमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: O monarch! thereupon Damayanti, having bowed down unto her with a delightful heart,
अज्ञायमानापि सती सुखमस्म्युषितेह वै सर्वकामैः सुविहिता रक्ष्यमाणा सदा त्वया
M. N. Dutt: “Although I stayed here unrecognised, still I lived with your happily and supplied with all the objects of my desire and ever protected by you.
सुखात्सुखतरो वासो भविष्यति न संशयः चिरविप्रोषितां मातर्मामनुज्ञातुमर्हसि
M. N. Dutt: Undoubtedly I shall have a happier abode than this. Therefore, O mother, grant permission unto me, who am ever living in exile.
दारकौ च हि मे नीतौ वसतस्तत्र बालकौ पित्रा विहीनौ शोकार्तौ मया चैव कथं नु तौ
M. N. Dutt: My children, the son and daughter, were led to my father's palace, where they are living now, hard pressed with sorrow on account of their separation from their father and mother.
यदि चापि प्रियं किंचिन्मयि कर्तुमिहेच्छसि विदर्भान्यातुमिच्छामि शीघ्रं मे यानमादिश
AI Translation: If you wish to do something pleasant for me here, I wish to go to Vidarbha. Quickly order my carriage.
बाढमित्येव तामुक्त्वा हृष्टा मातृष्वसा नृप गुप्तां बलेन महता पुत्रस्यानुमते ततः
AI Translation: "O King, having said, ""So be it,"" to her, the maternal aunt, delighted, and with the consent of her son, protected her with a great army."
Supplementary Passages:
3.66.20 After 20, M2 ins.: *310 प्राहिणोद्दमयन्तीं तां तदा विप्रपुरस्कृताम्
प्रस्थापयद्राजमाता श्रीमता नरवाहिना यानेन भरतश्रेष्ठ स्वन्नपानपरिच्छदाम्
AI Translation: The queen mother sent him off with the noble Naravāhin, with provisions, food, drink, and clothing, best of Bharatas.
ततः सा नचिरादेव विदर्भानगमच्छुभा तां तु बन्धुजनः सर्वः प्रहृष्टः प्रत्यपूजयत्
M. N. Dutt: Then the lady immediately went away to the country of the Vidharbhas, where all her friends and relatives, satisfied with her arrival, offered praises to her.
सर्वान्कुशलिनो दृष्ट्वा बान्धवान्दारकौ च तौ मातरं पितरं चैव सर्वं चैव सखीजनम्
AI Translation: Seeing all the virtuous relatives and the two children, and the mother, the father, and all the friends,
देवताः पूजयामास ब्राह्मणांश्च यशस्विनी विधिना परेण कल्याणी दमयन्ती विशां पते
AI Translation: The glorious Damayanti worshipped the gods and the Brahmanas. The virtuous Damayanti, the lord of the people, worshipped them with the highest rites.
अतर्पयत्सुदेवं च गोसहस्रेण पार्थिवः प्रीतो दृष्ट्वैव तनयां ग्रामेण द्रविणेन च
M. N. Dutt: The king, beholding his daughter, became gratified and presented to Sudeva a thousand kine, immense fortune and a village.
सा व्युष्टा रजनीं तत्र पितुर्वेश्मनि भामिनी विश्रान्ता मातरं राजन्निदं वचनमब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: O monarch! the handsome lady having spent there the whole night at her father's palace and taken perfect rest, addressed her mother thus: