Critical Edition
दमयन्त्युवाच मां चेदिच्छसि जीवन्तीं मातः सत्यं ब्रवीमि ते नरवीरस्य वै तस्य नलस्यानयने यत
M. N. Dutt: Damayanti said : O mother! should you desire me to live, I tell the truth, take care to bring here that hero among men, viz., Nala.
बृहदश्व उवाच दमयन्त्या तथोक्ता तु सा देवी भृशदुःखिता बाष्पेण पिहिता राजन्नोत्तरं किंचिदब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: Thus addressed by Damayanti,"the goddesslike queen became greatly afflicted with grief and was suffused with tears and spoke nothing to her in reply.
तदवस्थां तु तां दृष्ट्वा सर्वमन्तःपुरं तदा हाहाभूतमतीवासीद्भृशं च प्ररुरोद ह
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon all the inmates of the king's harem uttered the exclamations of 'Oh'! and 'Alas'! at this dangerous situation of Damayanti and also wept most bitterly.
ततो भीमं महाराज भार्या वचनमब्रवीत् दमयन्ती तव सुता भर्तारमनुशोचति
M. N. Dutt: Then the queen spoke to the illustrious king, Bhima, thus: 'Your daughter, Damayanti, is lamenting, for her husband.
अपकृष्य च लज्जां मां स्वयमुक्तवती नृप प्रयतन्तु तव प्रेष्याः पुण्यश्लोकस्य दर्शने
M. N. Dutt: O monarch! unblushed with shame, Damayanti herself said that my men should try to find out the whereabouts of that virtuous king (Nala).
तया प्रचोदितो राजा ब्राह्मणान्वशवर्तिनः प्रास्थापयद्दिशः सर्वा यतध्वं नलदर्शने
M. N. Dutt: Thus urged by the queen, the king sent out the dependant Brahmanas in all directions; and enjoined them to strive to find out the whereabouts of king Nala.
ततो विदर्भाधिपतेर्नियोगाद्ब्राह्मणर्षभाः दमयन्तीमथो दृष्ट्वा प्रस्थिताः स्मेत्यथाब्रुवन्
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon, at the injunction of the king of the Vidharbhas, all the Brahmanas approached Damayanti and told her that they were going away (for searching Nala).
अथ तानब्रवीद्भैमी सर्वराष्ट्रेष्विदं वचः ब्रुवध्वं जनसंसत्सु तत्र तत्र पुनः पुनः
M. N. Dutt: Then the daughter of Bhima asked them to repeat, in all countries and before all crowds of men, these words.
क्व नु त्वं कितव छित्त्वा वस्त्रार्धं प्रस्थितो मम उत्सृज्य विपिने सुप्तामनुरक्तां प्रियां प्रिय
M. N. Dutt: 'O gambler, O beloved one, did you tear off a half of my cloth and flee away forsaking your dear and devoted wife sleeping in the forest?
सा वै यथा समादिष्टा तत्रास्ते त्वत्प्रतीक्षिणी दह्यमाना भृशं बाला वस्त्रार्धेनाभिसंवृता
M. N. Dutt: 'Indeed, in obedience to your command that lady, covered in half a piece of cloth and greatly burning with woe, is ever expecting you.
तस्या रुदन्त्याः सततं तेन शोकेन पार्थिव प्रसादं कुरु वै वीर प्रतिवाक्यं ददस्व च
M. N. Dutt: 'O monarch, O mighty one, do you answer; and do you show favour to her, who is ever weeping on account of that woe.'
एतदन्यच्च वक्तव्यं कृपां कुर्याद्यथा मयि वायुना धूयमानो हि वनं दहति पावकः
M. N. Dutt: Do you cry, saying this and the like, viz., fire (here compared with grief of Damayanti), led by the wind (compared with time), consumes the forest (compared with the body of Damayanti); and then the lord will pity me.
Supplementary Passages:
3.67.12 After 12, M1 ins.: *311 तथा दहति शोकाग्निर्हृदयं मम नित्यशः
भर्तव्या रक्षणीया च पत्नी हि पतिना सदा तन्नष्टमुभयं कस्माद्धर्मज्ञस्य सतस्तव
M. N. Dutt: Further do you cry, saying: "The wife is always to be maintained and protected by the husband. You are righteous and honest as well. Why, therefore, these virtues of yours are being neglected by you.
ख्यातः प्राज्ञः कुलीनश्च सानुक्रोशश्च त्वं सदा संवृत्तो निरनुक्रोशः शङ्के मद्भाग्यसंक्षयात्
M. N. Dutt: You are well reputed, wise, respectable and always kind. But why now have you become unkind; and that is perhaps for the reason of my adverse fortune.
स कुरुष्व महेष्वास दयां मयि नरर्षभ आनृशंस्यं परो धर्मस्त्वत्त एव हि मे श्रुतम्
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of men, O the most excellent of persons, be you kind to me. For I have heard from you, that kindness is the chief virtue.”
एवं ब्रुवाणान्यदि वः प्रतिब्रूयाद्धि कश्चन स नरः सर्वथा ज्ञेयः कश्चासौ क्व च वर्तते
M. N. Dutt: If anybody answer you, as you would speak in this way, that man should be known by you in every way; and also it should be learnt what is he and where does he live.
यच्च वो वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्रूयात्प्रतिवचो नरः तदादाय वचः क्षिप्रं ममावेद्यं द्विजोत्तमाः
M. N. Dutt: O excellent of the regenerate ones! do you convey to me the words of that man who, hearing these words of yours, will answer you.
यथा च वो न जानीयाच्चरतो भीमशासनात् पुनरागमनं चैव तथा कार्यमतन्द्रितैः
M. N. Dutt: Do you take care that no body should know that these words are uttered by you at my behest; neither do you do such to return to me.
यदि वासौ समृद्धः स्याद्यदि वाप्यधनो भवेत् यदि वाप्यर्थकामः स्याज्ज्ञेयमस्य चिकीर्षितम्
M. N. Dutt: You should know whether the man is rich or poor or powerless; and know also his desires.
एवमुक्तास्त्वगच्छंस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वतोदिशम् नलं मृगयितुं राजंस्तथा व्यसनिनं तदा
AI Translation: Thus addressed, those Brahmins went in all directions to search for Nala, the king, who was then in distress.
ते पुराणि सराष्ट्राणि ग्रामान्घोषांस्तथाश्रमान् अन्वेषन्तो नलं राजन्नाधिजग्मुर्द्विजातयः
AI Translation: Those brahmins, searching for Nala, the king, went to the cities, countries, villages, pastures, and hermitages.
तच्च वाक्यं तथा सर्वे तत्र तत्र विशां पते श्रावयां चक्रिरे विप्रा दमयन्त्या यथेरितम्
M. N. Dutt: O ruler of the earth, all the Brahmanas repeated the words, wherever they wandered, which Damayanti had enjoined them to do.