Critical Edition
दमयन्त्युवाच न मामर्हसि कल्याण पापेन परिशङ्कितुम् मया हि देवानुत्सृज्य वृतस्त्वं निषधाधिप
M. N. Dutt: Damayanti said : O ruler of the Nishadhas, O blessed one, it behoves you not to suspect any fault in me; for I have selected you as my husband, discarding all the celestials.
तवाभिगमनार्थं तु सर्वतो ब्राह्मणा गताः वाक्यानि मम गाथाभिर्गायमाना दिशो दश
M. N. Dutt: With a view to bring you here, the Brahmanas had gone away in all directions, (to the ten points of the horizon) singing my words, composed in ballads.
ततस्त्वां ब्राह्मणो विद्वान्पर्णादो नाम पार्थिव अभ्यगच्छत्कोसलायामृतुपर्णनिवेशने
M. N. Dutt: At length, a learned Brahmana, known by the name of Parnada, found you out, O monarch, in the palace of Rituparna in the kingdom of Koshala.
तेन वाक्ये हृते सम्यक्प्रतिवाक्ये तथाहृते उपायोऽयं मया दृष्टो नैषधानयने तव
M. N. Dutt: It was after hearing his words and your proper answer thereto, that I devised this project in order to receive the king of the Nishadhas back.
त्वामृते न हि लोकेऽन्य एकाह्ना पृथिवीपते समर्थो योजनशतं गन्तुमश्वैर्नराधिप
M. N. Dutt: O ruler of the earth, O'foremost of the kings, there is none else in this world, who is able to journey, with the help of steeds, a hundred yojanas in a single day.
तथा चेमौ महीपाल भजेऽहं चरणौ तव यथा नासत्कृतं किंचिन्मनसापि चराम्यहम्
AI Translation: And thus, O Lord of the Earth, I shall serve your feet, so that I may not do anything wrong even in my mind.
अयं चरति लोकेऽस्मिन्भूतसाक्षी सदागतिः एष मुञ्चतु मे प्राणान्यदि पापं चराम्यहम्
M. N. Dutt: Let the all-seeing air, that always moves about the whole world, take away my life, if I have committed any sin.
तथा चरति तिग्मांशुः परेण भुवनं सदा स विमुञ्चतु मे प्राणान्यदि पापं चराम्यहम्
AI Translation: And the sun moves always to the other world. Let him release my life if I am doing evil.
चन्द्रमाः सर्वभूतानामन्तश्चरति साक्षिवत् स विमुञ्चतु मे प्राणान्यदि पापं चराम्यहम्
AI Translation: The moon moves within all beings, like a witness. May he release my life if I am doing evil.
एते देवास्त्रयः कृत्स्नं त्रैलोक्यं धारयन्ति वै विब्रुवन्तु यथासत्यमेते वाद्य त्यजन्तु माम्
M. N. Dutt: Let the three gods, that preside over the whole of the three worlds, relate the whole history truly; or let them abandon me today.
एवमुक्ते ततो वायुरन्तरिक्षादभाषत नैषा कृतवती पापं नल सत्यं ब्रवीमि ते
M. N. Dutt: Brihadashva said : Thus spoken the wind-god addressed from above, saying, “O Nala, I tell you the truth that she had not committed any sin.
राजञ्शीलनिधिः स्फीतो दमयन्त्या सुरक्षितः साक्षिणो रक्षिणश्चास्या वयं त्रीन्परिवत्सरान्
M. N. Dutt: O monarch, protected by Damayanti, the honour of your family, even as the wealth, has much increased. We bear testimony to this, as we have been her protectors for the last three years.
उपायो विहितश्चायं त्वदर्थमतुलोऽनया न ह्येकाह्ना शतं गन्ता त्वदृतेऽन्यः पुमानिह
M. N. Dutt: This unrivalled project was planned by her for your sake: for, except you, there is no other person in this world who can clear in a single day an hundred yojanas.
उपपन्ना त्वया भैमी त्वं च भैम्या महीपते नात्र शङ्का त्वया कार्या संगच्छ सह भार्यया
M. N. Dutt: O ruler of the earth, the daughter of king Bhima has been obtained by you; as also you have been obtained by Bhaimi. You should hold no doubt about her conduct. Be you united with your consort."
तथा ब्रुवति वायौ तु पुष्पवृष्टिः पपात ह देवदुन्दुभयो नेदुर्ववौ च पवनः शिवः
M. N. Dutt: While the wind-god was thus speaking, there was a downfall of floral showers; as also the divine kettle-drum played and auspicious breezes began to blow.
तदद्भुततमं दृष्ट्वा नलो राजाथ भारत दमयन्त्यां विशङ्कां तां व्यपाकर्षदरिंदमः
M. N. Dutt: O son of the Bharata race, seeing this greatest wonder, king Nala, the chastiser of foes, threw away all doubts regarding the character of Damayanti.
ततस्तद्वस्त्रमरजः प्रावृणोद्वसुधाधिपः संस्मृत्य नागराजानं ततो लेभे वपुः स्वकम्
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon the ruler of the earth put on a fresh garment; and, then remembering that king of serpents, assumed his original form.
स्वरूपिणं तु भर्तारं दृष्ट्वा भीमसुता तदा प्राक्रोशदुच्चैरालिङ्ग्य पुण्यश्लोकमनिन्दिता
M. N. Dutt: Beholding her husband in his original form, the faultless daughter of king Bhima embraced the righteous one and wept bitterly.
भैमीमपि नलो राजा भ्राजमानो यथा पुरा सस्वजे स्वसुतौ चापि यथावत्प्रत्यनन्दत
M. N. Dutt: King Nala, again, embraced the daughter of Bhima, who was attached to him as before; as well as he embraced his two children; and thus felt great satisfaction.
ततः स्वोरसि विन्यस्य वक्त्रं तस्य शुभानना परीता तेन दुःखेन निशश्वासायतेक्षणा
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon the lady, of beautiful face and of large eyes, hiding her face in his bosom, became overwhelmed with grief and began to sigh heavily.
तथैव मलदिग्धाङ्गी परिष्वज्य शुचिस्मिता सुचिरं पुरुषव्याघ्रं तस्थौ साश्रुपरिप्लुता
M. N. Dutt: That foremost of men, overwhelmed as he was with grief, stood in silence for some time, while embracing that lady of blameless smiles, who herself was covered with dust.
ततः सर्वं यथावृत्तं दमयन्त्या नलस्य च भीमायाकथयत्प्रीत्या वैदर्भ्या जननी नृप
M. N. Dutt: O monarch, thereupon the mother of Vaidharbhi, with a glad heart, informed king Bhima all that had passed between Nala and Damayanti.
ततोऽब्रवीन्महाराजः कृतशौचमहं नलम् दमयन्त्या सहोपेतं काल्यं द्रष्टा सुखोषितम्
M. N. Dutt: The great king said in reply: “Tomorrow I shall see Nala with Damayanti by his side, after he shall have sanctified himself (by bath and prayers). Let him dwell in peace this day."
ततस्तौ सहितौ रात्रिं कथयन्तौ पुरातनम् वने विचरितं सर्वमूषतुर्मुदितौ नृप
M. N. Dutt: O king, thercupon the happy pair passed the night at ease, relating to each other the past events of their wanderings in the forest.
Supplementary Passages:
3.75.24 After 24, N ins.: *346 गृहे भीमस्य नृपतेः परस्परसुखैषिणौ वसेतां हृष्टसंकल्पौ वैदर्भी च नलश्च ह
स चतुर्थे ततो वर्षे संगम्य सह भार्यया सर्वकामैः सुसिद्धार्थो लब्धवान्परमां मुदम्
M. N. Dutt: Then in the fourth year, (after his exile) king Nala, regained his wife and had all his desires satisfied; and thus once more he enjoyed the highest pleasure.
दमयन्त्यपि भर्तारमवाप्याप्यायिता भृशम् अर्धसंजातसस्येव तोयं प्राप्य वसुंधरा
M. N. Dutt: Damayanti on the other hand, exceedingly satisfied to recover her husband, was even as the fields of half-born seedlings are highly benefited to receive a shower.
सैवं समेत्य व्यपनीततन्द्री; शान्तज्वरा हर्षविवृद्धसत्त्वा रराज भैमी समवाप्तकामा; शीतांशुना रात्रिरिवोदितेन
M. N. Dutt: When the daughter of the king and thus egained her husband, all her weariness had disappeared, as well as all her anxieties. She herself became elated with joy and blazed forth in her native beauty like the night, that is favoured by the uninterrupted rising of the moon.