Critical Edition
बृहदश्व उवाच दमयन्ती तु तच्छ्रुत्वा भृशं शोकपरायणा शङ्कमाना नलं तं वै केशिनीमिदमब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: Brihadashva said : Having heard all these, Damayanti became afflicted with sorrow; and, suspecting that le must be Nala, addressed Keshini, saying,
गच्छ केशिनि भूयस्त्वं परीक्षां कुरु बाहुके अब्रुवाणा समीपस्था चरितान्यस्य लक्षय
M. N. Dutt: "O Keshini, do you go again and scrutinize the conduct of Bahuka; and keeping yourself in silence at his side, behold all his bevaviours.
यदा च किंचित्कुर्यात्स कारणं तत्र भामिनि तत्र संचेष्टमानस्य संलक्ष्यं ते विचेष्टितम्
M. N. Dutt: O beautiful one, find out the cause, whenever he does anything; and marks well whenever he performs anything skillful.
न चास्य प्रतिबन्धेन देयोऽग्निरपि भामिनि याचते न जलं देयं सम्यगत्वरमाणया
M. N. Dutt: O Keshini, whenever he may ask fire or water, you will not be in a hurry to give it; and thus obstruct him.
एतत्सर्वं समीक्ष्य त्वं चरितं मे निवेदय यच्चान्यदपि पश्येथास्तच्चाख्येयं त्वया मम
M. N. Dutt: "Seeing all these, do you let me know his conduct, as also what human or super-human will be seen in Bahuka. Do you also report to me what else you will see in him."
Supplementary Passages:
3.73.5 After 5ab, K2 B3 Dn D5 ins. (a v.l. of 7cd): *340 निमित्तं यत्त्वया दृष्टं बाहुके दैवमानुषम्
दमयन्त्यैवमुक्ता सा जगामाथाशु केशिनी निशाम्य च हयज्ञस्य लिङ्गानि पुनरागमत्
M. N. Dutt: Thus spoken by Damayanti, Keshini went away. Having learnt the behaviours of that person, who was versed in the knowledge of horses, Keshini returned.
सा तत्सर्वं यथावृत्तं दमयन्त्यै न्यवेदयत् निमित्तं यत्तदा दृष्टं बाहुके दिव्यमानुषम्
M. N. Dutt: She reported to Damayanti the whole history, mentioning what human superhuman she saw in Bahuka.
केशिन्युवाच दृढं शुच्युपचारोऽसौ न मया मानुषः क्वचित् दृष्टपूर्वः श्रुतो वापि दमयन्ति तथाविधः
M. N. Dutt: Keshini said: O Damayanti, I have never heard or seen before any person of his character, having so great a 'power over the elements.'
ह्रस्वमासाद्य संचारं नासौ विनमते क्वचित् तं तु दृष्ट्वा यथासङ्गमुत्सर्पति यथासुखम् संकटेऽप्यस्य सुमहद्विवरं जायतेऽधिकम्
M. N. Dutt: Whenever he comes to a narrow hole, he never stoops low; rather the hole opens wide at his touch; and he easily passes through it.
ऋतुपर्णस्य चार्थाय भोजनीयमनेकशः प्रेषितं तत्र राज्ञा च मांसं सुबहु पाशवम्
AI Translation: For the sake of Rtuparna, the king sent a lot of meat, and a lot of meat from animals, to be cooked many times.
तस्य प्रक्षालनार्थाय कुम्भस्तत्रोपकल्पितः स तेनावेक्षितः कुम्भः पूर्ण एवाभवत्तदा
AI Translation: For his washing, a pot was prepared there. That pot was seen by him and became full then.
ततः प्रक्षालनं कृत्वा समधिश्रित्य बाहुकः तृणमुष्टिं समादाय आविध्यैनं समादधत्
AI Translation: Then, having washed and placed it on his lap, taking a handful of grass, he stretched it and placed it.
अथ प्रज्वलितस्तत्र सहसा हव्यवाहनः तदद्भुततमं दृष्ट्वा विस्मिताहमिहागता
AI Translation: Then the fire-god suddenly blazed up there, Seeing that most wonderful thing, I came here in amazement.
अन्यच्च तस्मिन्सुमहदाश्चर्यं लक्षितं मया यदग्निमपि संस्पृश्य नैव दह्यत्यसौ शुभे
AI Translation: And another great wonder was seen by me in him, That he did not burn when he touched the fire.
छन्देन चोदकं तस्य वहत्यावर्जितं द्रुतम् अतीव चान्यत्सुमहदाश्चर्यं दृष्टवत्यहम्
AI Translation: By the power of his will, the water was drawn up and flowed swiftly. And I saw another great wonder.
यत्स पुष्पाण्युपादाय हस्ताभ्यां ममृदे शनैः मृद्यमानानि पाणिभ्यां तेन पुष्पाणि तान्यथ
AI Translation: When he took the flowers and gently rubbed them with his hands, those flowers, being rubbed with his hands,
भूय एव सुगन्धीनि हृषितानि भवन्ति च एतान्यद्भुतकल्पानि दृष्ट्वाहं द्रुतमागता
AI Translation: They become fragrant and joyful. Seeing these wonderful things, I quickly came here.
Supplementary Passages:
3.73.17 After 17, S ins.: *341 चेष्टितानि विशालाक्षि बाहुकस्य समीपतः
बृहदश्व उवाच दमयन्ती तु तच्छ्रुत्वा पुण्यश्लोकस्य चेष्टितम् अमन्यत नलं प्राप्तं कर्मचेष्टाभिसूचितम्
M. N. Dutt: Brihadashva said : Having heard of those wonderful behaviours of that righteous one and having known him by his acts, Damayanti considered that Nala was obtained.
सा शङ्कमाना भर्तारं नलं बाहुकरूपिणम् केशिनीं श्लक्ष्णया वाचा रुदती पुनरब्रवीत्
AI Translation: She, fearing her husband Nala in the form of a horse, Weeping again spoke to Kesini in gentle words:
पुनर्गच्छ प्रमत्तस्य बाहुकस्योपसंस्कृतम् महानसाच्छृतं मांसं समादायैहि भामिनि
AI Translation: Again go to the well-prepared food of the careless Bāhuka, and taking the meat cooked in the kitchen, come back, O beautiful one.
सा गत्वा बाहुके व्यग्रे तन्मांसमपकृष्य च अत्युष्णमेव त्वरिता तत्क्षणं प्रियकारिणी दमयन्त्यै ततः प्रादात्केशिनी कुरुनन्दन
AI Translation: Having gone to Bahuka when he was busy, she took away the meat and quickly, being very hot, immediately gave it to Damayanti, O descendant of the Kurus.
सोचिता नलसिद्धस्य मांसस्य बहुशः पुरा प्राश्य मत्वा नलं सूदं प्राक्रोशद्भृशदुःखिता
AI Translation: Having been afflicted by the meat of Nala, who had been successful, many times in the past, Having eaten it, and considering Nala to be the cook, she cried out in great sorrow.
वैक्लव्यं च परं गत्वा प्रक्षाल्य च मुखं ततः मिथुनं प्रेषयामास केशिन्या सह भारत
AI Translation: Having become extremely distressed and having washed his face, he sent the couple with Keśinī, O descendant of Bharata.
इन्द्रसेनां सह भ्रात्रा समभिज्ञाय बाहुकः अभिद्रुत्य ततो राजा परिष्वज्याङ्कमानयत्
AI Translation: Having recognized Indrasena and his brother, Bāhuka rushed at them and, having embraced them, brought them to his lap.
बाहुकस्तु समासाद्य सुतौ सुरसुतोपमौ भृशं दुःखपरीतात्मा सस्वरं प्ररुरोद ह
AI Translation: But Bahuka, on seeing his sons, who were like the sons of the gods, was deeply afflicted with sorrow and wept aloud.
नैषधो दर्शयित्वा तु विकारमसकृत्तदा उत्सृज्य सहसा पुत्रौ केशिनीमिदमब्रवीत्
AI Translation: Having shown his agitation again and again, the son of Nīṣadha, having suddenly abandoned his sons, said this to Keśinī:
इदं सुसदृशं भद्रे मिथुनं मम पुत्रयोः ततो दृष्ट्वैव सहसा बाष्पमुत्सृष्टवानहम्
M. N. Dutt: "O beauteous one, these twins are like iny own children. Hence seeing them suddenly, I shed tears.
बहुशः संपतन्तीं त्वां जनः शङ्केत दोषतः वयं च देशातिथयो गच्छ भद्रे नमोऽस्तु ते
M. N. Dutt: If you come to me very often, people may think evil; because we are men of other country. So, O handsome one, do you go away hence with ease."