ततः संकीर्त्यमानेषु राज्ञां नामसु भारत ॥
ददर्श भैमी पुरुषान् पञ्च तुल्याकृतीन् इव ॥
तान् समीक्ष्य ततः सर्वान् निर्विशेषाकृतीन् स्थितान् ॥
संदेहाद् अथ वैदर्भी नाभ्यजानान् नलं नृपम् ॥
यं यं हि ददृशे तेषां तं तं मेने नलं नृपम् ॥
सा चिन्तयन्ती बुद्ध्याथ तर्कयाम् आस भामिनी ॥
कथं नु देवाञ् जानीयां कथं विद्यां नलं नृपम् ॥
एवं संचिन्तयन्ती सा वैदर्भी भृशदुःखिता ॥
श्रुतानि देवलिङ्गानि चिन्तयाम् आस भारत ॥
देवानां यानि लिङ्गानि स्थविरेभ्यः श्रुतानि मे ॥
तानीह तिष्ठतां भूमाव् एकस्यापि न लक्षये ॥
सा विनिश्चित्य बहुधा विचार्य च पुनः पुनः ॥
शरणं प्रति देवानां प्राप्तकालम् अमन्यत ॥
वाचा च मनसा चैव नमस्कारं प्रयुज्य सा ॥
देवेभ्यः प्राञ्जलिर् भूत्वा वेपमानेदम् अब्रवीत् ॥
हंसानां वचनं श्रुत्वा यथा मे नैषधो वृतः ॥
पतित्वे तेन सत्येन देवास् तं प्रदिशन्तु मे ॥
वाचा च मनसा चैव यथा नाभिचराम्य् अहम् ॥
तेन सत्येन विबुधास् तम् एव प्रदिशन्तु मे ॥
यथा देवैः स मे भर्ता विहितो निषधाधिपः ॥
तेन सत्येन मे देवास् तम् एव प्रदिशन्तु मे ॥
स्वं चैव रूपं पुष्यन्तु लोकपालाः सहेश्वराः ॥
यथाहम् अभिजानीयां पुण्यश्लोकं नराधिपम् ॥
निशम्य दमयन्त्यास् तत् करुणं परिदेवितम् ॥
निश्चयं परमं तथ्यम् अनुरागं च नैषधे ॥
मनोविशुद्धिं बुद्धिं च भक्तिं रागं च भारत ॥
यथोक्तं चक्रिरे देवाः सामर्थ्यं लिङ्गधारणे ॥
सापश्यद् विबुधान् सर्वान् अस्वेदान् स्तब्धलोचनान् ॥
हृषितस्रग्रजोहीनान् स्थितान् अस्पृशतः क्षितिम् ॥
छायाद्वितीयो म्लानस्रग् रजःस्वेदसमन्वितः ॥
भूमिष्ठो नैषधश् चैव निमेषेण च सूचितः ॥
tataḥ saṃkīrtyamāneṣu rājñāṃ nāmasu bhārata ||
dadarśa bhaimī puruṣān pañca tulyākṛtīn iva ||
tān samīkṣya tataḥ sarvān nirviśeṣākṛtīn sthitān ||
saṃdehād atha vaidarbhī nābhyajānān nalaṃ nṛpam ||
yaṃ yaṃ hi dadṛśe teṣāṃ taṃ taṃ mene nalaṃ nṛpam ||
sā cintayantī buddhyātha tarkayām āsa bhāminī ||
kathaṃ nu devāñ jānīyāṃ kathaṃ vidyāṃ nalaṃ nṛpam ||
evaṃ saṃcintayantī sā vaidarbhī bhṛśaduḥkhitā ||
śrutāni devaliṅgāni cintayām āsa bhārata ||
devānāṃ yāni liṅgāni sthavirebhyaḥ śrutāni me ||
tānīha tiṣṭhatāṃ bhūmāv ekasyāpi na lakṣaye ||
sā viniścitya bahudhā vicārya ca punaḥ punaḥ ||
śaraṇaṃ prati devānāṃ prāptakālam amanyata ||
vācā ca manasā caiva namaskāraṃ prayujya sā ||
devebhyaḥ prāñjalir bhūtvā vepamānedam abravīt ||
haṃsānāṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā yathā me naiṣadho vṛtaḥ ||
patitve tena satyena devās taṃ pradiśantu me ||
vācā ca manasā caiva yathā nābhicarāmy aham ||
tena satyena vibudhās tam eva pradiśantu me ||
yathā devaiḥ sa me bhartā vihito niṣadhādhipaḥ ||
tena satyena me devās tam eva pradiśantu me ||
svaṃ caiva rūpaṃ puṣyantu lokapālāḥ saheśvarāḥ ||
yathāham abhijānīyāṃ puṇyaślokaṃ narādhipam ||
niśamya damayantyās tat karuṇaṃ paridevitam ||
niścayaṃ paramaṃ tathyam anurāgaṃ ca naiṣadhe ||
manoviśuddhiṃ buddhiṃ ca bhaktiṃ rāgaṃ ca bhārata ||
yathoktaṃ cakrire devāḥ sāmarthyaṃ liṅgadhāraṇe ||
sāpaśyad vibudhān sarvān asvedān stabdhalocanān ||
hṛṣitasragrajohīnān sthitān aspṛśataḥ kṣitim ||
chāyādvitīyo mlānasrag rajaḥsvedasamanvitaḥ ||
bhūmiṣṭho naiṣadhaś caiva nimeṣeṇa ca sūcitaḥ ||
When the names of the kings began to be announced, Bhaimi saw five men of identical form. They stood without any difference between them, and Damayanti could not recognize King Nala: whomever she looked at, she took to be Nala. She began to reflect: "How can I recognize the gods? How can I know King Nala?" In deep sorrow she recalled the signs of the gods she had heard of from her elders, but she saw them in none of those standing on the ground. Then, having weighed the matter many times over, she resolved that the time had come to seek refuge in the gods. Joining her palms, trembling, she bowed to them in word and in mind: "By the truth that I have chosen the lord of Nishadha, having heard the words of the swans, let the gods point him out to me. By the truth that I have not strayed from him in word or in mind, let the gods point out to me that very one. By the truth that the gods themselves ordained Nala as my husband, let the gods point out to me that very one. Let the guardians of the world, together with their lord, assume their true forms, so that I may recognize the illustrious king." Hearing Damayanti's pitiful lament, her utter resolve, her love for the lord of Nishadha, the purity of her mind, her intelligence, devotion and passion, the gods did as she had asked, displaying the signs just described. She saw all the gods free of sweat, with unblinking eyes, with fresh garlands, free of dust, standing without touching the ground. But the lord of Nishadha stood upon the ground, with a shadow, a withered garland, dust, sweat, and blinking eyes — and so was he revealed.
1fc30feebf7d · published Jul 16, 2026, 4:54:08 PM UTC
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Damayanti wins not through cunning but through truth. Her prayer rests on the purity of her choice, and so the gods themselves help her distinguish her mortal beloved among divine forms.