Critical Edition
बृहदश्व उवाच ततो विदर्भान्संप्राप्तं सायाह्ने सत्यविक्रमम् ऋतुपर्णं जना राज्ञे भीमाय प्रत्यवेदयन्
M. N. Dutt: Brihadashva said: Thereupon king Rituparna of undaunted courage had, in the evening, arrived at the city of the Vidharbhas. The people then brought to prince Bhima the intelligence of his arrival.
स भीमवचनाद्राजा कुण्डिनं प्राविशत्पुरम् नादयन्रथघोषेण सर्वाः सोपदिशो दश
M. N. Dutt: The king (of Ayodhya), at the request of Bhima, entered the city of Kundina, filling all the directions (the points of the horizon) with the rattle of his car.
ततस्तं रथनिर्घोषं नलाश्वास्तत्र शुश्रुवुः श्रुत्वा च समहृष्यन्त पुरेव नलसंनिधौ
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon the horses of Nala, that were there, heard the rattle of his car; and, having heard it, they felt great pleasure, which they had really done before in the presence of Nala himself.
दमयन्ती च शुश्राव रथघोषं नलस्य तम् यथा मेघस्य नदतो गम्भीरं जलदागमे
M. N. Dutt: Damayanti also heard the rattle of Nala's car, which was like the sound of the deeply rumbling clouds during the rains.
Supplementary Passages:
3.71.4 After 4, K2.3 B D (except D1.2.5) ins.: *335 परं विस्मयमापन्ना श्रुत्वा नादं महास्वनम्
नलेन संगृहीतेषु पुरेव नलवाजिषु सदृशं रथनिर्घोषं मेने भैमी तथा हयाः
M. N. Dutt: She was struck with great astonishment to hear that sound. The daughter of king Bhima, the horses of Nala as well, supposed that chattering sound to be like one, which they heard in the days gone by, while Nala himself urged his own horses.
प्रासादस्थाश्च शिखिनः शालास्थाश्चैव वारणाः हयाश्च शुश्रुवुस्तत्र रथघोषं महीपतेः
M. N. Dutt: The peacocks of the palace, the elephants in the stables and also the horses, all heard the rattle of the car of that monarch (Rituparna).
ते श्रुत्वा रथनिर्घोषं वारणाः शिखिनस्तथा प्रणेदुरुन्मुखा राजन्मेघोदयमिवेक्ष्य ह
M. N. Dutt: O king, hearing the chattering sound of the car, the elephants as well as the peacocks, began to cry aloud with their faces in that direction; and they became very glad, even as they heard the rumbling of the clouds themselves.
दमयन्त्युवाच यथासौ रथनिर्घोषः पूरयन्निव मेदिनीम् मम ह्लादयते चेतो नल एष महीपतिः
M. N. Dutt: Damayanti said : As the rattle of this car fills the entire earth and highly delights my heart, it must be king Nala, who comes from that direction.
अद्य चन्द्राभवक्त्रं तं न पश्यामि नलं यदि असंख्येयगुणं वीरं विनशिष्याम्यसंशयम्
M. N. Dutt: If I do not see Nala, that hero of innumerable virtues and whose face is like the moon, surely I will die.
यदि वै तस्य वीरस्य बाह्वोर्नाद्याहमन्तरम् प्रविशामि सुखस्पर्शं विनशिष्याम्यसंशयम्
M. N. Dutt: If I am not to enter within the arms of that hero and not to feel the pleasurable touch of his embrace, I will doubtlessly cease to exist.
यदि मां मेघनिर्घोषो नोपगच्छति नैषधः अद्य चामीकरप्रख्यो विनशिष्याम्यसंशयम्
M. N. Dutt: If the king of the Nishadhas do not come to me with his voice as deep as the rumbling of the cloud, today I will surely enter into the fire of golden brilliance.
यदि मां सिंहविक्रान्तो मत्तवारणवारणः नाभिगच्छति राजेन्द्रो विनशिष्याम्यसंशयम्
M. N. Dutt: If that foremost of kings, of prowess like that of a lion and of courage like that of a furious elephant, do not come to me, there will be no doubt that I will die.
न स्मराम्यनृतं किंचिन्न स्मराम्यनुपाकृतम् न च पर्युषितं वाक्यं स्वैरेष्वपि महात्मनः
M. N. Dutt: I do not remember a little untruth in him; neither I remember any injury committed by him to others, nor he ever told a lie even in jest.
प्रभुः क्षमावान्वीरश्च मृदुर्दान्तो जितेन्द्रियः रहोऽनीचानुवर्ती च क्लीबवन्मम नैषधः
M. N. Dutt: My Naishadha is illustrious forgiving, warlike and liberal. He is supcrior to other monarchs; and he never behaves with low persons regarding private matters; and he is like an eunuch respecting other women than myself.
गुणांस्तस्य स्मरन्त्या मे तत्पराया दिवानिशम् हृदयं दीर्यत इदं शोकात्प्रियविनाकृतम्
M. N. Dutt: Remembering his virtues day and night, my mind is always directed towards him; and my heart is about to burst in grief on account of the absence of that beloved one.
बृहदश्व उवाच एवं विलपमाना सा नष्टसंज्ञेव भारत आरुरोह महद्वेश्म पुण्यश्लोकदिदृक्षया
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of the Bharata race, thus lamenting, the lady, as if senseless, mounted the (terrace of the) large palace with the desire of seeing that righteous king.
ततो मध्यमकक्षायां ददर्श रथमास्थितम् ऋतुपर्णं महीपालं सहवार्ष्णेयबाहुकम्
M. N. Dutt: From the central portion of the mansion she saw on the car king Rituparna, with Varshneya and Bahuka.
ततोऽवतीर्य वार्ष्णेयो बाहुकश्च रथोत्तमात् हयांस्तानवमुच्याथ स्थापयामासतू रथम्
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon Varshneya, as well as Bahuka, alighted from that excellent car; and then loosened the steeds; and at last kept the car apart.
सोऽवतीर्य रथोपस्थादृतुपर्णो नराधिपः उपतस्थे महाराज भीमं भीमपराक्रमम्
M. N. Dutt: Having alighted from the car, car, king Rituparna appeared before that excellent monarch, Bhima, of terrible prowess.
तं भीमः प्रतिजग्राह पूजया परया ततः अकस्मात्सहसा प्राप्तं स्त्रीमन्त्रं न स्म विन्दति
AI Translation: Then Bhima received him with great honor. He did not recognize the woman's mantra that had suddenly and unexpectedly come.
Supplementary Passages:
3.71.20 After 20ab, Ś1 K2.3 Dn D1.3 (marg.).5 ins.: *336 स तेन पूजितो राज्ञा ऋतुपर्णो नराधिपः स तत्र कुण्डिने रम्ये वसमानो महीपतिः न च किंचित्ततोऽपश्यत्प्रेक्ष्यमाणो मुहुर्मुहुः स तु राज्ञा समागम्य विदर्भपतिना तदा
किं कार्यं स्वागतं तेऽस्तु राज्ञा पृष्टश्च भारत नाभिजज्ञे स नृपतिर्दुहित्रर्थे समागतम्
AI Translation: What is your purpose? Welcome to you. When asked by the king, O descendant of Bharata, The king did not recognize him who had come for the sake of his daughter.
ऋतुपर्णोऽपि राजा स धीमान्सत्यपराक्रमः राजानं राजपुत्रं वा न स्म पश्यति कंचन नैव स्वयंवरकथां न च विप्रसमागमम्
AI Translation: The wise King Rituparna, who was devoted to the truth, did not see any king or prince. He did not hear about the svayamvara or the arrival of the brahmins.
Supplementary Passages:
3.71.22 After 22, T2 G2.3 M ins.: *337 न चान्यं किंचिदारम्भं स्वयंवरविधिं प्रति
ततो विगणयन्राजा मनसा कोसलाधिपः आगतोऽस्मीत्युवाचैनं भवन्तमभिवादकः
AI Translation: Then the king of Kosala, having considered, said to him, "I have come," the one who was saluting.
राजापि च स्मयन्भीमो मनसाभिविचिन्तयत् अधिकं योजनशतं तस्यागमनकारणम्
AI Translation: And the king, smiling, thought to himself: "The reason for his coming is more than a hundred yojanas.
Supplementary Passages:
3.71.24 After 24, B2 D4.6 ins.: *338 राज्ञश्चान्यानतिक्रम्य प्राप्तोऽयमभिवादकः
ग्रामान्बहूनतिक्रम्य नाध्यगच्छद्यथातथम् अल्पकार्यं विनिर्दिष्टं तस्यागमनकारणम्
AI Translation: Having passed many villages, he did not find out the truth. The reason for his coming was indicated as a small matter.
Supplementary Passages:
3.71.25 After 25, K2.4 B2-4 Dn D3.4.6 ins.: *339 पश्चादुदर्के ज्ञास्यामि कारणं यद्भविष्यति
नैतदेवं स नृपतिस्तं सत्कृत्य व्यसर्जयत् विश्राम्यतामिति वदन्क्लान्तोऽसीति पुनः पुनः
AI Translation: The king did not do so. He honoured him and sent him away. "Saying, ""Rest,"" and again and again, ""You are tired."""
स सत्कृतः प्रहृष्टात्मा प्रीतः प्रीतेन पार्थिवः राजप्रेष्यैरनुगतो दिष्टं वेश्म समाविशत्
AI Translation: The king, delighted and pleased, honored him. Followed by the king's messengers, he entered the appointed house.
ऋतुपर्णे गते राजन्वार्ष्णेयसहिते नृपे बाहुको रथमास्थाय रथशालामुपागमत्
AI Translation: When King Rituparna had gone with the Vrishni prince, Bahuka mounted a chariot and came to the chariot house.
स मोचयित्वा तानश्वान्परिचार्य च शास्त्रतः स्वयं चैतान्समाश्वास्य रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्
AI Translation: Having released those horses and having served them according to the scriptures, and having comforted them himself, he sat down on the seat of the chariot.
दमयन्ती तु शोकार्ता दृष्ट्वा भाङ्गस्वरिं नृपम् सूतपुत्रं च वार्ष्णेयं बाहुकं च तथाविधम्
AI Translation: But Damayanti, afflicted with grief, saw the king of Bhangasvara, and the son of a charioteer, the Vrishni, and Bahuka, in that condition.
चिन्तयामास वैदर्भी कस्यैष रथनिस्वनः नलस्येव महानासीन्न च पश्यामि नैषधम्
AI Translation: Vaidehi thought, "Whose is this sound of a chariot? It is like Nala's, but I do not see Nala.
वार्ष्णेयेन भवेन्नूनं विद्या सैवोपशिक्षिता तेनास्य रथनिर्घोषो नलस्येव महानभूत्
AI Translation: The knowledge of the Vrishni must have been imparted to him. The sound of his chariot was like that of Nala.
आहोस्विदृतुपर्णोऽपि यथा राजा नलस्तथा ततोऽयं रथनिर्घोषो नैषधस्येव लक्ष्यते
AI Translation: Or is it that King Ritaparna is like King Nala? Then this sound of chariots is seen to be like that of the Nishadas.
एवं वितर्कयित्वा तु दमयन्ती विशां पते दूतीं प्रस्थापयामास नैषधान्वेषणे नृप
M. N. Dutt: O lord of the earth, thus meditating, blessed Damayanti sent a female messenger in search of the king of the Nishadhas.