बाहुक उवाच
श्रुतः स्वयंवरो राज्ञा कौसल्येन यशस्विना ॥
द्वितीयो दमयन्त्या वै श्वोभूत इति भामिनि ॥
श्रुत्वा तं प्रस्थितो राजा शतयोजनयायिभिः ॥
हयैर् वातजवैर् मुख्यैर् अहम् अस्य च सारथिः ॥
केशिन्य् उवाच
अथ यो ऽसौ तृतीयो वः स कुतः कस्य वा पुनः ॥
त्वं च कस्य कथं चेदं त्वयि कर्म समाहितम् ॥
बाहुक उवाच
पुण्यश्लोकस्य वै सूतो वार्ष्णेय इति विश्रुतः ॥
स नले विद्रुते भद्रे भाङ्गस्वरिम् उपस्थितः ॥
अहम् अप्य् अश्वकुशलः सूदत्वे च सुनिष्ठितः ॥
ऋतुपर्णेन सारथ्ये भोजने च वृतः स्वयम् ॥
केशिन्य् उवाच
अथ जानाति वार्ष्णेयः क्व नु राजा नलो गतः ॥
कथं चित् त्वयि वैतेन कथितं स्यात् तु बाहुक ॥
बाहुक उवाच
इहैव पुत्रौ निक्षिप्य नलस्याशुभकर्मणः ॥
गतस् ततो यथाकामं नैष जानाति नैषधम् ॥
न चान्यः पुरुषः कश् चिन् नलं वेत्ति यशस्विनि ॥
गूढश् चरति लोके ऽस्मिन् नष्टरूपो महीपतिः ॥
आत्मैव हि नलं वेत्ति या चास्य तदनन्तरा ॥
न हि वै तानि लिङ्गानि नलं शंसन्ति कर्हि चित् ॥
bāhuka uvāca
śrutaḥ svayaṃvaro rājñā kausalyena yaśasvinā ||
dvitīyo damayantyā vai śvobhūta iti bhāmini ||
śrutvā taṃ prasthito rājā śatayojanayāyibhiḥ ||
hayair vātajavair mukhyair aham asya ca sārathiḥ ||
keśiny uvāca
atha yo 'sau tṛtīyo vaḥ sa kutaḥ kasya vā punaḥ ||
tvaṃ ca kasya kathaṃ cedaṃ tvayi karma samāhitam ||
bāhuka uvāca
puṇyaślokasya vai sūto vārṣṇeya iti viśrutaḥ ||
sa nale vidrute bhadre bhāṅgasvarim upasthitaḥ ||
aham apy aśvakuśalaḥ sūdatve ca suniṣṭhitaḥ ||
ṛtuparṇena sārathye bhojane ca vṛtaḥ svayam ||
keśiny uvāca
atha jānāti vārṣṇeyaḥ kva nu rājā nalo gataḥ ||
kathaṃ cit tvayi vaitena kathitaṃ syāt tu bāhuka ||
bāhuka uvāca
ihaiva putrau nikṣipya nalasyāśubhakarmaṇaḥ ||
gatas tato yathākāmaṃ naiṣa jānāti naiṣadham ||
na cānyaḥ puruṣaḥ kaś cin nalaṃ vetti yaśasvini ||
gūḍhaś carati loke 'smin naṣṭarūpo mahīpatiḥ ||
ātmaiva hi nalaṃ vetti yā cāsya tadanantarā ||
na hi vai tāni liṅgāni nalaṃ śaṃsanti karhi cit ||
Keshini said: 'Welcome to you, best of men. Damayanti bids you hear her word: when did you set out, and for what purpose have you come here?' Bahuka answered: 'The illustrious king of Kosala heard that tomorrow would be Damayanti's second svayamvara, and set out for here with the finest horses, swift as the wind, able to cover a hundred yojanas. I am his charioteer.' Keshini asked: 'And where is the third one with you from? Whose is he? And how did this task come to be entrusted to you?' Bahuka said: 'This is Varshneya, the renowned charioteer of Punyashloka. When Nala vanished, he came to Bhangasvari. As for me, I am skilled with horses and well versed in the art of cooking; Rituparna himself chose me as his charioteer and cook.' Keshini asked: 'Does Varshneya know where King Nala has gone? Perhaps he told you?' Bahuka answered: 'Having left Nala's children here, he went wherever he wished; he does not know Nala's whereabouts. Nor does any other man know Nala, illustrious one: the king walks the world in disguise, his form lost. Only he himself knows Nala, and she who comes immediately after him; the outward signs never betray him now.'
b5a483fd718e · प्रकाशित 16 जुल॰ 2026, 5:01:58 pm UTC
उपलब्ध भाषाएँRUENश्लोक बदलें इन कुंजियों से
Bahuka's final words are too precise: he speaks of the hidden Nala from within. Through Keshini, Damayanti touches the very mystery of his transformation.