नैषधीयचरितम् — द्वादशः सर्गः

प्रियाह्रियालम्ब्य विलम्बमाविला
विलासिनः कुण्डिनमण्डनायितम् ।
समाजमाजग्मुरथो रथोत्तमाः
तमा समुद्रादपरेऽपरे नृपाः ॥

Summary AI Then, other kings from as far as the ocean—amorous, agitated, and the best of chariot-warriors—came to that assembly, which served as an ornament for the city of Kundina. They arrived with some delay, having lingered out of bashfulness before their beloveds.

१२.२

ततः स भैम्या ववृते वृते नृपै
र्विनिःश्वसद्भिः सदसि स्वयंवरः ।
चिरागतैस्तर्किततद्विरागितैः
स्फुरद्भिरानन्दमहार्णवैर्नवैः ॥

Summary AI Then, in the assembly hall filled with kings—who had come from afar, were sighing, and had guessed her lack of interest in them—the Svayamvara ceremony was conducted by Damayanti. The event proceeded, accompanied by new and surging great oceans of joy.

१२.३

चलत्पदस्तत्पदयन्त्रणेङ्गितः
फुटाशयामासयति स्म राजके ।
श्रमं गता यानगतावपीयम्
इत्युदीर्य धुर्यः कपटाज्जनीं जनः ॥

Summary AI A leading attendant, wanting to halt her progress as she walked, deceitfully said, "She has become tired even from this short walk." By saying this, he made Damayanti, whose intentions were clear (to pass by the current king), stop before that group of kings.

१२.४

नृपानुपक्रम्य विभूषितासना-
न्सनातनी सा सुषुवे सरस्वती ।
विहारमारभ्य सरस्वतीः सुधा-
सरःस्वतीवार्द्रतनूरनूत्थिताः ॥

Summary AI The eternal goddess Sarasvati, approaching the kings seated on their adorned thrones, began to produce speeches. Her words were like celestial nymphs with bodies thoroughly moistened and refreshed, having just risen after sporting in a lake of nectar.

१२.५

वृणीष्व वर्णेन सुवर्णकेतकी-
प्रसूनवर्णादृतुपर्णमादृतम् ।
निजामयोध्यामपि पावनीमयं
भवन्मयो ध्यायति नावनीपतिः ॥

Summary AI (Sarasvati says to Damayanti) "Choose the respected Rituparna, who is admired for his complexion resembling a golden Ketaki flower. This king, completely absorbed in thoughts of you, does not even think of his own purifying city, Ayodhya."

१२.६

न पीयतां नाम चकोरजिह्वया
कथंचिदेतन्मुखचन्द्रचन्द्रिका ।
इमां किमाचामयसे न चक्षुषी
चिरं चकोरस्य भवन्मुखस्पृशी ॥

Summary AI (Sarasvati continues, addressing Damayanti about Rituparna) "Let the moonlight of this king's moon-like face not be drunk by the tongue of a Chakora bird. Why don't you make his two eyes, which are like Chakora birds fixed on your face, drink this moonlight for a long time?"

१२.७

अपां विहारे तव हारविभ्रमं
करोतु नीरे पृषदुत्करस्तरन् ।
कठोरपीनोच्चकुचद्वयीतट-
त्रुट्यत्तरः सारवसारवोर्मिजः ॥

Summary AI (Sarasvati says) "During your water-sports with him, let the multitude of floating water droplets, born from the murmuring waves and breaking apart upon the slopes of your firm, plump, and high breasts, create the illusion of a pearl necklace on you in the water."

१२.८

अखानि सिन्धुः समपूरि गङ्गया
कुले किलास्य प्रसभं स भन्त्स्यते ।
विलङ्घ्यते चास्य यशःशतैरहो
सतां महत्संमुखधावि पौरुषम् ॥

Summary AI (Sarasvati praises another king). "In his lineage, the ocean was dug (by Sagara) and filled by the Ganga. Indeed, that very ocean will be forcefully broken and surpassed by his hundreds of glories. Oh, the prowess of the virtuous always strives to challenge the great!"

१२.९

एतद्यशःक्षीरधिपूरगाहि
पतत्यगाधे वचनं कवीनाम् ।
एतद्गुणानां गणनाङ्कपातः
प्रत्यर्थिकीर्तीः खटिकाः क्षिणोति ॥

Summary AI The speech of poets falls deep, plunging into the fathomless flood of the milk-ocean of this king's fame. The very act of counting his virtues, like a chalk mark being drawn, erases the chalk marks representing the glories of his rivals.

१२.१०

भास्वद्वंशकरीरतां दधदयं वीरः कथं कथ्यता-
मध्युष्टापि हि कोटिरस्य समरे रोमाणि सत्त्वाङ्कुराः ।
नीतः संयति बन्दिभिः श्रुतिपथं यन्नामवर्णावली-
मन्त्रः स्तम्भयति प्रतिक्षितिभृतां दोस्तम्भकुम्भीनसान् ॥

Summary AI How can this hero, a new shoot of the Solar Dynasty, be adequately described? In battle, the hairs on his body, which are sprouts of his courage, number even more than fifteen million. The mere mantra of his name's syllables, brought to the ears by bards during conflict, paralyzes the pillar-like, serpent-like arms of enemy kings.

१२.११

तादृग्दीर्घविरिञ्चिवासरविधौ जानामि यत्कर्तृतां
शङ्के यत्प्रतिबिम्बमम्बुधिपयःपूरोदरे वाडवः ।
व्योमव्यापिविपक्षराजकयशस्ताराः पराभावुकः
कासामस्य न स प्रतापतपनः पारं गिरां गाहते ॥

Summary AI (Sarasvati asks rhetorically) "The sun of this king's valor—whose agency I recognize in creating Brahma's immensely long day, whose reflection I suspect is the submarine fire within the ocean's waters, and which vanquishes the stars of his rivals' sky-pervading fame—what words are there whose limits it does not transcend?"

१२.१२

द्वेष्याकीर्तिकलिन्दशैलसुतया नद्यास्य यद्दोर्द्वयी
कीर्तिश्रेणिमयी समागममगाद्गङ्गा रणप्राङ्गणे ।
तत्तस्मिन्विनिमज्ज्य बाहुजभटैरारम्भि रम्भापरी-
रम्भानन्दनिकेतनन्दनवनक्रीडादराडम्बरः ॥

Summary AI This king's pair of arms, a river of fame (Ganga), met with the river of his enemies' infamy (Yamuna) on the battlefield. By bathing in that confluence, his Kshatriya warriors initiated the grand spectacle of eagerly sporting in the Nandana garden, the abode of joy from embracing celestial nymphs like Rambha.

१२.१३

इति श्रुतिस्वादिततद्गुणस्तुतिः
सरस्वतीवाङ्मयविस्मयोत्थया ।
शिरस्तिरःकम्पनयैव भीमजा
न तं मनोरन्वयमन्वमन्यत ॥

Summary AI Having thus heard and savored the praise of that king's virtues, Damayanti, with a shake of her head born of wonder at Saraswati's eloquence, did not approve of him as a descendant of Manu (i.e., as a suitor).

१२.१४

युवान्तरं सा वचसामधीश्वरा
स्वरामृतन्यक्कृतमत्तकोकिला ।
शशंस संसक्तकरैव तद्दिशा
निशापतिज्ञातिमुखीमिमां प्रति ॥

Summary AI That mistress of words, Saraswati, whose nectar-like voice surpassed that of an intoxicated cuckoo, with her hand still pointing in that direction, began to praise another youth to Damayanti, whose face resembled a kinsman of the moon.

१२.१५

न पाण्ड्यभूमण्डनमेणलोचने
विलोचनेनापि नृपं पिपाससि ।
शशिप्रकाशाननमेनमीक्षितुं
तरङ्गयापाङ्गदिशा दृशोस्त्विषः ॥

Summary AI "O deer-eyed one, do you not wish to drink in with your eyes this king, the ornament of the Pandya land? Cast the radiance of your eyes from the corner of your glance to behold this one, whose face shines like the moon."

१२.१६

भुवि भ्रमित्वानवलम्बमम्बरे
विहर्तुमभ्यासपरम्परापरा ।
अहो महावंशममुं समाश्रिता
सकौतुकं नृत्यति कीर्तिनर्तकी ॥

Summary AI "Oh! After wandering on earth, the dancer of this king's fame, devoted to the practice of roaming unsupported in the sky, has taken refuge in his great lineage (or great bamboo pole) and dances with curiosity."

१२.१७

इतो भिया भूपतिभिर्वनं वना-
दटद्भिरुच्चैरटवीत्वमीयुषी ।
निजापि सावापि चिरात्पुनः पुरी
पुनः स्वमध्यासि विलासमन्दिरम् ॥

Summary AI The capital cities of enemy kings, which had virtually turned into deep forests because their masters were wandering from forest to forest in fear of this king, were after a long time regained by them, and they re-occupied their own pleasure palaces.

१२.१८

आसीदासीमभूमीवलयमलयजालेपनेपथ्यकीर्तिः
सप्ताकूपारपारीसदनजनघनोद्गीतचापप्रतापः ।
वीरादस्मात्परः कः पदयुगयुगपत्पातिभूपातिभूय-
श्चूडारत्नोडुपत्नीकरपरिचरणामन्दनन्दन्नखेन्दुः ॥

Summary AI His fame was the sandalwood paste adorning the entire earth. The valor of his bow was intensely sung by the people dwelling on the shores of the seven oceans. Who is greater than this hero, the moons of whose toenails delight greatly in the service rendered by the rays from the crest-jewels of the numerous kings falling simultaneously at his feet?

१२.१९

भङ्गाकीर्तिमषीमलीमसतमप्रत्यर्थिसेनाभट-
श्रेणीतिन्दुककाननेषु विलसत्यस्य प्रतापानलः ।
तस्मादुत्पतिताः स्फुरन्ति जगदुत्सङ्गे स्फुलिङ्गाः स्फुटं
भालोद्भूतभवाक्षिभानुहुतभुग्जम्भारिदम्भोलयः ॥

Summary AI The fire of this king's valor blazes in the Tinduka forests, which are the ranks of enemy soldiers, made exceedingly dark by the ink of infamy from their defeat. The sparks flying from that fire clearly flash in the lap of the world as the fire from Shiva's third eye, the sun, the sacrificial fire, and Indra's thunderbolts.

१२.२०

एतद्दन्तिबलैर्विलोक्य निखिलामालिङ्गिताङ्गीं भुवं
सङ्ग्रामाङ्गणसीम्नि जङ्गमगिरिस्तोमभ्रमाधायिभिः ।
पृथ्वीन्द्रः पृथुरेतदुग्रसमरप्रेक्षोपनम्रामर-
श्रेणीमध्यचरः पुनः क्षितिधरक्षेपाय धत्ते धियम् ॥

Summary AI Seeing the entire earth embraced by this king's elephant armies—which create the illusion of a multitude of moving mountains on the battlefield—King Prithu, who moves among the ranks of gods bowed down to watch this king's fierce battles, again sets his mind to the task of lifting mountains.

१२.२१

शशंस दासीङ्गितविद्विदर्भजा-
मितो ननु स्वामिनि पश्य कौतुकम् ।
यदेष सौधाग्रनटे पटाञ्चले
चलेऽपि काकस्य पदार्पणग्रहः ॥

Summary AI Saraswati, understanding Damayanti's gesture, said to her, "O mistress, look here at this curiosity! See the crow's insistence on placing its foot on the fluttering edge of the flag dancing atop the palace." (This is a proverbial saying, 'kākatālīya', referring to a sheer coincidence, used here to mock the next king).

१२.२२

ततस्तदप्रस्तुतभाषितोत्थितैः
सदस्तदश्वेति हसैः सदःसदाम् ।
स्फुटाजनि म्लानिरतोऽस्य भूपतेः
सिते हि जायेत शितेः सुलक्ष्यता ॥

Summary AI Then, from the laughter of the assembly members arising from that irrelevant talk—"That assembly is a horse"—the dejection of this king became apparent. Indeed, the visibility of black is greatest on a white background.

१२.२३

ततोऽनु देव्या जगदे महेन्द्रभू-
पुरंदरं सा जगदेकवन्द्यया ।
तदार्जवावर्जिततर्जनीकया
जनी कयाचित्परचित्स्वरूपया ॥

Summary AI Afterwards, the king of Mahendra mountain, an Indra on earth, was described by the goddess (Saraswati), who is revered by the entire world. She, who can take the form of another's mind, spoke as some woman whose forefinger was straightened by his straightforwardness.

१२.२४

स्वयंवरोद्वाहमहे वृणीष्व हे
महेन्द्रशैलस्य महेन्द्रमागतम् ।
कलिङ्गजानां स्वकुचद्वयश्रिया
कलिं गजानां शृणु तत्र कुम्भयोः ॥

Summary AI "O Damayanti, in this svayamvara marriage festival, choose this Indra of the Mahendra mountain who has arrived. Hear about the contest there between the frontal globes of elephants and the beauty of the pair of breasts of the women of Kalinga."

१२.२५

अयं किलायात् इतीरिपौरवा-
ग्भयादयादस्य रिपुर्वृथा वनम् ।
श्रुताष्तदुत्स्वापगिरस्तदक्षाराः
पठद्भिरत्रासि शुकैर्वनेऽपि सः ॥

Summary AI Out of fear from the words of the city-dwellers who announced, "He is indeed coming!", this king's enemy fled to the forest in vain. Even in the forest, he was terrified by the parrots who, having heard his sleep-talking, were reciting the very same words.

१२.२६

इतस्त्रसद्विद्रुतभूभृदुज्झिता
प्रियाथ दृष्टा वनमानवीजनैः ।
शशंस पृष्टाद्भुतमात्मदेशजं
शशित्विषः शीतलशीलतां किल ॥

Summary AI Then, the beloved wife of an enemy king, abandoned by him as he fled in terror, was seen by forest women. When asked, she described a wonder of her own country: that the moon is supposedly cool by nature, implying this king's glory is so hot that it makes even the moon feel hot.

१२.२७

इतोऽपि किं वीरयसे न कुर्वतो
नृपान्धनुर्बाणगुणैर्वशंवदान् ।
गुणेन शुद्धेन विधाय निर्भरं
तमेनमुर्वीवलयोर्वशी वशम् ॥

Summary AI "Why do you not extol his heroism even more, who makes other kings obedient with his bow, arrow, and string? The Urvashi of the earth-circle (i.e., royal fortune), having completely subdued him with her pure virtue alone, holds him in her sway."

१२.२८

एतद्भीतारिनारी गिरिबिलविगलद्वासरा निःसरन्ती
स्वक्रीडाहंसमोहग्रहिलशिशुभृशप्रार्थितोन्निद्रचन्द्रा ।
आक्रन्दद्भूरि यत्तन्नयनजलमिलच्चन्द्रहंसानुबिम्ब-
प्रत्यासत्तिप्रहृष्यत्तनयविहसितैराश्वसीन्न्यश्वसीच्च ॥

Summary AI The wife of an enemy, terrified by this king, emerged from a mountain cave. Her child, mistaking the full moon for its pet swan, insistently begged for it, causing her to weep profusely. Yet, she was consoled and sighed in relief by the laughter of her son, who rejoiced at the proximity of the moon's reflection in her tears, thinking it was his swan.

१२.२९

अस्मिन्दिग्विजयोद्यते पतिरयं मे स्यादिति ध्यायिनी
कम्पं सात्त्विकभावमञ्चति रिपुक्षोणीन्द्रदारा धरा ।
अस्यैवाभिमुखं निपत्य समरे यास्यद्भिरूर्ध्वं निजः
पन्था भास्वति दृश्यते बिलमयः प्रत्यर्थिभिः पार्थिवैः ॥

Summary AI When this king sets out for world conquest, the Earth, wife of enemy kings, trembles with the involuntary emotion of love, thinking, "May he be my husband." The enemy kings, who will fall before him in battle and ascend to heaven, see their own path upwards through the sun's orb as a tunnel.

१२.३०

विद्राणे रणचत्वरादरिगणे त्रस्ते समस्ते पुनः
कोपात्कोऽपि निवर्तते यदि भटः कीर्त्या जगत्युद्भटः ।
आगच्छन्नपि संमुखं विमुखतामेवाधिगच्छत्यसौ
द्रागेतच्छुरिकारयेण ठणिति च्छिन्नापसर्पच्छिराः ॥

Summary AI When the entire host of enemies has fled in terror from the battlefield, if some renowned warrior turns back out of anger, that warrior, even while approaching face-to-face, quickly turns away. This is because his head, severed with a "thwang" by the speed of this king's dagger, flies off.

१२.३१

ततस्तदुर्वीन्द्रगुणाद्भुतादिव
स्ववक्त्रपद्मेऽङ्गुलिनालदायिनी ।
विधीयतामाननमुद्रणेति सा
जगाद वैदग्ध्यमयेङ्गितैव ताम् ॥

Summary AI Then Damayanti, as if from wonder at that king's virtues, placed her finger-stalk on her lotus-face. With this clever gesture, she told Saraswati, as if to say, "Let my face be sealed (i.e., let there be silence)," indicating her disapproval.

१२.३२

अनन्तरं तामवदन्नृपान्तरं
तदध्वदृक्तारतरङ्गरङ्गणा ।
तृणीभवत्पुष्पशरं सरस्वती
स्वतीव्रतेजःपरिभूतभूतलम् ॥

Summary AI Afterwards, Sarasvati, whose dancing stage was the wave-like pupils of the eyes of her audience, described another king to Damayanti. This king was one who made Kamadeva seem insignificant and who had overcome the entire earth with his own intense splendor.

१२.३३

तदेव किं न क्रियते नु का क्षति-
र्यदेष तद्दूतमुखेन काङ्क्षति ।
प्रसीद काञ्चीमयमाच्छिनत्तु ते
प्रसह्य काञ्चीपुरभूपुरंदरः ॥

Summary AI 'Why not do that which this king desires through his messenger? What is the harm? Be pleased! Let this Indra among the kings of Kanchipura forcibly snatch your girdle.' This provocative statement suggests the king's immense power and desire.

१२.३४

मयि स्थितिर्नम्रतयैव लभ्यते
दिगेव तु स्तब्धतया विलङ्घ्यते ।
इतीव चापं दधदाशुगं क्षिप-
न्नयं नयं सम्यगुपादिशद्द्विषाम् ॥

Summary AI This king, while holding his bow and shooting an arrow, seemed to teach his enemies a proper policy, as if the bow and arrow were saying: 'A stable position on me (the bow) is gained only by bending, but a direction (the target) is crossed only by stiffness (of the arrow).' This serves as a metaphor for political conduct.

१२.३५

अदःसमित्संमुखवीरयौवत-
त्रुटद्भुजाकम्बुमृणालहारिणी ।
द्विषद्गणस्त्रैणदृगम्बुनिर्झरे
यशोमरालावलिरस्य खेलति ॥

Summary AI This king's line of fame-swans, which resemble the lotus-stalk-like broken conch-bracelets from the arms of the wives of enemy heroes who faced him in battle, plays in the waterfall of tears flowing from the eyes of the host of enemy wives.

१२.३६

सिन्दूरद्युतिमुग्धमूर्धनि धृतस्कन्धावध्रिश्यामिके
व्योमान्तस्पृशि सिन्धुरेऽस्य समरारम्भोद्धुरे धावति ।
जानीमो नु यदि प्रदोषतिमिरव्यामिश्रसंध्याधिये-
वास्तं यान्ति समस्तबाहुजभुजातेजःसहस्रांशवः ॥

Summary AI When this king's elephant—eager for battle, its charming head glowing with vermilion, bearing the dark mark of a rubbing cloth on its shoulder, and seeming to touch the sky—charges, we think that the suns, which are the splendor of the arms of all other warriors, set as if under the mistaken impression that it is twilight mixed with the darkness of evening.

१२.३७

हित्वा दैत्यरिपोरुरः स्वभवनं शून्यत्वदोषस्फुटा-
सीदन्मर्कटकीटकृत्रिमसितच्छत्त्रीभवत्कौस्तुभम् ।
उज्झित्वा निजसद्म पद्ममपि तद्व्यक्तावनद्धीकृतं
लूतातन्तुभिरन्तरद्य भुजयोः श्रीरस्य विश्राम्यति ॥

Summary AI Today, the goddess Shri (Lakshmi), having abandoned her own abode—the chest of Vishnu, where the Kaustubha gem was becoming a white umbrella of cobwebs for spiders due to its emptiness—and also having left her other home, the lotus, now clearly covered with spider threads, rests between the arms of this king.

१२.३८

सिन्धोर्जैत्रमयं पवित्रमसृजत्तत्कीर्तिपूर्ताद्भुतं
यत्र स्नान्ति जगन्ति सन्ति कवयः केवा न वाचंयमाः ।
यद्बिन्दुश्रियमिन्दुरञ्चति जलं चाविश्य दृश्येतरो
यस्यासौ जलदेवतास्फटिकभूर्जागर्ति यागेश्वरः ॥

Summary AI This king created a victorious and pure ocean, a wonderful pious act of his fame, in which all the worlds bathe. What poets are not rendered speechless in describing it? The moon attains the beauty of its drops. And having entered its water, Varuna, the lord of sacrifices, remains awake but invisible, as if in his crystal mansion.

१२.३९

अन्तःसंतोषबाष्पैः स्थगयति न दृशस्ताभिराकर्णयिष्य-
न्नङ्गे नानस्तिरोमा रचयति पुलकश्रेणिमानन्दकन्दाम् ।
न क्षोणीभङ्गभीरुः कलयति च शिरःकम्पनं तन्न विद्मः
शृण्वन्नेतस्य कीर्तीः कथमुरगपतिः प्रीतिमाविष्करोति ॥

Summary AI While hearing this king's glories, Shesha, the serpent king, does not cover his eyes with tears of inner joy, lest he be unable to hear. He has no body hair to create horripilation from joy. Fearing the earth would shatter, he does not nod his head in approval. Therefore, we do not know how he expresses his pleasure.

१२.४०

आचूडाग्रममज्जयज्जयपटुर्यच्छल्यदण्डानयं
संरम्भे रिपुराजकुञ्जरघटाकुम्भस्थलेषु स्थिरान् ।
सा सेवास्य पृथुः प्रसीदति तया नास्मै कुतस्त्वत्कुच-
स्पर्धागर्धिषु तेषु तान्धृतवते दण्डान्प्रदण्डानपि ॥

Summary AI This victor, in the fury of battle, plunged his firm spear-shafts deep into the frontal globes of the enemy kings' elephants. This is his great service. By this service, he pleases. Why are you not pleased with him, who inflicted these excellent punishments (spears) on those globes which are greedy to rival your breasts?

१२.४१

स्मितश्रिया सृक्कणि लीयमानया-
वितीर्णया तद्गुणशर्मणेव सा ।
उपाहसत्कीर्त्यमहत्त्वमेव तं
गिरां हि पारे निषधेन्द्रवैभवम् ॥

Summary AI She (Damayanti), with a lingering, unexpressed smile at the corner of her mouth, as if from the joy of hearing his qualities, gently mocked the very greatness being praised. For, she was remembering the glory of Nala, the lord of Nishadha, which is beyond the range of words.

१२.४२

निजाक्षिलक्ष्मीहसितैणशावका-
मसावभाणीदपरं परंतपम् ।
पुरैव तद्दिग्वलनश्रियां भुवा
भ्रुवा विनिर्दिश्य सभासभाजितम् ॥

Summary AI She (Sarasvati), who surpassed young deer with the beauty of her eyes, then spoke of another king, a chastiser of foes. She pointed him out with her eyebrow, a king who had already been honored by the assembly through the sheer splendor of his turning in that direction.

१२.४३

कृपा नृपाणामुपरि क्वचिन्न ते
नतेन हा हा शिरसा रसादृशाम् ।
भवन्तु तावत्तव लोचनाञ्चला
निपेयनेपालनृपालपालयः ॥

Summary AI 'Alas, you have no pity for these kings! What is the use of the earth (personified) looking on with a bowed head? Let the glances from the corners of your eyes now fall upon the protectors of the king of Nepal, who are worthy of being gazed upon.'

१२.४४

ऋजुत्वमौनश्रुतिपारगामिता
यदीयमेतत्परमेव हिंसितुम् ।
अतीव विश्वासविधायि चेष्टितं
बहुर्महानस्य स दाम्भिकः ॥

Summary AI This king's honesty, silence, and mastery of the Vedas are all merely for harming others. His behavior is extremely trust-inspiring, but he is a great and thorough hypocrite. This is a form of sarcastic praise known as 'vyājastuti'.

१२.४५

शरः रिपूनवाप्यापि गतोऽवकीर्णिता-
मयं न यावज्जनरञ्जनव्रती ।
भृशं विरक्तानपि रक्तवत्तरा-
न्निकृत्त्य यत्तानसृजासृजद्युधि ॥

Summary AI An arrow, upon reaching its enemies, becomes defiled. This king, however, whose vow is to please people, does not. This is because in battle, after cutting down even his most disaffected (pale) enemies, he joined them with blood, making them even more red (attached). This is a pun on 'rakta' (red/attached) and 'virakta' (pale/disaffected).

१२.४६

पतत्येतत्तेजोहुतभुजि कदाचिद्यदि तदा
पतङ्गः स्यादङ्गीकृततमपतङ्गापदुदयः ।
यशोऽमुष्येवोपार्जयितुमसमर्थेन विधिना
कथंचित्क्षीराम्भोनिधिरपि कृतस्तत्प्रतिनिधिः ॥

Summary AI If the sun were ever to fall into the fire of this king's splendor, it would suffer the fate of a moth, and darkness would prevail. The creator Brahma, unable to create something equal to this king's fame, somehow made the Ocean of Milk as its substitute.

१२.४७

यावत्पौलस्त्यवास्तूभवदुभयहरिल्लोमलेखोत्तरीये
सेतुप्रालेयशैलौ चरति नरपतेस्तावदेतस्य कीर्तिः ।
यावत्प्राक्प्रत्यगाशापरिवृढनगरारम्भणस्तम्भमुद्रा-
वद्री संध्यापताकारुचिरचितशिखाशोणशोभावुभौ च ॥

Summary AI As long as the fame of Rama exists on the Setu and Himalaya mountains, and as long as the Udaya and Asta mountains stand as foundation pillars for the cities of the East and West, their peaks reddened by the splendor of twilight flags, so long will the fame of this king endure.

१२.४८

युद्ध्वा चाभिमुखं रणस्य चरणस्यैवादसीयस्य वा
बुद्ध्वाऽन्तः स्वपरान्तरं निपततामुन्मुच्य बाणावलीः ।
छिन्नं वावनतीभवन्निजभियः खिन्नं भरेणाथ वा
राज्ञानेन हठाद्विलोठितमभूद्भूमावरीणां शिरः ॥

Summary AI The heads of this king's enemies rolled forcibly on the ground. Whether they were severed by his arrows after fighting him face-to-face, or whether they bowed down at his feet, having understood the difference between their side and his, or whether they bowed from their own fear, or simply drooped from their weight, this king made them roll on the ground.

१२.४९

न तूणादुद्धारे न गुणघटने नाश्रुतिशिखं
समाकृष्टौ दृष्टिर्न वियति न लक्ष्ये न च भुवि ।
नृणां पश्यत्यस्य क्वचन विशिखान्किं तु पतित-
द्विषद्वक्षःश्वभ्रैरनुमितिरसून्गोचरयति ॥

Summary AI People's eyes do not see his arrows anywhere: not when drawn from the quiver, not when fixed to the string, not when pulled back to the ear, not in the sky, not on the target, and not on the ground. But, the inference drawn from the gaping wounds on the chests of fallen enemies makes their departed life-breaths perceptible.

१२.५०

दमस्वसुश्चित्तमवेत्य हासिका
जगाद देवीं कियदस्य वक्ष्यसि ।
भण प्रभूते जगति स्थिते गुणै-
रिहाप्यते संकटवासयातना ॥

Summary AI The smiling one (Sarasvati), understanding Damayanti's mind, said to the princess, 'How much more will you have me say about him? Speak up! While his virtues are abundant in the world, they suffer the torment of a narrow dwelling when confined to my speech.'

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