Critical Edition
बृहदश्व उवाच स मासमुष्य कौन्तेय भीममामन्त्र्य नैषधः पुरादल्पपरीवारो जगाम निषधान्प्रति
M. N. Dutt: Brihadashva said: O son of Kunti, the prince of the Nishadhas, having lived there for about a month, obtained permission of Bhima and went, with a small number of attendants, to the country of the Nishadhas.
रथेनैकेन शुभ्रेण दन्तिभिः परिषोडशैः पञ्चाशद्भिर्हयैश्चैव षट्शतैश्च पदातिभिः
AI Translation: With a single chariot, sixteen elephants, fifty horses, and six hundred infantry.
स कम्पयन्निव महीं त्वरमाणो महीपतिः प्रविवेशातिसंरब्धस्तरसैव महामनाः
AI Translation: The king, trembling as it were, quickly entered, very angry, with a great mind.
ततः पुष्करमासाद्य वीरसेनसुतो नलः उवाच दीव्याव पुनर्बहु वित्तं मयार्जितम्
AI Translation: Then Nala, the son of Virāta, having reached Puṣkara, said, "Let us gamble again. I have earned much wealth."
दमयन्ती च यच्चान्यन्मया वसु समर्जितम् एष वै मम संन्यासस्तव राज्यं तु पुष्कर
AI Translation: And whatever other wealth I have accumulated, This is my renunciation, O Puṣkara, but your kingdom.
पुनः प्रवर्ततां द्यूतमिति मे निश्चिता मतिः एकपाणेन भद्रं ते प्राणयोश्च पणावहे
AI Translation: "Let the game of dice be played again," such is my firm resolve. "For your sake, O fortunate one, I stake my life as the stake."
जित्वा परस्वमाहृत्य राज्यं वा यदि वा वसु प्रतिपाणः प्रदातव्यः परं हि धनमुच्यते
M. N. Dutt: To stake back other's possessions, that is, wealth and kingdom, that are already won, is said to be the chief virtue.
न चेद्वाञ्छसि तद्द्यूतं युद्धद्यूतं प्रवर्तताम् द्वैरथेनास्तु वै शान्तिस्तव वा मम वा नृप
M. N. Dutt: If you do not like the game at dice, do you then engage yourself in the play at weapons. Really, O king, let us have peace by fighting out a duel.
वंशभोज्यमिदं राज्यं मार्गितव्यं यथा तथा येन तेनाप्युपायेन वृद्धानामिति शासनम्
M. N. Dutt: The sages have laid down their authority by saying, that the ancestral kingdom should be obtained under any circumstance or by any means.
द्वयोरेकतरे बुद्धिः क्रियतामद्य पुष्कर कैतवेनाक्षवत्यां वा युद्धे वा नम्यतां धनुः
M. N. Dutt: O Pushkara, do you choose today one of these two; that is, do you either game at dice or bend the bow in battle.
नैषधेनैवमुक्तस्तु पुष्करः प्रहसन्निव ध्रुवमात्मजयं मत्वा प्रत्याह पृथिवीपतिम्
M. N. Dutt: Brihadashva said: Having been thus addressed by the prince of the Nishadhas, Pushkara, with the assurance of his own success, answered the king smilingly.
दिष्ट्या त्वयार्जितं वित्तं प्रतिपाणाय नैषध दिष्ट्या च दुष्कृतं कर्म दमयन्त्याः क्षयं गतम् दिष्ट्या च ध्रियसे राजन्सदारोऽरिनिबर्हण
M. N. Dutt: “O Naishadha, by good fortune you have acquired the vast wealth, in order to stake it back again. Most fortunately the adversity of Damayanti has come to an end.
Supplementary Passages:
3.77.12 After 12, S ins.: *351 पुनर्द्यूते च ते बुद्धिर्दिष्ट्या पुरुषसत्तम
धनेनानेन वैदर्भी जितेन समलंकृता मामुपस्थास्यति व्यक्तं दिवि शक्रमिवाप्सराः
AI Translation: With this wealth I have won, I shall adorn Vaidehi, and she will certainly come to me, like a celestial nymph to Indra in heaven.
नित्यशो हि स्मरामि त्वां प्रतीक्षामि च नैषध देवने च मम प्रीतिर्न भवत्यसुहृद्गणैः
AI Translation: O Nīṣadha, I always remember you and wait for you. And I have no pleasure in the company of my enemies.
जित्वा त्वद्य वरारोहां दमयन्तीमनिन्दिताम् कृतकृत्यो भविष्यामि सा हि मे नित्यशो हृदि
M. N. Dutt: To play at dicc with those that are not my relatives, gives me no pleasure. Having this day obtained the hand of Damayanti, who is most beautiful and possessed of blameless features, I shall think myself very lucky, for she is, as ever, the darling of my heart.”
श्रुत्वा तु तस्य ता वाचो बह्वबद्धप्रलापिनः इयेष स शिरश्छेत्तुं खड्गेन कुपितो नलः
M. N. Dutt: Having heard these expressions of that infatuated braggart, king Nala became filled with rage and desired to sever his head by the sword. King Nala smilingly, though his eyes were red with anger, addressed him, saying,
स्मयंस्तु रोषताम्राक्षस्तमुवाच ततो नृपः पणावः किं व्याहरसे जित्वा वै व्याहरिष्यसि
AI Translation: Then the king, with eyes red with anger, said to him: "What do you say, having won? You will speak when you have won."
ततः प्रावर्तत द्यूतं पुष्करस्य नलस्य च एकपाणेन भद्रं ते नलेन स पराजितः सरत्नकोशनिचयः प्राणेन पणितोऽपि च
M. N. Dutt: "Let us begin the play. Why do you speak thus now? You will speak in any way you like, after you shali have defeated me at dice.” Thereupon the gambling began between Pushkara and Nala. Pushkara, who had even staked his own life, was defeated at a single throw by Nala; and thus he lost all his wealth and treasures.
जित्वा च पुष्करं राजा प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत् मम सर्वमिदं राज्यमव्यग्रं हतकण्टकम्
AI Translation: Having conquered Puṣkara, the king laughed and said this: "This entire kingdom of mine is free from anxiety and free from thorns."
वैदर्भी न त्वया शक्या राजापसद वीक्षितुम् तस्यास्त्वं सपरीवारो मूढ दासत्वमागतः
AI Translation: O you who are not a king, you cannot even look at Vaidehi. You and your retinue have come under her control.
न तत्त्वया कृतं कर्म येनाहं निर्जितः पुरा कलिना तत्कृतं कर्म त्वं तु मूढ न बुध्यसे नाहं परकृतं दोषं त्वय्याधास्ये कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: That formerly I was defeated by you, was not wrought by you. That act was done by Kali; and it was not you, that did so. O stupid one, this you do not understand.
यथासुखं त्वं जीवस्व प्राणानभ्युत्सृजामि ते तथैव च मम प्रीतिस्त्वयि वीर न संशयः
AI Translation: Live as you please. I give up my life to you. And I have no doubt that you, hero, have the same affection for me.
Supplementary Passages:
3.77.22 After 22ab, K1.2 B D (except D1.2.5; D3 missing) ins.: *352 तथैव सर्वसंभारं स्वमंशं वितरामि ते
सौभ्रात्रं चैव मे त्वत्तो न कदाचित्प्रहास्यति पुष्कर त्वं हि मे भ्राता संजीवस्व शतं समाः
M. N. Dutt: O Pushkara, the fraternal love, that I entertain for you, will never decrease. You are my brother. Do you live for a hundred years.
एवं नलः सान्त्वयित्वा भ्रातरं सत्यविक्रमः स्वपुरं प्रेषयामास परिष्वज्य पुनः पुनः
M. N. Dutt: Having thus accosted his brother, Nala of undaunted courage embraced him repeatedly and asked him to go to his own city.
सान्त्वितो नैषधेनैवं पुष्करः प्रत्युवाच तम् पुण्यश्लोकं तदा राजन्नभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः
AI Translation: Having been thus consoled by the king of Nishadha, Pushkara replied to him, O king, having bowed to the one of meritorious fame, with folded hands,
कीर्तिरस्तु तवाक्षय्या जीव वर्षायुतं सुखी यो मे वितरसि प्राणानधिष्ठानं च पार्थिव
AI Translation: May your fame be inexhaustible, may you live for ten thousand years in happiness. You who give me my life and my kingdom.
स तथा सत्कृतो राज्ञा मासमुष्य तदा नृपः प्रययौ स्वपुरं हृष्टः पुष्करः स्वजनावृतः
AI Translation: Having been thus honored by the king, the king Pushkara, after a month, joyfully went to his own city, surrounded by his own people.
महत्या सेनया राजन्विनीतैः परिचारकैः भ्राजमान इवादित्यो वपुषा पुरुषर्षभ
AI Translation: With a great army, O king, with well-trained attendants, Shining like the sun with his body, O bull among men,
प्रस्थाप्य पुष्करं राजा वित्तवन्तमनामयम् प्रविवेश पुरं श्रीमानत्यर्थमुपशोभितम् प्रविश्य सान्त्वयामास पौरांश्च निषधाधिपः
M. N. Dutt: After having settled Pushkara and enriched and delivered him from all anxieties, the blessed prince entered his own palace, most gorgeously decorated.
Supplementary Passages:
3.77.29 K2 B D (except D2) ins. after 29: K1, after 4ab of the next adhy.: *353 पौरा जानपदाश्चापि संप्रहृष्टतनूरुहाः ऊचुः प्राञ्जलयः सर्वे सामात्यप्रमुखा जनाः अद्य स्म निर्वृता राजन्पुरे जनपदेऽपि च उपासितुं पुनः प्राप्ता देवा इव शतक्रतुम् On the other hand, K4 ins. after 29: *354 आश्वासयत्तदामात्यान्सर्वाञ्जानपदांस्तदा Finally, S (except T2 G3) ins. after 29: *355 हितेषु चैषां सततं पितेवावहितोऽभवत्