बृहदश्व उवाच एवं स समयं कृत्वा द्वापरेण कलिः सह। आजगाम ततस्तत्र यत्र राजा स नैषधः॥
Brihadashva said : Having entered into this agreement with Dvapara, Kali came to the place where the king of the Nishadhas was.
स नित्यमन्तरप्रेप्सुनिषधेष्ववसच्चिरम्। अथास्य द्वादशे वर्षे ददर्श कलिरन्तरम्॥
Always intent on detecting a flaw in Nala, he resided in the country of the Nishadhas. In the twelfth vear Kali found out a fault of his.
कृत्वा मूत्रमुपस्पृश्य संध्यामन्वास्त नैषधः। अकृत्वा पादयोः शौचं तत्रै कलिराविशत्॥
Naishadha, after having with water, rinsed his mouth, performed the Sandhya ceremony, without having previously washed his two feet. Thereupon Kali possessed him.
स समाविश्य च नलं समीपं पुष्करस्य च। गत्वा पुष्करमाहेदमेहि दीव्य नलेन वै॥
He, having entered into Nala, went to Pushkara and said to the latter, “Come, play at dice with Nala?
अक्षयूते नलं जेता भवान् हि सहितो मया। निषधान् प्रतिपद्यस्व जित्वा राज्यं नलं नृपम्॥
With my help you shall conquer Nala at a game of dice; and vanquishing king Nala and wining his kingdom, do you govern the Nishadhas?"
एवमुक्तस्तु कलिना पुष्करो नलमभ्ययात्। कलिश्चैव वृषो भूत्वा गवां पुष्करमभ्ययात्॥
Thus spoken to by Kali, Pusłıkara went to Nala; Kali also repaired to Pushkara becoming the principal die.
आसाद्य तु नलं वीरं पुष्करः परवीरहा। दीव्यावेत्यब्रवीद् भ्राता वृषेणेति मुहुर्मुहुः।।
Pushkara, the chastiser of hostile heroes, having approached the warlike Nala, repeatedly asked him to game together at dice.
न चक्षमे ततो राजा समाह्वानं महामनाः। वैदाः प्रेक्षमाणायाः पणकालममन्यत॥
Thereupon the illustrious monarch could not desire to reject the summons. For the reason of Damayanti's presence there, he fixed the time for game also.
हिरण्यस्य सुवर्णस्य यानयुग्यस्य वाससाम्। आविष्टः कलिना द्यूते जीयते स्म नलस्तदा॥ तमक्षमदसम्मत्तं सुहृदां न तु कश्चन। निवारणेऽभवच्छतो दीव्यमानमरिदमम्॥
Being taken up by Kali, the prince Nala lost at dice his gold and silver statues, his cars with their teams and also the valuable garments. The illustrious chastiser of the foes was maddened at the game, from which none of his friends could make him desist.
ततः पौरजनाः सर्वे मन्त्रिभिः सह भारत। राजानं द्रष्टुमागच्छन् निवारयितुमातुरम्॥
Thereupon, O Bharata, all the inhabitants of the city with the ministers came to see the troubled prince and also to dissuade him (from the play).
तत: सूत उपागम्य दमयन्त्यै न्यवेदयत्। पौरजनो देवि द्वारि तिष्ठति कार्यवान्॥
Then the charioteer, having approached Damayanti, said to her" 'O auspicious one, all the citizens and the state officers are staying at the gate."
निवेद्यतां नैषधाय सर्वाः प्रकृतयः स्थिताः। अमृष्यमाणा व्यसनं राज्ञोधर्मार्थदर्शिनः॥
O lady, do you inform the king of the Nishadhas that all his citizens have come here, who cannot rcally bear with the calamitous game of their monarch, who is so very well versed in virtue and in the acquisition or wealth.
ततः सा बाष्पकलया वाचा दुःखेन कर्शिता। उवाच नैषधं भैमी शोकोपहतचेतना॥
Thereupon the daughter of Bhima, overpowered by grief and deprived of scnses by distresses, said to the prince of the Nishadhas in terins chocked with tears-
राजन् पौरजनो द्वारि त्वां दिदृक्षुरवस्थितः। मन्त्रिभिः सहितः सर्वे राजभक्तिपुरस्कृतः॥ तं द्रष्टुमर्हसीत्येवं पुनः पुनरभाषत। तां तथा रुचिरापाङ्गी विलपन्तीं तथाविधाम्॥ आविष्टः कलिना राजा नाभ्यभाषत किंचन। ततस्ते मन्त्रिणः सर्वे ते चैव पुरवासिनः॥ नायमस्तीति दुःखार्ता वीडिता जग्मुरालयान्। तथा तदभवद् द्यूतं पुष्करस्य नलस्य च। युधिष्ठिर बहून् मासान् पुण्यश्लोकस्त्वजीयत॥
'O king! foremost in loyalty, all the citizens accompanied by the ministers, are waiting at the gate with the desire of seeing you.' She repeatedly told him to grant them an interview. But as the king was possessed by Kali, he answered nothing to them or his queen of handsome looks, who gave utterance to her sorrows thus: And the counselors and all the citizens, overwhelmed with grief and shame and having uttered (unto themselves) that he would never stand, went back to their homes; and thence forward. O Yudhishthira, the gambling of Pushkara and Nala continued for several months, while the righteous king was always defeated.