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॥ अथ द्वितीयः सर्गः ॥
२.४
स गरुद्वनदुर्गदुर्ग्रहा-
न्कटु कीटान्दशतः सतः क्वचित् ।
नुनुदे तनुकण्डु पण्डितः
पटुचञ्चूपुटकोटिकुट्टनैः ॥
Summary AI That skilled bird, with sharp pecks from the tip of its clever beak, drove away the itch on its body caused by biting insects that were hard to grasp, being hidden somewhere in the difficult fortress of its forest of feathers.
२.५
अयमेत्य तडागनीडजै-
र्लघु पर्यव्रियताथ शङ्कितैः ।
उदडीयत वैकृतात्कर-
ग्रहजादस्य विकस्वरस्वरैः ॥
Summary AI Then, upon its arrival, this swan was quickly surrounded by its anxious lake-nest-born kin. They flew up with loud cries due to the change in its state caused by being captured by hand.
२.६
वहतो बहुशैवलक्ष्मतां
धृतरुद्राक्षमधुव्रतं खगः ।
स नलस्य ययौ करं पुनः
सरसः कोकनदभ्रमादिव ॥
Summary AI That bird again went to Nala's hand, which bore the marks of many Shaiva symbols and held bees that looked like Rudraksha beads, as if mistaking it for a red lotus from a lake.
२.८
नृपमानसमिष्टमानसः
स निमज्जत्कुतुकामृतोर्मिषु ।
अवलम्बितकर्णशष्कुली-
कलसीकं रचयन्नवोचत ॥
Summary AI That swan, whose own mind was pleased, spoke, causing the king's mind to sink into the waves of the nectar of curiosity and making him cup his ear-lobes like a small pitcher to listen.
२.९
मृगया न विगीयते नृपै-
रपि धर्मागममर्मपारगैः ।
स्मरसुन्दर मां यदत्यज-
स्तव धर्मः स दयोदयोज्ज्वलः ॥
Summary AI "O handsome as the god of love! Hunting is not condemned even by kings who have mastered the secrets of scriptures on Dharma. But that you released me—that is your true Dharma, radiant with the rise of compassion."
२.११
यदवादिषमप्रियं तव
प्रियमाधाय नुनुत्सुरस्मि तत् ।
कृतमातपसंज्वरं तरोः
अभिवृष्यामृतमंशुमानिव ॥
Summary AI Whatever unpleasant thing I said to you, I wish to remove it by doing something pleasing, just as the sun, after causing heat-fever to a tree, removes it by showering nectar (rain).
२.१५
भविता न विचारचारु
चेत्तदपि श्रव्यमिदं मदीरित्-
अम् खगवागियमित्यतोऽपि
किं न मुदं धास्यति कीरगीर्-
इव
Summary AI Even if what I say may not be beautiful upon reflection, it should still be heard. Will it not bring you joy, just because it is the speech of a bird, like the chatter of a parrot?
२.१६
स जयत्यरिसार्थसार्थकी-
कृतनामा किल भीमभूपतिः ।
यमवाप्य विदर्भभूः प्रभुं
हसति द्यामपि शक्रभर्तृकाम् ॥
Summary AI King Bhima, whose name is made meaningful by the host of his enemies, is indeed victorious. Having obtained him as its lord, the land of Vidarbha laughs even at heaven, which has Indra as its master.
२.१७
दमनादमनाक्प्रसेदुष-
स्तनयां तथ्यगिरस्तपोधनात् ।
वरमाप स दिष्टविष्टप-
त्रितयानन्यसदृग्गुणोदयाम् ॥
Summary AI He (King Bhima) obtained as a boon from the ascetic Damana, who was slightly pleased and truthful in speech, a daughter whose manifestation of qualities was unparalleled in the three worlds.
२.१८
भुवनत्रयसुभ्रुवामसौ
दमयन्ती कमनीयतामदम् ।
उदियाय यतस्तनुश्रिया
दमयन्तीति ततोऽभिधां दधौ ॥
Summary AI Since she, by the beauty of her form, arose subduing the pride of loveliness of the beautiful-browed women of the three worlds, she therefore bore the name 'Damayanti'.
२.१९
श्रियमेव परं धराधिपा-
द्गुणसिन्धोरुदितामवेहि ताम् ।
व्यवधावपि वा विधोः कलां
मृडचूडानिलयां न वेद कः ॥
Summary AI Know her to be the supreme Lakshmi herself, risen from that king, the ocean of virtues. Or, who does not know the digit of the moon that resides on Shiva's crest, even when it is obscured?
२.२२
अपि लोकयुगं दृशावपि
श्रुतदृष्टा रमणीगुणा अपि ।
श्रुतिगामितया दमस्वसुः
व्यतिभाते सुतरां धरापते ॥
Summary AI O king! Damayanti's two eyes, by their length reaching her ears, shine forth exceedingly like the two worlds. Also, all the heard and seen qualities of beautiful women shine forth exceedingly in her.
२.२५
हृतसारमिवेन्दुमण्डलं
दमयन्तीवदनाय वेधसा ।
कृतमध्यबिलं विलोक्यते
धृतगम्भीरखनीखनीलिम ॥
Summary AI The orb of the moon is seen as if its essence has been taken by the Creator for Damayanti's face, leaving a hole in its middle which now holds the deep blue color of a mine (referring to the spot on the moon).
२.२६
धृतलाञ्छनगोमयाञ्चनं विधुमालेनपाण्डुरं विधिः । भ्रमयत्युचिटं विदर्भजानननीराजनवर्धमानकम् ॥
Summary AI The Creator fittingly waves the moon—pale from being smeared and bearing its spot as a mark of cow-dung paste—as the ritual vessel for the nīrājana (light-waving) ceremony for the face of Damayanti.
२.२७
सुषमाविषये परीक्षणे
निखिलं पद्ममभाजि तन्मुखात् ।
अधुनापि न मङ्गलक्षणं
सलिलोन्मज्जनमुज्झति स्फुटम् ॥
Summary AI In the test of beauty, the entire lotus species was defeated by her face. Clearly, even now it does not give up plunging into water, as if performing an auspicious purificatory rite due to its defeat.
२.२८
धनुषी रतिपञ्चबाणयोः
उदिते विश्वजयाय तद्भ्रुवौ ।
नलिके न तदुच्चनासिके
त्वयि नालीकविमुक्तिकामयोः ॥
Summary AI Her two eyebrows are the two bows of Rati and Kama, raised for the conquest of the world. Her high nose is not the arrow-shaft for them, as they desire to release their arrows at you (Nala).
२.२९
सदृशी तव शूर सा परं
जलदुर्गस्थमृणालजिद्भुजा ।
अपि मित्रजुषां सरोरुहां
गृहयालुः करलीलया श्रियः ॥
Summary AI O hero! She is a match only for you. With her arm that conquers the lotus-stalk in its water-fortress, and by the playful movement of her hand, she is inclined to seize the beauties of the lotuses favored by the sun.
२.३०
वयसी शिशुतातदुत्तरे
सुदृशि स्वाभिविधिं विधित्सुनी ।
विधिनापि न रोमरेखया
कृतसीम्नी प्रविभज्य रज्यतः ॥
Summary AI In that beautiful-eyed one, childhood and youth, both wishing to establish their own domain, are not separated by a boundary line made by the Creator with the line of hair; instead, they shine distinctly, having been divided naturally.
२.३१
अपि तद्वपुषि प्रसर्पतोः
गमिते कान्तिझरैरगाधताम् ।
स्मरयौवनयोः खलु द्वयोः
प्लवकुम्भौ भवतः कुचावुभौ ॥
Summary AI Moreover, as her body has been rendered a deep ocean by the streams of her beauty, her two breasts are indeed the flotation jars for the two, Love and Youth, who are spreading within it.
२.३२
कलसे निजहेतुदण्डजः
किमु चक्रभ्रमकारितागुणः ।
स तदुच्चकुचौ भवन्प्रभा-
झरचक्रभ्रममातनोति यत् ॥
Summary AI Since that quality (the line of hair), existing on her high breasts, creates the illusion of a wheel's rotation through the streams of her lustre, is it that the quality from a pot, caused by the wheel's rotation born from its stick, has come here, now being without a string?
२.३३
भजते खलु षण्मुखं शिखी
चिकुरैर्निर्मितबर्हगर्हणः ।
अपि जम्भरिपुं दमस्वसु-
र्जितकुम्भः कुचशोभयेभराट् ॥
Summary AI The peacock, whose tail-feathers are censured by her hair, indeed resorts to Kartikeya. Also, the king of elephants (Airavata), whose frontal globes are conquered by the beauty of Damayanti's breasts, resorts to Indra.
२.३४
उदरं नतमध्यपृष्ठता-
स्फुटदङ्गुष्ठपदेन मुष्टिना ।
चतुरङ्गुलमध्यनिर्गत-
त्रिबलिभ्राजि कृतं दमस्वसुः ॥
Summary AI Damayanti's abdomen was made, as it were, by a fist with the thumb appearing on its bent back, and thus it shines with three folds that seem to have emerged from between the four fingers.
२.३५
उदरं परिमाति मुष्टिना
कुतुकी कोऽपि दमस्वसुः किमु
धृततच्चतुरङ्गुलीव
यद्वलिभिर्माति सहेमकाञ्चिभ्-
इः
Summary AI Is it that some curious person is measuring Damayanti's waist with his fist? For her waist, with its folds and golden girdles, shines as if it were the four fingers of that fist being held there.
२.३६
पृथुवर्तुलतन्नितम्बकृ-
न्मिहिरस्यन्दनशिल्पशिक्षया ।
विधिरेककचक्रचारिणं
किमु निर्मित्सति मान्मथं रथम् ॥
Summary AI The swan wonders if the Creator (Brahma), having learned the art of crafting the sun's chariot by creating Damayanti's broad and round hips, now wishes to build a single-wheeled chariot for Manmatha, the god of love.
२.३७
तरुमूरुयुगेन सुन्दरी
किमु रम्भां परिणाहिना परम् ।
तरुणीमपि जिष्णुरेव तां
धनदापत्यतपःफलस्तनीम् ॥
Summary AI Does this beautiful woman not surpass the plantain tree (Rambha) with her stout thighs? And is it only the victorious Indra who can win that young woman, whose breasts are like the fruit of the penance performed by Kubera's son?
२.३८
जलजे रविसेवयेव ये
पदमेतत्पदतामवापतुः ।
ध्रुवमेत्य रुतः सहंसकी-
कुरुतस्ते विधिपत्रदंपती ॥
Summary AI Her two feet, like lotuses, seem to have attained their current state by serving the sun. Those two, like a pair of swans (Brahma's vehicle), with the tinkling of their anklets, certainly make me feel as if I am accompanied by my own mate.
२.३९
श्रितपुण्यसरः सरित्कथं
न समाधि क्षपिताखिलक्षपम् ।
जलजं गतिमेतु मञ्जुलां
दमयन्तीपदनाम्नि जन्मनि ॥
Summary AI How can the lotus, which resides in holy lakes and rivers and has attained deep meditation through countless nights, not achieve a charming gait in its new birth as Damayanti's foot?
२.४०
सरसीः परिशीलितुं मया
गमिकर्मीकृतनैकनीवृता ।
अतिथित्वमनायि सा दृशोः
सदसत्संशयगोचरोदरी ॥
Summary AI As I, who have traveled through many lands, was surveying the lakes, she, whose waist is so slender as to make one doubt its very existence, was brought as a guest to my eyes.
२.४२
अनुरूपमिमं निरूपय-
न्नथ सर्वेष्वपि पूर्वपक्षताम् ।
युवसु व्यपनेतुमक्षमः
त्वयि सिद्धान्तधियं न्यवेशयम् ॥
Summary AI Then, while searching for a suitable match for her, and being unable to refute the preliminary claims of all other youths, I established the final conclusion in you, considering you the perfect match.
२.४५
तव रूपमिदं तया विना
विफलं पुष्पमिवावकेशिनः ।
इयमुद्धधना वृथावनी
स्ववनी संप्रवदत्पिकापि का ॥
Summary AI Without her, this beauty of yours is as fruitless as a flower on a leafless tree. She, without a husband, is like the earth in vain. What is the use of a beautiful forest, even one filled with cooing cuckoos, if there is no one to enjoy it?
२.४६
अनया सुरकाम्यमानया
सह योगः सुलभस्तु न त्वया ।
धनसंवृतयाम्बुदागमे
कुमुदेनेव निशाकरत्विषा ॥
Summary AI However, union with her, who is desired even by the gods, is not easy for you to obtain. It is like the union of a night-lotus with moonlight when the moon is covered by clouds during the rainy season.
२.४८
तव संमतिमेव केवला-
मधिगन्तुं धिगिदं निवेदितम् ।
ब्रुवते हि फलेन साधवो
न तु कण्ठेन निजोपयोगिताम् ॥
Summary AI Shame on this speech of mine, which was uttered merely to obtain your consent! For good people demonstrate their usefulness by results, not by boasting with their own voice.
२.४९
तदिदं विशदं वचोमृतं
परिपीयाभ्युदितं द्विजाधिपात् ।
अतितृप्ततया विनिर्ममे
स तदुद्गारमिव स्मितं सितम् ॥
Summary AI Having completely drunk this clear nectar of words uttered by the king of birds, he (Nala), out of extreme satisfaction, produced a bright smile, which was like a sweet eructation of that nectar.
२.५०
परिमृज्य भुजाग्रजन्मना
पतगं कोकनदेन नैषधः ।
मृदु तस्य मुदेऽकिरद्गिरः
प्रियवादामृतकूपकण्ठजाः ॥
Summary AI Nala, the king of Nishadha, gently caressed the bird with his red-lotus-like hand, and for the bird's delight, softly uttered words that seemed to originate from a throat which was a well of nectar-like sweet speech.
॥ इति द्वितीयः सर्गः ॥

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