Critical Edition
बृहदश्व उवाच श्रुत्वा वचः सुदेवस्य ऋतुपर्णो नराधिपः सान्त्वयञ्श्लक्ष्णया वाचा बाहुकं प्रत्यभाषत
M. N. Dutt: Brihadashva said : Hearing these words of Sudeva, king Rituparna comforted Bahuka with sweet speeches and addressed him thus,
Supplementary Passages:
3.69.1 After 1ab, T2 G2-4 ins.: *316 सारथीन्स समानीय वार्ष्णेयप्रभृतीन्नृपः कथयामास यद्वृत्तं ब्राह्मणेन श्रुतं तथा बाहुकं च समाहूय दमयन्त्याः स्वयंवरम्
विदर्भान्यातुमिच्छामि दमदन्त्याः स्वयंवरम् एकाह्ना हयतत्त्वज्ञ मन्यसे यदि बाहुक
M. N. Dutt: "O Bahuka, O you who are well-versed in the knowledge of horses, if you are willing, I desire to go, in course of a day, to the country of the Vidharbhas, where will be held the Svayamvara of Damayanti."
एवमुक्तस्य कौन्तेय तेन राज्ञा नलस्य ह व्यदीर्यत मनो दुःखात्प्रदध्यौ च महामनाः
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Kunti, thus addressed by that king, Nala had his mind bursting with grief and that lofty-minded one also burned with sorrow.
दमयन्ती भवेदेतत्कुर्याद्दुःखेन मोहिता अस्मदर्थे भवेद्वायमुपायश्चिन्तितो महान्
M. N. Dutt: He thought “It may be that Damayanti, afflicted by sorrow, does this; or, perhaps, by doing this, she has conceived a great policy for my sake.
नृशंसं बत वैदर्भी कर्तुकामा तपस्विनी मया क्षुद्रेण निकृता पापेनाकृतबुद्धिना
AI Translation: O Vaidehi, you are cruel to want to kill this ascetic. I am a low, sinful, and ignorant person who has wronged you.
स्त्रीस्वभावश्चलो लोके मम दोषश्च दारुणः स्यादेवमपि कुर्यात्सा विवशा गतसौहृदा मम शोकेन संविग्ना नैराश्यात्तनुमध्यमा
AI Translation: The nature of women is fickle in this world, and my fault is terrible. Even so, she might do this, helpless and bereft of affection. Distressed by my grief, of slender waist, she would be without hope.
न चैवं कर्हिचित्कुर्यात्सापत्या च विशेषतः यदत्र तथ्यं पथ्यं च गत्वा वेत्स्यामि निश्चयम् ऋतुपर्णस्य वै काममात्मार्थं च करोम्यहम्
M. N. Dutt: I will go there and know for certain whether there is any truth in this; or the fact is unreal. I will surely fulfill the desire of Rituparna; for in doing this I will serve my own purpose."
इति निश्चित्य मनसा बाहुको दीनमानसः कृताञ्जलिरुवाचेदमृतुपर्णं नराधिपम्
AI Translation: Having thus determined in his mind, Bahuka, with a dejected mind, with folded hands, spoke to King Rituparna:
प्रतिजानामि ते सत्यं गमिष्यसि नराधिप एकाह्ना पुरुषव्याघ्र विदर्भनगरीं नृप
AI Translation: I promise you the truth, O king, you will go. In one day, O tiger among men, O king, to the city of Vidarbha.
Supplementary Passages:
3.69.9 After 9, D3 (marg. sec. m.) ins.: *317 एवमुक्तोऽब्रवीद्राजा बाहुकं प्रहसंस्तदा यद्येवं भविता श्वो वै किं ते कामं करोम्यहम्
ततः परीक्षामश्वानां चक्रे राजन्स बाहुकः अश्वशालामुपागम्य भाङ्गस्वरिनृपाज्ञया
M. N. Dutt: O king, thereupon Bahuka went, at the behest of the royal son of Vangasura, to the stables; and there he examined the horses.
स त्वर्यमाणो बहुश ऋतुपर्णेन बाहुकः अध्यगच्छत्कृशानश्वान्समर्थानध्वनि क्षमान्
AI Translation: But Bahuka, though he hurried, was not able to overtake the lean horses of Rituparna, which were capable of travelling long distances.
Supplementary Passages:
3.69.11 After 11ab, K1 B D (except D1-3.5) ins.: *318 अश्वाञ्जिज्ञासमानो वै विचार्य च पुनः पुनः
तेजोबलसमायुक्तान्कुलशीलसमन्वितान् वर्जिताँल्लक्षणैर्हीनैः पृथुप्रोथान्महाहनून् शुद्धान्दशभिरावर्तैः सिन्धुजान्वातरंहसः
AI Translation: endowed with splendor and strength, endowed with family and character, avoiding those deficient in characteristics, broad-nosed, with large noses, purified by the ten currents, born in Sindhu, swift as the wind,
Supplementary Passages:
3.69.12 After 11, S ins.: *319 दृश्यमानान्कृशानङ्गैर्जवेनाप्रतिमान्पथि
दृष्ट्वा तानब्रवीद्राजा किंचित्कोपसमन्वितः किमिदं प्रार्थितं कर्तुं प्रलब्धव्या हि ते वयम्
AI Translation: Seeing them, the king said with a little anger: "What is this being asked to do? You should be punished."
कथमल्पबलप्राणा वक्ष्यन्तीमे हया मम महानध्वा च तुरगैर्गन्तव्यः कथमीदृशैः
AI Translation: How will these horses of mine, with little strength and life, and how will I go on this great road with such horses?
बाहुक उवाच एते हया गमिष्यन्ति विदर्भान्नात्र संशयः अथान्यान्मन्यसे राजन्ब्रूहि कान्योजयामि ते
AI Translation: Bāhuka said: These horses will certainly go to Vidarbha. If you think of others, O king, tell me which ones I should conquer for you.
Supplementary Passages:
3.69.15 After the ref., K2 B4 Dn D5 ins.: *320 एको ललाटे द्वौ मूर्ध्नि द्वौ द्वौ पार्श्वोपपार्श्वयोः द्वौ द्वौ वक्षसि विज्ञेयौ प्रयाणे चैक एव तु
ऋतुपर्ण उवाच त्वमेव हयतत्त्वज्ञः कुशलश्चासि बाहुक यान्मन्यसे समर्थांस्त्वं क्षिप्रं तानेव योजय
M. N. Dutt: Rituparna said: O Bahuka, you are well conversant with the knowledge and guiding of horses. Soon yoke those that you think fit.
बृहदश्व उवाच ततः सदश्वांश्चतुरः कुलशीलसमन्वितान् योजयामास कुशलो जवयुक्तान्रथे नरः
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon clever and skillful Nala yoked to the car high-bred, gentle and swift steeds.
ततो युक्तं रथं राजा समारोहत्त्वरान्वितः अथ पर्यपतन्भूमौ जानुभिस्ते हयोत्तमाः
M. N. Dutt: Then the monarch most speedily mounted the car, to which such horses had been yoked. But these best of horses fell down upon the ground on their knees.
ततो नरवरः श्रीमान्नलो राजा विशां पते सान्त्वयामास तानश्वांस्तेजोबलसमन्वितान्
M. N. Dutt: O monarch, thereupon that most auspicious and best of men, king Nala, comforted the horse, that were endued with strength and energy.
रश्मिभिश्च समुद्यम्य नलो यातुमियेष सः सूतमारोप्य वार्ष्णेयं जवमास्थाय वै परम्
AI Translation: And, having lifted him up with his rays, Nala was about to go. Having placed the charioteer on the chariot, and having resorted to the highest speed,
ते चोद्यमाना विधिना बाहुकेन हयोत्तमाः समुत्पेतुरिवाकाशं रथिनं मोहयन्निव
AI Translation: And those excellent horses, urged by Bahuka, rose up as if into the sky, confusing the charioteer.
तथा तु दृष्ट्वा तानश्वान्वहतो वातरंहसः अयोध्याधिपतिर्धीमान्विस्मयं परमं ययौ
M. N. Dutt: The blessed king of Ayodhya, having seen these horses carrying him with the speed of winds, was struck with great astonishment.
रथघोषं तु तं श्रुत्वा हयसंग्रहणं च तत् वार्ष्णेयश्चिन्तयामास बाहुकस्य हयज्ञताम्
AI Translation: Hearing the sound of the chariot and the gathering of horses, Varshneya thought of Bahuka's skill in handling horses.
किं नु स्यान्मातलिरयं देवराजस्य सारथिः तथा हि लक्षणं वीरे बाहुके दृश्यते महत्
AI Translation: Is this not Matali, the charioteer of the king of the gods? For such is the great mark of the hero Bāhuka seen.
शालिहोत्रोऽथ किं नु स्याद्धयानां कुलतत्त्ववित् मानुषं समनुप्राप्तो वपुः परमशोभनम्
M. N. Dutt: Is he not Salihotra, who is conversant with the knowledge of horses? Or Salihotra has taken this beautiful human form?"
उताहोस्विद्भवेद्राजा नलः परपुरंजयः सोऽयं नृपतिरायात इत्येवं समचिन्तयत्
M. N. Dutt: He continued to think, “That he might be king Nala, the reducer of hostile cities, who has come here.
अथ वा यां नलो वेद विद्यां तामेव बाहुकः तुल्यं हि लक्षये ज्ञानं बाहुकस्य नलस्य च
M. N. Dutt: Or it might be that Bahuka knew the science with which Nala was conversant; for Nala's knowledge seemed to be identical with that of Bahuka.
अपि चेदं वयस्तुल्यमस्य मन्ये नलस्य च नायं नलो महावीर्यस्तद्विद्यस्तु भविष्यति
M. N. Dutt: Again, both Nala and Bahuka seem to be of the same age. This person may not be identical with Nala of great energy; but he must be somebody of equal knowledge.
प्रच्छन्ना हि महात्मानश्चरन्ति पृथिवीमिमाम् दैवेन विधिना युक्ताः शास्त्रोक्तैश्च विरूपणैः
M. N. Dutt: Sometimes, indeed, great men rove over this world in disguise either ordained by mishap or in obedience to the dictates of the Shastras.
भवेत्तु मतिभेदो मे गात्रवैरूप्यतां प्रति प्रमाणात्परिहीनस्तु भवेदिति हि मे मतिः
M. N. Dutt: There should be no change of my opinion on account of his ugly appearance; rather my opinion is that this one has under gone some change in the body.
वयःप्रमाणं तत्तुल्यं रूपेण तु विपर्ययः नलं सर्वगुणैर्युक्तं मन्ये बाहुकमन्ततः
M. N. Dutt: This one is of the same age with him but there is some difference in the form. Again, he Bahuka gifted with all the accomplishments? Therefore I think he is Nala."
एवं विचार्य बहुशो वार्ष्णेयः पर्यचिन्तयत् हृदयेन महाराज पुण्यश्लोकस्य सारथिः
M. N. Dutt: O the foremost of kings, having deliberated upon this over and over again, Varshneya, the charioteer of virtuous Nala, went on thinking in his mind.
ऋतुपर्णस्तु राजेन्द्र बाहुकस्य हयज्ञताम् चिन्तयन्मुमुदे राजा सहवार्ष्णेयसारथिः
M. N. Dutt: Along with his charioteer, Varshneya, the excellent king Rituparna, highly delighted, was absorbed in the thought, regarding Bahuka's knowledge in the management of horses.
बलं वीर्यं तथोत्साहं हयसंग्रहणं च तत् परं यत्नं च संप्रेक्ष्य परां मुदमवाप ह
M. N. Dutt: Also he was greatly delighted to behold the attentiveness and zeal of Bahuka, as also his manner of holding the reins and his skill in it. nin TCY ATT VTTTTTTTTTTT