बृहदश्व उवाच सा नमस्कृत्य देवेभ्यः प्रहस्य नलमब्रवीत्। प्रणयस्व यथाश्रद्धं राजन् किं करवाणि ते॥
Brihadashva said: Saluting the celestials, (Damayanti) smilingly said to Nala, "O king! love me with due respect and say what shall I do for you.
अहं चैव हि यच्चान्यन्ममास्ति वसु किंचन। तत् सर्वं तव विश्रब्धं कुरु प्रणयमीश्वर॥
Myself and whatever riches that I have got are all yours. O lord, make love with full confidence.
हंसानां वचनं यत् तु तन्मां दहति पार्थिव। त्वत्कृते हि मया वीर राजानः संनिपातिता:॥
O prince, the speeches of the swans are burning me out. It is for you indeed, O lord I have caused the kings assemble here.
यदि त्वं भजमानां मां प्रत्याख्यास्यसि मानद। विषमग्नि जलं रज्जुमास्थास्ये तव कारणात्॥
O the bestower of honor, if you forsake me who worship you, I must have recourse to either poison or fire, water or the rope for your sake."
एवमुक्तस्तु वैदा नलस्तां प्रत्युवाच हा तिष्ठत्सु लोकपालेषु कथं मानुषमिच्छसि॥
Thus addressed by the daughter of the king of the Vidharbhas, Nala said to her in reply: “How is it that you choose a man rejecting the Lokapalas (guardians of the worlds) who are present?
येषामहं लोककृतामीश्वराणां महात्मनाम्। न पादरजसा तुल्यो मनस्ते तेषु वर्तताम्॥
Do you lead your heart towards those illustrious cclestials, who are the creators of the worlds and even with the dust of whose feet I aim not equal.
विप्रियं ह्याचरन् मयों देवानां मृत्युमृच्छति। त्राहि मामनवद्याङ्गि वरयस्व सुरोत्तमान्॥
By offending the celestials, the mortals receive death. Therefore, O beauteous lady, save me by choosing one of the gods for your lord.
विरजांसि च वासांसि दिव्याश्चित्रा: स्रजस्तथा। भूषणानि तु मुख्यानि देवान् प्राप्य तु भुक्ष्व वै॥
By choosing the celestials you will enjoy garments unsullied with dust, gaudy garlands of variegated color and superior ornaments.
य इमां पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां संक्षिप्य चसते पुनः। हुताशमीशं देवानां का तं न वरयेत् पतिम्॥
What lady will not accept as her husband Hutasha, who, by reducing the dimensions of this entire earth, swallows it also?
यस्य दण्डभयात् सर्वे भूतग्रमाः समागताः। धर्ममेवानुरुध्यन्ति का तं न वरयेत् पतिम्॥
What lady will not accept him as her husband, by the terror of whose club all the assembled creatures are propelled to walk in the path of virtue!
धर्मात्मानं महात्मानं दैत्यदानवमर्दनम्। महेन्द्रं सर्वदेवानां का तं न वरयेत् पतिम्॥
What lady will not accept as her husband Mahendra, who is the lord of the gods and who is the most virtuous and illustrious and who is also the repressor of the Daityas and the Danavas.
क्रियतामविशङ्केन मनसा यदि मन्यसे। वरुणं लोकपालानां सुहृद्वाक्यमिदं शृणु॥
Should you cherish in you heart (the love of Varuna among the guardians of the worlds, do so without delay. Hear this my friendly advice.
नैषधेनैवमुक्ता सा दमयन्ती वचोऽब्रवीत्। समाप्लुताभ्यां नेत्राभ्यां शोकजेनाथ वारिणा॥
Thus addressed by the king of the Nishadhas, Damayanti spoke to him with eyes overflowed by the tears produced by sorrow.
देवेभ्योऽहं नमस्कृत्य सर्वेभ्यः पृथिवीपते। वृणे त्वामेव भर्तारं सत्यमेतद् ब्रवीमि ते॥
O the ruler of the carth, to tell you the truth, I accept you for my lord after I have saluted all the celestials,
तामुवाच ततो राजा वेपमानां कृताञ्जलिम्। दौत्येनागत्य कल्याणि तथा भद्रे विधीयताम्॥
The king, who had come on the mission of the gods, answered her thus who was trembling (with fear), standing with joined hands, 'O blessed one, O gentle one, do what you please.
कथं ह्यहं प्रतिश्रुत्य देवतानां विशेषतः। परार्थे यत्नमारभ्य कथं स्वार्थमिहोत्सहे॥
Having promised the celestials specially and come in their interest, how can I venture to look to my own (interest).
एषधर्मो यदि स्वार्थो ममापि भविता ततः। एवं स्वार्थं करिष्यामि तथा भद्रे विधीयताम्॥
If virtue be consistent with the seeking of one's own interest, I will surely look to it and so also do you, O gentle one, act according to this (principle).
ततो बाष्पाकुलां वाचं दमयन्ती शुचिस्मिता। प्रत्याहरन्ती शनकैर्नलं राजानमब्रवीत्॥
Thereupon Damayanti, whose words were choked up with tears, spoke to Nala with blameless smiles.
उपायोऽयं मया दृष्टो निरपायो नरेश्वर। येन दोषो न भविता तव राजन् कथंचन॥
"O the most supreme among men, I find out this sinless way, following which no sin, whatever, O king, will hang upon you.
त्वं चैव हि नरश्रेष्ठ देवाश्चन्द्रपुरोगमाः। आयान्तु सहिताः सर्वे मम यत्र स्वयंवरः॥
O the foremost of men, yourself and the celestials with Indra at their head, all come together when my Svayamvara takes place.
ततोऽहं लोकपालानां संनिधौ त्वां नरेश्वर। वरयिष्ये नरव्याघ्र नैवं दोषो भविष्यति॥
O the best of men, there I will accept you for my lord among the guardians of the world. Thus, O foremost of men, there will be no blame hanging upon you.
एवमुक्तस्तु वैदा नलो राजा विशाम्पते। आजगाम पुनस्तत्र यत्र देवाः समागताः॥
O ruler of the earth! thus addressed by the daughter of the king of the Vidarbhas, king Nala returned where the assembled celestials took their quarters.
तमपश्यंस्तथाऽऽयानं लोकपाला महेश्वराः। दृष्ट्वा चैनं ततोऽपृच्छन् वृत्तान्तं सर्वमेव तम्॥
Thereupon the great lords, who are the guardians of the world, seeing him approach, to them, inquired of him about all that had taken place there.
कच्चिद् दृष्टा त्वया राजन् दमयन्ती शुचिस्मिता। किमब्रवीच्च नः सर्वान् वद भूमिप तेऽनघ॥
"O Prince, did you see Damayanti of blameless smiles? O blameless one, O Prince, tell us all whatever she pronounced.
नल उवाच भवद्भिरहमादिष्टो दमयन्त्या निवेशनम्। प्रविष्टः सुमहाकक्षं दण्डिभिः स्थविरैर्वृतम्॥
Nala said: At your behest, I entered the mansion of Damayanti consisting of large and beautiful chambers and guarded by old guards with bludgeons in their hands.
प्रविशन्तं च मां तत्र न कश्चिद् दृष्टवान् नरः। ऋते तां पार्थिवसुतां भवतामेव तेजसा॥
When I entered, no man, through your influence, discovered me there except the daughter of the king.
सख्यश्चास्या मया दृष्टास्ताभिश्चाप्युपलक्षितः। विस्मिताश्चाभवन् सर्वा दृष्ट्वा मां विबुधेश्वराः॥
I was preceived by her hand-maids, whom I saw too. O the foremost of the gods, beholding me they were all struck with ainazement.
वर्ण्यमानेषु च मया भवत्सु रुचिरानना। मामेव गतसंकल्पा वृणीते सा सुरोत्तमाः॥
O the most excellent of the celestials, although I related all about you, yet the faircomplexioned one settled her mind to choose me for her lord.
अब्रवीच्चैव मां बाला आयान्तु सहिताः सुराः। त्वया सह नरव्याघ्र मम यत्र स्वयंवरः॥
The Maiden said: O the foremost of men, I wish the assembled celestials would come with you where my Svayamvara will take place.
तेषामहं संनिधौ त्वां वरयिष्यामि नैषध। एवं तव महाबाहो दोषो न भवितेति ह॥
O king of Nishadhas, I will choose you among those celestials. O you mighty-armed warrior, if this be done, no blame will surely touch you.
एतावदेव विबुधा यथावृत्तमुपाहृतम्। मयाशेषे प्रमाणं तु भवन्तस्त्रिदशेश्वराः॥
O the exalted of gods, this is all, I relate to you what happened there. O the lords of the gods, it behoves, you therefore, to settle everything finally