Nala 2

bṛhadaśva uvāca

· damayantī tu tat śrutvā vacas hamsasya bhārata /

so Bharata, having heard that speech of the bird

tadā prabhṛti na svasthā nalam prati babhūva sā //

then on Damayantī was not herself with respect to Nala

· tatas cintāparā dīnā vivarṇavadanā kṛṣā /

then Damayanti was afflicted with great worry,

babhūva damayantī tu niḥśvāsaparamā tadā //

her face was pale, she was emaciated and she continuously sighed

· ūrdhvadṛṣṭis dhyānaparā babhūvonmattadarśanā /

at one moment, she whose mind was filled with love would gaze upward

pāṇduvarṇā kṣaṇenātha hṛcchayāviṣṭacetanā //

have a frantic look, be pale in color and look as if she was absorbed in contemplation

· na śayyāsanabhogeṣu ratim vindati karhi cit /

she didn’t get pleasure in bed, in sitting, or in eating ever

na naktam na divā śete hā heti rudatī punar //

she did not sleep at night or during the day and alas she cried over and over

· tatas vidarbhapataye damayantyās sakhīganas /

then, Damayanti’s friends informed the lord of man

nyavedayat tām nasvasthām damayantīm nareścare //

the lord of the Vidarbha’s that Damayanti was not herself

· tat śrutvā nṛpatis bhīmas damayantīsakhīgaṇāt /

having heard that from Damayanti’s friends, king Bhima

cintayāmāsa tat kāryam sumahat svām sutām prati //

thought about what great things should be done with respect to his daughter

· sa samīkṣya mahīpālas svām sutām prāptayauvanām /

the king having noticed that his daughter was of marriageable age

apaśyad ātmanā kāryam damayantyā: svayamvaram //

saw that Damayanti’s svayamvara should be performed by him

· sa samnipātayāmāsa mahīpālān viśām pate /

lord, the lord of the people invited the kings:

anubhūyatām ayam vīrās svayamvara iti prabho //

hey hero’s let this svayamavara be experienced

· śrutvā tu pārthivās sarve damayantyās svayamvaram /

having heard about the svayamvara of Damayanti, all of the kings went to Bhima

abhijagmus tata:s bhīmam rājānas bhīmaśāsanāt //

at his command filling the earth with the sound of elephants, horses, chariots

and handsome armies well adorned with many collored garlands and ornaments

· hastyaśvarathaghoṣeṇa pūrayantas vasumdharām /

vicitramālyābharaṇais balais dṛśyais svalamkṛtais //

· teṣām bhīmas mahābāhus pārthivānām mahātmanām /

the mighty armed Bhima showed his respects to those great souled kings

yathārham akarot pūjām te avasams tatra pūjitās //

as the deserved, worshipped, they stayed there

· etasmin eva kāle tu surāṇām ṛṣisattamai /

at this very time, the two best ṛsi’s of the gods,

aḍamānau mahātmānau indralokam itas gatau //

the two great souls wandering went to the world of Indra from here

· nāradas parvatas ca eva mahāprājñau mahāvratau /

Narada and Parvata, possessed of great knowledge, great vows

devarājasya bhavanam viviśāte supūjitau //

and well-worship, entered the home of the king of the gods

· tau arcayitvā maghavā tatas kuśalam avyayam /

having worshipped them, lord Indra

papracchānām ayam ca api tayos sarvagatam vibhus //

asked about their unchanging welfare and their all pervading health

nārada uvāca

· āvayos kuśalam deva sarvatra gatam īśvara /

hey lord, hey lrd, our welfare is indeed all pervasive

loke ca maghavan kṛtsne nṛpās kuśalinas vibhas //

in the whole world the kings are doing well

bṛhadaśva uvāca

· nāradasya vacas śrutvā papraccha balavṛtrahā /

having heard the words of Narada, the slayer of Bala and Vrtra asked

dharmajñās pṛthivīpālās tyaktajīvitayodhinas //

the knowers of dharma, who are protectors of the earth, fighters who are willing to

abandon their lives, and for those who die by weapons at the proper time,

without turning their faces away from battle,

this imperishable world is the yielder of desires for them just like for me

· śastreṇa nidhanam kāle ye gacchanti aparāṅmukhās /

ayam lokas akṣayas teṣām yathā eva mama kāmadhuk //

· kva nu te kṣatriyās śūrā na hi paśyāmi tān aham /

where are those ksatriya heroes ? I do not see those

āgacchatas mahīpālān daitān atithīn mama //

beloved kings, my guests, coming

· evam uktas tu śakreṇa nāradas pratyabhāṣata /

thus addressed by Indra, Narada replied,

śṛṇu me maghavan yena na dṛśyante mahīkṣitas //

listen, hear from me Indra, why the kings are not seen ( by you )

· vidarbharājñas duhitā damayantīti viśrutā /

the king of Vidarbha has a daughter, Damayantī

rūpeṇa samatikrāntā pṛthivyām sarvayoṣitas //

she has surpassed all of the women on earth by her beauty

· tasyās svayamvaras śakra bhavitā nacirād iva /

oh Indra, her svayamvara will happen soon

tatra gacchanti rājānas rājaputrās ca sarvaśas //

and all of the kings and princes from all directions are going there

· tām ratnabhūtām lokasya prārthayantas mahīkṣitas /

oh destroyer of Bala and Vṛtra, seeking the jewel of the world ( damayanti )

kāṅkṣanti sma viśeṣeṇa valavṛtraniṣūdana //

the kings (protectors of the earth) desire her greatly

· etasmin kathyamāne tu lokapālās ca sāgnikās /

while this was being said, the world protectors, the Lokapalas

ājagmus devarājasya samīpam amarottamās //

with Agni, came near the king of the gods ( Indra )

· tatas te śuśruvus sarve nāradasya vacas mahat /

then they all heard the great speech of Narada

śrutvā ca iva abruvan hṛṣṭā gacchāmas vayam api uta //

they excitedly said, we shall go too

· tatas sarve mahārāja sagaṇās sahavāhanās /

oh great king, then all of those lords of the earth (kings)

vidarbhān abhijagmus te yatas sarve mahīkṣitas //

went from there to Vidarbha with their hosts and vihicles

· nalas api rājā kaunteya śrutvā rājñām samāgamam /

oh son of Kunti, king Nala, also having heard went to the gathering of the kings

abhyagacchat adīnātmā damayantīm anuvratas //

he was cheerful and devoted to Damayantī

· atha devās pathi nalam dadṛśus bhūtale sthitam /

now the gods saw Nala standing on a road on the earth

sākṣād iva sthitam mūrtyā manmatham rūpasampadā //

he looked like the god of love himself possessing a body

· tam dṛṣṭvā lokapālās te bhrājamānam yathā ravim /

having seen him shining brilliantly like the sun

tasthus vigatasamkalpā vismitā rūpasampadā //

they stood there irresolute and surprised by his beauty of form

· tatas antarikṣe viṣṭabhya vimānāni divaukasas /

oh king, then, having stopped their vehicles in mid air

abruvan naiṣadham rājan navatīrya nabhastalāt //

and having come down from heaven, the gods said to the king of the Nisadhas

· bo bo naiṣadha rājendra nala satyavratas bhavān /

hey Nala, king of the Nisadhas and the best of the kings

asmākam kuru sāhāyyam dūtas bhava narottama //

you are truthful to your vows, oh best of men, help us and be a messenger

iti nalopākhyāne hvitīyas sargas