तां प्रहृष्टेन मनसा दमयन्ती विशां पते ॥
अभिवाद्य मातुर् भगिनीम् इदं वचनम् अब्रवीत् ॥
अज्ञायमानापि सती सुखम् अस्म्य् उषितेह वै ॥
सर्वकामैः सुविहिता रक्ष्यमाणा सदा त्वया ॥
सुखात् सुखतरो वासो भविष्यति न संशयः ॥
चिरविप्रोषितां मातर् माम् अनुज्ञातुम् अर्हसि ॥
दारकौ च हि मे नीतौ वसतस् तत्र बालकौ ॥
पित्रा विहीनौ शोकार्तौ मया चैव कथं नु तौ ॥
यदि चापि प्रियं किं चिन् मयि कर्तुम् इहेच्छसि ॥
विदर्भान् यातुम् इच्छामि शीघ्रं मे यानम् आदिश ॥
बाढम् इत्य् एव ताम् उक्त्वा हृष्टा मातृष्वसा नृप ॥
गुप्तां बलेन महता पुत्रस्यानुमते ततः ॥
प्रस्थापयद् राजमाता श्रीमता नरवाहिना ॥
यानेन भरतश्रेष्ठ स्वन्नपानपरिच्छदाम् ॥
ततः सा नचिराद् एव विदर्भान् अगमच् छुभा ॥
तां तु बन्धुजनः सर्वः प्रहृष्टः प्रत्यपूजयत् ॥
सर्वान् कुशलिनो दृष्ट्वा बान्धवान् दारकौ च तौ ॥
मातरं पितरं चैव सर्वं चैव सखीजनम् ॥
देवताः पूजयाम् आस ब्राह्मणांश् च यशस्विनी ॥
विधिना परेण कल्याणी दमयन्ती विशां पते ॥
अतर्पयत् सुदेवं च गोसहस्रेण पार्थिवः ॥
प्रीतो दृष्ट्वैव तनयां ग्रामेण द्रविणेन च ॥
सा व्युष्टा रजनीं तत्र पितुर् वेश्मनि भामिनी ॥
विश्रान्ता मातरं राजन्न् इदं वचनम् अब्रवीत् ॥
tāṃ prahṛṣṭena manasā damayantī viśāṃ pate ||
abhivādya mātur bhaginīm idaṃ vacanam abravīt ||
ajñāyamānāpi satī sukham asmy uṣiteha vai ||
sarvakāmaiḥ suvihitā rakṣyamāṇā sadā tvayā ||
sukhāt sukhataro vāso bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ ||
ciraviproṣitāṃ mātar mām anujñātum arhasi ||
dārakau ca hi me nītau vasatas tatra bālakau ||
pitrā vihīnau śokārtau mayā caiva kathaṃ nu tau ||
yadi cāpi priyaṃ kiṃ cin mayi kartum ihecchasi ||
vidarbhān yātum icchāmi śīghraṃ me yānam ādiśa ||
bāḍham ity eva tām uktvā hṛṣṭā mātṛṣvasā nṛpa ||
guptāṃ balena mahatā putrasyānumate tataḥ ||
prasthāpayad rājamātā śrīmatā naravāhinā ||
yānena bharataśreṣṭha svannapānaparicchadām ||
tataḥ sā nacirād eva vidarbhān agamac chubhā ||
tāṃ tu bandhujanaḥ sarvaḥ prahṛṣṭaḥ pratyapūjayat ||
sarvān kuśalino dṛṣṭvā bāndhavān dārakau ca tau ||
mātaraṃ pitaraṃ caiva sarvaṃ caiva sakhījanam ||
devatāḥ pūjayām āsa brāhmaṇāṃś ca yaśasvinī ||
vidhinā pareṇa kalyāṇī damayantī viśāṃ pate ||
atarpayat sudevaṃ ca gosahasreṇa pārthivaḥ ||
prīto dṛṣṭvaiva tanayāṃ grāmeṇa draviṇena ca ||
sā vyuṣṭā rajanīṃ tatra pitur veśmani bhāminī ||
viśrāntā mātaraṃ rājann idaṃ vacanam abravīt ||
Damayantī, with a joyful heart, bowed to her mother's sister and said: "Even unrecognized, I lived here happily: you provided everything I needed and always protected me. But now life will be still happier if you let me go home, mother, long parted as I am from my own. My two children live there, deprived of their father and of me; how do they fare? If you wish to do something pleasing for me, command quickly that a carriage be given me: I wish to set out for Vidarbha." "Certainly," the aunt replied joyfully, and, with her son's consent, the queen mother sent Damayantī off under strong guard, in a splendid carriage drawn by men, furnished with good food, drink, and clothing. Before long she reached Vidarbha. All her kin joyfully honored her. Seeing that all her family, her children, mother, father, and friends were well, the lovely Damayantī honored the gods and the illustrious brahmins according to the highest rite. King Bhīma, delighted to see his daughter, rewarded Sudeva with a thousand cows, a village, and wealth. Having spent the night there and rested in her father's house, Damayantī, O king, spoke these words to her mother...
6ccf17f89cd4 · published Jul 16, 2026, 4:58:37 PM UTC
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Return to Vidarbha does not end her search, but it gives her ground to stand on. Damayantī first gives thanks to her protectors and honors the gods: pain does not cancel gratitude.