Mahabharata, Book 3, Section LXVIIवनपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 3.67.

67Sanskrit adhyāya 3.67 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

दमयन्त्यवाच।
मां चेदिच्छसि जीवन्तीं मातः सत्यं ब्रवीमिते।
नलस्य नरवीरस्य यतस्वानयने पुनः ।।
दमयन्त्या तथोक्ता तु सा देवी भृशदुःखिता।
बाष्पेणापिहिता राज्ञी नोत्तरं किंचिदब्रवीत् ।।
तदवस्थां तु तां दृष्ट्वा सर्वमन्तःपुरं तदा।
हाहाभूतमतीवासीद्भृशं च प्ररुरोद ह ।।
ततो भीमं महाराजं भार्या वचनामब्रवीत्।
दमयन्ती नृप भृशं भर्तारमनुशोचति ।।
अपकृष्य च लज्जां सा स्वयमुक्तवती विभो।
प्रयतन्तु तवप्रेष्याः पुण्यश्लोकस्य दर्शने ।।
बृहदश्व उवाच।
तयाप्रयोदितो राजा ब्राह्मणान्वशवर्तिनः।
प्राश्थापयद्दिशः सर्वा यतध्वं नलदर्शने ।।
ततो विदर्भाधिपतेर्नियोगाद्ब्राह्मणास्तदा।
दमयन्तीमथापृच्छ्य प्रस्थितास्ते तथाऽव्रुवन् ।।
अथ तानब्रवीद्भैमी सर्वराष्ट्रेष्विदं वचः।
ब्रूत वै जनसंसत्सु तत्रतत्र पुनः पुनः ।।
क्वनु त्वं कितव च्छित्त्वा वस्त्रार्धं प्रस्थितो मम।
उत्सृज्य वपिने सुप्तामनुरक्तां प्रियां प्रिय ।।
सा वै यथा त्वया दृष्टा तथाऽऽस्ते त्वत्प्रतीक्षिणी।
दह्यमाना भृशं बाला वस्त्रार्धेनाभिसंवृता ।।
तस्या रुदन्त्याः सततं तेन शोकेन पार्थिव।
प्रसादं कुरु वै देव प्रतिवाक्यं वदस्व च ।।
एवमन्यच्च वक्तव्यं कृपां कुर्याद्यथा मयि।
वायुना धूयमानो हि वनं दहति पावकः ।।
भर्तव्या रक्षणीया त्व पत्नी पत्या हि नित्यदा।
तन्नष्टमुभयं कस्माद्धर्मज्ञस्य सतस्तव ।।
ख्यातः प्राज्ञः कुलीनश् सानुक्रोशो भवान्सदा।
संवृत्तो निरनुक्रोशः शङ्के मद्भाग्यसंक्षयात् ।।
तत्कुरुष्व नरव्याघ्र दयां मयि नरर्पभ।
आनृशंस्यं परो धर्मस्त्वत्त एव हि मे श्रुतः ।।
एवंब्रुवाणान्यदि वः प्रतिब्रूयाद्धि कश्चन।
स नरः सर्वथा ज्ञेयः कश्चासौ क्वनु वर्तते ।।
यश्चैवं वचनं श्रुत्य्वा बूयात्प्रतिवचो नरः।
तदादाय वचस्तस्य ममावेद्यं द्विजोत्तमाः ।।
यथा च वो न जानीयाच्चरतो भीमशासनात्।
पुनरागमनं चेह तथा कार्यमतन्द्रितैः ।।
यदि वाऽसौ समृद्धः स्याद्यदि वाऽप्यधनो भवेत्।
यदिऽवाप्यसमर्थः स्याज्ज्ञेयमस्य चिकीर्षितम् ।।
एवमुक्तास्त्वगच्छंस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वतो दिशम्।
नलं मृगयितुं राजंस्तदा व्यसनिनं तथा ।।
ते पुराणि सराष्ट्राणि ग्रामान्धोपांस्तथाऽऽश्रमान्।
अन्वेषन्तो नलं राजन्नाधिजग्मुर्दविजातयः ।।
तच्च वाक्यं तथा सर्वेतत्रतत्र विशांपते।
श्रावयांचक्रिरे विप्रा दमयन्त्या यथेरितम् ।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते अरण्यपर्वणि
नलोपाख्यानपर्वणि सप्तषष्टितमोऽध्यायः ।। 67 ।।

English Ganguli

“Vrihadaswa said, ‘After the snake had vanquished, Nala, the ruler of the Nishadhas, proceeded, and on the tenth day entered the city of Rituparna. And he approached the king, saying, ‘My name is Vahuka. There is no one in this world equal to me in managing steeds. My counsel also should be sought in matters of difficulty and in all affairs of skill. I also surpass others in the art of cooking. In all those arts that exists in this world, and also in every thing difficult of accomplishment, I will strive to attain success, O Rituparna, do thou maintain me.’ And Rituparna replied, ‘O Vahuka, stay with me! May good happen to thee. Thou wilt even perform all this. I have always particularly desired to be driven fast. Do thou concert such measures that my steeds may become fleet. I appoint thee the superintendent of my stables. Thy pay shall be ten thousand (coins). Both Varshneya and Jivala shall always be under thy direction. Thou wilt live pleasantly in their company. Therefore, O Vahuka, stay thou with me.’”

“Vrihadaswa continued, ‘Thus addressed by the king, Nala began to dwell in the city of Rituparna, treated with respect and with Varshneya and Jivala as his companions. And residing there, the king (Nala), remembering the princess of Vidarbha, recited every evening the following sloka: ‘Where lieth that helpless one afflicted with hunger and thirst and worn with toil, thinking of that wretch? And upon whom also doth she now wait?’ And once as the king was reciting this in the night, Jivala asked him saying, ‘O Vahuka, whom dost thou lament thus daily? I am curious to hear it. O thou blest with length of days, whose spouse is she whom thus lamentest?’ Thus questioned, king Nala answered him, saying, ‘A certain person devoid of sense had a wife well-known to many. That wretch was false in his promises. For some reason that wicked person was separated from her. Separated from her, that wretch wandered about oppressed with woe, and burning with grief he resteth not by day or night. And at night, remembering her, he singeth this sloka. Having wandered over the entire world, he hath at last found a refuge, and undeserving of the distress that hath befallen him, passeth his days, thus remembering his wife. When calamity had overtaken this man, his wife followed him into the woods. Deserted by that man of little virtue, her life itself is in danger. Alone, without knowledge of ways, ill able to bear distress, and fainting with hunger and thirst, the girl can hardly protect her life. And, O friend, she hath been deserted by that man of small fortune and having little sense, with the wide and terrible forest, ever abounding in beasts of prey’—

“Thus remembering Damayanti, the king of the Nishadhas continued to live unknown in the abode of that monarch!”