नैषधीयचरितम् — प्रथमः सर्गः

निपीय यस्य क्षितिरक्षिणः कथाः
तथाद्रियन्ते न बुधाः सुधामपि ।
नलः सितच्छत्रितकीर्तिमण्डलः
स राशिरासीन्महसां महोज्ज्वलः ॥

Summary AI There was a king named Nala, a greatly radiant mass of splendors, whose circle of fame was like a white royal umbrella. Having imbibed the stories of this protector of the earth, the wise do not hold even nectar in such high esteem.

१.२

रसैः कथा यस्य सुधावधीरिणी
नलः स भूजानिरभूद्गुणाश्रयः ।
सुवर्णदण्डैकसितातपत्रित-
ज्वलत्प्रतापावलिकीर्तिमण्डलः ॥

Summary AI There was a king named Nala, a repository of virtues and husband to the earth, whose story, by its sentiments, belittled even nectar. His circle of fame, a blazing series of valor, was like a single white royal umbrella with a golden staff.

१.३

पवित्रमत्रातनुते जगद्युगे
स्मृता रसक्षालनयेव यत्कथा ।
कथं न सा मद्गिरमाविलामपि
स्वसेविनीमेव पवित्रयिष्यति ॥

Summary AI In this world, the story of Nala, when remembered, spreads purity as if by a cleansing of the tongue. How, then, will it not indeed purify my speech, which serves it, even though it is sullied?

१.४

अधीतिबोधाचरणप्रचारणैः
दशाश्चतस्रः प्रणयन्नुपाधिभिः ।
चतुर्दशत्वं कृतवान् कुतः स्वयं
न वेद्मि विद्यासु चतुर्दशस्वयम् ॥

Summary AI This Nala, by applying the four stages of study, comprehension, practice, and propagation to each of the fourteen traditional sciences, somehow made them fourteen-fold. I do not know how he himself accomplished this.

१.५

अमुष्य विद्या रसनाग्रनर्तकी
त्रयीव नीताङ्गगुणेन विस्तरम् ।
अगाहताष्टादशतां जिगीषया
नवद्वयद्वीपपृथग्जयश्रियाम् ॥

Summary AI His knowledge, a dancer on the tip of his tongue, like the three Vedas expanded by their auxiliary branches, reached the number eighteen, driven by the desire for the glories of conquering each of the eighteen islands separately.

१.६

दिगीशवृन्दांशविभूतिरीशिता
दिशां सकामप्रसभावरोधिनीम् ।
बभार शास्त्राणि दृशं द्वयाधिकां
निजत्रिनेत्रावतरत्वबोधिकाम् ॥

Summary AI That ruler, Nala, whose majesty was composed of portions from the host of directional deities, bore the scriptures as a third eye—two more than the usual. This 'eye' obstructed willful and forceful actions and indicated his own incarnation as the three-eyed Shiva.

१.७

पदैश्चतुर्भिः सुकृते स्थिरीकृते
कृतेऽमुना के न तपः प्रपेदिरे ।
भुवं यदेकाङ्घ्रिकनिष्ठया स्पृशन्
दधावधर्मोऽपि कृशस्तपस्विताम् ॥

Summary AI During his reign, the Krita Yuga, when righteousness was firmly established on its four feet, who did not practice penance? For even the emaciated Adharma (unrighteousness), touching the earth with only the little toe of its single remaining foot, assumed the guise of an ascetic.

१.८

यदस्य यात्रासु बलोद्धतं रजः
स्फुरत्प्रतापानलघूममञ्जिम ।
तदेव गत्वा पतितं सुधाम्बुधौ
दधाति पङ्कीभवदङ्कतां विधौ ॥

Summary AI The dust raised by his army during his campaigns, which had the beauty of smoke from the blazing fire of his valor, upon reaching and falling into the ocean of nectar (the sky), becomes the mud-like spot on the moon.

१.९

स्फुरद्धनुर्निस्वनतद्धनाशुग-
प्रगल्भवृष्टिव्ययितस्य संगरे ।
निजस्य तेजःशिखिनः परश्शता
वितेनुरिङ्गालमिवायशः परे ॥

Summary AI In battle, hundreds of enemies spread their infamy, which was like the charcoal remnant of their own fire of valor, after it had been extinguished by the bold shower of arrows from Nala's thundering, cloud-like bow.

१.१०

अनल्पदग्धारिपुरानलोज्ज्वलैः
निजप्रतापैर्वलयं ज्वलद्भुवः ।
प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य जयाय सृष्टया
रराज नीराजनया स राजघः ॥

Summary AI That great king shone, having circumambulated the circle of the blazing earth with his own valor, which was as bright as the fires that had burned countless enemy cities. This act served as a lustration ceremony (Nīrājanā) created for his victory.

१.११

निवारितास्तेन महीतलेऽखिले
निरीतिभावं गमितेऽतिवृष्टयः ।
न तत्यजुर्नूनमनन्यविश्रमाः
प्रतीपभूपालमृगीदृशां दृशः ॥

Summary AI When he (King Nala) made the entire surface of the earth free from calamities, excessive rains were stopped. However, the tear-filled glances of the deer-eyed wives of enemy kings, having no other resort, certainly did not cease.

१.१२

सितांशुवर्णैर्वयति स्म तद्गुणैः
महासिवेम्नः सहकृत्वरी बहुम् ।
दिगङ्गनाङ्गावरणं रणाङ्गणे
यशः पटं तद्भटचातुरीतुरी ॥

Summary AI In the battlefield, the skill of his soldiers, acting as a loom and assisted by his great sword as a shuttle, wove a vast cloth of fame. This cloth, woven with his moon-white virtues as threads, served as a garment to cover the bodies of the maidens of the directions.

१.१३

प्रतीपभूपैरिव किं ततो भिया
विरुद्धधर्मैरपि भेत्तृतोज्झिता ।
अमित्रजिन्मित्रजिदोजसा स
यद्विचारदृक्चारदृगप्यवर्तत ॥

Summary AI Since he, by his power, was a conqueror of foes and a winner of friends, and also acted as both a judge (with an eye for deliberation) and a king (with an eye on spies), was it that even contradictory qualities, like enemy kings, abandoned their opposition to him out of fear?

१.१४

तदोजसस्तद्यशसः स्थिताविमौ
वृथेति चित्ते कुरुते यदा यदा ।
तनोति भानोः परिवेषकैतवा-
त्तदा विधिः कुण्डलनां विधोरपि ॥

Summary AI Whenever the creator Brahma thinks, "In the presence of Nala's splendor and fame, these two (the sun and moon) are useless," he then draws a circle around both the sun and the moon under the pretext of a halo, as if to signify their worthlessness.

१.१५

अयं दरिद्रो भवितेति वैधसीं
विपिं ललाटेऽर्थिजनस्य जाग्रतीम् ।
मृषा न चक्रेऽल्पितकल्पपादपः
प्रणीय दारिद्रदरिद्रतां नलः ॥

Summary AI Nala, who belittled the wish-fulfilling trees with his generosity, did not falsify the writing of destiny on the foreheads of supplicants which read, "This person will be poor." Instead, by leading their poverty to a state of poverty itself (i.e., completely destroying it), he made that destiny true in a paradoxical way.

१.१६

विभज्य मेरुर्न यदर्थिसात्कृतो
न सिन्धुरुत्सर्गजलव्ययैर्मरुः ।
अमानि तत्तेन निजायशोयुगं
द्विफालबद्धाश्चिकुराः शिरः स्थितम् ॥

Summary AI Because he did not divide Mount Meru and give it to supplicants, and did not turn the ocean into a desert by using its water for donations, he considered these two failures as a pair of disgraces. He imagined them situated on his head like locks of hair parted in the middle.

१.१७

अजस्रमभ्यासमुपेयुषा समं
मुदैव देवः कविना बुधेन च ।
दधौ पटीयान्समयं नयन्नयं
दिनेश्वरश्रीरुदयं दिने दिने ॥

Summary AI This very skilled king Nala, whose splendor was like the sun's, spent his time joyfully with the learned (Budha/Mercury) and poets (Kavi/Venus) who had constantly attained his company. Thus, he achieved greater prosperity day by day, just as the sun rises daily accompanied by Mercury and Venus.

१.१८

अधोविधानात्कमलप्रवालयोः
शिरःसु दानादखिलक्षमाभुजाम् ।
पुरेदमूर्ध्वं भवतीति वेधसा
पदं किमस्याङ्कितमूर्ध्वरेखया ॥

Summary AI Was it that the Creator, foreseeing that this foot of Nala would in the future be held high—due to its being placed above lotuses and sprouts (in terms of beauty) and on the heads of all kings (in terms of supremacy)—marked it with an auspicious upward line?

१.१९

जगज्जयं तेन च कोशमक्षयं
प्रणीतवान्शैशवशेषवानयम् ।
सखा रतीशस्य ऋतुर्यथा वनं
वपुस्तथालिङ्गदथास्य यौवनम् ॥

Summary AI Then, just as the season of Spring, the friend of Kamadeva, embraces the forest, so did youth embrace Nala's body. While still retaining traces of childhood, he, with the help of that youth, achieved world conquest and an inexhaustible treasury.

१.२०

अधारि पद्मेषु तदङ्घ्रिणा घृणा
क्व तच्छयच्छायलवोऽपि पल्लवे ।
तदास्यदास्येऽपि गतोऽधिकारितां
न शारदः पार्विकशर्वरीशः ॥

Summary AI His foot held contempt for lotuses, as it surpassed them in beauty. Where in a tender sprout was there even a fraction of the splendor of his foot's radiance? Even the autumnal full moon did not attain the qualification to be a mere servant to his face.

१.२१

किमस्य लोम्नां कपटेन कोटिभिः
विधिर्न लेखाभिरजीगणद्गुणान् ।
न रोमकूपौघमिषाज्जगत्कृता
कृताश्च किं दूषणशून्यबिन्दवः ॥

Summary AI Did the Creator, under the pretext of body hairs, count Nala's virtues with crores of lines? And, under the guise of the multitude of hair pores, did the world-creator not make dots to signify the absolute absence of any blemishes in him?

१.२२

अमुष्य दोर्भ्यामरिदुर्गलुण्ठने
ध्रुवं गृहीतार्गलदीर्घपीनता ।
उरः श्रिया तत्र च गोपुरस्फुर-
त्कपाटदुर्धर्षतिरःप्रसारिता ॥

Summary AI In plundering enemy forts, Nala's two arms certainly acquired the length and stoutness of gate-bolts. And his chest's splendor possessed the invincible, broad expanse of the shining door panels of a great city gate.

१.२३

स्वकेलिलेशस्मितनिन्दितेन्दुनो
निजांशदृक्तर्जितपद्मसंपदः ।
अतद्द्वयीजित्वरसुन्दरान्तरे
न तन्मुखस्य प्रतिमा चराचरे ॥

Summary AI His playful smile surpassed the moon, and his eyes outshone the lotus. For his face, which is more beautiful than anything else that cannot conquer both the moon and the lotus, there is no comparison in the entire universe.

१.२४

सरोरुहं तस्य दृशैव निर्जितं
जिताः स्मितेनैव विधोरपि श्रियः ।
कुतः परं भव्यमहो महीयसी
तदाननस्योपमितौ दरिद्रता ॥

Summary AI The lotus was conquered by his eyes alone, and the splendors of the moon were vanquished just by his smile. Oh, what a great poverty of suitable comparisons there is for his face! From where could a more excellent object be found?

१.२५

स्ववालभारस्य तदुत्तमाङ्गजैः
समं चमर्येव तुलाभिलाषिणः ।
अनागसे शंसति बालचापलं
पुनः पुनः पुच्छविलोलनच्छलात् ॥

Summary AI The female yak, whose tail-hair desires comparison with Nala's faultless hair, seems to admit its own childish fickleness again and again under the pretext of wagging its tail, unable to match his hair's beauty.

१.२६

महीभृतस्तस्य च मन्मथश्रिया
निजस्य चित्तस्य च तं प्रतीच्छया ।
द्विधा नृपे तत्र जगत्त्रयीभुवां
नतभ्रुवां मन्मथविभ्रमोऽभवत् ॥

Summary AI The amorous agitation of the beautiful women of the three worlds towards that king arose in two ways: firstly, from his own Cupid-like splendor, and secondly, from their own minds' desire for him.

१.२७

निमीलनभ्रंशजुषा दृशा भृशं
निपीय तं यस्त्रिदशीर्भिरर्जितः ।
अमूस्तमभ्यासभरं विवृण्वते
निमेषनिःस्वैरधुनापि लोचनैः ॥

Summary AI The goddesses, having gazed at him intensely with unblinking eyes, acquired a habit of not blinking. Even now, they reveal that intense practice through their eyes, which seem to have lost all control over the act of blinking.

१.२८

अदस्तदाकर्णि फलाढ्यजीवितं
दृशोर्द्वयं नस्तदवीक्षि चाफलम् ।
इति स्म चक्षुःश्रवसां प्रिया नले
स्तुवन्ति निन्दन्ति हृदा तदात्मनः ॥

Summary AI The Naga maidens, hearing of Nala, thought thus in their hearts: 'Our ears, which have heard of him, have a fruitful existence, but our pair of eyes, not having seen him, are fruitless.' Thus they praised their ears and blamed their eyes.

१.२९

विलोकयन्तीभिरजस्रभावना-
बलादमुं नेत्रनिमीलनेष्वपि ।
अलम्भि मर्त्याभिरमुष्य दर्शने
न विघ्नलेशोऽपि निमेषनिर्मितिः ॥

Summary AI By the power of their constant contemplation, mortal women could see Nala even with their eyes closed. For them, the act of blinking was not even the slightest obstacle to the sight of him.

१.३०

न का निशि स्वप्नगतं ददर्श तं
जगाद गोत्रस्खलिते च का न तम् ।
तदात्मताध्यातधवा रते च का
चकार वा न स्वमनोभवोद्भवम् ॥

Summary AI Which woman did not see him in her dreams at night? Which woman did not utter his name in a slip of the tongue? And which woman, while making love to her husband, did not imagine him to be Nala and experience a union born of her own desire? (Implying, all of them did).

१.३१

श्रियास्य योग्याहमिति स्वमीक्षितुं
करे तमालोक्य सुरूपया धृतः ।
विहाय भैमीमपदर्पया कया
न दर्पणः श्वासमलीमसः कृतः ॥

Summary AI Which beautiful woman, seeking to see in a mirror held in her hand if she was worthy of Nala's beauty, did not, upon realizing only Damayanti was a match, soil that mirror with her sighs of despair, her pride thus vanquished?

१.३२

यथोह्यमानः खलु भोगभोजिना
प्रसह्य वैरोचनिजस्य पत्तनम् ।
विदर्भजाया मदनस्तथा मनो-
नलावरुद्धं वयसैव वेशितः ॥

Summary AI Just as the city of Bali was forcibly carried away by Garuda, so too was the god of love made to enter the mind of Damayanti, which was already occupied by Nala, by the force of her youth alone.

१.३३

नृपेऽनुरूपे निजरूपसंपदां
दिदेश तस्मिन्बहुशः श्रुतिं गते ।
विशिष्य सा भीमनरेन्द्रनन्दना
मनोभवाज्ञैकवशंवदं मनः ॥

Summary AI When that king (Nala), a suitable match for her own wealth of beauty, was repeatedly heard of, she, the daughter of King Bhima, gave him her mind, which had become especially and solely obedient to the commands of the god of love.

१.३४

उपासनामेत्य पितुः स्म रज्यते
दिने दिने सावसरेषु बन्दिनाम् ।
पठत्सु तेषु प्रतिभूपतीनलं
विनिद्ररोमाजनि शृण्वती नलम् ॥

Summary AI Day by day, while attending to her father, she became more and more enamored. On occasions when the bards were reciting the names of various kings, upon hearing Nala's name, her body-hair would stand on end with excitement and she would be greatly thrilled.

१.३५

कथाप्रसङ्गेषु मिथः सखीमुखा-
त्तृणेऽपि तन्व्या नलनामनि श्रुते ।
द्रुतं विधूयान्यदभूयतानया
मुदा तदाकर्णनसज्जकर्णया ॥

Summary AI During conversations among friends, whenever Nala's name was heard, even if mentioned casually, that slender lady would quickly abandon all other activity and, with ears eagerly prepared to listen, would be filled with joy.

१.३६

स्मरात्परासोरनिमेषलोचना-
द्बिभेमि तद्भिन्नमुदाहरेति सा ।
जनेन यूनः स्तुवता तदास्पदे
निदर्शनं नैषधमभ्यषेचयत् ॥

Summary AI Saying, "I am afraid of the bodiless Kama and of gods with unwinking eyes; speak of someone different (a mortal)," she, in response to people praising various youths, established Nala as the prime example of a desirable man.

१.३७

नलस्य पृष्टा निषधागता गुणा-
न्मिषेण दूतद्विजबन्दिचारणाः ।
निपीय तत्कीर्तिकथामथानया
चिराय तस्थे विमनायमानया ॥

Summary AI Then, on some pretext, she would ask messengers, Brahmins, bards, and minstrels from the Nishadha kingdom about Nala's virtues. After drinking in the story of his fame, she, becoming love-sick, would make them stay for a long time to hear more.

१.३८

प्रियं प्रियां च त्रिजगज्जयिश्रियौ
लिखाधिलीलागृहभित्ति कावपि ।
इति स्म सा कारुवरेण लेखितं
नलस्य च स्वस्य च सख्यमीक्षते ॥

Summary AI Saying, "Draw on the wall of the pleasure house some lover and beloved whose beauty conquers the three worlds," she would have an excellent artist paint a portrait, and then would gaze at what was in fact the likeness of Nala and herself.

१.३९

मनोरथेन स्वपतीकृतं नलं
निशि क्व सा न स्वपति स्म पश्यति ।
अदृष्टमप्यर्थमदृष्टवैभवा-
त्करोति सुप्तिर्जनदर्शनातिथिम् ॥

Summary AI When did she not see Nala, whom she had made her husband in her imagination, while sleeping at night? Indeed, sleep, by its own mysterious power, makes even a person who has never been seen before a guest of one's sight.

१.४०

निमीलितादक्षियुगाच्च निद्रया
हृदोऽपि बाह्येन्द्रियमौनमुद्रितात् ।
अदर्शि संगोप्य कदाप्यवीक्षितो
रहस्यमस्याः स महन्महीपतिः ॥

Summary AI That great king, though never seen before, was seen as her great secret, appearing to her after having hidden himself even from her eyes closed in sleep and from her heart, which was sealed by the silence of the external senses.

१.४१

अहो अहोभिर्महिमा हिमागमेऽ
प्यभिप्रपेदे प्रति तां स्मरार्दिताम् ।
तपर्तुपूर्तावपि मेदसां भरा
विभावरीभिर्बिभरांबभूविरे ॥

Summary AI Oh! Towards her, who was afflicted by love, the days seemed to gain greatness (i.e., length) even in winter. And oh! Even at the end of summer, the nights seemed to bear the burden of excess fat (i.e., felt heavy and long).

१.४२

स्वकान्तिकीर्तिव्रजमौक्तिकस्रजः
श्रयन्तमन्तर्घटनागुणश्रियम् ।
कदाचिदस्या युवधैर्यलोपिनं
नलोऽपि लोकादशृणोद्गुणोत्करम् ॥

Summary AI Once, Nala also heard from people about her multitude of virtues, which destroyed the fortitude of youths, possessed the beauty of an inner connecting string, and resembled a pearl garland fashioned from her own beauty and fame.

१.४३

तमेव लब्ध्वावसरं ततः स्मरः
शरीरशोभाजयजातमत्सरः ।
अमोघशक्त्या निजयेन मूर्तया
तया विनिर्जेतुमियेष नैषधम् ॥

Summary AI Then Kama, the god of love, who grew jealous of Nala for surpassing him in physical beauty, seized that very opportunity. He wished to completely conquer Nala by means of Damayanti, who was like his own unfailing power embodied.

१.४४

अकारि तेन श्रवणातिथिर्गुणः
क्षमाभुजा भीमनृपात्मजालयः ।
तदुच्चधैर्यव्ययसंहितेषुणा
स्मरेण च स्वात्मशरासनाश्रयः ॥

Summary AI The virtue residing in King Bhima's daughter was made a guest of the ears (was heard) by that king, Nala. And by Kama, whose arrow was aimed at destroying Nala's great fortitude, that same virtue was made the string of his own bow.

१.४५

अमुष्य धीरस्य जयाय साहसी
तदा खलु ज्यां विशिखैः सनाथयन् ।
निमज्जयामास यशांसि संशये
स्मरस्त्रिलोकीविजयार्जितान्ययि ॥

Summary AI Oh! Then, the daring Kama, while fitting his bowstring with arrows for the conquest of this steadfast Nala, indeed plunged his own glories, earned from conquering the three worlds, into doubt, staking his reputation on this difficult task.

१.४६

अनेन भैमीं घटयिष्यतस्तथा
विधेरवन्ध्येच्छतया व्यलासि तत् ।
अभेदि तत्तादृगनङ्गमार्गणै-
र्यदस्य पौष्पैरपि धैर्यकञ्चुकम् ॥

Summary AI By the infallible will of the Creator, who was about to unite Damayanti with Nala, it was so manifested that Nala's armor of fortitude was pierced by the arrows of Kama, even though they were merely made of flowers.

१.४७

किमन्यदद्यापि यदस्त्रतापितः
पितामहो वारिजमाश्रयत्यहो ।
स्मरं तनुच्छायतया तमात्मनः
शशाक शङ्के स न लङ्घितुं नलः ॥

Summary AI Oh, what more can be said? Even today, the great father Brahma, tormented by Kama's weapon, takes refuge in a lotus. I suppose that Nala was unable to overcome that Kama because Kama's handsome form resembled his own.

१.४८

उरोभुवा कुम्भयुगेन जृम्भितं
नवोपहारेण वयः कृतेन किम् ।
त्रपासरिद्दुर्गमपि प्रतीर्य सा
नलस्य तन्वी हृदयं विवेश यत् ॥

Summary AI Since that slender lady, having crossed even the difficult fortress of the river of modesty, entered Nala's heart, what was the point of the blossoming of her pitcher-like breasts, a new offering made by her youth?

१.४९

अपह्नुवानस्य जनाय यन्निजा-
मधीरतामस्य कृतं मनोभुवा ।
अबोधि तज्जागरदुःखसाक्षिणी
निशा च शय्या च शशाङ्ककोमला ॥

Summary AI The restlessness caused in him by Kama, which he was concealing from the people, was known only by the night and his moon-delicate bed, both of which were witnesses to the sorrow of his sleeplessness.

१.५०

स्मरोपतप्तोऽपि भृशं न स प्रभु-
र्विदर्भराजं तनयामयाचत ।
त्यजन्त्यसूञ्शर्म च मानिनो वरं
त्यजन्ति न त्वेकमयाचितव्रतम् ॥

Summary AI Even though that lord (Nala) was greatly tormented by love, he did not ask the king of Vidarbha for his daughter. For, the self-respecting would rather give up their lives and happiness, but they will not abandon their one vow of never asking for anything.

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