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॥ अथ एकादशः सर्गः ॥
११.१
तां देवतामिव मुखेन्दुवसत्प्रसादा-
मक्ष्णा रसादनिमिषेण निभालयन्तीम् ।
लाभाय चेतसि धृतस्य वरस्य भीम-
भूमीन्द्रजा तदनु राजसभां बभाज ॥
Summary AI Then, Damayanti, the daughter of King Bhima, entered the royal assembly to obtain the groom she held in her heart. The assembly, in turn, gazed upon her with an unblinking eye out of affection, seeing her as a goddess whose grace resided in her moon-like face.
११.४
कुर्वद्भिरात्मभवसौरभसंप्रदानं
भूपालचक्रचलचामरमारुतौघम् ।
आलोकनाय दिवि संचरतां सुराणां
तत्रार्चनाविधिरभूदधिवासधूपैः ॥
Summary AI For the gods moving in the sky to watch, a rite of worship was performed there. This rite was the perfumed incense of the wind streams from the moving chowries of the assembly of kings, which were imparting the fragrance of their own bodies.
११.५
तत्रावनीन्द्रचयचन्दनचन्द्रलेप-
नेपथ्यगन्धवहगन्धवहप्रवाहम् ।
आलीभिरापतदनङ्गशरानुसारी
संरुध्य सौरभमगाहत भृङ्गवर्गः ॥
Summary AI There, a swarm of bees, blocking the fragrance that followed Kama's arrows as it came from Damayanti's friends, plunged into the stream of wind carrying the scent of sandalwood, camphor paste, and perfumes from the attire of the assembled kings.
११.६
उत्तुङ्गमङ्गलमृदङ्गनिनादभङ्गी-
सर्वानुवादविधिबोधितसाधुमेधाः ।
सौधस्रजः प्लुतपताकतयाभिनिन्युः
मन्ये जनेषु निजताण्डवपण्डितत्वम् ॥
Summary AI I think that the garlands on the mansions, whose excellent intellect was awakened by the method of perfectly imitating the rhythm of the loud, auspicious drum beats, demonstrated their expertise in the Tandava dance to the people through their fluttering flags.
११.७
संभाषणं भगवती सदृशं विधाय
वाग्देवता विनयवन्धुरकंधरायाः ।
ऊचे चतुर्दशजगज्जनतानमस्या
तन्नाश्रिता सदसि दक्षिणपक्षमस्याः ॥
Summary AI The revered goddess of speech, Saraswati, worshipped by the people of the fourteen worlds, after a suitable conversation with Damayanti (whose neck was gracefully bent with modesty), took her right side in the assembly, not relying on her own divinity, and spoke.
११.९
एषां त्वदीक्षणरसादनिमेषतैषा
स्वाभाविकानिमिषतामिलिता यथाभूत् ।
आस्ये तथैव तव नन्वधरोपभोगैः
मुग्धे विधावमृतपानमपि द्विधास्तु ॥
Summary AI O charming one! Just as the unblinking state of these gods, arising from the delight of seeing you, merged with their natural state of not blinking, so too, through the enjoyment of your lips on your moon-like face, may their drinking of nectar also become twofold.
११.१०
एषां गिरेः सकलरत्नफलस्तरुः स
प्राग्दुग्धभूमिसुरभेः खलु पञ्चशाखः ।
मुक्ताफलं फलनसान्वयनाम तन्व-
न्नाभाति बिन्दुभिरिव च्छुरितः पयोधेः ॥
Summary AI This is the five-branched tree (hand) of this mountain (Indra), which was formerly milked from the earth-cow and bears all jewels as its fruits. Bearing pearls, a name made meaningful by its fruit, it shines as if sprinkled with drops from the ocean.
११.११
वक्त्रेन्दुसंनिधिनिमीलदलारविन्द-
द्वन्द्वभ्रमक्षममथाञ्जलिनात्ममौलौ ।
कृत्वापराधभयचञ्चलमीक्षमाणा
सान्यत्र गन्तुममरैः कृपयान्वमानि ॥
Summary AI Then she (Damayanti), glancing about nervously with the fear of having committed an offense, placed on her head her folded hands—which could create the illusion of a pair of lotuses closing their petals in the presence of her moon-like face—and was kindly permitted by the gods to go elsewhere.
११.१२
तत्तद्विरागमुदितं शिबिकाधरस्थाः
साक्षाद्विदुः स्म न मनागपि यानधुर्याः ।
आसन्ननायकविषण्णमुखानुमेय-
भैमीविरक्तचरितानुमया तु जज्ञुः ॥
Summary AI The palanquin bearers, standing near, did not directly know at all about her rejection of each suitor as it was spoken. However, they came to know of it through the inference of Damayanti's acts of rejection, which were deduced from the dejected faces of the nearby suitors.
११.१३
रक्षःस्वरक्षणमवेक्ष्य निजं निवृत्तो
विद्याधरेष्वधरतां वपुषैव भैम्याः ।
गन्धर्वसंसदि न गन्धमपि स्वरस्य
तस्या विमृश्य विमुखोऽजनि यानवर्गः ॥
Summary AI The group of palanquin bearers, considering their own safety, turned back from the Rakshasas. Seeing Damayanti's physical inferiority among the Vidyadharas, and discerning not even a trace of her voice (of acceptance) in the assembly of Gandharvas, they became averse to proceeding.
११.१४
दीनेषु सत्स्वपि कृताफलवित्तरक्षैः
यक्षैरदर्शि न मुखं त्रपयैव भैम्याम् ।
ते जानते स्म सुरशाखिपतिव्रतां किं
तां कल्पवीरुधमधिक्षिति नावतीर्णाम् ॥
Summary AI Even though there were needy people, the Yakshas, whose efforts to protect their wealth had been fruitless, did not show their faces to Damayanti out of sheer shame. Did they not know her to be the wish-fulfilling creeper, devoted to her celestial tree (husband), who had not descended to earth?
११.१६
यस्या विभोरखिलवाङ्मयविस्तरोऽयम्
आख्यायते परिणतिर्मुनिभिः पुनः सा ।
उद्गत्वरामृतकरार्धपरार्ध्यभालां
बालामभाषत सभासततप्रगल्भा ॥
Summary AI Then she (Saraswati), ever-eloquent in assemblies, spoke to the young lady (Damayanti), whose forehead was as exquisite as the rising crescent moon. This entire expanse of literature is described by sages as a transformation of that Lord (Shiva, whom Saraswati is about to describe).
११.१७
आश्लेषलग्नगिरिजाकुचकुङ्कुमेन
यः पट्टसूत्रपरिरम्भणशोणशोभः ।
यज्ञोपवीतपदवीं भजते स शंभोः
सेवासु वासुकिरयं प्रसितः सितश्रीः ॥
Summary AI This is Vasuki, of white splendor, who, devoted to service, serves as the sacred thread of Shambhu. He attains a reddish hue, like being embraced by a silk thread, from the saffron on Girija's breasts that gets transferred during their embrace.
११.१८
पाणौ फणी भजति कङ्कणभूयमैशे
सोऽयं मनोहरमणीरमणीयमुच्चैः ।
कोटीरबन्धनधनुर्गुणयोगपट्ट-
व्यापारपारगममुं भज भूतभर्तुः ॥
Summary AI This serpent serves as a bracelet on the Lord's hand. He is beautiful with captivating jewels and is adept in the tasks of binding the crown, serving as a bowstring, and acting as a binding strap. Worship him, the lord of all beings.
११.२२
तद्दर्शिभिः स्ववरणे फणिभिर्निराशैः
निश्वस्य तत्किमपि सृष्टमनात्मनीनम् ।
यत्तान्प्रयातुमनसोऽपि विमानवाहा
हा हा प्रतीपपवनाशकुनान्न जग्मुः ॥
Summary AI The serpent kings, seeing her and becoming hopeless about being chosen, sighed, creating an unfavorable atmosphere. Consequently, even though the carriers of the celestial car wished to proceed towards them, they did not, alas, due to the bad omen of an adverse wind.
११.२३
ह्रीसंकुचत्फणगणादुरगप्रधाना-
त्तां राजसङ्घमनयन्त विमानवाहाः ।
संध्यानमद्दलकुलात्कमलाद्विनीय
कह्लारमिन्दुकिरणा इव हासभासम् ॥
Summary AI The carriers of the celestial car led her away from the serpent chief, whose many hoods were contracting with shame, towards the assembly of kings. This was like the moon's rays leading away a white water-lily, shining like a smile, from a lotus whose petals close at twilight.
११.३०
न्यग्रोधनादिव दिवः पतदातपादेः
न्यग्रोधमात्मभरधारमिवावरोहैः ।
तं तस्य पाकिफलनीलदलद्युतिभ्यां
द्वीपस्य पश्य शिखिपत्त्रजमातपत्रम् ॥
Summary AI See that great Banyan tree, which seems to ward off the falling heat from the sky and support its own weight with its aerial roots. With the lustre of its ripe fruits and dark leaves, it looks like an umbrella made of peacock feathers for that island.
११.३१
न श्वेततां चरतु वा भुवनेषु राज-
हंसस्य न प्रियतमा कथमस्य कीर्तिः ।
चित्रं तु यद्विशदिमाद्वयमाविशन्ती
क्षीरं च नाम्बु च मिथः पृथगातनोति ॥
Summary AI His fame may not match the whiteness of a royal swan, but how can it not be most beloved? The wonder is that, possessing unparalleled whiteness, it separates milk (truth) from water (falsehood), but not water from milk, implying it only accepts the good and rejects the bad.
११.३३
भ्रूवल्लिवेल्लितमथाकृतिभङ्गिमेषा
लिङ्गं चकार तदनादरणस्य विज्ञा ।
राज्ञोऽपि तस्य तदलाभजतापवह्निः
चिह्नीबभूव मलिनच्छविभूमधूमः ॥
Summary AI Then, the discerning Damayanti, with a knit of her creeper-like eyebrows and a change in expression, signaled her disregard for him. For that king, the darkening of his eyebrows became like smoke, a sign of the fire of sorrow born from not obtaining her.
११.३५
ऊचे पुनर्भगवती नृपमन्यमस्यै
निर्दिश्य दृश्यतमतावमताश्विनेयम् ।
आलोक्यतामयमये कुलशीलशाली
शालीनतानतमुदस्य निजास्यबिम्बम् ॥
Summary AI Again, the goddess, pointing out to her another king who surpassed even the Ashvins in handsomeness, said: "O! Lift up your face, bent down with shyness, and let this one, who is endowed with noble family and character, be seen by you."
११.४२
त्वद्रूपसंपदवलोकनजातशङ्का
पादाब्जयोरिह कराङ्गुलिलालनेन ।
भूयाच्चिराय कमला कलितावधाना
निद्रानुबन्धमनुरोधयितुं धवस्य ॥
Summary AI Saraswati says to Damayanti: May Lakshmi, becoming doubtful upon seeing the wealth of your beauty, remain attentive for a long time, caressing the lotus-feet of her husband (Vishnu) with her fingertips to persuade him to continue sleeping, lest he wake up and see you.
११.४३
बालातपैः कृतकगैरिकतां कृतां द्विः
तत्रोदयाचलशिलाः परिशीलयन्तु ।
त्वद्विभ्रमभ्रमणजश्रमवारिधारि-
पादाङ्गुलीगलितया नखलाक्षयापि ॥
Summary AI There, may the rocks of the Udaya mountain twice attain an artificial redness: once from the rays of the morning sun, and again from the lac-dye of your toenails, which has trickled down with the sweat from your feet, produced by the fatigue of your graceful wanderings.
११.४५
एतेन ते विरहपावकमेत्य ताव-
त्कामं स्वनाम कलितान्वयमन्वभावि ।
अङ्गीकरोषि यदि तत्तव नन्दनाद्यैः
लब्धान्वयं स्वमपि नन्वयमातनोतु ॥
Summary AI Saraswati speaks of Nala: By reaching the fire of your separation, Kama (the god of love) has so far been made to realize the meaning of his name ('desire'). If you accept this Nala, then surely may he also make his own name ('Nala', delighter) meaningful through sons born from you.
११.४६
लक्ष्मीलतासमवलम्बभुजद्रुमेऽपि
वाग्देवतायतनमञ्जुमुखाम्बुजेऽपि ।
सामुत्र दूषणमजीगणदेकमेव
नार्थी बभूव मघवा यदमुष्य देवः ॥
Summary AI Though Nala's arms were like trees supporting the creeper of royal fortune, and his lotus-face a beautiful abode for the goddess of speech, she (Damayanti) considered only one flaw in him: that the god Indra was not a supplicant to him, and was instead a rival for her hand.
११.४८
भूयस्ततो निखिलवाङ्मयदेवता सा
हेमोपमेयतनुभा समभाषतैनाम् ।
एतं स्वबाहुबहुवारनिवारितारिं
चित्ते कुरुष्व कुरुविन्दसकान्तिदन्ति ॥
Summary AI Then again, that goddess of all literature (Saraswati), whose body shone like gold, spoke to her: 'O you whose teeth have the lustre of rubies, place this king, who has repelled his enemies many times with his own arms, in your heart.'
॥ इति एकादशः सर्गः ॥
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Sanskrit Sahitya is a free, open-access digital library of classical Sanskrit literature with AI-powered tools and translations.