Vrihadashwa said: -
1. O son of Kunti, the prince of the Nishadhas, having lived there for about a month, obtained permission of Bhima and went, with a small number of attendants, to the country of the Nishadhas.
2-3. That agile and lofty-minded monarch, who was swelled with rage, entered the country of the Nishadhas speedily, with a single white car, sixteen elephants, fifty horse and six hundred infantries and thereby he trembled the whole earth.
4. Thereupon the heroic son of Virasena, advancing towards Pushkara (his brother), expressed his intention to play at dice; because he again earned vast wealth.
Nala said: -
5. “O Pushkara, let Damayanti and everything else, that I have, by my stake; and let your kingdom be yours.
6. Let the game at dice begin again; for this is my firm resolution. Be you happy. Let us stake all that we possess, as well as our lives.
7. To stake back other’s possessions, that is, wealth and kingdom, that are already won, is said to be the chief virtue.
8. If you do not like the game at dice, do you then engage yourself in the play at weapons. Really, O king, let us have peace by fighting out a duel.
9. The sages have laid down their authority by saying, that the ancestral kingdom should be obtained under any circumstance or by an means.
10. O Pushkara, do you choose today one of these two; that is, do of you either game at dice or bend the bow in battle.
Vrihadashwa said: -
11. Having been thus addressed by the prince of the Nishadhas, Pushkara, with the assurance of his own success, answered the king smilingly.
12. “O Naishadha, by good fortune you have acquired the vast wealth, in order to stake it back again. Most fortunately the adversity of Damayanti has come to an end.
13-14. O monarch, O mighty-armed one, that you are still living with your wife, is owing to your good luck. Indeed, the daughter of king Bhima, decked in ornaments, will attend me with all the wealth, that I will gain from you, even as the Apsaras wait upon Sakra in heaven. O prince of the Nishadhas, do I, therefore, recollect you and expect you always.
15-17. To play at dice with those that are not my relatives, gives me no pleasure. Having this day obtained the hand of Damayanti, who is most beautiful and possessed of blameless features, I shall think myself very lucky, for she is, as ever, the darling of my heart.” Having heard these expressions of that infatuated braggart, king Nala became filled with rage and desired to sever his head by the sword. King Nala smilingly, though his eyes were red with anger, addressed him, saying,
18. “Let us begin the play. Why do you speak thus now? You will speak in any way you like, after you shall have defeated me at dice.” Thereupon the gambling began between Pushkara and Nala.
19. Pushkara, who had even staked his own life, was defeated at a single throw by Nala; and thus he lost all his wealth and treasures.
20. The king, having defeated Pushkara, laughingly said to him: “This entire kingdom is now undisputedly mine. The thorns (the enemies) are all destroyed.
21. O worst of kings, now you are not able even to have a look of Vaidharbhi. O foolish one, you are now reduced to her slave with your family.
22. That formerly I was defeated by you, was not wrought by you. That act was done by Kali; and it was not you, that did so. O stupid one, this you do not understand.
23. I will never attribute the faults, committed by others, to you. Indeed, do you live happily. I grant you your life.
24. As before, I give you your portion of the whole kingdom. O hero, the amount of my love for you is doubtlessly the same as before.
25. O Pushkara, the fraternal love, that I entertain for you, will never decrease. You are my brother. Do you live for a hundred years?
26. Having thus accosted his brother, Nala of undaunted courage embraced him repeatedly and asked him to go to his own city.
27. O king, having been thus consoled by the prince of the Nishadhas, Pushkara then, with folded hands, saluted and answered that virtuous prince, saying,
28. “O prince, let your fame be immortal; and do you live at peace for hundred years, for you have given to me both life and shelter.”
29. O monarch, having been thus honoured by the king (his brother, Nala). Pushkara, gratified at heart, then repaired to his own city attended by his relatives, after he has passed about a month with his brother.
30. O foremost of men, also attended by a great force and humble servants, Pushkara went away; and he looked like the resplendent sun in appearance.
31. After having settled Pushkara and enriched and delivered him from all anxieties, the blessed prince entered his own palace, most gorgeously decorated.
32. After having entered the palace, the prince of the Nishadhas consoled all the citizens, who, as well as the subjects from the country, again, greatly expressed their satisfaction.
33. All the officers of government, headed by their minister, addressed him with folded hands, saying, “O king, really we are all glad today both in the city and the country, even as the gods themselves, after having obtained their chief of a hundred sacrifices for worship.”
Thus ends the seventy eighth chapter, the Nala’s victory over Puskara at dice and Puskara’s arrival at his own city, in the Nalopakhayana of the Vana Parva.
Vrihadashwa said: -
1. When the great festivities began in the city which was full of joy, the king with a large army brought Damayanti (back to his capital).
2. Her father, that slayer of hostile heroes, Bhima of great prowess and of high soul, also having honoured her duly, sent Damayanti (to her husband’s palace).
3. On the arrival of the Vidharbha princess accompanied by her son and daughter, king Nala passed his days in great happiness, like the chief of the celestials in the Nandana (garden).
4. The greatly illustrious king, having regained his kingdom and becoming famous among the kings of the Jambudvipa, began once more to rule it.
5. He duly performed many sacrifices with large Dakshinas to the Brahmanas. O great king, you, too, with your relatives and friends, will soon perform many sacrifices.
6. O foremost of men, O best of the Bharata race that conqueror of the hostile cities, Nala, thus fell into great distress in consequence of his playing at dice.
7. O ruler of the earth, Nala alone suffered such great and terrible distress; but he regained his lost glory.
8. O son of Pandu, you, however, with Krishna (Draupadi) and your brothers, sport here in this great forest, with your heart fixed on virtue.
9. O king, what cause is there for your sorrow, when you are always mixing with the greatly exalted Brahmanas learned in the Vedas?
10. To recite the history of Naga Karkotaka, of Damayanti, of Nala and of the royal sage Rituparna, is destructive of evil (Kali).
11. O undeteriorating one, O ruler of men, this history, which is destructive of evil (Kali), is capable of comforting persons like you, when they hear it.
12. Considering that human exertion is always futile, you should joy or grieve at prosperity or adversity.
13. O great king, hearing this history, be comforted. Do not grieve. You should not be aggrieved at calamity.
14. Reflecting on the caprice of fate and futileness of human exertions, men of self-possession never allow themselves to be aggrieved.
15. Those who recite the great history of Nala and those who often hear it are never touched by calamity.
16. He, who hears this excellent and old history, gets all his desires fulfilled and obtains wealth and
17. Sons, grandsons, animals, a high position, health and joy. There is no doubt in this.
18. O king, the fear, that you entertain that someone would again summon you to play, I shall dispel.
19. O greatly powerful hero, O son of Kunti, I am an expert in the science of dice. I am pleased with you; learn it from me, I shall tell it to you.
Vaishampayana said: -
20. Thereupon with great joy the king (Yudhishthira) thus spoke to Vrihadashwa, “O exalted one. I desire to learn the science of dice from you.”
21. Thereupon he taught the science to the illustrious son of Pandu. Having taught it, the great ascetic went to Asvasira to bathe.
22. When Vrihadashwa had gone away, he (Yudhishthira) heard that the son of Pritha Savyasachi (Arjuna) was engaged in severe asceticism, living on air.
23. He heard this from the greatly intelligent Brahmanas and ascetics who came to him from various directions and from places of pilgrimage, from mountains and forests.
24. He heard that the mighty Partha (Arjuna) was engaged in such fearful asceticism that none else, before him, had done it.
25. He heard that Dhananjaya Partha (Arjuna) engaged in asceticism, observing vows of silence and deep in meditation, appeared like the blazing deity, Dharma.
26. O king, having heard that his beloved brother, the son of Kunti, Yaja (Arjuna) was thus undergoing asceticism in the great forest Yudhishthira began to grieve.
27. Thus burning in grief, Yudhishthira sought consolation in the great forest and talked with the Brahmanas learned in all Shastras.
Thus ends the seventy-ninth chapter, the departure of Vrihadashwa, in the Nalopakhayana of the Vana Parva.