Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 3.76
हिन्दी · தமிழ் · తెలుగు · ಕನ್ನಡ · മലയാളം · বাংলা · मराठी · ગુજરાતી · ਪੰਜਾਬੀ · ଓଡ଼ିଆ · اردو · English · Español · Français · Deutsch · Português · Русский · 中文 · 日本語 · العربية · Bahasa Indonesia · ไทย
3.76.1
स मासमुष्य कौन्तेय भीममामन्त्र्य नैषधः ।
पुरादल्पपरीवारो जगाम निषधान्प्रति ॥ ३.७६.१ ॥
Having stayed a month and taken leave of Bhīma, son of Kuntī, Nala the Niṣadha departed from the city with a small retinue toward the land of the Niṣadhas.
3.76.2
रथेनैकेन शुभ्रेण दन्तिभिः परिषोडशै ।
पञ्चाशद्भिर्हयैश्चैव षट्शतैश्च पदातिभिः ॥ ३.७६.२ ॥
With a single bright chariot, sixteen elephants, fifty horses, and six hundred foot soldiers.
3.76.3
स कम्पयन्निव महीं त्वरमाणो महापुरीम् ।
प्रविवेशाथ संरब्धस्तरसैव महामनाः ॥ ३.७६.३ ॥
As if shaking the earth, he hastened and entered the great city; agitated, great-minded, he went in swiftly.
3.76.4
ततः पुष्करमासाद्य वीरसेनसुतो नलः ।
उवाच दीव्याव पुनर्बहुवित्तं मयाऽर्जितम् ॥ ३.७६.४ ॥
Then, approaching Puṣkara, Nala, son of Vīrasena, said: "Let us play dice again; I have acquired much wealth."
3.76.5
दमयन्ती च यच्चान्यन्मम किंचन विद्यते ।
एष वै मम संन्यासस्तव राज्यंतु पुष्कर ॥ ३.७६.५ ॥
Damayantī, and whatever else I possess—this is my stake; and, O Puṣkara, your kingdom.
3.76.6
पुनः प्रवर्ततां द्यूतमिति मे निश्चिता मतिः ।
एकपाणेन भद्रं ते प्राणयोश्च पणावहे ॥ ३.७६.६ ॥
"Let the dice game begin again—this is my firm resolve. With a single throw, may it go well for you; let us wager our very lives."
3.76.7
जित्वा परस्वमाहृत् राज्यंवा यदि वा वसु ।
प्रतिपाणः प्रदातव्यः प्राणो हि पणमुच्यते ॥ ३.७६.७ ॥
Having won another's wealth, kingdom, or other treasure, a counter-stake must be given in return; life itself is called the stake.
3.76.8
न चेद्वाञ्छसि तद्द्यूतं युद्धद्यूतं प्रवर्तताम् ।
द्वैरथेनास्तु वै शान्तिस्तव वा मम वा नृप ॥ ३.७६.८ ॥
If you do not desire that dice game, let the dice game of war proceed; O king, let peace come by single combat between you and me.
3.76.9
वंशभोज्यमिदं राज्यमर्थितव्यं यथा तथा ।
येनकेनाप्युपायेन वृद्धानामिति शासनम् ॥ ३.७६.९ ॥
This kingdom is to be enjoyed by the lineage; it must be sought in whatever way, by whatever means possible — such is the command of the elders.
3.76.10
द्वयोरेकतरे बुद्धिः क्रियतामद्य पुष्कर ।
कैतवेनाक्षवत्यां वा युद्धे वा नाम्यतां धनुः ॥ ३.७६.१० ॥
O Puṣkara, decide today on one of the two: by trickery in the dice game, or by bending the bow in battle.
3.76.11
नैषधेनैवमुक्तस्तु पुष्करः प्रहसन्निव ।
ध्रुवमात्मजयं मत्वा प्रत्याह निषधाधिपम् ॥ ३.७६.११ ॥
Thus addressed by the Naiṣadha king, Puṣkara, as if laughing, thinking his own victory certain, replied to the lord of the Niṣadhas.
3.76.12
दिष्ट्या त्वयाऽर्जितं वित्तं प्रतिपाणाय नैषध ।
दिष्ट्या च दुष्कृतंकर्म दमयन्त्याः क्षयं गतम् ॥ ३.७६.१२ ॥
By fortune you have acquired wealth as a counter-stake, O Naiṣadha; and by fortune Damayantī's ill-done deed has come to ruin.
3.76.13
दिष्ट्या वै प्रीसे राजन्मम लाभाय नैषध ।
पुनर्द्यूते च ते बुद्धिर्दिष्ट्या पुरुषसत्तम ॥ ३.७६.१३ ॥
O king, O Naiṣadha, by fortune I am glad for my gain. O best of men, by fortune your mind has turned again to the dice game.
3.76.14
धनेनानेन वै भैमी जितेन समलंकृता ।
मामुपस्थास्यति व्यक्तं दिवि शक्रमिवाप्सराः ॥ ३.७६.१४ ॥
Adorned with this wealth won by me, Bhaimī (Damayantī) will surely attend upon me, as an apsaras attends upon Śakra in heaven.
3.76.15
नित्यशो हि स्मरामि त्वां प्रतीक्षेऽपि च नैषध ।
देवने च मभ प्रीतिर्भवत्येवासुहृद्गणैः ॥ ३.७६.१५ ॥
O Naiṣadha, I constantly remember you and also await you. And in the dice game, with the crowd of enemies, my delight truly arises.
3.76.16
जित्वात्वद्य वरारोहां दमयन्तीमनिन्दिताम् ।
कतकृत्यो भविष्यामि सा हिमे नित्यशो हृदि ॥ ३.७६.१६ ॥
Having won today the fair-hipped, blameless Damayantī, I shall be one whose task is accomplished; she is indeed constantly in my heart.
3.76.17
श्रुत्वा तु तस् ता वाचो बह्वबद्धप्रलापिनः ।
इयेष स शिरश्छेत्तुं खङ्गेन कुपितो नलः ॥ ३.७६.१७ ॥
But having heard those many incoherent babblings of his, Nala, angered, desired to cut off his head with the sword.
3.76.18
स्मयंस्तु रोषताम्राक्षस्तमुवाच नलो नृपः ।
पणावः किं व्याहरसे जितो न व्याहरिष्यसि ॥ ३.७६.१८ ॥
But smiling, Nala, the king, his eyes reddened with anger, said to him: "Gambler, why do you speak? You are defeated; you will not speak now."
3.76.19
ततः प्रावर्तत द्यूतं पुष्करस्य नलस्य च ।
एकपाणेन भद्रं ते नलेन स पराजितः ॥ ३.७६.१९ ॥
Then the dice game began between Puṣkara and Nala. May it go well with you: with a single throw Nala defeated him.
3.76.20
स रत्नकोशनिचयैः प्राणेन पणितोपि च ।
जित्वा च पुष्करं राजा प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत् ॥ ३.७६.२० ॥
King Nala, having won Puṣkara together with heaps of jewels and treasuries and the life staked as a wager, laughing, spoke these words.
3.76.21
मम सर्वमिदं राज्यमव्यग्रं हतकण्ठकम् ।
वैदर्भी न त्वया शक्या राजापशद वीक्षितम्।
तस्यास्त्वं सपरीवारो मूढ दासत्वमागतः ॥ ३.७६.२१ ॥
This whole kingdom is now mine, undisturbed and rid of its thorns. You, base king, cannot even look upon the Vaidarbhī. Fool, you have come into servitude to her, together with your whole household.
3.76.22
न त्वया तत्कृतंकर्म येनाहं विजितः पुरा ।
कलिना तत्कृतं कर्म त्वं च मूढ न बुध्यसे ॥ ३.७६.२२ ॥
That deed by which I was defeated long ago was not done by you. It was done by Kali, and, fool, you do not understand this.
3.76.23
नाहं परकृतं दोषं त्वय्याधास्ये कथंचन ।
यथासुखं वै जीवत्वंप्राणानवसृजामि ते ॥ ३.७६.२३ ॥
I will not in any way place upon you a fault committed by another. Live in ease; I release your life to you.
3.76.24
तथैव सर्वसंभारं स्वमंशं वितरामि ते ।
तथैव च मम प्रीतिस्त्वयि वीर न संशयः ॥ ३.७६.२४ ॥
Likewise I return to you all your provisions and your own share. And, hero, my affection for you is just the same; there is no doubt of it.
3.76.25
सौहार्दं चापि मे त्वत्तो न कदाचित्प्रहास्यति ।
पुष्कर त्वं हि मे भ्राता संजीव शरदः शतम् ॥ ३.७६.२५ ॥
My friendship toward you will never fail. Puṣkara, you are my brother; live a hundred autumns.
3.76.26
एवं नलः सान्त्वयित्वा भ्रातरं सत्यविक्रमः ।
वचनैस्तोषयामास परिष्वज्य पुनः पुनः ॥ ३.७६.२६ ॥
Thus Nala, true in valour, consoled his brother, and embracing him again and again, pleased him with words.
3.76.27
सान्त्वितो नैषधेनैवं पुष्ररः प्रत्युवाच तम् ।
पुण्यश्लोकं तदा राजन्नभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः ॥ ३.७६.२७ ॥
Consoled thus by the Naiṣadha, Puṣkara answered him, the man of sacred renown; then, O king, bowing with folded hands,
3.76.28
कीर्तिरस्तु तवाक्षय्या जीव वर्षायुतं सुखी ।
यो मे वितरसि प्राणानधिष्ठानं च पार्थिव ॥ ३.७६.२८ ॥
May your fame be imperishable; live happily for ten thousand years, O king, for you restore to me my life and my dwelling-place.
3.76.29
स तथा सत्कृतो राज्ञा मासमुष्य तदा नृपः ।
प्रययौ पुषरो हृष्टः स्वपुरं स्वजनावृतः ॥ ३.७६.२९ ॥
Thus honoured by the king, he stayed a month; then Puṣkara, glad, departed for his own city, surrounded by his kinsmen.
3.76.30
महत्या सेनया सार्धंविनीतैः परिचारकैः ।
भ्राजमान इवादित्यो वपुषा पुरुषर्षभ ॥ ३.७६.३० ॥
With a great army and humble attendants, shining in body like the sun, O bull among men.
3.76.31
प्रस्थाप्य पुष्करं राजा वित्तवन्तमनामयम् ।
प्रविवेश पुरं श्रीमानत्यर्थमुपशोभिताम् ॥ ३.७६.३१ ॥
Having sent Puṣkara ahead, the wealthy and healthy one, the glorious king entered the exceedingly adorned city.
3.76.32
प्रविश्य सान्त्वयामास पौरांश्च निषधाधिपः ।
हितेषु चैषां सततं पितेवावहितोऽभवत् ॥ ३.७६.३२ ॥
Having entered, the lord of the Niṣadhas comforted the citizens and was ever attentive to their welfare, like a father.
3.76.33
पौरा जानपदाश्चापि संप्रहृष्टतनूरुहाः ।
ऊचुः प्राञ्जलयः सर्वे सामात्यप्रमुखा जनाः ॥ ३.७६.३३ ॥
The townspeople and country folk, their hair standing erect with joy, all with palms joined, led by the ministers, spoke.
3.76.34
अद्यस्म निर्वृता राजन्पुरे जनपदेऽपि च ।
उपासितुं पुनः प्राप्ता देवा इव शतक्रतुम् ॥ ३.७६.३४ ॥
O king, today we are at peace in the city and in the country, as if the gods had again obtained the chance to attend upon Śatakratu, Indra.