बृहदश्व उवाच दमयन्ती ततो दृष्ट्वा पुण्यश्लोकं नराधिपम्। उन्मत्तवदनुन्मत्ता देवने गतचेतसम्॥ भयशोकसमाविष्टा राजन् भीमसुता ततः। चिन्तयामास तत् कार्यं सुमहत् पार्थिवं प्रति॥
Brihadshava said : Damayanti beheld the righteous king to be maddened at the gambling and deprived of his reason. Thereupon, O Monarch, the daughter of Bhima was overwhelmed with terror and grief and meditated upon the seriousness of the matter regarding the king, her husband.
सा शङ्कमाना तत् पापं चिकीर्षन्ती च तत्प्रियम्। नलं च हृतसर्वस्वमुपलभ्येदमब्रवीत्॥ बृहत्सेनामतियशां तांधात्री परिचारिकाम्। हितां सर्वार्थकुशलामनुरक्तां सुभाषिताम्॥
Beholding Nala deprived of all his possessions and being afraid of the calamity that had befallen her husband and desirous of doing good to him, Damayanti addressed to her nurse and maid-servant who was most noted, well-meaning beloved and intent upon doing good to all and well-speaking-these words-
बृहत्सेने व्रजामात्यानानाय्य नलशासनात्। आचक्ष्व यद्भूतं द्रव्यमवशिष्टं च यद् वसु॥
'O Brihadsena! inviting all the ministers in the name of king Nala, go and inform them what things are lost and what wealth still remains.
ततस्ते मन्त्रिणः सर्वे विज्ञाय नलशासनम्। अपि नो भागधेयं स्यादित्युक्त्वा नलमाव्रजन्॥
Thereupon all the ministers, having been informed of the summons of the king, uttered"O this was most unfortunate for them all” and advanced to Nala,
तास्तु सर्वाः प्रकृतयो द्वितीयं समुपस्थिताः। न्यवेदयद् भीमसुता न च तत् प्रत्यनन्दत॥
When again the daughter of Bhima informed Nala, that all his subjects came there in a body for the second time, the king said nothing to her in reply.
वाक्यमप्रतिनन्दन्तं भर्तारमभिवीक्ष्य सा। दमयन्ती पुनर्वेश्म वीडिता प्रविवेश ह॥ निशम्य सततं चाक्षान् पुण्यश्लोकपराङ्मुखान्। नलं च हृतसर्वस्वंधात्री पुनरुवाच ह॥ बृहत्सेने पुनर्गच्छ वार्ष्णेयं नलशासनात्। सूतमानय कल्याणि महत् कार्यमुपस्थितम्॥
Damayanti, beholding that her lord uttered not a word to her in reply, felt shame and entered her own apartments. And also hearing that the virtuous Nala was always defeated at dice and deprived of all his possessions, she spoke again unto her nurse, Brihadsena! O blessed one do you go and summon, in the name of Nala, Varshneya, the charioteer, as a very serious matter is near at hand.
बृहत्सेना तु सा श्रुत्वा दमयन्त्याः प्रभाषितम्। वार्ष्णेयमानयामास पुरुषैराप्तकारिभिः॥ वार्ष्णेयं तु ततो भैमी सान्त्वयश्लक्ष्णया गिरा। उवाच देशकालज्ञा प्राप्तकालमनिन्दिता॥
Hearing the words of Damayanti, Brihadsena brought Varshneya summoned by faithful servants. Thereupon the daughter of Bhima, who was unblameable and was never out of place or season, consoled Varshneya by sweet speeches and said to him words suitable to the occasion-
जानीषे त्वं यथा राजा सम्यग् वृत्तः सदा त्वयि। तस्य त्वं रिषमस्थस्य साहाय्यं कर्तुमर्हसि॥
It is known to you how always you were treated by the monarch. Now it is necessary for you therefore, to remember this and help him in his distress.
यथा यथा हि नृपतिः पुष्करेणैव जीयते। तथा तथास्य वै छूते रागो भूयोऽभिवर्धते॥
The more the king is defeated by Pushkara in the game, the greater becomes his earnestness for it.
यथा च पुष्करस्याक्षाः पतन्ति वशवर्तिनः। तथा विपर्ययश्चापि नलस्याक्षेषु दृश्यते॥
As the dice fall in accordance with the commands of Pushkara, so it is seen they are adverse to the interests of Nala in the play.
सुहृत्स्वजनवाक्यानि यथावन्न शृणोति च। ममापि च तथा वाक्यं नाभिनन्दति मोहितः॥ नूनं मन्ये न दोषोऽस्ति नैषधस्य महात्मनः। यत् तु मे वचनं राजा नाभिनन्दति मोहितः॥
Deeply engaged in the game, as he is deaf regarding the advices of his friends and relatives, so he does not accept my counsel. Surely me-seems, the high-souled Naishadha is not to be blamed for his not listening to my words, absorbed as he is in the game.
शरणं त्वां प्रपन्नास्मि सारथे कुरु मद्वचः। न हि मे शुध्यते भावः कदाचिद् विनशेदपि॥
O charioteer! I seek your protection. Act according to my commands. My mind is not very sanguine. King Nala may come to danger.
नलस्य दयितानश्वान् योजयित्वा मनोजवान्। इदमारोप्य मिथुनं कुण्डिनं यातुमर्हसि॥
Yoking the favourite steeds of Nala, fleet as the glance of mind and placing my twins (a son and a daughter) on the car, you should repair to Kundina in all haste.
मम ज्ञातिषु निक्षिप्य दारको स्यन्दनं तथा। अश्वांश्चमान् यथाकामं वस वान्यत्र गच्छ वा॥
Leaving the children and the car and these horses with my relatives, do you go there or go away wherever it pleases you to go,'
दमयन्त्यास्तु तद् वाक्यं वार्ष्णेयो नलसारथिः। न्यवेदयशेषेण नलामात्येषु मुख्यशः॥
Varshneya the charioteer of Nala, told in detail these words of Damayanti to the chief counsellors of Nala.
तैः समेत्य विनिश्चित्य सोऽनुज्ञातो महीपते। ययौ मिथुनमारोग्य विदर्भास्तेन वाहिना॥
O lord of earth! deciding (the matter) with their aid and with their permission placing the children on the chariot the charioteer hastened towards Vidarbha.
हयांस्तत्र विनिक्षिप्य सूतो रथवरं च तम्। इन्द्रसेनां च तां कन्यामिन्द्रसेनं च बालकम्॥ आमन्त्र्य भीमं राजानमार्तः शोचन् नलं नृपम्। अटमानस्ततोऽयोध्या जगाम नगरी तदा॥
There leaving the horses, the excellent of cars and the boy Indrasena and the girl Indrasena and saluting king Bhima and afflicted and grieving for Nala, the charioteer started from that place and repaired to the town of Ayodhya.
ऋतुपर्णं स राजानमुपतस्थे सुदुःखितः। भृति चोपययौ तस्य सारथ्येन महीपते॥
He approached king Rituparna with a sorrowful heart and entered into the service of the monarch as a charioteer.