52(B). STORY OF NALA BEGINS

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > AARANYA PARVA > NALOPAKYAANA PARVA > CHAPTER 52(B) - STORY OF NALA BEGINS

“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Thus addressed by Bhima, Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, smelt the crown of that Paandavaa, and pacifying him said, ‘O mighty-armed one, without doubt, you will, assisted by the wielder of the Gaandeeva, slay Suyodhana (Duryodhana) at the expiry of the thirteenth year. But, O Paarthaa (Bhima), as for your assertion, ‘O Lord, the time is complete,’ I cannot dare tell an untruth, for untruth is not in me. O Kaunteya (Bhima), without the help of fraud, you wilt kill the wicked and irrepressible Duryodhana, with his allies.’

“While Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, was speaking to Bhima thus, there came the illustrious and Maharishi Brihadashwa before them. Seeing that Dharmaatma before him, the Dharmaraja worshipped him according to the Shaastraas, with the offering of Madhuparka. When the Rishi (Brihadashwa) was seated and refreshed, the mighty-armed Yudhishthira sat by him, and looking up at the former, addressed him thus in exceedingly piteous accents:

‘O holy one (Bhagawan in Sanskrit), summoned by cunning gamblers skilled at dice, I have been deprived of wealth and kingdom through gambling. I am not skilled at dice and am unacquainted with deceit (Nikruti in Sanskrit). Sinful men, by unfair means, defeated me at play. They even brought into the sabha my wife dearer to me than life itself. Defeating me a second time, they have sent me to distressful exile in this great forest, dressed in deer skins. At present I am leading a distressful life in the forest in grief of heart. Those harsh and cruel speeches they addressed me on the occasion of that gambling match, and the words of my pained friends relating to the match at dice and other subjects, are all stored up in my remembrance. Recollecting them I pass the whole night in (sleepless) anxiety. Also, deprived (of the company) of the Mahatma wielder of the Gaandeeva, on whom depend the lives of us all, I am almost deprived of life. Oh, when shall I see the sweet-speeched and large-hearted Bibhatsu (Arjuna) so full of kindness and activity, return to us, having obtained all weapons? Is there a king on this earth who is more unfortunate than myself? Have you ever seen or heard of any such before? To my thinking, there is no man more wretched than I am.’

“Brihadashwa said, ‘O Maharaja, O Paandavaa, you say, ‘There is no person more miserable than I am.’ O sinless monarch, if you will listen, I will narrate to you the history of a king more wretched than yourself.’

“Vaishampayana continued, ‘Immediately the king (Yudhisthira) said to the Rishi, ‘O illustrious one (Bhagawan in Sanskrit), tell me, I desire to hear the history of the king who had fallen into such a condition.’

“Brihadashwa said, ‘O king, O you that never fall off (Dharma), listen attentively with your brothers, I will narrate the history of a prince more miserable than yourself. There was a celebrated king among the Nishadhas, named Veerasena. He had a son named Nala, versed in (the knowledge of) Dharma and wealth. It has been heard by us that, that king was deceitfully defeated by (his brother) Pushkara, and pained with calamity, he stayed in the forest with his wife. O king, while he was living in the forest, he had neither servants nor chariots, neither brother nor friends with him. But you are surrounded by your heroic brothers like to Devas, and also by foremost Dwijas like to (Lord) Brahma Himself. Therefore, it is your duty not to grieve.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘I am anxious to hear in detail, O you foremost of eloquent men, the history of the Mahatma Nala. It is your duty therefore to narrate it to me.’”