बृहदश्व उवाच स मासमुष्य कौन्तेय भीममामन्त्र्य नैषधः। पुरादल्पपरीवारो जगाम निषधान् प्रति॥
Brihadashva said: O son of Kunti, the prince of the Nishadhas, having lived there for about a month, obtained permission of Bhima and went, with a small number of attendants, to the country of the Nishadhas.
रथेनैकेन शुभ्रेण दन्तिभिः परिषोडशैः। पञ्चाशद्भिर्हयैश्चैव षट्शतैश्च पदातिभिः॥ स कम्पयन्निव महीं त्वरमाणो महीपतिः। प्रविवेशाथ संरब्धस्तरसैव महामनाः॥
That agile and lofty-minded monarch, who was swelled with rage, entered the country of the Nishadhas speedily, with a single white car, sixteen elephants, fifty horse and six hundred infantry and thereby he trembled the whole earth.
ततः पुष्करमासाद्य वीरसेनसुतो नलः। उवाच दीव्याव पुनर्बहुवित्तं मयार्जितम्॥ दमयन्ती च यच्चान्यन्मम किंचन विद्यते। एष वै मम संन्यासस्तव राज्यं तु पुष्कर॥ पुनः प्रवर्ततां द्यूतमिति मे निश्चिता मतिः। एकपाणेन भद्रं ते प्राणयोश्च पणावहे॥
Thereupon the heroic son of Virasena, advancing towards Pushkara (his brother), expressed his intention to play at dice; because he again earned vast wealth. Nal Said, "O Pushkara, let Damayanti and everything else, that I have, by my stake; and let your kingdom be yours. Let the game at dice begin again; for this is my firm resolution. Be you happy. Let us stake all that we possess, as well as our lives.
जित्वा परस्वमाहृत्य राज्यं वा यदि वा बसु। प्रतिपाणः प्रदातव्यः परमोधर्म उच्यते॥
To stake back other's possessions, that is, wealth and kingdom, that are already won, is said to be the chief virtue.
न चेद् वाञ्छसि त्वं युद्धद्यूतं प्रवर्तताम्। द्वैरथेनास्तु वै शान्तिस्तव वा मम वा नृप॥
If you do not like the game at dice, do you then engage yourself in the play at weapons. Really, O king, let us have peace by fighting out a duel.
वंशभोज्यमिदं राज्यमर्थितव्यं यथा तथा। येन केनाप्युपायेन वृद्धानामिति शासनम्॥
The sages have laid down their authority by saying, that the ancestral kingdom should be obtained under any circumstance or by any means.
द्वयोरेकतरे बुद्धिः क्रियतामद्य पुष्कर। कैतवेनाक्षवत्यां तु युद्धे वा नाम्यतांधनुः॥
O Pushkara, do you choose today one of these two; that is, do you either game at dice or bend the bow in battle.
नैषधेनैवमुक्तस्तु पुष्करः प्रहसन्निवा ध्रुवमात्मजयं मत्वा प्रत्याह पृथिवीपतिम्॥
Brihadashva said: Having been thus addressed by the prince of the Nishadhas, Pushkara, with the assurance of his own success, answered the king smilingly.
दिष्ट्या त्वयार्जितं वित्तं प्रतिपाणाय नैषध। दिष्ट्या च दुष्कृतं कर्म दमयन्त्याः क्षयं गतम्॥
“O Naishadha, by good fortune you have acquired the vast wealth, in order to stake it back again. Most fortunately the adversity of Damayanti has come to an end.
दिष्ट्या च ध्रियसे राजन् सदारोऽद्य महाभुज। धनेनानेन वै भैमी जितेन समलंकृता।॥ देवनेन मम मामुपस्थास्यति व्यक्तं दिवि शक्रमिवाप्सराः। नित्यशो हि स्मरामि त्वां प्रतीक्षेऽपि च नैषध॥
O monarch, O mighty-armed one, that you are still living with your wife, is owing to your good luck. Indeed, the daughter of king Bhima, decked in ornaments, will attend me with all the wealth, that I will gain from you, even as the Apsaras wait upon Shakra in heaven. O prince of the Nishadhas, do I, therefore, recollect you and expect you always.
प्रीतिर्न भवत्यसुहृद्गणैः। जित्वा त्वद्य वरारोहां दमयन्तीमनिन्दिताम्॥ कृतकृत्यो भविष्यामि सा हि मे नित्यशो हृदि।
To play at dicc with those that are not my relatives, gives me no pleasure. Having this day obtained the hand of Damayanti, who is most beautiful and possessed of blameless features, I shall think myself very lucky, for she is, as ever, the darling of my heart.”
श्रुत्वा तु तस्य ता वाचो बह्वबद्धप्रलापिनः॥ इयेष स शिरश्छेत्तुं खड्नेन कुपितो नलः। स्मयंस्तु रोषताम्राक्षस्तमुवाच नलो नृपः॥
Having heard these expressions of that infatuated braggart, king Nala became filled with rage and desired to sever his head by the sword. King Nala smilingly, though his eyes were red with anger, addressed him, saying,
पणावः किं व्याहरसे जितो न व्याहरिष्यसि। ततः प्रावर्तत द्यूतं पुष्करस्य नलस्य च॥ एकपाणेन वीरेण लेन स पराजितः। स रत्नकोशनिचयैः प्राणेन पणितोऽपि च॥
"Let us begin the play. Why do you speak thus now? You will speak in any way you like, after you shali have defeated me at dice.” Thereupon the gambling began between Pushkara and Nala. Pushkara, who had even staked his own life, was defeated at a single throw by Nala; and thus he lost all his wealth and treasures.
जित्वा च पुष्करं राजा प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत्। मम सर्वमिदं राज्यमव्यग्रं हतकण्टकम्॥ वैदर्भी न त्वया शक्या राजापसद वीक्षितुम्। तस्यास्त्वं सपरीवारो मूढ दासत्वमागतः॥
The king, having defeated Pushkara, laughingly saidto him: "This entire kingdom is now undisputedly mine. The thorns (the enemies) are all destroyed. O worst of kings, now you are not able even to have a look of Vaidharbhi. O foolish one, you are now reduced to her slave with your family.
न त्वया तत् कृतं कर्म येनाहं विजितः पुरा। कलिना तत् कृतं कर्म त्वं च मूढ न बुध्यसे॥
That formerly I was defeated by you, was not wrought by you. That act was done by Kali; and it was not you, that did so. O stupid one, this you do not understand.
नाहं परकृतं दोषं त्वय्याधास्ये कथंचन। यथासुखं वै जीव त्वं प्राणानवसृजामि ते॥
I will never attribute the faults, committed by others, to you. Indeed, do you live happily. I grant you your life.
तथैव सर्वसम्भारं स्वमंशं वितरामि ते। तथैव च मम प्रतिस्त्वयि वीर न संशयः॥
As before, I give you your portion of the whole kingdom. O hero, the amount of my love for you is doubtlessly the same as before.
सौहार्द चापि मे त्वत्तो न कदाचित् प्रहास्यति। पुष्कर त्वं हि मे भ्राता संजीव शरदः शतम्॥
O Pushkara, the fraternal love, that I entertain for you, will never decrease. You are my brother. Do you live for a hundred years.
एवं नल: सान्त्वयित्वा भ्रातरं सत्यविक्रमः। स्वपुरं प्रेषयामास परिष्वज्य पुनः पुनः॥
Having thus accosted his brother, Nala of undaunted courage embraced him repeatedly and asked him to go to his own city.
सान्त्वितो नैषाधेनैवं पुष्करं प्रत्युवाच तम्। पुण्यश्लोकं तदा राजन्नभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः॥ कीर्तिरस्तु तवाक्षय्या जीव वर्षशतं सुखी। यो मे वितरसि प्राणानधिष्ठानं च पार्थिव॥
O king, having been thus consoled by the prince of the Nishadhas, Pushkara then, with folded hands, saluted and answered that virtuous prince, saying, “O prince, let your fame be immortal; and do you live at peace for hundred years, for you have give to me both life and shelter."
स तथा सत्कृतो राज्ञा मासमुष्य तदा नृप। प्रययौ पुष्करो हृष्टः स्वपुरं स्वजनावृतः॥ महत्या सेनया साधू विनीतैः परिचारकैः। भ्राजमान इवादित्यो वपुषा पुरुषर्षभ॥
O monarch, having been thus honoured by the king (his brother, Nala). Pushkara, gratified at heart, then repaired to his own city attended by his relatives, after he has passed about a month with his brother. O foremost of men, also attended by a great force and humble servants, Pushkara went away; and he looked like the resplendent sun in appearance.
प्रस्थाप्य पुष्करं राजा वित्तवन्तमनामयम्। प्रविवेश पुरं श्रीमानत्यर्थमुपशोभिताम्॥
After having settled Pushkara and enriched and delivered him from all anxieties, the blessed prince entered his own palace, most gorgeously decorated.
प्रविश्य सान्वयामास पौरांश्च निषधाधिपः। पौरा जानपदाश्चापि सम्प्रहृष्टतनूरुहाः॥
After having entered the palace, the prince of the Nishadhas consoled all the citizens, who, as well as the subjects from the country, again, greatly expressed their satisfaction,
ऊचुः प्राञ्जलयः सर्वे सामात्यप्रमुखा जनाः। अद्य स्म निर्वृता राजन् पुरे जनपदेऽपि च। उपासितुं पुन: प्राप्ता देवा इव शतक्रतुम्॥
All the officers of government, headed by their minister, addressed him with folded hands, saying, "O king, really we are all glad today both in the city and the country, even as the gods themselves, after having obtained their chief of a hundred sacrifices for worship."