Sloka:

Restless Nala grew over Narada’s word,

And hurt his mind was with arrows of the love-lord,

Assigning the reins of the kingdom to the nobles

He left his self in isolation in the palace gardens.

(Nala in contemplation):

This garden is so very deserted,

That is its only quality making me feel light-hearted.

But the gods to me no more look so benign,

Neither is the lord of lust with his fish-ensign.

The objects in the garden only sharpen my woe,

They appear to be the masters of filling one with sorrow

I can see them all, but my eyes want to allow

The view of the damsel my thoughts now follow.

The lord of love has made this garden a garrison,

The breeze turn battlers, the flowers turn weapon,

Cuckoos blow bugles in battle, the trees form armoury,

Not without reasons, the air here feels so unsavoury.

Swans of myriad colours over there look somewhat pleasing,

They play among themselves frolicking and caressing,

There is one among them of golden plume, its eyes in the closing,

Oh my! Its beauty is worth beholding.

Only if I could get hold of this swan, so beautiful,

To turn my day somewhat fruitful!