Mahabharata — Volume II (Dutt edition) — Chapter 71

MBh 2 71.1

बृहदश्व उवाच श्रुत्वा वचः सुदेवस्य ऋतुपर्णो नराधिपः। सान्त्वयश्लक्ष्णया वाचा बाहुकं प्रत्यभाषत॥

bṛhadaśva uvāca śrutvā vacaḥ sudevasya ṛtuparṇo narādhipaḥ| sāntvayaślakṣṇayā vācā bāhukaṃ pratyabhāṣata||

Brihadashva said : Hearing these words of Sudeva, king Rituparna comforted Bahuka with sweet speeches and addressed him thus,

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.2

विदर्भान् यातुमिच्छामि दमयन्त्याः स्वयंवरम्। एकाला हयतत्त्वज्ञ मन्यसे यदि बाहुक॥

vidarbhān yātumicchāmi damayantyāḥ svayaṃvaram| ekālā hayatattvajña manyase yadi bāhuka||

"O Bahuka, O you who are well-versed in the knowledge of horses, if you are willing, I desire to go, in course of a day, to the country of the Vidharbhas, where will be held the Svayamvara of Damayanti."

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.3

एवमुक्तस्य कौन्तेय तेन राज्ञा नलस्य ह। व्यदीर्यत मनो दुःखात् प्रदध्यौ च महामनाः॥

evamuktasya kaunteya tena rājñā nalasya ha| vyadīryata mano duḥkhāt pradadhyau ca mahāmanāḥ||

O descendant of Kunti, thus addressed by that king, Nala had his mind bursting with grief and that lofty-minded one also burned with sorrow.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.4

दमयन्ती वदेदेतत् कुर्याद् दुःखेन मोहिता। अस्मदर्थे भवेद् वायमुपायश्चिन्तितो महान्॥

damayantī vadedetat kuryād duḥkhena mohitā| asmadarthe bhaved vāyamupāyaścintito mahān||

He thought “It may be that Damayanti, afflicted by sorrow, does this; or, perhaps, by doing this, she has conceived a great policy for my sake.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.5

नृशंसं बत वैदर्भी भर्तृकामा तपस्विनी। मया क्षुद्रेण निकृता कृपणा पापबुद्धिना॥ स्त्रीस्वभावश्चलो लोके मम दोषश्च दारुणः। स्यादेवभपि कुयात् सा विवासाद् गतसौहृदा॥

nṛśaṃsaṃ bata vaidarbhī bhartṛkāmā tapasvinī| mayā kṣudreṇa nikṛtā kṛpaṇā pāpabuddhinā|| strīsvabhāvaścalo loke mama doṣaśca dāruṇaḥ| syādevabhapi kuyāt sā vivāsād gatasauhṛdā||

That virtuous lady, the daughter of the king of the Vidharbhas, is willing to do this, is, indeed, very cruel; and that is for the reason of my deceiving her, who am an insignificant, sinful and senseless one. In this world, the nature of women is very subtle. My fault is also very great. She works out this end; for she no longer entertains any love for me, on account of my long separation from her.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.6

मम शोकेन संविग्ना नैराश्यात् तनुमध्यमा। नैवं सा कर्हिचित् कुर्यात् सापत्या च विशेषतः॥

mama śokena saṃvignā nairāśyāt tanumadhyamā| naivaṃ sā karhicit kuryāt sāpatyā ca viśeṣataḥ||

The lady, possessing slender waist, oppressed as she is by sorrow for me, will, as a matter of fact, not be able to do this; especially because she has got children (by me).

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.7

यदत्र सत्यं वासत्यं गत्वा वेत्स्यामि निश्चयम्। ऋतुपर्णस्य वै काममात्मार्थं च करोम्यहम्॥

yadatra satyaṃ vāsatyaṃ gatvā vetsyāmi niścayam| ṛtuparṇasya vai kāmamātmārthaṃ ca karomyaham||

I will go there and know for certain whether there is any truth in this; or the fact is unreal. I will surely fulfill the desire of Rituparna; for in doing this I will serve my own purpose."

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.8

इति निश्चित्य मनसा बाहुको दीनमानसः। कृताञ्जलिरुवाचेदमृतुपर्णं जनाधिपम्॥ प्रतिजानामि ते वाक्यं गमिष्यामि नराधिप। एकाह्रा पुरुषव्याघ्र विदर्भनगरी नृप॥

iti niścitya manasā bāhuko dīnamānasaḥ| kṛtāñjaliruvācedamṛtuparṇaṃ janādhipam|| pratijānāmi te vākyaṃ gamiṣyāmi narādhipa| ekāhrā puruṣavyāghra vidarbhanagarī nṛpa||

Having thus settled his mind, Bahuka, whose mind was filled with sorrow, folded his hands and said these words to king Rituparna, "O best of kings, O foremost of men, O monarch, I am determined at your command to go to the city of Ayodhya in course of a single day.”

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.9

ततः परीक्षामश्वानां चक्रे राजन् स बाहुकः। अश्वशालामुपागम्य भागासुरिनृपाज्ञया॥

tataḥ parīkṣāmaśvānāṃ cakre rājan sa bāhukaḥ| aśvaśālāmupāgamya bhāgāsurinṛpājñayā||

O king, thereupon Bahuka went, at the behest of the royal son of Vangasura, to the stables; and there he examined the horses.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.10

स त्वर्यमाणो बहुश ऋतुपर्णेन बाहुकः। अश्वाञ्जिज्ञासमानो वै विचार्य च पुनः पुनः। अभ्यगच्छत् कृशानश्वान् समर्थानध्वनि क्षमान्॥ तेजोबलसमायुक्तान् कुलशीलसमन्वितान्। वर्जिताँल्लक्षणैर्हनिः पृथुप्रोथान् महाहनून्॥

sa tvaryamāṇo bahuśa ṛtuparṇena bāhukaḥ| aśvāñjijñāsamāno vai vicārya ca punaḥ punaḥ| abhyagacchat kṛśānaśvān samarthānadhvani kṣamān|| tejobalasamāyuktān kulaśīlasamanvitān| varjitā~llakṣaṇairhaniḥ pṛthuprothān mahāhanūn||

Bahuka, having been repeatedly asked by Rituparna, examined the horses and balanced in his mind over and over again. Then, at last, he selected such horses that were very lean but able; and also that are capable of bearing hardhips of a long journey and endued with strength and energy; well bred and gentle and unmarked by inauspicious marks; possessed of broad nostrils and swelling cheeks.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.11

शुद्धान् दशभिरावर्तेः सिन्धुजान् वातरंहसः। दृष्ट्वा तानब्रवीद् राजा किंचित् कोपसमन्वितः॥

śuddhān daśabhirāvarteḥ sindhujān vātaraṃhasaḥ| dṛṣṭvā tānabravīd rājā kiṃcit kopasamanvitaḥ||

These horses were also faultless as regards 'the ten hairy curls' and born in the country called) Sindhu and swift as the wind. The king, seeing these steeds, became a little angry and said,

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.12

किमिदं प्रार्थितं कर्तुं प्रलब्धव्या न ते वयम्। कथमल्पबलप्राणा वक्ष्यन्तीमे हया मम। महदध्वानमपि च गन्तव्यं कथमीदृशैः॥

kimidaṃ prārthitaṃ kartuṃ pralabdhavyā na te vayam| kathamalpabalaprāṇā vakṣyantīme hayā mama| mahadadhvānamapi ca gantavyaṃ kathamīdṛśaiḥ||

"What do you want to do? You should not jest with me. How these weak and breathless steeds will carry us? How this long way we would travel with the help of these horses?"

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.13

बाहुक उवाच एको ललाटे द्वौ मूर्ध्नि द्वौ द्वौ पार्थोपपार्श्वयोः। द्वौ द्वौ वक्षसि विज्ञेयौ प्रयाणे चैक एव तु॥ एते हया गमिष्यन्ति विदर्भान् नात्र संशयः॥ यानन्यान् मन्यसे राजन् ब्रूहि तान् योजयामि ते॥

bāhuka uvāca eko lalāṭe dvau mūrdhni dvau dvau pārthopapārśvayoḥ| dvau dvau vakṣasi vijñeyau prayāṇe caika eva tu|| ete hayā gamiṣyanti vidarbhān nātra saṃśayaḥ|| yānanyān manyase rājan brūhi tān yojayāmi te||

Bahuka said: These horses, respectively bearing one curl on the forehead, two on the temples, four on the sides, four on the breast and one on the back, will, without doubt, reach the country of the Vidharbhas. But, O monarch, should you like others, tell me and I will yoke them for you.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.14

ऋतुपर्ण उवाच त्वमेव हयतत्त्वज्ञः कुशलो ह्यसि बाहुक। यान् मन्यसे समर्थांस्त्वं क्षिप्रं तानेव योजय॥

ṛtuparṇa uvāca tvameva hayatattvajñaḥ kuśalo hyasi bāhuka| yān manyase samarthāṃstvaṃ kṣipraṃ tāneva yojaya||

Rituparna said: O Bahuka, you are well conversant with the knowledge and guiding of horses. Soon yoke those that you think fit.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.15

ततः सदश्वांश्चतुरु कुलशीलसमन्वितान्। योजयामास कुशलो जवयुक्तान् रथे नलः॥

tataḥ sadaśvāṃścaturu kulaśīlasamanvitān| yojayāmāsa kuśalo javayuktān rathe nalaḥ||

Thereupon clever and skillful Nala yoked to the car high-bred, gentle and swift steeds.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.16

ततो युक्तं रथं राजा समारोहत् त्वरान्वितः। अथ पर्यपतन् भूमौ जानुभिस्ते हयोत्तमाः॥

tato yuktaṃ rathaṃ rājā samārohat tvarānvitaḥ| atha paryapatan bhūmau jānubhiste hayottamāḥ||

Then the monarch most speedily mounted the car, to which such horses had been yoked. But these best of horses fell down upon the ground on their knees.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.17

ततो नरवरः श्रीमान् नलो राजा विशाम्पते। सान्त्वयामास तानश्वांस्तेजोबलसमन्वितान्॥

tato naravaraḥ śrīmān nalo rājā viśāmpate| sāntvayāmāsa tānaśvāṃstejobalasamanvitān||

O monarch, thereupon that most auspicious and best of men, king Nala, comforted the horse, that were endued with strength and energy.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.18

रश्मिभिश्च समुद्यम्य नलो यातुमियेष सः। सूतमारोप्य वार्ष्णेयं जवमास्थाय वै परम्॥ ते चोद्यमाना विधिवद् बाहुकेन हयोत्तमाः। समुत्पेतुरथाकाशं रथिनं मोहयन्निव॥

raśmibhiśca samudyamya nalo yātumiyeṣa saḥ| sūtamāropya vārṣṇeyaṃ javamāsthāya vai param|| te codyamānā vidhivad bāhukena hayottamāḥ| samutpeturathākāśaṃ rathinaṃ mohayanniva||

Nala, then raising the steeds by the reins and making Varshneya, the charioteer, sit on the car, commanded great speed and set out. Thereafter those foremost of horses, having been conducted by Bahuka according to the rules, rose to the sky and confounded the occupant of the car.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.19

तथा तु दृष्ट्वा तानश्वान् वहतो वातरंहसः। अयोध्याधिपतिः श्रीमान् विस्मयं परमं ययौ॥

tathā tu dṛṣṭvā tānaśvān vahato vātaraṃhasaḥ| ayodhyādhipatiḥ śrīmān vismayaṃ paramaṃ yayau||

The blessed king of Ayodhya, having seen these horses carrying him with the speed of winds, was struck with great astonishment.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.20

रथघोषं तु तं श्रुत्वा हयसंग्रहणं च तत्। वार्ष्णेयश्चिन्तयामास बाहुकस्य हयज्ञताम्॥ किं नु स्यान्मातलिरयं देवराजस्य सारथिः। तथा तल्लक्षणं वीरे बाहुके दृश्यते महत्॥

rathaghoṣaṃ tu taṃ śrutvā hayasaṃgrahaṇaṃ ca tat| vārṣṇeyaścintayāmāsa bāhukasya hayajñatām|| kiṃ nu syānmātalirayaṃ devarājasya sārathiḥ| tathā tallakṣaṇaṃ vīre bāhuke dṛśyate mahat||

Varshneya, hearing the sound of the car (of its wheels) and witnessing the management of the horses, was set to thinking on the knowledge of Bahuka in the science of steeds. He said, “Was he not Matali, the charioteer of the king of the gods? That auspicious mark is seen in heroic Bahuka.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.21

शालिहोत्रोऽथ किं नु स्याद्धयानां कुलतत्त्ववित्। मानुषं समनुप्राप्तो वपुः परमशोभनम्॥

śālihotro'tha kiṃ nu syāddhayānāṃ kulatattvavit| mānuṣaṃ samanuprāpto vapuḥ paramaśobhanam||

Is he not Salihotra, who is conversant with the knowledge of horses? Or Salihotra has taken this beautiful human form?"

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.22

उताहोस्विद् भवेद् राजा नल: परपुरंजयः। सोऽयं नृपतिरायात इत्येवं समचिन्तयत्॥

utāhosvid bhaved rājā nala: parapuraṃjayaḥ| so'yaṃ nṛpatirāyāta ityevaṃ samacintayat||

He continued to think, “That he might be king Nala, the reducer of hostile cities, who has come here.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.23

अथ चेह नलो विद्यां वेत्ति तामेव बाहुकः। तुल्यं हि लक्षये ज्ञानं बाहुकस्य नलस्य च॥

atha ceha nalo vidyāṃ vetti tāmeva bāhukaḥ| tulyaṃ hi lakṣaye jñānaṃ bāhukasya nalasya ca||

Or it might be that Bahuka knew the science with which Nala was conversant; for Nala's knowledge seemed to be identical with that of Bahuka.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.24

अपि चेदं वयस्तुल्यं बाहुकस्य नलस्य च। नायं नलो महावीर्यस्तद्धिद्यश्च भविष्यति॥

api cedaṃ vayastulyaṃ bāhukasya nalasya ca| nāyaṃ nalo mahāvīryastaddhidyaśca bhaviṣyati||

Again, both Nala and Bahuka seem to be of the same age. This person may not be identical with Nala of great energy; but he must be somebody of equal knowledge.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.25

प्रच्छन्ना हि महात्मानश्चरन्ति पृथिवीमिमाम्। दैवेन विधिना युक्ताः शास्त्रोक्तैश्च निरूपणैः॥

pracchannā hi mahātmānaścaranti pṛthivīmimām| daivena vidhinā yuktāḥ śāstroktaiśca nirūpaṇaiḥ||

Sometimes, indeed, great men rove over this world in disguise either ordained by mishap or in obedience to the dictates of the Shastras.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.26

भवेन्न मतिभेदो मे गात्रवैरूप्यतां प्रति। प्रमाणात् परिहीनस्तु भवेदिति मतिर्मम॥

bhavenna matibhedo me gātravairūpyatāṃ prati| pramāṇāt parihīnastu bhavediti matirmama||

There should be no change of my opinion on account of his ugly appearance; rather my opinion is that this one has under gone some change in the body.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.27

वय:प्रमाणं तत्तुल्यं रूपेण तु विपर्ययः। नलं सर्वगुणैर्युक्तं मन्ये बाहुकमन्ततः॥

vaya:pramāṇaṃ tattulyaṃ rūpeṇa tu viparyayaḥ| nalaṃ sarvaguṇairyuktaṃ manye bāhukamantataḥ||

This one is of the same age with him but there is some difference in the form. Again, he Bahuka gifted with all the accomplishments? Therefore I think he is Nala."

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.28

एवं विचार्य बहुशो वार्ष्णेयः पर्यचिन्तयत्। हृदयेन महाराज पुण्यश्लोकस्य सारथिः॥

evaṃ vicārya bahuśo vārṣṇeyaḥ paryacintayat| hṛdayena mahārāja puṇyaślokasya sārathiḥ||

O the foremost of kings, having deliberated upon this over and over again, Varshneya, the charioteer of virtuous Nala, went on thinking in his mind.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.29

ऋतुपर्णश्च राजेन्द्रो बाहुकस्य हयज्ञताम्। चिन्तयन् मुमुदे राजा सहवार्ष्णेयसारथिः॥

ṛtuparṇaśca rājendro bāhukasya hayajñatām| cintayan mumude rājā sahavārṣṇeyasārathiḥ||

Along with his charioteer, Varshneya, the excellent king Rituparna, highly delighted, was absorbed in the thought, regarding Bahuka's knowledge in the management of horses.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 71.30

ऐकाग्र्यं च तथोत्साहं हयसंग्रहणं च तत्। परं यत्नं च सम्प्रेक्ष्य परां मुदमवाप ह॥

aikāgryaṃ ca tathotsāhaṃ hayasaṃgrahaṇaṃ ca tat| paraṃ yatnaṃ ca samprekṣya parāṃ mudamavāpa ha||

Also he was greatly delighted to behold the attentiveness and zeal of Bahuka, as also his manner of holding the reins and his skill in it. nin TCY ATT VTTTTTTTTTTT

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)