Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 3.53
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3.53.1
सा नमस्कृत्य देवेभ्यः प्रहस्य नलमब्रवीत् ।
प्रणयस्व यथाश्रद्धं राजन्किं करवाणि ते ॥ ३.५३.१ ॥
Having bowed to the gods, she smiled and said to Nala: "King, show me your love as your faith directs. What shall I do for you?"
3.53.2
अहं चैव हि यच्चान्यन्ममास्ति वसु किंचना ।
तत्सर्वं तव विस्रब्धं कुरु प्रणयमीश्वर ॥ ३.५३.२ ॥
I, and whatever wealth I have, is wholly yours. O lord, show your affection to me with confidence.
3.53.3
हंसानां वचनं यत्तु तन्मां दहति पार्थिव ।
त्वत्कृते हि मया वीर राजानः सन्निपातिताः ॥ ३.५३.३ ॥
O king, the words of the swans burn me. O hero, it was for your sake that I brought the kings together.
3.53.4
यदि त्वं भजमानां मां प्रत्याख्यास्यसि मानद ।
विषमग्निं जलं रज्जुमास्थास्ये तव कारणात् ॥ ३.५३.४ ॥
O giver of honour, if you reject me, who love you, then for your sake I will resort to poison, fire, water, or a rope.
3.53.5
एवमुक्तस्तु वैदर्भ्या नलस्तां प्रत्युवाच ह ।
तिष्ठत्सु लोकपालेषु कथं मानुषमिच्छसि ॥ ३.५३.५ ॥
When Vaidarbhī had spoken thus, Nala replied to her: "While the world-guardians stand present, how can you desire a mortal?"
3.53.6
येषामहं लोककृतामीश्वराणां महात्मनाम् ।
न पादरजसा तुल्यो मनस्ते तेषु वर्तताम् ॥ ३.५३.६ ॥
I am not equal even to the dust of the feet of those great-souled lords who made the worlds; let your mind turn to them.
3.53.7
विप्रियं ह्याचरन्मर्त्यो देवानां मृत्युच्छति ।
त्राहि मामनवद्याङ्गि वरयस्व सुरोत्तमान् ॥ ३.५३.७ ॥
A mortal who does what is displeasing to the gods meets death. Save me, O faultless-limbed one; choose the best of the gods.
3.53.8
विरजांसि च वासांसि दिव्याश्चित्राः स्रजस्तथा ।
भूषणानि तु दिव्यानि देवान्प्राप्य तु भुङ्क्ष्व वै ॥ ३.५३.८ ॥
Stainless garments, bright divine garlands, and likewise divine ornaments: having obtained the gods, you shall enjoy them.
3.53.9
य इमां पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां संक्षिप्य ग्रसते पुनः ।
हुताशमीशं देवानां का तं न वरयेत्पतिम् ॥ ३.५३.९ ॥
Which woman would not choose as her husband Hutāśana, the lord of the gods, who gathers up this entire earth and swallows it again?
3.53.10
यस् दण्डभयात्सर्वे भूतग्रामाः समागताः ।
धर्ममेवानुरुध्यन्ति का तं न वरयेत्पतिम् ॥ ३.५३.१० ॥
Whose fear of punishment makes all the multitudes of beings gather and follow only dharma — which woman would not choose him as her husband?
3.53.11
धर्मात्मानं महात्मानं दैत्यदानवमर्दनम् ।
महेन्द्रं सर्वदेवानां का तं न वरयेत्पतिम् ॥ ३.५३.११ ॥
The righteous-souled, great-souled crusher of the Daityas and Dānavas, Mahendra of all the gods — which woman would not choose him as her husband?
3.53.12
क्रियतामविशङ्केन मनसा यदि मन्यसे ।
वरुणं लोकपालानां सुहृद्वाक्यमिदं शृणु ॥ ३.५३.१२ ॥
If it seems right to you in your mind without any doubt, then do it. Choose Varuṇa among the world-guardians; listen to this word of a friend.
3.53.13
नैषधेनैवमुक्ता सा दमयन्ती बचोऽब्रवीत् ।
समाप्लुताभ्यां नेत्राभ्यां शोकजेनाथ वारिणा ॥ ३.५३.१३ ॥
When Nala had spoken thus, Damayantī replied, her eyes flooded with tears born of grief.
3.53.14
देवेभ्योऽहं नमस्कृत् यसर्वेभ्यः पृथिवीपते ।
वृणे त्वामेव भर्तारं सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते ॥ ३.५३.१४ ॥
O lord of the earth, having paid homage to all the gods, I choose you alone as my husband; this I tell you truthfully.
3.53.15
तामुवाच ततो राजा वेषमानां कृताञ्जलिम् ।
दौत्येनागत्य कल्याणि नोत्सहे स्वार्थमीप्सितं ॥ ३.५३.१५ ॥
Then the king said to her, trembling, her hands folded: O auspicious one, I have come as a messenger, and I am not willing to do this for my own desired purpose.
3.53.16
कथं ह्यहं प्रतिश्रुत्य देवतानां विशेषतः ।
परार्थे यत्नमारभ्य कथं स्वार्थमिहोत्सहे ॥ ३.५३.१६ ॥
How, having promised the gods in particular, and having undertaken an effort for another's purpose, could I now be eager here for my own purpose?
3.53.17
एष धर्मो यदि स्वार्थो ममापि भविता ततः ।
एवं स्वार्थं करिष्यामि तथा भद्रे विधीयताम् ॥ ३.५३.१७ ॥
If my own purpose too becomes a duty, then in this way I shall pursue my own purpose; so let it be arranged, O gentle one.
3.53.18
ततो बाष्पाकुलांवाचं दमयन्ती शुचिस्मिता ।
प्रत्याहरन्ती शनकैर्नलं राजानमब्रवीत् ॥ ३.५३.१८ ॥
Then Damayantī, of the pure smile, slowly gathering back her voice, which was choked with tears, spoke to King Nala.
3.53.19
अस्त्युपायो मया दृष्टो निरपायो नरेश्वर ।
येन दोषो न भविता तव राजन्कथंचन ॥ ३.५३.१९ ॥
There is a means I have seen, lord of men, one without harm, by which no fault at all will fall upon you, O king.
3.53.20
त्वं चैव हि नरश्रेष्ठ देवाश्चेन्द्रपुरोगमाः ।
आयान्तु सहिताः सर्वे मम यत्र स्वयंवरः ॥ ३.५३.२० ॥
You too, best of men, and all the gods led by Indra, let them come together to where my svayaṃvara is held.
3.53.21
ततोऽहं लोकपालानां सन्निधौ त्वां नरेश्वर ।
वरयिष्ये नरव्याघ्र नैवं दोषो भविष्यति ॥ ३.५३.२१ ॥
Then, in the presence of the world-guardians, I will choose you, lord of men, tiger among men; in this way no fault will arise.
3.53.22
एवमुक्तस्तु वैदर्भ्या नलो राजा विशंपते ।
आजगाम पुनस्तत्र यत्र देवाः समागताः ॥ ३.५३.२२ ॥
Thus addressed by the princess of Vidarbha, O lord of the people, king Nala went back again to where the gods had gathered.
3.53.23
तमपश्यंस्तथाऽऽयान्तं लोकपाला महेश्वराः ।
दृष्ट्वा चैनं ततोऽपृच्छन्वृत्तान्तं सर्वमेव तम् ॥ ३.५३.२३ ॥
The great lords, the world-guardians, saw him coming thus, and seeing him they asked him the whole account.
3.53.24
कच्चिद्दृष्टा त्वया राजन्दमयन्ती शुचिस्मिता ।
किमब्रवीच्च नः सर्वान्वद भूमिपतेऽनघ ॥ ३.५३.२४ ॥
Have you seen Damayantī, O king, she of the pure smile? And what did she say to all of us? Tell us, lord of the earth, O sinless one.
3.53.25
भवद्भिरहमादिष्टो दमयन्त्या निवेशनम् ।
प्रविष्टः सुमहाकक्ष्यं दण्डिभिः स्थविरैर्वृतम् ॥ ३.५३.२५ ॥
Sent by you to Damayantī's dwelling, I entered a very large courtyard surrounded by staff-bearing aged guards.
3.53.26
प्रविशन्तं च मां तत्र न कश्चिद्दृष्टवान्नरः ।
ऋते तां पार्तिवसुतां भवतामेव तेजसा ॥ ३.५३.२६ ॥
As I entered there, no man saw me except the king's daughter, and that only through your splendour.
3.53.27
सख्यश्चास्या मया दृष्टास्ताभिश्चाप्युपलक्षितः ।
विस्मिताश्चाभवन्सर्वा दृष्ट्वा मां विबुधेश्वराः ॥ ३.५३.२७ ॥
I saw her female companions, and they too noticed me. Seeing me, all of them were astonished, O lords of the gods.
3.53.28
वर्ण्यमानेषु च मया भवत्सु रुचिराननां ।
मामेव गतसंकल्पा वृणीते सा सुरोत्तमाः ॥ ३.५३.२८ ॥
O best of gods, while I was describing you, that bright-faced one, her resolve fixed, chooses only me.
3.53.29
अब्रवीच्चैव मां बाला आयान्तु सहिताः सुराः ।
त्वया सह नरव्याघ्र मम यत्रस्वयंवरः ॥ ३.५३.२९ ॥
And the young woman said to me: "Let the gods come together, O tiger among men, to the place where my svayaṃvara is held, with you."
3.53.30
तेषामहं संनिधौ त्वां वरयिष्यामि नैषध ।
एवं तव महाबाहो दोषो न भवितेति ह ॥ ३.५३.३० ॥
"In their presence I shall choose you, O Naiṣadha. Thus, O mighty-armed one, no fault shall be yours."
3.53.31
एतावदेव विबुधा यथावृत्तमुपाहृतम् ।
मया शेषे प्रमाणं तु भवन्तस्त्रिदशेश्वराः ॥ ३.५३.३१ ॥
Gods, I have reported only this much of what happened; for the rest, you, lords of the thirty gods, are the authority.