Oh! Swan, why do you distrust me?
English
Oh! Swan, why do you distrust me?
How can another man in my heart be?
A river must reach the sea
Can the hill stop it possibly?
Damayanti
English
My desire for Nala is growing day by day
English
My desire for Nala is growing day by day
But I haven’t let out my mind to the maids to this day
Oh! Swan please go and tell this without delay
to Nala and draw out what he has to say.
Oh! Majestic swan, what am I to tell?
English
Oh! Majestic swan, what am I to tell?
Women of high rank do not feel,
It right to let their hearts reveal.
(Their secret desires)
Time and again my mind is on Nala-the much praised king,
his reputation and deeds cause my ears to pleasingly ring.
On thinking of his manliness, the love-lord’s arrows sting
my heart and makes me feel frail and a weakling.
I saw you so very close
English
I saw you so very close
and I heard your playful voice
You are Brahma’s vehicle of choice
Oh! Sweet voiced and of nice poise
Is it Lord Brahma who sent you here?
Is it Nala’s land the place you hold dear?
If that be so oh! Swan of such glow
With love and respect, to you I bow.
Dear vehicle of Brahma, please narrate
the tales of king Nala in words not ornate.
With your words my sorrow may mitigate
That is a swan with beauty so soothing, oh! Dear
English
That is a swan with beauty so soothing, oh! Dear
Never have I seen it before nor have I heard ever.
It is golden-plumed and has a sweet sound to match it
It seems he would be friendly if I were to catch it.
I wish I could touch it with my hands, friends dear.
If I could get hold of him I could play with him without fear.
It is not vicious, seems like a gentle soul; stay clear
-my friends, I will go to him, you don’t come near.
The buzz of beetles feels like smouldering fire in my ears
English
The buzz of beetles feels like smouldering fire in my ears
The coo of the cuckoos-like a lance they pierce
The fragrance of flowers hurts my tender nostrils like buffalo a calm pond
Altogether these gardens bring sorrow and miseries unbound.
Friends, my dears, let us return to my father’s court
English
Sloka:
Overcome was Damayanti with the unfulfilled desire; yet
Undisclosed her mind remained to the maids from the outset,
Now in the garden with them, in passion she shuddered
And calling them aside, she almost thus pleaded.
Friends, my dears, let us return to my father’s court
It is better for me than these gardens, they hurt.
In the court people from afar come and tell stories
That will ease my mind; these gardens give me only miseries.
Praise Brahma and the goddess of words
English
Sloka:
With the message of love from Nala, off to Vidarbha goes the swan
and sits in the open in the tranquillity of the palace garden.
Unfulfilled in love for Nala, Damayanti -listless and wan
Was lead to the garden by maids to bring back her cheer and elan.
Praise Brahma and the goddess of words, praise the goddess earth
Praise Lord Vishnu and praise the goddess of worth
Praise Lord Shiva and praise Parvathy, his consort