Nalopaakhyanamu SACRED TEXT

NALOPAKHYANA PARVA

SECTION LII

(Nalopakhyana Parva)

Janamejaya said, "When the high-souled Partha went to Indra's region for

obtaining weapons, what did Yudhishthira and the other sons of Pandu do?"

Vaisampayana said, "When the high-souled Partha went to Indra's region

for obtaining weapons, those bulls of the Bharata race continued to dwell

with Krishna in (the woods of) Kamyaka. One day, those foremost of the

Bharatas, afflicted with grief, were seated with Krishna on a clean and

solitary sward. Grieving for Dhananjaya, overwhelmed with sorrow, their

voices were choked with weeping. Tortured by Dhananjaya's absence, grief

afflicted them equally. And filled with sorrow at their separation from

Arjuna and at the loss of their kingdom, the mighty-armed Bhima among

them addressed Yudhishthira, saying, "That Bull of the Bharata race,

Arjuna, O great king, on whom depend the lives of Pandu's sons, and on

whose death the Panchalas as also ourselves with our sons and Satyaki and

Vasudeva are sure to die, hath gone away at thy behest. What can be

sadder than this that the virtuous Vibhatsu hath gone away at thy

command, thinking of his many griefs? Depending upon the might of that

illustrious hero's arms, regard our foes as already vanquished in battle,

and the whole earth itself as already acquired by us. It was for the sake

of that mighty warrior that I refrained from sending to the other world

all the Dhartarashtras along with the Suvalas, in the midst of the

assembly. Gifted with might of arms, and supported by Vasudeva, we have

to suppress the wrath that hath been roused in us, because thou art the

root of that wrath. Indeed, with Krishna's help, slaying our foes headed

by Karna, we are able to rule the entire earth (thus) conquered by our

own arms. Endued with manliness, we are yet overwhelmed with calamities,

in consequence of thy gambling vice, while the foolish null of

Dhritarashtra are growing stronger with the tributes (gathered from

dependent kings). O mighty monarch, it behoveth thee to keep in view the

duties of the Kshatriya. O great king, it is not the duty of a Khsatriya

to live in the woods. The wise are of the opinion that to rule is the

foremost duty of a Kshatriya. O king, thou art conversant with Kshatriya

morality. Do not, therefore, deviate from the path of duty. Turning away

from the woods, let us, summoning Partha and Janardana, slay, O king, the

sons of Dhritarashtra, even before the twelve years are complete. O

illustrious monarch O king of kings, even if these Dhartarashtras be

surrounded by soldiers in array of battle, I shall send them to the other

world by dint of might alone. I shall slay all the sons of Dhritarashtra

along with the Sauvalas, indeed, Duryodhana, Karna, and any one else that

will fight with me. And after I shall have slain all our foes, thou mayst

come back unto the woods. By acting thus, O king, no fault will be thine.

(Or if any sin be thine), O represser of foes, O mighty monarch, washing

it off, O sire, by various sacrifices, we may ascend to a superior

heaven. Such a consummation may come to pass, if our king proveth not

unwise or procrastinating. Thou art, however, virtuous. Verily the

deceitful should be destroyed by deceit. To slay the deceitful by deceit,

is not regarded as sinful. O Bharata, it is, also said by those versed in

morality that one day and night is, O great prince, equal unto a full

year. The Veda text also, exalted one, is often heard, signifying that a

year is equivalent to a day when passed in the observance of certain

difficult vows. O thou of unfading glory, if the Vedas are an authority

with thee, regard thou the period of a day and something more as the

equivalent of thirteen years. O represser of foes, this is the time to

slay Duryodhana with his adherents. Else, O king, he will beforehand

bring the whole earth obedient to his will. O foremost of monarchs, all

this is the result of thy addiction to gambling. We are on the verge of

destruction already, in consequence of thy promise of living one year

undiscovered. I do not find the country where, if we live, the

wicked-minded Suyodhana may not be able to trace us by his spies. And

finding us out, that wretch will again deceitfully send us into such

exile in the woods. Or if that sinful one beholdeth us emerge, after the

expiry of the pledged period of non-discovery, he will again invite thee,

O great king, to dice, and the play will once more begin. Summoned once

more, thou wilt again efface thyself at dice. Thou art not skilled at

dice, and when summoned at play, thou wilt be deprived of thy senses.

Therefore, O mighty monarch thou wilt have to lead a life in the woods

again. If, O mighty king, it behoveth thee not to make us wretched for

life, observe thou fully the ordinance of the Vedas, (which inculcateth

that) verily the deceitful ought to be slain by deceit. If I but have thy

command I would go (to Hastinapura) and, even as fire falling upon a heap

of grass consumeth it, would slay Duryodhana, putting forth my utmost

might. It behoveth thee, therefore, to grant me the permission.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by Bhima, king Yudhishthira the

just, smelt the crown of that son of Pandu, and pacifying him said, 'O

mighty-armed one, without doubt, thou wilt, assisted by the wielder of

the Gandiva, slay Suyodhana at the expiry of the thirteenth year. But, O

son of Pritha, as for thy assertion, 'O Lord, the time is complete', I

cannot dare tell an untruth, for untruth is not in me. O son of Kunti,

without the help of fraud, wilt thou kill the wicked and irrepressible

Duryodhana, with his allies.'

"While Yudhishthira the just, was speaking unto Bhima thus, there came

the great and illustrious Rishi Vrihadaswa before them. And beholding

that virtuous ascetic before him, the righteous king worshipped him

according to the ordinance, with the offering of Madhuparka. And when the

ascetic 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, summoned by cunning gamblers skilled at dice, I have been

deprived of wealth and kingdom through gambling. I am not an adept at

dice, and am unacquainted with deceit. Sinful men, by unfair means,

vanquished me at play. They even brought into the public assembly my wife

dearer unto me than life itself. And defeating me a second time, they

have sent me to distressful exile in this great forest, clad in deer

skins. At present I am leading a distressful life in the woods in grief

of heart. Those harsh and cruel speeches they addressed me on the

occasion of that gambling match, and the words of my afflicted 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. Deprived also (of the company) of the illustrious wielder of the

Gandiva, 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 Vibhatsu

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? Hast thou ever seen or heard of any such before? To my thinking,

there is no man more wretched than I am.'

"Vrihadaswa said, 'O great king, O son of Pandu, thou sayest, 'There is

no person more miserable than I am' O sinless monarch, if thou wilt

listen, I will relate unto thee the history of a king more wretched than

thyself?

Vaisampayana continued, "And thereupon the king said unto the ascetic, 'O

illustrious one, tell me, I desire to hear the history of the king who

had fallen into such a condition.'

"Vrihadaswa said, 'O king, O thou that never fallest off, listen

attentively with thy brothers, I will narrate the history of a prince

more miserable than thyself. There was a celebrated king among the

Nishadhas, named Virasena. He had a son named Nala, versed in (the

knowledge of) virtue and wealth. It hath been heard by us that, that king

was deceitfully defeated by Pushkara, and afflicted with calamity, he

dwelt in the woods with his spouse. And, O king, while he was living in

the forest, he had neither slaves nor cars, neither brother nor friends

with him. But thou art surrounded by thy heroic brothers like unto the

celestials, and also by foremost regenerate ones like unto Brahma

himself. Therefore, it behoveth thee not to grieve.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'I am anxious to hear in detail, O thou foremost of

eloquent men, the history of the illustrious Nala. It behoveth thee

therefore to relate it unto me.'

SECTION LIII

Vrihadaswa said, "There was a king named Nala, the son of Virasena. And

he was strong, and handsome, and well-versed in (the knowledge of)

horses, and possessed of every desirable accomplishment. And he was at

the head of all the kings, even like the lord of the celestials. And

exalted over all, he resembled the sun in glory. And he was the king of

the Nishadhas, intent on the welfare of the Brahmanas, versed in the

Vedas, and possessed of heroism. And he was truth-telling, fond of dice,

and the master of a mighty army. And he was the beloved of men and women,

and of great soul and subdued passions. And he was the protector (of

all), and the foremost of bowmen, and like unto Manu himself. And like

him, there was among the Vidarbhas (a king named) Bhima, of terrible

prowess, heroic and well-disposed towards his subjects and possessed of

every virtue. (But withal) he was childless. And with a fixed mind, he

tried his utmost for obtaining issue. And. O Bharata there came unto him

(once) a Brahmarshi named Damana. And, O king of kings, desirous of

having offspring, Bhima, versed in morality, with his queen gratified

that illustrious Rishi by a respectful reception. And Damana,

well-pleased, granted unto the king and his consort a boon in the form of

a jewel of a daughter, and three sons possessed of lofty souls and great

fame. (And they were called respectively) Damayanti, and Dama and Danta,

and illustrious Damana. And the three sons were possessed of every

accomplishment and terrible mien and fierce prowess. And the

slender-waisted Damayanti, in beauty and brightness, in good name and

grace and luck, became celebrated all over the world. And on her

attaining to age, hundreds of hand-maids, and female slaves, decked in

ornaments, waited upon her like Sachi herself. And Bhima's daughter of

faultless features, decked in every ornament, shone in the midst of her

hand-maids, like the luminous lightning of the clouds. And the large-eyed

damsel was possessed of great beauty like that of Sree herself. And

neither among celestials, nor among Yakshas, nor among men was anybody

possessed of such beauty, seen or heard of before. And the beautiful

maiden filled with gladness the hearts of even the gods. And that tiger

among men, Nala also had not his peer in the (three) worlds: for in

beauty he was like Kandarpa himself in his embodied form. And moved by

admiration, the heralds again and again celebrated the praises of Nala

before Damayanti and those of Damayanti before the ruler of the

Nishadhas. And repeatedly hearing of each other's virtues they conceived

an attachment towards each other not begot of sight, and that attachment,

O son of Kunti began to grow in strength. And then Nala was unable to

control the love that was in his bosom. And he began to pass much of his

time in solitude in the gardens adjoining the inner apartment (of his

palace). And there he saw a number of swans furnished with golden wings,

wandering in those woods. And from among them he caught one with his

hands. And thereupon the sky-ranging one said unto Nala. 'Deserve I not

to be slain by thee. O king. I will do something that is agreeable to

thee. O king of the Nishadhas. I will speak of thee before Damayanti in

such a way that she will not ever desire to have any other person (for

her lord).' Thus addressed, the king liberated that swan. And those swans

then rose on their wings and went to the country of the Vidarbhas. And on

arriving at the city of the Vidarbhas the birds alighted before

Damayanti, who beheld them all. And Damayanti in the midst of her maids,

beholding those birds of extraordinary appearance was filled with

delight, and strove without loss of time to catch those coursers of the

skies. And the swans at this, before that bevy of beauties, fled in all

directions. And those maidens there pursued the birds, each (running)

after one. And the swan after which Damayanti ran, having led her to a

secluded spot, addressed her in human speech, saying, O Damayanti, there

is a king amongst the Nishadhas named Nala. He is equal unto the Aswins

in beauty, not having his peer among men. Indeed, in comeliness, he is

like Kandarpa himself in his embodied form. O fair-complexioned one, O

thou of slender waist, if thou becomest his wife, thy existence and this

thy beauty may be of purpose. We have, indeed, beheld celestials and

Gandharvas, and Nagas, and Rakshasas, and men, but never saw we before

any one like Nala. Thou also art a jewel among thy sex, as Nala is the

prime among men. The union of the best with the best is happy.' Thus

addressed by the swan. Damayanti, O monarch, replied unto him there,

saying, 'Do thou speak thus unto Nala also, 'Saying So be it, to the

daughter of Vidarbha, the oviparous one, O king, returned to the country

of the Nishadhas, and related everything unto Nala."

SECTION LIV

"Vrihadaswa said, 'O Bharata, hearing those words of the swan, Damayanti

thenceforth lost all peace of mind on account of Nala. And heaving

frequent sighs she was filled with anxiety, and became melancholy and

pale-faced and lean. And with her heart possessed by the god of love, she

soon lost colour, and with her upturned gaze and modes of abstraction,

looked like one demented. And she lost all inclination for beds and seats

and object of enjoyment. And she ceased to lie down by day or night,

always weeping with exclamation of Oh! and Alas! And beholding her uneasy

and fallen into that condition, her hand-maids represented, O king, the

matter of her illness unto the ruler of Vidarbha by indirect hints. And

king Bhima, hearing of this from the handmaids of Damayanti, regarded the

affair of his daughter to be serious. And he asked himself, 'Why is it

that my daughter seemeth to be so ill now?' And the king, reflecting by

himself that his daughter had attained to puberty, concluded that

Damayanti's Swayamvara should take place. And the monarch, O exalted one,

(invited) all the rulers of the earth, saying, Ye heroes, know that

Damayanti's Swayamvara is at hand, And all the kings, hearing of

Damayanti's Swayamvara, came unto Bhima, agreeable to his message,

filling the earth with the clatter of their cars, the roar of their

elephants, and the neighing of their horses, and accompanied with their

fine-looking battalions decked in ornaments and graceful garlands. And

the mighty-armed Bhima paid due reverence unto those illustrious

monarchs. And duly honoured by him they took up their quarters there.'

"And at the juncture, those foremost of celestial Rishis possessed of

great splendour, of great wisdom and great vows--namely, Narada and

Parvata--having arrived in course of their wandering at the regions of

Indra entered the mansion of the lord of the immortals, receiving proper

worship. And Maghavat having worshipped them reverentially, inquired

after their undisturbed peace and welfare as regards all respects. And

Narada said, 'O lord, O divine one, peace attendeth us in every respect.

And, O Maghavat, peace attendeth also O exalted one, the kings of the

whole world.'

"Vrihadaswa continued. 'Hearing the words of Narada the slaver of Vala

and Vritra said, 'Those righteous rulers of the earth who fight

renouncing all desire of life, and who meet death when their time is come

by means of weapons, without flying from the field,--theirs is this

region, everlasting unto them and granting all desires, even as it is to

me. Where be those Kshatriya heroes? I do not see those kings approach

(now) Where are my favourite guests?' Thus addressed by Sakra, Narada

replied, 'Listen, O Mahavat, why seest not thou the kings (now)? The

ruler of the Vidarbhas hath a daughter--the celebrated Damayanti. In

beauty she transcendeth all the women of the earth. Her Swayamvara, O

Sakra, will take place shortly. Thither are going all the kings and

Princes from all directions. And all the lords of the earth desire to

have that pearl of the earth,--desire to have her eagerly, O slaver of

Vala and Vritra.' And while they were talking thus, those foremost of the

immortals, the Lokapalas with Agni among them, appeared before the lord

of the celestials. And all of them heard the words of Narada fraught with

grave import. And as soon as they heard them, they exclaimed in rapture,

We also will go there. And, O mighty monarch, accompanied by their

attendants and mounted on their (respective) vehicles, they set out for

the country of Vidarbhas, whither (had gone) all the kings. And, O son of

Kunti, the high-souled king Nala also hearing of that concourse of kings,

set out with a cheerful heart, full of Damayanti's love. And (it came to

pass) that the gods saw Nala on the way treading on the earth. And his

form owing to its beauty was like that of the god of love himself. And

beholding him resplendent as the sun, the Lokapalas were filled with

astonishment at his wealth of beauty, and abandoned their intention. And,

O king, leaving their cars in the sky the dwellers of heaven alighted

from the welkin and spake unto the ruler of the Nishadhas, saying, 'O

foremost of monarchs ruling the Nishadhas, O Nala, thou art devoted to

truth. Do thou help us. O best of men, be thou our messenger.'"

SECTION LV

"Vrihadaswa continued, 'O Bharata, Nala pledged his word to the

celestials saying, 'I will do it.' And then approaching these, he asked

with folded hands. 'Who are ye? And who also is he that desireth me to be

his messenger? And what, further, shall I have to do for you? O tell me

truly!'--When the king of the Nishadhas spoke thus, Maghavat replied,

saying, 'Know us as the immortals come hither for Damayanti's sake. I am

Indra, this one is Agni, this the lord of waters, and this, O king, is

even Yama the destroyer of the bodies of men. Do thou inform Damayanti of

our arrival, saying, 'The guardians of the world, (consisting of) the

great Indra and the others, are coming to the assembly, desirous of

beholding (the Swayamvara). The gods, Sakra and Agni and Varuna and Yama,

desire to obtain thee. Do thou, therefore, choose one of them for thy

lord.' Thus addressed by Sakra, Nala said with joined hands, 'I have come

here with the self same object. It behoveth thee not to send me (on this

errand). How can a person who is himself under the influence of love

bring himself to speak thus unto a lady on behalf of others? Therefore,

spare me, ye gods' The gods, however, said, 'O ruler of the Nishadhas,

having promised first, saying, 'I will! why wilt thou not act accordingly

now? O ruler of the Nishadhas, tell us this without delay.'

"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Thus addressed by those celestials, the ruler of

Nishadhas spake again, saying, 'Those mansions are well-guarded. How can

I hope to enter them?' Indra replied, 'Thou shalt be able to enter.' And,

saying, So be it.' Nala thereupon went to the palace of Damayanti. And

having arrived there, he beheld the daughter of the king of Vidarbha

surrounded by her hand-maids, blazing in beauty and excelling in symmetry

of form, of limbs exceedingly delicate, of slender waist and fair eyes.

And she seemed to rebuke the light of the moon by her own splendour. And

as he gazed on that lady of sweet smiles. Nala's love increased, but

desirous of keeping his truth, he suppressed his passion. And at the

sight of Naishadha, overpowered by his effulgence, those first of women

sprang up from their seats in amazement. And filled with wonder (at his

sight), they praised Nala in gladness of heart. And without saying

anything, they mentally paid him homage, 'Oh, what comeliness! Oh, what

gentleness belongeth to this high-souled one! Who is he? Is he some god

or Yaksha or Gandharva?' And those foremost of women, confounded by

Nala's splendour and bashfulness would not accost him at all in speech.

And Damayanti although herself struck with amazement, smilingly addressed

the warlike Nala who also gently smiled at her, saying, 'What art thou, O

thou of faultless features, that hast come here awakening my love? O

sinless one, O hero of celestial form, I am anxious to know who thou art

that hast come hither. And why hast thou come hither? And how is it that

thou hast not been discovered by any one, considering that my apartments

are well-guarded and the king's mandates are stern.' Thus addressed by

the daughter of the king of the Vidarbhas, Nala replied, 'O beauteous

lady, know that my name is Nala. I come here as the messenger of the

gods. The celestials, Sakra, Agni, Varuna and Yama, desire to have thee.

O beautiful lady, do thou choose one of them for thy lord. It is through

their power that I have entered here unperceived, and it is for this

reason that none saw me on my way or obstructed my entrance. O gentle

one, I have been sent by the foremost of the celestials even for this

object. Hearing this, O fortunate one, do what thou pleasest.'"

SECTION LVI

"Vrihadaswa said, 'Damayanti, having bowed down unto the gods, thus

addressed Nala with a smile, 'O king, love me with proper regard, and

command me what I shall do for thee. Myself and what else of wealth is

mine are thine. Grant me, O exalted one, thy love in full trust. O king,

the language of the swans in burning me. It is for thy sake, O hero, that

I have caused the kings to meet. O giver of proper honour, if thou

forsake me who adore thee, for thy sake will I resort to poison, or fire,

or water or the rope.' Thus addressed by the daughter of the king of the

Vidarbhas, Nala answered her saying, 'With the Lokapalas present,

choosest thou a man? Do thou turn thy heart to those high-souled lords,

the creators of the worlds, unto the dust of whose feet I am not equal.

Displeasing the gods, a mortal cometh by death. Save me, O thou of

faultless limbs! Choose thou the all-excelling celestials. By accepting

the gods, do thou enjoy spotless robes, and celestial garlands of

variegated hues, and excellent ornaments. What woman would not choose as

her lord Hutasana--the chief of the celestials, who compassing the earth

swalloweth it? What woman would not choose him as her lord the dread of

whose mace induceth all creatures to tread the path of virtue? And what

woman would not choose as her lord the virtuous and high-souled Mahendra,

the lord of the celestials, the chastiser of Daityas and Danavas? Or, if

thou couldst choose in thy heart Varuna amongst the Lokapalas, do so

unhesitatingly. O accept this friendly advice.' Thus addressed by

Naishadha, Damayanti, with eyes bathed in tears of grief spake thus unto

Nala, 'O lord of the earth, bowing to all the gods, I choose thee for my

lord. Truly do I tell thee this.' The king, who had come as the messenger

of the gods, replied unto the trembling Damayanti standing with folded

hands, 'O amiable one, do as thou pleasest. Having given my pledge, O

blessed one, unto the gods in especial, how can I, having come on other's

mission, dare seek my own interest? If seeking my own interest consists

with virtue, I will seek it, and do thou also, O beauteous one, act

accordingly.' Then Damayanti of luminous smiles slowly spake unto king

Nala, in words choked with tears, 'O lord of men I see a blameless way,

by which no sin whatever will attach unto thee. O king, do thou, O

foremost of men, come to the Swayamvara in company with all the gods

headed by Indra. There, O Monarch, in the presence of the Lokapalas I

will, O tiger among men, choose thee--at which no blame will be thine.'

Thus addressed, O monarch, by the daughter of Vidarbha, king Nala

returned to where the gods were staying together. And beholding him

approach those great gods, the Lokapalas, eagerly asked him about all

that had happened saying, 'Hast thou, O king, seen Damayanti of sweet

smiles? What hath she said unto us all? O sinless monarch, tell us

everything.' Nala answered, 'Commanded by you I entered Damayanti's

palace furnished with lofty portals guarded by veteran warders bearing

wands. And as I entered, no one perceived me, by virtue of your power,

except the princess. And I saw her hand-maids, and they also saw me. And,

O exalted celestials, seeing me, they were filled with wonder. And as I

spake unto her of you, the fair-faced maiden, her will fixed on me, O ye

best of the gods, chose me (for her spouse).' And the maiden said, 'Let

the gods, O tiger among men, come with thee to the Swayamvara, I will in

their presence, choose thee. At this, O thou of mighty arms, no blame

will attach to thee.' 'This is all, ye gods, that took place, as I have

said. Finally, everything rests with you, ye foremost of celestials.'"

SECTION LVII

"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Then at the sacred hour of the holy lunar day of

the auspicious season, king Bhima summoned the kings to the Swayamvara.

And hearing of it, all the lords of earth smit with love speedily came

thither, desirous of (possessing) Damayanti. And the monarchs entered the

amphitheatre decorated with golden pillars and a lofty portal arch, like

mighty lions entering the mountain wilds. And those lords of earth decked

with fragrant garlands and polished ear-rings hung with jewels seated

themselves on their several seats. And that sacred assembly of Kings,

graced by those tigers among men, resembled the Bhogavati swarming with

the Nagas, or a mountain cavern with tigers. And their arms were robust,

and resembling iron maces, and well-shaped, and graceful, and looking

like five-headed snakes. And graced with beautiful locks and fine noses

and eyes and brows, the countenance of the kings shone like stars in the

firmament. And (when the time came), Damayanti of beauteous face,

stealing the eyes and hearts of the princes by her dazzling light,

entered the hall. And the glances of those illustrious kings were

rivetted to those parts of her person where they had chanced to fall

first, without moving at all. And when, O Bharata, the names of the

monarchs were proclaimed, the daughter of Bhima saw five persons all

alike in appearance. And beholding them seated there, without difference

of any kind in form, doubt filled her mind, and she could not ascertain

which of them was king Nala. And at whomsoever (among them) she looked,

she regarded him to be the king of the Nishadhas. And filled with

anxiety, the beauteous one thought within herself, 'Oh, how shall I

distinguish the celestials, and how discern the royal Nala?' And thinking

thus, the daughter of Vidarbha became filled with grief. And, O Bharata,

recollecting the marks belonging to the celestials, of which she had

heard, she thought, 'Those attributes of the celestials, of which I have

heard from the aged, do not pertain to any of these deities present here

upon the earth.' And revolving the matter long in her mind, and

reflecting upon it repeatedly, she decided upon seeking the protection of

the gods themselves. And bowing down unto them with mind and speech, with

folded hands, she addressed them trembling, 'Since I heard the speech of

the swans, I chose the king of the Nishadhas as my lord. For the sake of

truth, O, let the gods reveal him to me. And as in thought or word I have

never swerved from him, O, let the gods, for the sake of that truth,

reveal him to me. And as the gods themselves have destined the ruler of

the Nishadhas to be my lord, O, let them, for the sake of that truth,

reveal him to me. And as it is for paying homage unto Nala that I have

adopted this vow, for the sake of that truth, O, let the gods reveal him

unto me, O, let the exalted guardians of the worlds assume their own

proper forms, so that I may know the righteous king.' Hearing these

piteous words of Damayanti, and ascertaining her fixed resolve, and

fervent love for the king of Nishadhas, the purity of her heart and her

inclination and regard and affection for Nala, the gods did as they had

been adjured, and assumed their respective attributes as best they could.

And thereupon she beheld the celestials unmoistened with perspiration,

with winkless eyes, and unfading garlands, unstained with dust, and

staying without touching the ground. And Naishadha stood revealed to his

shadow, his fading garlands, himself stained with dust and sweat, resting

on the ground with winking eyes. And, O Bharata, discerning the gods and

the virtuous Nala the daughter of Bhima chose Naishadha according to her

truth. And the large-eyed damsel then bashfully caught the hem of his

garment and placed round his neck a floral wreath of exceeding grace. And

when that fair-complexioned maiden had thus chosen Nala for her husband,

the kings suddenly broke out into exclamations of Oh! and Alas! And, O

Bharata, the gods and the great Rishis in wonder cried Excellent!

Excellent!, applauding the king the while. And, O Kauravya, the royal son

of Virasena, with heart filled with gladness, comforted the beauteous

Damayanti, saying, 'Since thou, O blessed one, hast chosen a mortal in

the presence of the celestials, know me for a husband even obedient to

thy command. And, O thou of sweet smiles, truly do I tell thee this that

as long as life continueth in this body of mine, I will remain thine and

thine alone. Damayanti also, with folded hands paid homage unto Nala in

words of like import. And the happy pair beholding Agni and the other

gods mentally sought their protection. And after the daughter of Bhima

had chosen Naishadha as her husband, the Lokapalas of exceeding

effulgence with pleased hearts, bestowed on Nala eight boons. And Sakra,

the lord of Sachi, bestowed on Nala the boon that he should be able to

behold his godship in sacrifices and that he should attain to blessed

legions thereafter, and Hutasana bestowed on him the boon of his own

presence whenever Naishadha wished, and regions also bright as himself.

And Yama granted him subtle taste in food as well as pre-eminence in

virtue. And the lord of waters granted Nala his own presence whenever he

desired, and also garlands of celestial fragrance. And thus each of them

bestowed upon him a couple of boons. And having bestowed these the gods

went to heaven. And the kings also, having witnessed with wonder

Damayanti's selection of Nala, returned delighted whence they had come.

And on the departure of those mighty monarchs, the high-souled Bhima,

well pleased, celebrated the wedding of Nala and Damayanti. And having

stayed there for a time according to his desire, Naishadha, the best of

men, returned to his own city with the permission of Bhima. And having

attained that pearl of a woman, the virtuous king, O monarch, began to

pass his days in joy, like the slayer of Vala and Vritra in the company

of Sachi. And resembling the sun in glory, the king, full of gladness,

began to rule his subjects righteously, and give them great satisfaction.

And like unto Yayati, the son of Nahusha, that intelligent monarch

celebrated the horse sacrifice and many other sacrifices with abundant

gifts to Brahmanas. And like unto a very god, Nala sported with Damayanti

in romantic woods and groves. And the high-minded king begat upon

Damayanti a son named Indrasena, and a daughter named Indrasena. And

celebrating sacrifice, and sporting (with Damayanti) thus, the king ruled

the earth abounding in wealth.'"

SECTION LVIII

"Vrihadaswa said, 'When the blazing guardians of the worlds were

returning after the daughter of Bhima had chosen Naishadha, on their way

they met Dwapara with Kali approaching towards them. And seeing Kali,

Sakra the slayer of Vala and Vritra, said, 'O Kali, say whither thou art

going with Dwapara.' And thereupon Kali replied unto Sakra, 'Going to

Damayanti's Swayamvara, will I obtain her (for my wife), as my heart is

fixed upon that damsel.' Hearing this, Indra said with a smile, 'That

Swayamvara is already ended. In our sight she hath chosen Nala for her

husband.' Thus answered by Sakra, Kali, that vilest of the celestials,

filled with wrath, addressing all those gods spake, 'Since in the

presence of the celestials she hath chosen a mortal for her lord, it is

meet that she should undergo a heavy doom.' Upon hearing these words of

Kali, the celestials answered, 'It is with our sanction that Damayanti

hath chosen Nala. What damsel is there that would not choose king Nala

endued with every virtue? Well-versed in all duties, always conducting

himself with rectitude, he hath studied the four Vedas together with the

Puranas that are regarded as the fifth. Leading a life of harmlessness

unto all creatures, he is truth-telling and firm in his vows, and in his

house the gods are ever gratified by sacrifices held according to the

ordinance. In that tiger among men--that king resembling a Lokapala, is

truth, and forbearance, and knowledge, and asceticism, and purity and

self-control, and perfect tranquillity of soul. O Kali, the fool that

wisheth to curse Nala bearing such a character, curseth himself, and

destroyeth himself by his own act. And, O Kali, he that seeketh to curse

Nala crowned with such virtues, sinketh into the wide bottomless pit of

hell rife with torments.' Having said this to Kali and Dwapara, the gods

went to heaven. And when the gods had gone away, Kali said unto Dwapara,

'I am ill able, O Dwapara, to suppress my anger. I shall possess Nala,

deprive him of his kingdom, and he shall no more sport with Bhima's

daughter. Entering the dice, it behoveth thee to help me.'"

SECTION LIX

"Vrihadaswa said, 'Having made this compact with Dwapara, Kali came to

the place where the king of the Nishadhas was. And always watching for a

hole, he continued to dwell in the country of the Nishadhas for a long

time. And it was in the twelfth year that Kali saw a hole. For one day

after answering the call of nature, Naishadha touching water said his

twilight prayers, without having previously washed his feet. And it was

through this (omission) that Kali entered his person. And having

possessed Nala, he appeared before Pushkara, and addressed him, saying,

'Come and play at dice with Nala. Through my assistance thou wilt surely

win at the play. And defeating king Nala and acquiring his kingdom, do

thou rule the Nishadhas.' Thus exhorted by Kali, Pushkara went to Nala.

And Dwapara also approached Pushkara, becoming the principal die called

Vrisha. And appearing before the warlike Nala, that slayer of hostile

heroes, Pushkara, repeatedly said, 'Let us play together with dice.' Thus

challenged in the presence of Damayanti, the lofty-minded king could not

long decline it. And he accordingly fixed the time for the play. And

possessed by Kali, Nala began to lose, in the game, his stakes in gold,

and silver, and cars with the teams thereof, and robes. And maddened at

dice, no one amongst his friends could succeed in dissuading that

represser of foes from the play that went on. And thereupon, O Bharata,

the citizens in a body, with the chief councillors, came thither to

behold the distressed monarch and make him desist. And the charioteer

coming to Damayanti spake to her of this, saying, 'O lady, the citizens

and officers of the state wait at the gate. Do thou inform the king of

the Nishadhas that the citizens have come here, unable to bear the

calamity that hath befallen their king conversant with virtue and

wealth.' Thereupon Bhima's daughter, overwhelmed with grief and almost

deprived of reason by it, spake unto Nala in choked accents, 'O king, the

citizens with the councillors of state, urged by loyalty, stay at the

gate desirous of beholding thee. It behoveth thee to grant them an

interview.' But the king, possessed by Kali, uttered not a word in reply

unto his queen of graceful glances, uttering thus her lamentations. And

at this, those councillors of state as also the citizens, afflicted with

grief and shame, returned to their homes, saying, 'He liveth not.' And, O

Yudhishthira, it was thus that Nala and Pushkara gambled together for

many months, the virtuous Nala being always worsted.'"

SECTION LX

Vrihadaswa said. "Bhima's daughter, the cool-headed Damayanti, seeing the

righteous king maddened and deprived of his senses at dice, was filled, O

king, with alarm and grief. And she thought the affair to be a serious

one with the king. And apprehensive of the calamity that threatened Nala,

yet seeking his welfare and at last understanding that her lord had lost

everything, she said unto her nurse and maid-servant Vrihatsena of high

fame, intent upon her good, dexterous in all duties, faithful and

sweet-speeched, these words, 'O Vrihatsena, go thou and summon the

councillors in the name of Nala, and tell them also what of wealth and

other things hath been lost and what remaineth.' The councillors then,

hearing of Nala's summons, said, 'This is fortunate for us' and

approached the king. And when the subjects in a body had (thus) come a

second time, the daughter of Bhima informed Nala of it. But the king

regarded her not. Finding her husband disregarding her words, Damayanti,

filled with shame, returned to her apartments. And hearing that the dice

were uniformly unfavourable to the virtuous Nala, and that he had lost

everything, she again spake unto her nurse, saying, 'O Vrihatsena, go

thou again in Nala's name to bring hither, O blessed one, the charioteer,

Varshneya. The matter at hand is very serious.' And Vrihatsena, hearing

those words of Damayanti caused Varshneya to be summoned by trusty

servants. And the blameless daughter of Bhima, acquainted with conduct

suitable to time and place, addressing soft words said according to the

occasion, 'Thou knowest how the king hath always behaved towards thee. He

is now in difficulty, and it behoveth thee to assist him. The more the

king loseth to Pushkara, the greater becometh his ardour for the play.

And as the dice fall obedient to Pushkara, it is seen that they are

adverse to Nala in the matter of the play. And absorbed in the play, he

heedeth not the words of his friends and relatives, nor even those of

mine. I do not think, however, that in this the high-souled Naishadha is

to blame, in as much as the king regarded not my words, being absorbed in

play. O Charioteer, I seek thy protection. Do my behest. My mind

misgiveth me. The king may come to grief. Yoking Nala's favourite horses

endued with the fleetness of the mind, do thou take these twins (my son

and daughter) on the car and hie thou to Kundina. Leaving the children

there with my kindred as also the car and the horses, either stay thou

there, or go to any other place as it listeth thee.' Varshneya, the

charioteer of Nala, then reported in detail these words of Damayanti unto

the chief officers of the king. And having settled (the matter) in

consultation with them, and obtaining their assent, O mighty monarch, the

charioteer started for Vidarbha, taking the children on that car. And

leaving there the boy Indrasena and the girl Indrasena, as also that best

of cars and those steeds, the charioteer, with a sad heart grieving for

Nala, bade farewell unto Bhima. And wandering for some time, he arrived

at the city of Ayodhya. And there he appeared with a sorrowful heart

before king Rituparna, and entered the service of that monarch as

charioteer."

SECTION LXI

"Vrihadaswa said, 'After Varshneya had gone away, Pushkara won from the

righteous Nala that latter's kingdom and what else of wealth he had. And

unto Nala, O king, who had lost his kingdom, Pushkara laughingly said,

'Let the play go on. But what stake hast thou now? Damayanti only

remaineth; all else of thine hath been won by me. Well, if thou likest,

that Damayanti be our stake now.' Hearing these words of Pushkara the

virtuous king felt as if his heart would burst in rage, but he spake not

a word. And gazing at Pushkara in anguish, king Nala of great fame took

all the ornaments off every part of his body. And attired in a single

piece of cloth, his body uncovered, renouncing all his wealth, and

enhancing the grief of friends, the king set out. And Damayanti, clad in

one piece of cloth, followed him behind as he was leaving the city. And

coming to the outskirts of the city, Nala stayed there for three nights

with his wife. But Pushkara, O king, proclaimed through the city that he

that should show any attention to Nala, would be doomed to death. And on

account of these words of Pushkara and knowing his malice towards Nala,

the citizens, O Yudhishthira, no longer showed him hospitable regards.

And unregarded though deserving of hospitable regards, Nala passed three

nights in the outskirts of the city, living on water alone. And afflicted

with hunger, the king went away in search of fruit and roots, Damayanti

following him behind. And in agony of famine, after many days, Nala saw

some birds with plumage of golden hue. And thereupon the mighty lord of

the Nishadhas thought within himself, 'These will be my banquet today and

also my wealth.' And then he covered them with the cloth he had on--when

bearing up that garment of his, the birds rose up to the sky. And

beholding Nala nude and melancholy, and standing with face turned towards

the ground, those rangers of the sky addressed him, saying, 'O thou of

small sense, we are even those dice. We had come hither wishing to take

away thy cloth, for it pleased us not that thou shouldst depart even with

thy cloth on.' And finding himself deprived of his attire, and knowing

also that the dice were departing (with it), the virtuous Nala, O king,

thus spake unto Damayanti, 'O faultless one, they through whose anger I

have been despoiled of my kingdom, they through whose influence

distressed and afflicted with hunger, I am unable to procure sustenance,

they for whom the Nishadhas offered me not any hospitality, they, O timid

one, are carrying off my cloth, assuming the form of birds. Fallen into

this dire disaster, I am afflicted with grief and deprived of my senses,

I am thy lord, do thou, therefore, listen to the words I speak for thy

good. These many roads lead to the southern country, passing by (the city

of) Avanti and the Rikshavat mountains. This is that mighty mountain

called Vindhya; yon, the river Payasvini running sea-wards, and yonder

are the asylums of the ascetics, furnished with various fruit and roots.

This road leadeth to the country of the Vidarbhas--and that, to the

country of the Kosalas. Beyond these roads to the south is the southern

country.' Addressing Bhima's daughter, O Bharata, he distressed king Nala

spake those words unto Damayanti over and over again. Thereupon afflicted

with grief, in a voice choked with tears, Damayanti spake unto Naishadha

these piteous words, 'O king, thinking of thy purpose, my heart

trembleth, and all my limbs become faint. How can I go, leaving thee in

the lone woods despoiled of thy kingdom and deprived of thy wealth,

thyself without a garment on, and worn with hunger and toil? When in the

deep woods, fatigued and afflicted with hunger, thou thinkest of thy

former bliss, I will, O great monarch, soothe thy weariness. In every

sorrow there is no physic equal unto the wife, say the physicians. It is

the truth, O Nala, that I speak unto thee.' Hearing those words of his

queen, Nala replied, 'O slender-waisted Damayanti, it is even as thou

hast said. To a man in distress, there is no friend or medicine that is

equal unto a wife. But I do not seek to renounce thee, wherefore, O timid

one, dost thou dread this? O faultless one, I can forsake myself but thee

I cannot forsake.' Damayanti then said, 'If thou dost not, O mighty king,

intend to forsake me, why then dost thou point out to me the way to the

country of the Vidarbhas? I know, O king, that thou wouldst not desert

me. But, O lord of the earth, considering that thy mind is distracted,

thou mayst desert me. O best of men, thou repeatedly pointest out to me

the way and it is by this, O god-like one, that thou enhancest my grief.

If it is thy intention that I should go to my relatives, then if it

pleaseth thee, both of us will wend to the country of the Vidarbhas. O

giver of honours, there the king of the Vidarbhas will receive thee with

respect. And honoured by him, O king, thou shall live happily in our

home.'"

SECTION LXII

"Nala said, 'Surely, thy father's kingdom is as my own. But thither I

will not, by any means, repair in this extremity. Once I appeared there

in glory, increasing thy joy. How can I go there now in misery,

augmenting thy grief?'

"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Saying this again and again unto Damayanti, king

Nala, wrapped in half a garment, comforted his blessed wife. And both

attired in one cloth and wearied with hunger and thirst, in course of

their wanderings, at last they came to a sheltered shed for travellers.

And arrived at this place, the king of the Nishadhas sat down on the bare

earth with the princes of Vidarbha. And wearing the same piece of cloth

(with Damayanti), and dirty, and haggard, and stained with dust, he fell

asleep with Damayanti on the ground in weariness. And suddenly plunged in

distress, the innocent and delicate Damayanti with every mark of good

fortune, fell into a profound slumber. And, O monarch, while she slept,

Nala, with heart and mind distraught, could not slumber calmly as before.

And reflecting on the loss of his kingdom, the desertion of his friends,

and his distress in the woods, he thought with himself, 'What availeth my

acting thus? And what if I act not thus? Is death the better for me now?

Or should I desert my wife? She is truly devoted to me and suffereth this

distress for my sake. Separated from me, she may perchance wander to her

relatives. Devoted as she is to me, if she stayeth with me, distress will

surely be hers; while it is doubtful, if I desert her. On the other hand,

it is not unlikely that she may even have happiness some time.'

Reflecting upon this repeatedly, and thinking of it again and again, he

concluded, O monarch, that the desertion of Damayanti was the best course

for him. And he also thought, 'Of high fame and auspicious fortune, and

devoted to me, her husband, she is incapable of being injured by any one

on the way on account of her energy.' Thus his mind that was influenced

by the wicked Kali, dwelling upon Damayanti, was made up for deserting

her. And then thinking of his own want of clothing, and of her being clad

in a single garment, he intended to cut off for himself one half of

Damayanti's attire. And he thought, 'How shall I divide this garment, so

that my beloved one may not perceive?' And thinking of this, the royal

Nala began to walk up and down that shed. And, O Bharata, pacing thus to

and fro, he found a handsome sword lying near the shed, unsheathed. And

that repressor of foes, having, with that sword cut off one half of the

cloth, and throwing the instrument away, left the daughter of Vidharbha

insensible in her sleep and went away. But his heart failing him, the

king of the Nishadhas returned to the shed, and seeing Damayanti (again),

burst into tears. And he said, 'Alas! that beloved one of mine whom

neither the god of wind nor the sun had seen before, even she sleepeth

to-day on the bare earth, like one forlorn. Clad in this severed piece of

cloth, and lying like one distracted, how will the beauteous one of

luminous smiles behave when she awaketh? How will the beautiful daughter

of Bhima, devoted to her lord, all alone and separated from me, wander

through these deep woods inhabited by beasts and serpents? O blessed one,

may the Adityas and the Vasus, and the twin Aswins together with the

Marutas protect thee, thy virtue being thy best guard.' And addressing

thus his dear wife peerless on earth in beauty, Nala strove to go, reft

of reason by Kali. Departing and still departing, king Nala returned

again and again to that shed, dragged away by Kali but drawn back by

love. And it seemed as though the heart of the wretched king was rent in

twain, and like a swing, he kept going out from cabin and coming back

into it. At length after lamenting long and piteously, Nala stupefied and

bereft of sense by Kali went away, forsaking that sleeping wife of his.

Reft of reason through Kali's touch, and thinking of his conduct, the

king departed in sorrow, leaving his, wife alone in that solitary

forest.'"

SECTION LXIII

Vrihadaswa said, "O king, after Nala had gone away, the beauteous

Damayanti, now refreshed, timorously awoke in that lonely forest. And O

mighty monarch, not finding her lord Naishadha, afflicted with grief and

pain, she shrieked aloud in fright, saying, 'O lord? O mighty monarch! O

husband, dost thou desert me? Oh, I am lost and undone, frightened in

this desolate place. O illustrious prince, thou art truthful in speech,

and conversant with morality. How hast thou then, having pledged thy

word, deserted me asleep in the woods? Oh, why hast thou deserted thy

accomplished wife, even devoted to thee, particularly one that hath not

wronged thee, though wronged thou hast been by others? O king of men, it

behoveth thee to act faithfull, according to those words thou hadst

spoken unto me before in the presence of the guardians of the worlds. O

bull among men, that thy wife liveth even a moment after thy desertion of

her, is only because mortals are decreed to die at the appointed time. O

bull among men, enough of this joke! O irrepressible one, I am terribly

frightened. O lord, show thyself. I see thee! I see thee, o king! Thou

art seen, O Naishadha, Hiding thyself behind those shrubs, why dost thou

not reply unto me? It is cruel of thee, O great king, that seeing me in

this plight and so lamenting, thou dost not, O king, approach and comfort

me. I grieve not for myself, nor for anything else. I only grieve to

think how thou wilt pass thy days alone, O king. In the evening oppressed

with hunger and thirst and fatigue, underneath the trees, how wilt it

take with thee when thou seest me not?' And then Damayanti, afflicted

with anguish and burning with grief, began to rush hither and thither,

weeping in woe. And now the helpless princess sprang up, and now she sank

down in stupor; and now she shrank in terror, and now she wept and wailed

aloud. And Bhima's daughter devoted to her husband, burning in anguish

and sighing ever more, and faint and weeping exclaimed, 'That being

through whose imprecation the afflicted Naishadha suffereth this woe,

shall bear grief that is greater than ours. May that wicked being who

hath brought Nala of sinless heart this, lead a more miserable life

bearing greater ills.'

"Thus lamenting, the crowned consort of the illustrious (king) began to

seek her lord in those woods, inhabited by beasts of prey. And the

daughter of Bhima, wailing bitterly, wandered hither and thither like a

maniac, exclaiming, 'Alas! Alas! Oh king!' And as she was wailing loudly

like a female osprey, and grieving and indulging in piteous lamentations

unceasingly, she came near a gigantic serpent. And that huge and hungry

serpent thereupon suddenly seized Bhima's daughter, who had come near and

was moving about within its range. And folded within serpent's coils and

filled with grief, she still wept, not for herself but for Naishadha. And

she said 'O lord, why dost thou not rush towards me, now that I am

seized, without anybody to protect me, by this serpent in these desert

wilds? And, O Naishadha, how will it fare with thee when thou rememberest

me? O lord, why hast thou gone away, deserting me today in the forest?

Free from thy course, when thou wilt have regained thy mind and senses

and wealth, how will it be with thee when thou thinkest of me? O

Naishadha, O sinless one, who will soothe thee when thou art weary, and

hungry, and fainting, O tiger among kings?' And while she was wailing

thus, a certain huntsman ranging the deep woods, hearing her

lamentations, swiftly came to the spot. And beholding the large-eyed one

in the coils of the serpent, he rushed towards it and cut off its head

with his sharp weapon. And having struck the reptile dead, the huntsman

set Damayanti free. And having sprinkled her body with water and fed and

comforted her. O Bharata, he addressed her saying, 'O thou with eyes like

those of a young gazelle, who art thou? And why also hast thou come into

the woods? And, O beauteous one, how hast thou fallen into this extreme

misery' And thus accosted, O monarch, by that man, Damayanti, O Bharata,

related unto him all that had happened. And beholding that beautiful

woman clad in half a garment, with deep bosom and round hips, and limbs

delicate and faultless, and face resembling the full moon, and eyes

graced with curved eye-lashes, and speech sweet as honey, the hunter

became inflamed with desire. And afflicted by the god of love, the

huntsman began to soothe her in winning voice and soft words. And as soon

as the chaste and beauteous Damayanti, beholding him understood his

intentions, she was filled with fierce wrath and seemed to blaze up in

anger. But the wicked-minded wretch, burning with desire became wroth,

attempted to employ force upon her, who was unconquerable as a flame of

blazing fire. And Damayanti already distressed upon being deprived of

husband and kingdom, in that hour of grief beyond utterance, cursed him

in anger, saying, 'I have never even thought of any other person than

Naishadha, therefore let this mean-minded wrath subsisting on chase, fall

down lifeless.' And as soon as she said this, the hunter fell down

lifeless upon the ground, like a tree consumed by fire." 131

SECTION LXIV

"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Having destroyed that hunter Damayanti of eyes

like lotus leaves, went onwards through that fearful and solitary forest

ringing with the chirp of crickets. And it abounded with lions, and

leopards, and Rurus and tigers, and buffaloes, and bears and deer. And it

swarmed with birds of various species, and was infested by thieves and

mlechchha tribes. And it contained Salas, and bamboos and Dhavas, and

Aswatthas, and Tindukas and Ingudas, and Kinsukas, and Arjunas, and

Nimvas, and Tinisas and Salmalas, and Jamvus, and mango trees, and

Lodhras, and the catechu, and the cane, and Padmakas, and Amalahas, and

Plakshas, and Kadamvas, and Udumvaras and Vadaris, and Vilwas, and

banians, and Piyalas, and palms, and date-trees, and Haritakas and

Vibhitakas. And the princess of Vidarbha saw many mountains containing

ores of various kinds, and groves resounding with the notes of winged

choirs, and many glens of wondrous sight, and many rivers and lakes and

tanks and various kinds of birds and beasts. And she saw numberless

snakes and goblins and Rakshasas of grim visage, and pools and tanks and

hillocks, and brooks and fountains of wonderful appearance. And the

princess of Vidarbha saw there herds of buffaloes. And boars, and bears

as well as serpents of the wilderness. And safe in virtue and glory and

good fortune and patience, Damayanti wandered through those woods alone,

in search of Nala. And the royal daughter of Bhima, distressed only at

her separation from her lord, was not terrified at aught in that fearful

forest. And, O king, seating herself down upon a stone and filled with

grief, and every limb of hers trembling with sorrow on account of her

husband, she began to lament thus: 'O king of the Nishadhas, O thou of

broad chest and mighty arms, whither hast thou gone, O king, leaving me

in this lone forest? O hero, having performed the Aswamedha and other

sacrifices, with gifts in profusion (unto the Brahmanas), why hast thou,

O tiger among men, played false with me alone? O best of men, O thou of

great splendour, it behoveth thee. O auspicious one, to remember what

thou didst declare before me, O bull among kings! And, O monarch, it

behoveth thee also to call to mind what the sky-ranging swans spake in

thy presence and in mine. O tiger among men, the four Vedas in all their

extent, with the Angas and the Upangas, well-studied, on one side, and

one single truth on the other, (are equal). Therefore, O slayer of foes,

it behoveth thee, O lord of men, to make good what thou didst formerly

declare before me. Alas, O hero! warrior! O Nala! O sinless one being

thine, I am about to perish in this dreadful forest. Oh! wherefore dost

thou not answer me? This terrible lord of the forest, of grim visage and

gaping jaws, and famishing with hunger, filleth me with fright. Doth it

not behove thee to deliver me? Thou wert wont to say always, 'Save thee

there existeth not one dear unto me.' O blessed one, O king, do thou now

make good thy words so spoken before. And, O king, why dost thou not

return an answer to thy beloved wife bewailing and bereft of sense,

although thou lovest her, being loved in return? O king of the earth, O

respected one, O represser of foes, O thou of large eyes, why dost thou

not regard me, emaciated, and distressed and pale, and discoloured, and

clad in a half piece of cloth, and alone, and weeping, and lamenting like

one forlorn, and like unto a solitary doe separated from the herd? O

illustrious sovereign, it is, I, Damayanti, devoted to thee, who, alone

in this great forest, address thee. Wherefore, then, dost thou not reply

unto me? Oh, I do not behold thee today on this mountain, O chief of men,

O thou of noble birth and character with every limb possesed of grace! In

this terrible forest, haunted by lions and tigers, O king of the

Nishadhas, O foremost of men, O enhancer of my sorrows, (Wishing to know)

whether thou art lying down, or sitting, or standing, or gone, whom shall

I ask, distressed and woe-stricken on thy account, saying, 'Hast thou

seen in this woods the royal Nala?' Of whom shall I in this forest

enquire alter the departed Nala, handsome and of high soul, and the

destroyer of hostile arrays? From whom shall I today hear the sweet

words, viz., 'That royal Nala, of eyes like lotus-leaves, whom thou

seekest, is even here?' Yonder cometh the forest-king, that tiger of

graceful mien, furnished with four teeth and prominent cheeks. Even him

will I accost fearlessly: Thou art the lord of all animals, and of this

forest the king. Know me for Damayanti, the daughter of the king of the

Vidarbhas, and the wife of Nala, destroyer of foes, and the king of the

Nishadhas. Distressed and woe-stricken, I am seeking my husband alone in

these woods. Do thou, O king of beasts, comfort me (with news of Nala) if

thou hast seen him. Or, O lord of the forest, if thou cannot speak of

Nala, do thou, then, O best of beasts, devour me, and free me from this

misery. Alas! hearing my plaintive appeal in the wilderness, this king of

mountains, this high and sacred hill, crested with innumerable [...?-JBH]

rolleth towards the sea. Let me, then, for tidings of the king, ask this

king of mountains, this high and sacred hill, crested with innumerable

heaven-kissing and many-hued and beauteous peaks, and abounding in

various ores, and decked with gems of diverse kings, and rising like a

banner over this broad forest, and ranged by lions and tigers and

elephants and boars and bears and stags, and echoing all around with (the

notes of) winged creatures of various species, and adorned with kinsukas

and Asokas and Vakulas and Punnagas, with blossoming Karnikaras, and

Dhavas and Plakshas, and with streams haunted by waterfowls of every

kind, and abounding in crested summits, O sacred one! O best of

mountains! O thou of wondrous sight! O celebrated hill! O refuge (of the

distressed)! O highly auspicious one! I bow to thee, O pillar of the

earth! Approaching, I bow to thee. Know me for a king's daughter, and a

king's daughter-in-law, and king's consort, Damayanti by name that lord

of earth who ruleth the Vidarbhas, that mighty warrior-king Bhima by

name, who protecteth the four orders, is my sire. That best of kings

celebrated the Rajasuya and Aswamedha sacrifices, with profuse gifts to

the Brahmanas. Possessed of beautiful and large eyes, distinguished for

devotion to the Vedas, of unblemished character, truth-telling, devoid of

guile, gentle, endued with prowess, lord of immense wealth, versed in

morality, and pure, he having vanquished all his foes, effectually

protecteth the inhabitants of Vidarbha. Know me, O holy one, for his

daughter, thus come to thee. That best of men--the celebrated ruler of

the Nishadha--known by the name of Virasena of high fame, was my

father-in-law. The son of that king, heroic and handsome and possessed of

energy incapable of being baffled, who ruleth well the kingdom which hath

descended to him from his father, is named Nala. Know, O mountain, that

of that slayer of foes, called also Punyasloka, possessed of the

complexion of gold, and devoted to the Brahmanas, and versed in the

Vedas, and gifted with eloquence,--of that righteous and Soma-quaffing

and fire-adoring king, who celebrateth sacrifices and is liberal and

warlike and who adequately chastiseth (criminals), I am the innocent

spouse--the chief of his queens--standing before thee. Despoiled of

prosperity and deprived of (the company of my) husband without a

protector, and afflicted with calamity, hither have I come, O best of

mountains, seeking my husband. Hast thou, O foremost of mountains, with

thy hundreds of peaks towering (into the sky) seen king Nala in this

frightful forest? Hast thou seen my husband, that ruler of the Nishadhas,

the illustrious Nala, with the tread of a mighty elephant, endued with

intelligence, long-armed, and of fiery energy, possessed of prowess and

patience and courage and high fame? Seeing me bewailing alone,

overwhelmed with sorrow, wherefore, O best of mountains, dost thou not

today soothe me with thy voice, as thy own daughter in distress? O hero,

O warrior of prowess, O thou versed in every duty, O thou adhering to

truth--O lord of the earth, if thou art in this forest, then, O king,

reveal thyself unto me. Oh, when shall I again hear the voice of Nala,

gentle and deep as that of the clouds, that voice, sweet as Amrita, of

the illustrious king, calling me Vidharva's daughter, with accents

distinct, and holy, and musical as the chanting of the Vedas and rich,

and soothing all my sorrows. O king, I am frightened. Do thou, O virtuous

one, comfort me.'

"Having addressed that foremost of mountain thus, Damayanti then went in

a northerly direction. And having proceeded three days and nights, that

best of women came to an incomparable penance grove of ascetics,

resembling in beauty a celestial grove. And the charming asylum she

beheld was inhabited and adorned by ascetics like Vasishtha and Bhrigu

and Atri, self-denying and strict in diet, with minds under control,

endued with holiness, some living on water, some on air, and some on

(fallen) leaves, with passions in check, eminently blessed, seeking the

way to heaven, clad in barks of trees and deer-skins, and with senses

subdued. And beholding that hermitage inhabited by ascetics, and

abounding in herds of deer and monkeys, Damayanti was cheered. And that

best of women, the innocent and blessed Damayanti, with graceful

eye-brows, and long tresses, with lovely hips and deep bosom, and face

graced with fine teeth and with fine black and large eyes, in her

brightness and glory entered that asylum. And saluting those ascetics

grown old in practising austerities, she stood in an attitude of

humility. And the ascetics living in that forest, said, 'Welcome!' And

those men of ascetic wealth, paying her due homage, said, 'Sit ye down,

and tell us what we may do for thee.' That best of women replied unto

them, saying, 'Ye sinless and eminently blessed ascetics, is it well with

your austerities, and sacrificial fire, and religious observances, and

the duties of your own order? And is it well with the beasts and birds of

this asylum? And they answered, 'O beauteous and illustrious lady,

prosperity attendeth us in every respect. But, O thou of faultless limbs,

tell us who thou art, and what thou seekest. Beholding thy beauteous form

and thy bright splendour, we have been amazed. Cheer up and mourn not.

Tell us, O blameless and blessed one, art thou the presiding deity of

this forest, or of this mountain, or of this river?' Damayanti replied

unto those ascetics, saying, 'O Brahmanas, I am not the goddess of this

forest, or of this mountain, or of this stream. O Rishis of ascetic

wealth, know that I am a human being. I will relate my history in detail.

Do ye listen to me. There is a king--the mighty ruler of the

Vidarbhas--Bhima by name. O foremost of regenerate ones, know me to be

his daughter. The wise ruler of the Nishadhas, Nala by name, of great

celebrity, heroic, and ever victorious in battle, and learned, is my

husband. Engaged in the worship of the gods, devoted to the twice-born

ones, the guardian of the line of the Nishadhas, of mighty energy,

possessed of great strength, truthful, conversant with all duties, wise,

unwavering in promise, the crusher of foes, devout, serving the gods,

graceful, the conqueror of hostile towns, that foremost of kings, Nala by

name, equal in splendour unto the lord of celestials, the slayer of foes,

possessed of large eyes, and a hue resembling the full moon, is my

husband. The celebrator of great sacrifices, versed in the Vedas and

their branches, the destroyer of enemies in battle, and like unto the sun

and the moon in splendour, is he. That king devoted to truth and religion

was summoned to dice by certain deceitful persons of mean mind and

uncultured soul and of crooked ways, and skilful in gambling, and was

deprived of wealth and kingdom. Know that I am the wife of that bull

among kings, known to all by the name of Damayanti, anxious to find out

my (missing) lord. In sadness of heart am I wandering among woods, and

mountains, and lakes, and rivers, and tanks and forests, in search of

that husband of mine--Nala, skilled in battle, high-souled, and

well-versed in the use of weapons, O hath king Nala, the lord of the

Nishadhas, come to this delightful asylum of your holy selves? It is for

him, O Brahmanas, that I have come to this dreary forest full of terrors

and haunted by tigers and other beasts. If I do not see king Nala within

a few days and nights, I shall seek my good by renouncing this body. Of

what use is my life without that bull among men? How shall I live

afflicted with grief on account of my husband?'

Unto Bhima's daughter, Damayanti, lamenting forlorn in that forest, the

truth-telling ascetics replied, saying, 'O blessed and beauteous one, we

see by ascetic power that the future will bring happiness to thee, and

that thou wilt soon behold Naishadha. O daughter of Bhima, thou wilt

behold Nala, the lord of the Nishadhas, the slayer of foes, and the

foremost of the virtuous freed from distress. And O blessed lady, thou

wilt behold the king--thy lord--freed from all sins and decked with all

kinds of gems, and ruling the selfsame city, and chasting his enemies,

and striking terror into the hearts of foes, and gladdening the hearts of

friends, and crowned with every blessing.'

"'Having spoken unto that princess--the beloved queen of Nala--the

ascetics with their sacred fires and asylum vanished from sight. And

beholding that mighty wonder, the daughter-in-law of king Virasena,

Damayanti of faultless limbs, was struck with amazement. And she asked

herself, 'Was it a dream that I saw? What an occurrence hath taken place!

Where are all those ascetics? And where is that asylum? Where, further,

is that delightful river of sacred waters--the resort of diverse kinds of

fowls? And where, again, are those charming trees decked with fruits and

flowers?' And after thinking so for some time, Bhima's daughter,

Damayanti of sweet smiles melancholy and afflicted with grief on account

of her lord, lost the colour of her face (again). And going to another

part of the wood, she saw an Asoka tree. And approaching that first of

trees in the forest, so charming with blossoms and its load of foliage,

and resounding with the notes of birds, Damayanti, with tears in her eyes

and accents choked in grief, began to lament, saying, 'Oh, this graceful

tree in the heart of the forest, decked in flowers, looketh beautiful,

like a charming king of hills. O beauteous Asoka, do thou speedily free

me from grief. Hast thou seen king Nala, the slayer of foes and the

beloved husband of Damayanti,--freed from fear and grief and obstacles?

Hast thou seen my beloved husband, the ruler of the Nishadhas, clad in

half a piece of cloth, with delicate skin, that hero afflicted with woe

and who hath come into this wilderness? O Asoka tree, do thou free me

from grief! O Asoka, vindicate thy name, for Asoka meaneth destroyer of

grief. And going round that tree thrice, with an afflicted heart, that

best of women, Bhima's daughter, entered a more terrible part of the

forest. And wandering in quest of her lord, Bhima's daughter beheld many

trees and streams and delightful mountains, and many beasts and birds,

and caves, and precipices, and many rivers of wonderful appearance. And

as she proceeded she came upon a broad way where she saw with wonder a

body of merchants, with their horses and elephants, landing on the banks

of a river, full of clear and cool water, and lovely and charming to

behold, and broad, and covered with bushes of canes, and echoing with the

cries of cranes and ospreys and Chakravakas, and abounding in tortoises

and alligators and fishes, and studded with innumerable islets. And as

soon as as she saw that caravan, the beauteous and celebrated wife of

Nala, wild like a maniac, oppressed with grief, clad in half a garment,

lean and pale and smutted, and with hair covered with dust, drew near and

entered into its midst. And beholding her, some fled in fear, and some

became extremely anxious, and some cried aloud, and some laughed at her,

and some hated her. And some, O Bharata, felt pity for, and even

addressed, her, saying, 'O blessed one, who art thou, and whose? What

seekest thou in woods? Seeing thee here we have been terrified. Art thou

human? Tell us truly, O blessed one if thou art the goddess of this wood

or of this mountain or of the points of the heaven. We seek thy

protection. Art thou a female Yaksha, or a female Rakshasa, or a

celestial damsel? O thou of faultless features, do thou bless us wholly

and protect us. And, O blessed one, do thou so act that his caravan may

soon go hence in prosperity and that the welfare of all of us may be

secured.' Thus addressed by that caravan, the princess Damayanti, devoted

to her husband and oppressed by the calamity that had befallen her,

answered, saying, 'O leader of the caravan, ye merchants, ye youths, old

men, and children, and ye that compose this caravan, know me for a human

being. I am the daughter of a king, and the daughter in-law of a king,

and the consort also of a king, eager for the sight of my lord. The ruler

of the Vidarbhas is my father, and my husband is the lord of the

Nishadhas, named Nala. Even now I am seeking that unvanquished and

blessed one. If ye have chanced to see my beloved one, king Nala, that

tiger among men, that destroyer of hostile hosts, O tell me quick.'

Thereupon the leader of that great caravan, named Suchi, replied unto

Damayanti of faultless limbs, saying, 'O blessed one, listen to my words.

O thou of sweet smiles, I am a merchant and the leader of this caravan. O

illustrious lady, I have not seen any man of the name of Nala. In this

extensive forest uninhabited by men, there are only elephants and

leopards and buffaloes, and tigers and bears and other animals. Except

thee, I have not met with any man or woman here, so help us now

Manibhadra, the king of Yakshas!' Thus addressed by them she asked those

merchants as well as the leader of the host saying, 'It behoveth you to

tell me whither this caravan is bound.' The leader of the band said, 'O

daughter of a great king, for the purpose of profit this caravan is bound

direct for the city of Suvahu, the truth-telling ruler of the Chedis.'"

SECTION LXV

"Vrihadaswa said, 'Having heard the words of the leader of that caravan,

Damayanti of faultless limbs proceeded with that caravan itself anxious

to behold her lord. And after having proceeded for many days the

merchants saw a large lake fragrant with lotuses in the midst of that

dense and terrible forest. And it was beautiful all over, and exceedingly

delightful, (with banks) abounding in grass and fuel and fruits and

flowers. And it was inhabited by various kinds of fowls and birds, and

fall of water that was pure and sweet. And it was cool and capable of

captivating the heart. And the caravan, worn out with toil, resolved to

halt there. And with the permission of their leader, they spread

themselves around those beautiful woods. And that mighty caravan finding

it was evening halted at that place. And (it came to pass that) at the

hour of midnight when everything was hushed and still and the tired

caravan had fallen asleep, a herd of elephants in going towards a

mountain stream to drink of its water befouled by their temporal juice,

saw that caravan as also the numerous elephants belonging to it. And

seeing their domesticated fellows the wild elephants infuriated and with

the temporal juice trickling down rushed impetuously on the former, with

the intention of killing them. And the force of the rush of those

elephants was hard to bear, like the impetuosity of peaks lessened from

mountain summits rolling towards the plain. The rushing elephants found

the forest paths to be all blocked up, for the goodly caravan was

sleeping obstructing the paths around that lake of lotuses. And the

elephants all of a sudden, began to crush the men lying insensible on the

ground. And uttering cries of 'Oh!' and 'Alas!' the merchants, blinded by

sleep, fled, in order to escape that danger, to copses and woods for

refuge. And some were slain by the tusks, and some by the trunks, and

some by the legs of those elephants. And innumerable camels and horses

were killed, and crowds of men on foot, running in fright, killed one

another. And uttering loud cries some fell down on the ground, and some

in fear climbed on trees, and some dropped down on uneven ground. And, O

king, thus accidentally attacked by that large herd of elephants, that

goodly caravan suffered a great loss. And there arose a tremendous uproar

calculated to frighten the three worlds, 'Lo! a great fire hath broken

out. Rescue us.

Do ye speedily fly away. Why do ye fly? Take the heaps of jewels

scattered around. All this wealth is a trifle. I do not speak falsely, 'I

tell you again, (exclaimed some one) think on my words, O ye distracted

one!' With such exclamation they ran about in fright. And Damayanti awoke

in fear and anxiety, while that terrible slaughter was raging there. And

beholding slaughter capable of awaking the fear of all the worlds, and

which was so unforeseen, the damsel of eyes like lotus leaves rose up,

wild with fright, and almost out of breath. And those of the caravan that

had escaped unhurt, met together, and asked one another, 'Of what deed of

ours is this the consequence? Surely, we have failed to worship the

illustrious Manibhadras, and likewise the exalted and graceful

Vaisravana, the king of the Yaksha. Perhaps, we have not worshipped the

deities that cause calamities, or perhaps, we have not paid them the

first homage. Or, perhaps, this evil is the certain consequence of the

birds (we saw). Our stars are not unpropitious. From what other cause,

then hath this disaster come?' Others, distressed and bereft of wealth

and relatives, said, 'That maniac-like woman who came amongst this mighty

caravan in guise that was strange and scarcely human, alas, it is by her

that this dreadful illusion had been pre-arranged. Of a certainty, she is

a terrible Rakshasa or a Yaksha or a Pisacha woman. All this evil is her

work, what need of doubts? If we again see that wicked destroyer of

merchants, that giver of innumerable woes, we shall certainly slay that

injurer of ours, with stones, and dust, and grass, and wood, and cuffs.'

And hearing these dreadful words of the merchants, Damayanti, in terror

and shame and anxiety, fled into the woods apprehensive of evil. And

reproaching herself she said, 'Alas! fierce and great is the wrath of God

on me. Peace followeth not in my track. Of what misdeed is this the

consequence? I do not remember that I did ever so little a wrong to any

one in thought, word, or deed. Of what deed, then, is this the

consequence? Certainly, it is on account of the great sins I had

committed in a former life that such calamity hath befallen me, viz., the

loss of my husband's kingdom, his defeat at the hands of his own kinsmen,

this separation from my lord and my son and daughter, this my unprotected

state, and my presence in this forest abounding in innumerable beasts of

prey!'"

"The next day, O king, the remnant of that caravan left the place

bewailing the destruction that had overtaken them and lamenting for their

dead brothers and fathers and sons and friends. And the princess of

Vidarbha began to lament, saying, 'Alas! What misdeed have I perpetrated!

The crowd of men that I obtained in this lone forest, hath been destroyed

by a herd of elephants, surely as a consequence of my ill luck. Without

doubt, I shall have to suffer misery for a long time. I have heard from

old men that no person dieth ere his time; it is for this that my

miserable self hath not been trodden to death by that herd of elephants.

Nothing that befalleth men is due to anything else than Destiny, for even

in my childhood I did not commit any such sin in thought, word, or deed,

whence might come this calamity. Methinks, I suffer this severance from

my husband through the potency of those celestial Lokapalas, who had come

to the Swayamvara but whom I disregarded for the sake of Nala.' Bewailing

thus, O tiger among kings, that excellent lady, Damayanti, devoted to her

husband, went, oppressed with grief and (pale) as the autumnal moon, with

those Brahmanas versed in the Vedas that had survived the slaughter of

the caravan. And departing speedily, towards evening, the damsel came to

the mighty city of the truth-telling Suvahu, the king of the Chedis. And

she entered that excellent city clad in half a garment. And the citizens

saw her as she went, overcome with fear, and lean, melancholy, her hair

dishevelled and soiled with dust, and maniac-like. And beholding her

enter the city of the king of the Chedis, the boys of the city, from

curiosity, began to follow her. And surrounded by them, she came before

the palace of the king. And from the terrace the queen-mother saw her

surrounded by the crowd. And she said to her nurse, 'Go and bring that

woman before me. She is forlorn and is being vexed by the crowd. She hath

fallen into distress and standeth in need of succour. I find her beauty

to be such that it illumineth my house. The fair one, though looking like

a maniac, seemeth a very Sree with her large eyes.' Thus commanded, the

nurse went out and dispersing the crowd brought Damayanti to that

graceful terrace. And struck with wonder, O king, she asked Damayanti,

saying, 'Afflicted though thou art with such distress, thou ownest a

beautiful form. Thou shinest like lightning in the midst of the clouds.

Tell me who thou art, and whose. O thou possessed of celestial splendour,

surely, thy beauty is not human, bereft though thou art of ornaments. And

although thou art helpless, yet thou art unmoved under the outrage of

these men.' Hearing these words of the nurse, the daughter of Bhima said,

Know that I am a female belonging to the human species and devoted to my

husband. I am a serving woman of good lineage. I live wherever I like,

subsisting on fruit and roots, and whom a companion, and stay where

evening overtaketh me. My husband is the owner of countless virtues and

was ever devoted to me. And I also, on my part, was deeply attached to

him, following him like his shadow. It chanced that once he became

desperately engaged at dice. Defeated at dice, he came along into the

forest. I accompanied my husband into the woods, comforting the hero clad

in a single piece of cloth and maniac-like and overwhelmed with calamity.

Once on a time for some cause, that hero, afflicted with hunger and

thirst and grief, was forced to abandon that sole piece of covering in

the forest. Destitute of garment and maniac-like and deprived of his

senses as he was, I followed him, myself in a single garment. Following

him, I did not sleep for nights together. Thus passed many days, until at

last while I was sleeping, he cut off half of my cloth, and forsook me

who had done him no wrong. I am seeking my husband but unable to find him

who is of hue like the filaments of the lotus, without being able to cast

my eyes on that delight of my heart, that dear lord who owneth my heart

and resembleth the celestials in mien, day and night do I burn in grief."

"Unto Bhima's daughter thus lamenting with tearful eyes, and afflicted

and speaking in accents choked in grief, the queen-mother herself said,

'O blessed damsel, do thou stay with me. I am well pleased with thee. O

fair lady, my men shall search for thy husband. Or, perhaps he may come

here of his own accord in course of his wanderings. And, O beautiful

lady, residing here thou wilt regain thy (lost) lord.' Hearing these

words of the queen mother, Damayanti replied, 'O mother of heroes, I may

stay with thee on certain conditions. I shall not eat the leavings on any

dish, nor shall I wash anybody's feet, nor shall I have to speak with

other men. And if anybody shall seek me (as a wife or mistress) he should

be liable to punishment at thy hands. And, further, should he solicit me

over and over again, that wicked one should be punished with death. This

is the vow I have made. I intend to have an interview with those

Brahmanas that will set out to search for my husband. If thou canst do

all this, I shall certainly live with thee. If it is otherwise, I cannot

find it in my heart to reside with thee.' The queen-mother answered her

with a glad heart, saying, 'I will do all this. Thou hast done well in

adopting such a vow!'"

"Vrihadaswa continued, 'O king, having spoken so unto the daughter of

Bhima, the queen-mother, O Bharata, said to her daughter named Sunanda,

'O Sunanda, accept this lady like a goddess as thy Sairindhri! Let her be

thy companion, as she is of the same age with thee. Do thou, with heart

free from care, always sport with her in joy.' And Sunanda cheerfully

accepted Damayanti and led her to her own apartment accompanied by her

associates. And treated with respect, Damayanti was satisfied, and she

continued to reside there without anxiety of any kind, for all her wishes

were duly gratified.'"

SECTION LXVI

"Vrihadaswa said, 'O monarch, having deserted Damayanti, king Nala saw a

mighty conflagration that was raging in that dense forest. And in the

midst of that conflagration, he heard the voice of some creature,

repeatedly crying aloud, 'O righteous Nala, come hither.' And answering,

'Fear not,' he entered into the midst of the fire and beheld a mighty

Naga lying in coils. And the Naga with joined hands, and trembling, spake

unto Nala, saying, 'O king, that I am a snake, Karkotaka by name. I had

deceived the great Rishi Narada of high ascetic merit, and by him have I

been cursed in wrath, O king of men, even in words such as these: 'Stay

thou here like an immobile thing, until one Nala taketh thee hence. And,

indeed, on the spot to which he will carry thee, there shalt thou he

freed from my curse. It is for that curse of his that I am unable to stir

one step. I will instruct thee in respect of thy welfare. It behoveth

thee to deliver me. I will be thy friend. There is no snake equal to me.

I will be light in thy hands. Taking me up, do thou speedily go hence.'

Having said this, that prince of snakes became as small as the thumb. And

taking him up, Nala went to a spot free from fire. Having reached an open

spot where there was no fire, Nala intended to drop the serpent, upon

which Karkotaka again addressed him, saying, 'O king of the Nishadhas,

proceed thou yet, counting a few steps of thine; meanwhile, O

mighty-armed one, I will do thee great good.' And as Nala began to count

his steps, the snake bit him at the tenth step. And, lo! As he was bit,

his form speedily underwent a change. And beholding his change of form,

Nala was amazed. And the king saw the snake also assume his own form. And

the snake Karkotaka, comforting Nala, spake unto him, 'I have deprived

thee of thy beauty, so that people may not recognise thee. And, O Nala,

he by whom thou hast been deceived and cast into distress, shall dwell in

thee tortured by my venom. And, O monarch, as long as he doth not leave

thee, he will have to dwell in pain in thy body with thee every limb

filled with my venom. And, O ruler of men I have saved from the hands of

him who from anger and hate deceived thee, perfectly innocent though thou

art and undeserving of wrong. And, O tiger among men, through my grace,

thou shalt have (no longer) any fear from animals with fangs from

enemies, and from Brahmanas also versed in the Vedas, O king! Nor shalt

thou, O monarch, feel pain on account of my poison. And, O foremost of

kings, thou shalt be ever victorious in battle. This very day, O prince,

O lord of Nishadhas, go to the delightful city of Ayodhya, and present

thyself before Rituparna skilled in gambling, saying, 'I am a charioteer,

Vahuka by name.' And that king will give thee his skill in dice for thy

knowledge of horses. Sprung from the line of Ikswaku, and possessed of

prosperity, he will be thy friend. When thou wilt be an adept at dice,

thou shalt then have prosperity. Thou wilt also meet with thy wife and

thy children, and regain thy kingdom. I tell thee this truly. Therefore,

let not thy mind be occupied by sorrow. And, O lord of men, when thou

shouldst desire to behold thy proper form, thou shouldst remember me, and

wear this garment. Upon wearing this, thou shalt get back thy own form.'

And saying this, that Naga then gave unto Nala two pieces of celestial

cloth. And, O son of the Kuru race, having thus instructed Nala, and

presented him with the attire, the king of snakes, O monarch, made

himself invisible there and then!'"

SECTION LXVII

"Vrihadaswa said, 'After the snake had vanquished, Nala, the ruler of the

Nishadhas, proceeded, and on the tenth day entered the city of Rituparna.

And he approached the king, saying, 'My name is Vahuka. There is no one

in this world equal to me in managing steeds. My counsel also should be

sought in matters of difficulty and in all affairs of skill. I also

surpass others in the art of cooking. In all those arts that exists in

this world, and also in every thing difficult of accomplishment, I will

strive to attain success, O Rituparna, do thou maintain me.' And

Rituparna replied, 'O Vahuka, stay with me! May good happen to thee. Thou

wilt even perform all this. I have always particularly desired to be

driven fast. Do thou concert such measures that my steeds may become

fleet. I appoint thee the superintendent of my stables. Thy pay shall be

ten thousand (coins). Both Varshneya and Jivala shall always be under thy

direction. Thou wilt live pleasantly in their company. Therefore, O

Vahuka, stay thou with me.'"

"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Thus addressed by the king, Nala began to dwell

in the city of Rituparna, treated with respect and with Varshneya and

Jivala as his companions. And residing there, the king (Nala),

remembering the princess of Vidarbha, recited every evening the following

sloka: 'Where lieth that helpless one afflicted with hunger and thirst

and worn with toil, thinking of that wretch? And upon whom also doth she

now wait?' And once as the king was reciting this in the night, Jivala

asked him saying, 'O Vahuka, whom dost thou lament thus daily? I am

curious to hear it. O thou blest with length of days, whose spouse is she

whom thus lamentest?' Thus questioned, king Nala answered him, saying, 'A

certain person devoid of sense had a wife well-known to many. That wretch

was false in his promises. For some reason that wicked person was

separated from her. Separated from her, that wretch wandered about

oppressed with woe, and burning with grief he resteth not by day or

night. And at night, remembering her, he singeth this sloka. Having

wandered over the entire world, he hath at last found a refuge, and

undeserving of the distress that hath befallen him, passeth his days,

thus remembering his wife. When calamity had overtaken this man, his wife

followed him into the woods. Deserted by that man of little virtue, her

life itself is in danger. Alone, without knowledge of ways, ill able to

bear distress, and fainting with hunger and thirst, the girl can hardly

protect her life. And, O friend, she hath been deserted by that man of

small fortune and having little sense, with the wide and terrible forest,

ever abounding in beasts of prey'--

"Thus remembering Damayanti, the king of the Nishadhas continued to live

unknown in the abode of that monarch!"

SECTION LXVIII

"Vaisampayana said, 'After Nala, despoiled of his kingdom, had, with his

wife, become a bondsman, Bhima with the desire of seeing Nala sent out

Brahmanas to search for him. And giving them profuse wealth, Bhima

enjoined on them, saying, 'Do ye search for Nala, and also for my

daughter Damayanti. He who achieveth this task, viz., ascertaining where

the ruler of the Nishadhas is, bringeth him and my daughter hither, will

obtain from me a thousand kine, and fields, and a village resembling a

town. Even if failing to bring Damayanti and Nala here, he that succeeds

learning their whereabouts, will get from me the wealth represented by a

thousand kine.' Thus addressed, the Brahmanas cheerfully went out in all

directions seeking Nala and his wife in cities and provinces. But Nala or

his spouse they found not anywhere. Until at length searching in the

beautiful city of the Chedis, a Brahmana named Sudeva, during the time of

the king's prayers, saw the princess of Vidarbha in the palace of the

king, seated with Sunanda. And her incomparable beauty was slightly

perceptible, like the brightness of a fire enveloped in curls of smoke.

And beholding that lady of large eyes, soiled and emaciated he decided

her to be Damayanti, coming to that conclusion from various reasons. And

Sudeva said, 'As I saw her before, this damsel is even so at present. O,

I am blest, by casting my eyes on this fair one, like Sree herself

delighting the worlds! Resembling the full moon, of unchanging youth, of

well-rounded breasts, illumining all sides by her splendour, possessed of

large eyes like beautiful lotuses, like unto Kama's Rati herself the

delight of all the worlds like the rays of the full moon, O, she looketh

like a lotus-stalk transplanted by adverse fortune from the Vidarbha lake

and covered with mire in the process. And oppressed with grief on account

of her husband, and melancholy, she looketh like the night of the full

moon when Rahu hath swallowed that luminary, or like a stream whose

current hath dried up. Her plight is very much like that of a ravaged

lake with the leaves of its lotuses crushed by the trunks of elephants,

and with its birds and fowls affrighted by the invasion. Indeed, this

girl, of a delicate frame and of lovely limbs, and deserving to dwell in

a mansion decked with gems, is (now) like an uprooted lotus-stalk

scorched by the sun. Endued with beauty and generosity of nature, and

destitute of ornaments, though deserving of them, she looketh like the

moon 'new bent in haven' but covered with black clouds. Destitute of

comforts and luxuries, separated from loved ones and friends, she liveth

in distress, supported by the hope of beholding her lord. Verily, the

husband is the best ornament of a woman, however destitute of ornaments.

Without her husband beside her, this lady, though beautiful, shineth not.

It is a hard feat achieved by Nala in that he liveth without succumbing

to grief, though separated from such a wife. Beholding this damsel

possessed of black hair and of eyes like lotus-leaves, in woe though

deserving of bliss, even my heart is pained. Alas! when shall this girl

graced with auspicious marks and devoted to her husband, crossing this

ocean of woe, regain the company of her lord, like Rohini regaining the

Moon's? Surely, the king of the Nishadhas will experience in regaining

her the delight that a king deprived of his kingdom experienceth in

regaining his kingdom. Equal to her in nature and age and extraction,

Nala deserveth the daughter of Vidarbha, and this damsel of black eyes

also deserveth him. It behoveth me to comfort the queen of that hero of

immeasurable prowess and endued with energy and might, (since) she is so

eager to meet her husband. I will console this afflicted girl of face

like the full moon, and suffering distress that she had never before

endured, and ever meditating on her lord.'

"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Having thus reflected on these various

circumstances and signs, the Brahmana, Sudeva, approached Damayanti, and

addressed her, saying, 'O princess of Vidarbha, I am Sudeva, the dear

friend of thy brother. I have come here, seeking thee, at the desire of

king Bhima. Thy father is well, and also thy mother, and thy brothers.

And thy son and daughter, blessed with length of days, are living in

peace. Thy relatives, though alive, are almost dead on thy account, and

hundreds of Brahmanas are ranging the world in search of thee."

"Vrihadaswa continued, 'O Yudhishthira, Damayanti recognising Sudeva,

asked him respecting all her relatives and kinsmen one after another.

And, O monarch, oppressed with grief, the princess of Vidarbha began to

weep bitterly, at the unexpected sight of Sudeva, that foremost of

Brahmanas and the friend of her brother. And, O Bharata, beholding

Damayanti weeping, and conversing in private with Sudeva, Sunanda was

distressed, and going to her mother informed her, saying, 'Sairindhri is

weeping bitterly in the presence of a Brahmana. If thou likest, satisfy

thyself.' And thereupon the mother of the king of the Chedis, issuing

from the inner apartments of the palace, came to the place where the girl

(Damayanti) was with that Brahmana. Then calling Sudeva, O king, the

queen-mother asked him, 'Whose wife is this fair one, and whose daughter?

How hath this lady of beautiful eyes been deprived of the company of her

relatives and of her husband as well? And how also hast thou come to know

this lady fallen into such a plight? I wish to hear all this in detail

from thee. Do truly relate unto me who am asking thee about this damsel

of celestial beauty.' Then, O king, thus addressed by the queen-mother,

Sudeva, that best of Brahmanas, sat at his ease, and began to relate the

true history of Damayanti.'"

SECTION LXIX

"Sudeva said, 'There is a virtuous and illustrious ruler of the

Vidarbhas, Bhima by name. This blessed lady is his daughter, and widely

known by the name of Damayanti. And there is a king ruling the Nishadhas,

named Nala, the son of Virasena. This blessed lady is the wife of that

wise and righteous monarch. Defeated at dice by his brother, and

despoiled of his kingdom, that king, accompanied by Damayanti, went away

without the knowledge of any one. We have been wandering over the whole

earth in search of Damayanti. And that girl is at last found in the house

of thy son. No woman existeth that is her rival in beauty. Between the

eye-brows of this ever-youthful damsel, there is an excellent mole from

birth, resembling a lotus. Noticed by us (before) it seems to have

disappeared, covered, (as her forehead is) with (a coat of) dust even

like the moon hid in clouds. Placed there by the Creator himself as an

indication of prosperity and wealth, that mole is visible faintly, like

the cloud-covered lunar crescent of the first day of the lighted

fortnight. And covered as her body is with dust, her beauty hath not

disappeared. Though careless of her person, it is still manifest, and

shineth like gold. And this girl--goddess-like--capable of being

identified by this form of hers and that mole, hath been discovered by me

as one discovereth a fire that is covered, by its heat!'

"O king, hearing these words of Sudeva, Sunanda washed the dust that

covered the mole between Damayanti's eye-brows. And thereupon it became

visible like the moon in the sky, just emerged from the clouds. And

seeing that mole, O Bharata, Sunanda and the queen-mother began to weep,

and embracing Damayanti stood silent for a while. And the queen-mother,

shedding tears as she spoke, said in gentle accents, 'By this thy mole, I

find that thou art the daughter of my sister. O beauteous girl, thy

mother and I are both daughters of the high-souled Sudaman, the ruler of

the Dasarnas. She was bestowed upon king Bhima, and I on Viravahu. I

witnessed thy birth at our father's palace in the country of the

Dasarnas. O beautiful one, my house is to thee even as thy father's. And

this wealth, O Damayanti, is thine as much as mine.' As this, O king,

Damayanti bowing down to her mother's sister with a glad heart, spake

unto her these words, 'Unrecognised, I have still lived happily with

thee, every want of mine satisfied and myself cared for by thee. And

happy as my stay hath been, it would, without doubt, be happier still.

But, mother, I have long been an exile. It behoveth thee, therefore, to

grant me permission (to depart). My son and daughter, sent to my father's

palace, are living there. Deprived of their father, and of their mother

also, how are they passing their days stricken with sorrow. If thou

wishest to do what is agreeable to me, do thou without loss of time,

order a vehicle, for I wish to go to the Vidarbhas.' At this, O king, the

sister to (Damayanti's) mother, with a glad heart, said, 'So be it'. And

the queen-mother with her son's permission, O chief of the Bharatas, sent

Damayanti in handsome litter carried by men, protected by a large escort

and provided with food and drink and garments of the first quality. And

soon enough she reached the country of the Vidarbhas. And all her

relatives, rejoicing (in her arrival) received her with respect. And

seeing her relatives, her children, both her parents, and all her maids,

to be well, the illustrious Damayanti, O king, worshipped the gods and

Brahmanas according to the superior method. And the king rejoiced at

beholding his daughter gave unto Sudeva a thousand kine and much wealth

and a village. And, O king, having spent that night at her father's

mansion and recovered from fatigue, Damayanti addressed her mother,

saying, 'O mother, if thou wishest me to live, I tell thee truly, do thou

endeavour to bring Nala, that hero among men.' Thus addressed by

Damayanti, the venerable queen became filled with sorrow. And bathed in

tears, she was unable to give any answer. And beholding her in that

plight, all the inmates of the inner apartments broke out into

exclamation of 'Oh!' And 'Alas'! and began to cry bitterly. And then the

queen addressed the mighty monarch Bhima, saying, 'Thy daughter Damayanti

mourneth on account of her husband. Nay, banishing away all bashfulness,

she hath herself, O king, declared her mind to me. Let thy men strive to

find out (Nala) the righteous.' Thus informed by her the king sent the

Brahmanas under him in all directions, saying, 'Exert ye to discover

Nala.' And those Brahmanas, commanded by the ruler of the Vidarbhas (to

seek Nala) appeared before Damayanti and told her of the journey they

were about to undertake. And Bhima's daughter spake unto them saying, 'Do

ye cry in every realm and in every assembly, 'O beloved gambler, where

hast thou gone cutting off half of my garment, and deserting the dear and

devoted wife asleep in the forest? And that girl, as commanded by thee

stayeth expecting thee, clad in half a piece of cloth and burning with

grief! O king, O hero, relent towards, and answer, her who incessantly

weepeth for that grief. This and more ye will say, so that he may be

inclined to pity me. Assisted by the wind, fire consumeth the forest.

(Further, ye will say that) the wife is always to be protected and

maintained by the husband. Why then, good as thou art and acquainted with

every duty, hast thou neglected both the duties? Possessed of fame and

wisdom, and lineage, and kindness, why hast thou be unkind? I fear, this

is owing to the loss of my good luck! Therefore, O tiger among men, have

pity on me. O bull among men! I have heard it from thee that kindness is

the highest virtue. Speaking so, if anybody answereth you, that person

should by all means, be known, and ye should learn who he is, and where

he dwelleth. And ye foremost of regenerate ones, do ye bring me the words

of him who hearing this your speech will chance to answer. Ye should also

act with such care that no one may know the words ye utter to be at my

command, nor that ye will come back to me. And ye should also learn

whether that answers is wealthy, or poor, or destitute of power, in fact

all about him.'

"Thus instructed by Damayanti, O king, the Brahmanas set out in all

directions in search of Nala overtaken with such disaster. And the

Brahmanas, O king, searched for him in cities and kingdoms and villages,

and retreats of ascetics, and places inhabited by cow-herds. And, O

monarch, wherever they went they recited the speeches that Damayanti had

directed them to do."

SECTION LXX

"Vrihadaswa said, 'After a long time had passed away, a Brahmana named

Parnada returned to the city (of the Vidarbhas), and said unto the

daughter of Bhima, 'O Damayanti, seeking Nala, the king of Nishadhas, I

came to the city of Ayodhya, and appeared before the son of Bhangasura.

And, O best of women, I repeated those words of thine in the presence of

the blessed Rituparna. But hearing them neither that ruler of men, nor

his courtiers, answered anything, although I uttered them repeatedly.

Then, after I had been dismissed by the monarch, I was accosted by a

person in the service of Rituparna, named Vahuka. And Vahuka is the

charioteer of that king, of unsightly appearance and possessed of short

arms. And he is skillful in driving with speed, and well acquainted with

the culinary art. And sighing frequently, and weeping again and again, he

inquired about my welfare and afterwards said these words, 'Chaste women,

although fallen into distress, yet protect themselves and thus certainly

secure heaven. Although they may be deserted by their lords, they do not

yet become angry on that account, for women that are chaste lead their

lives, encased in the armour of virtuous behaviour. It behoveth her not

to be angry, since he that deserted her was overwhelmed with calamity,

and deprived of every bliss. A beauteous and virtuous woman should not be

angry with one that was deprived by birds of his garment while striving

to procure sustenance and who is being consumed with grief. Whether

treated well or ill, such a wife should never indulge in ire, beholding

her husband in that plight, despoiled of kingdom and destitute of

prosperity, oppressed with hunger and overwhelmed with calamity.' Hearing

these words of his, I have speedily come here. Thou hast now heard all.

Do what thou thinkest proper, and inform the king of it.'

"O king, having heard these words of Parnada, Damayanti with tearful eyes

came to her mother, and spake unto her in private, 'O mother, king Bhima

should not, by any means, be made acquainted with my purpose. In thy

presence will I employ that best of Brahmanas, Sudeva! If thou desirest

my welfare, act in such a way that king Bhima may not know my purpose.

Let Sudeva without delay go hence to the city of Ayodhya, for the purpose

of bringing Nala, O mother, having performed the same auspicious rites by

virtue of which he had speedily brought me into the midst of friends.'

With these words, after Parnada had recovered from fatigue, the princess

of Vidarbha worshipped him with profuse wealth and also said, 'When Nala

will come here, O Brahmana, I will bestow on thee wealth in abundance

again. Thou hast done me the immense service which none else, indeed, can

do me, for, (owing to that service of thine), O thou best of the

regenerate ones, I shall speedily regain my (lost) lord.' And thus

addressed by Damayanti, that high-minded Brahmana comforted her, uttering

benedictory words of auspicious import, and then went home, regarding his

mission to have been successful. And after he had gone away, Damayanti

oppressed with grief and distress, calling Sudeva, addressed him, O

Yudhishthira, in the presence of her mother, saying, 'O Sudeva, go thou

to the city of Ayodhya, straight as a bird, and tell king Rituparna

living there, these words: 'Bhima's daughter, Damayanti will hold another

Swayamvara. All the kings and princes are going thither. Calculating the

time, I find that the ceremony will take place tomorrow. O represser of

foes, if it is possible for thee, go thither without delay. Tomorrow,

after the sun hath risen, she will choose a second husband, as she doth

not know whether the heroic Nala liveth or not. And addressed by her, O

monarch thus, Sudeva set out. And he said unto Rituparna, all that he had

been directed to say.'"

SECTION LXXI

"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Having heard the words of Sudeva king Rituparna,

soothing Vahuka with gentle words, said, 'O Vahuka, thou art well-skilled

in training and guiding horses. If it pleases thee, I intend to go to

Damayanti's Swayamvara in course of a single day.' Thus addressed, O son

of Kunti, by that king, Nala felt his heart to be bursting in grief. And

the high-souled king seemed to burn in sorrow. And he thought within

himself, 'Perhaps Damayanti in doing this is blinded by sorrow. Or,

perhaps, she hath conceived this magnificent scheme for my sake. Alas,

cruel is the deed that the innocent princess of Vidarbha intends to do,

having been deceived by my sinful and low self of little sense. It is

seen in the world that the nature of woman is inconstant. My offence also

hath been great; perhaps she is acting so, because she hath no longer any

love for me owing to my separation from her. Indeed, that girl of slender

waist, afflicted with grief on my account and with despair, will not

certainly do anything of the kind, when especially, she is the mother of

offspring (by me). However whether this is true or false, I shall

ascertain with certitude by going thither. I will, therefore, accomplish

Rituparna's and my own purpose also.' Having resolved thus in his mind,

Vahuka, with his heart in sorrow, spake unto king Rituparna, with joined

hands, saying, 'O monarch, I bow to thy behest, and, O tiger among men, I

will go to the city of the Vidarbhas in a single day. O king!' Then, O

monarch, at the command of the royal son of Bhangasura, Vahuka went to

the stables and began to examine the horses. And repeatedly urged by

Rituparna to make haste, Vahuka after much scrutiny and careful

deliberation, selected some steeds that were lean-fleshed, yet strong and

capable of a long journey and endued with energy and strength of high

breed and docility, free from inauspicious marks, with wide nostrils and

swelling cheeks, free from faults as regards the ten hairy curls, born in

(the country of) Sindhu, and fleet as the winds. And seeing those horses,

the king said somewhat angrily, 'What is this, that thou wishest to do?

Thou shouldst not jest with us. How can these horses of mine, weak in

strength and breath, carry us? And how shall we be able to go this long

way by help of these?' Vahuka replied, 'Each of these horses bears one

curl on his forehead, two on his temples, four on his sides, four on his

chest, and one on his back. Without doubt, these steeds will be able to

go to the country of the Vidarbhas. If, O king, thou thinkest of choosing

others, point them out and I shall yoke them for thee.' Rituparna

rejoined, 'O Vahuka, thou art versed in the science of horses and art

also skillful (in guiding them). Do thou speedily yoke those that thou

thinkest to be able.' Thereupon the skillful Nala yoked upon the car four

excellent steeds of good breed that were, besides, docile and fleet. And

after the steeds had been yoked, the king without loss of time mounted

upon the car, when those best of horses fell down upon the ground on

their knees. Then, O king, that foremost of men, the blessed king Nala

began to soothe horses endued with energy and strength. And raising them

up with the reins and making the charioteer Varshneya sit on the car, he

prepared to set out with great speed. And those best of steeds, duly

urged by Vahuka, rose to the sky, confounding the occupant of the

vehicle. And beholding those steeds gifted with the speed of the wind

thus drawing the car, the blessed king of Ayodhaya was exceedingly

amazed. And noticing the rattle of the car and also the management of the

steeds, Varshneya reflected upon Vahuka's skill in guiding horses. And he

thought, 'Is he Matali, the charioteer of the king of the celestials? I

find the same magnificent indications in the heroic Vahuka. Or, hath

Salihotra versed in the science of horses taken this human shape so

beautiful? Or, is it king Nala the reducer of hostile towns that hath

come here? Or, it may be that this Vahuka knoweth the science that Nala

knoweth, for I perceive that the knowledge of Vahuka is equal to that of

Nala. Further, Vahuka and Nala are of the same age. This one, again, may

not be Nala of high prowess, but somebody of equal knowledge. Illustrious

persons, however, walk this earth in disguise in consequence of

misfortune, or agreeably to the ordinance of the scriptures. That this

person is of unsightly appearance need not change my opinion; for Nala, I

think, may even be despoiled of his personal features. In respect of age

this one equals Nala. There is difference, however, in personal

appearance. Vahuka, again is endued with every accomplishment. I think,

therefore, he is Nala.' Having thus reasoned long in his mind, O mighty

monarch, Varshneya, the (former) charioteer of the righteous Nala, became

absorbed in thought. And that foremost of kings Rituparna, also,

beholding the skill of Vahuka in equestrian science experienced great

delight, along with his charioteer Varshneya. And thinking of Vahuka's

application and ardour and the manner of his holding the reins, the king

felt exceedingly glad.'"

SECTION LXXII

"Vrihadaswa said, 'Like a bird coursing through the sky, Nala soon

crossed rivers and mountains, and woods and lakes. And while the car was

coursing thus, that conqueror of hostile cities, the royal son of

Bhangasura, saw his upper garment drop down on the ground. And at soon as

his garment had dropped down the high-minded monarch, without loss of

time, told Nala, 'I intend to recover it. O thou of profound

intelligence, retain these steeds endued with exceeding swiftness until

Varshneya bringeth back my garment.' Thereupon Nala replied unto him,

'The sheet is dropped down far away. We have travelled one yojana thence.

Therefore, it is incapable of being recovered.' After Nala had addressed

him thus, O king, the royal son of Bhangasura came upon a Vibhitaka tree

with fruits in a forest. And seeing that tree, the king hastily said to

Vahuka, 'O charioteer, do thou also behold my high proficiency in

calculation. All men do not know everything. There is no one that is

versed in every science of art. Knowledge in its entirety is not found in

any one person, O Vahuka, the leaves and fruits of this tree that are

lying on the ground respectively exceed those that are on it by one

hundred and one. The two branches of the tree have fifty millions of

leaves, and two thousand and ninety five fruits. Do thou examine these

two branches and all their boughs.' Thereupon staying the car Vahuka

addressed the king, saying, 'O crusher of foes, thou takest credit to

thyself in a matter which is beyond my perception. But, O monarch, I will

ascertain it by the direct evidence of my senses, by cutting down the

Vibhitaka. O king, when I actually count, it will no longer be matter of

speculation. Therefore, in thy presence, O monarch, I will hew down this

Vibhitaka. I do not know whether it be not (as thou hast said). In thy

presence, O ruler of men, I will count the fruits and leaves. Let

Varshneya hold the reins of the horses for a while.' Unto the charioteer

the king replied, 'There is no time to lose.' But Vahuka answered with

humility, 'Stay thou a short space, or, if thou art in a hurry, go then,

making Varshneya thy charioteer. The road lies direct and even.' And at

this, O son of the Kuru race, soothing Vahuka, Rituparna said, 'O Vahuka,

thou art the only charioteer, there is none other in this world. And, O

thou versed in horse lore, it is through thy help that I expect to go to

the Vidarbhas. I place myself in thy hands. It behoveth thee not to cause

any obstacle. And, O Vahuka, whatever thy wish. I will grant it if taking

me to the country of the Vidarbhas to-day, thou makest me see the sun

rise.' At this, Vahuka answered him, saying, 'After having counted (the

leaves and fruits of the) Vibhitaka, I shall proceed to Vidarbha, do thou

agree to my words. Then the king reluctantly told him, 'Count. And on

counting the leaves and fruits of a portion of this branch, thou wilt be

satisfied of the truth of my assertion.' And thereupon Vahuka speedily

alighted from the car, and felled that tree. And struck with amazement

upon finding the fruits, after calculation, to be what the king had said,

he addressed the king, saying, 'O monarch, this thy power is wonderful. I

desire, O prince, to know the art by which thou hast ascertained all

this.' And at this king, intent upon proceeding speedily, said unto

Vahuka. 'Know that I am proficient at dice besides being versed in

numbers. And Vahuka said unto him, 'Impart unto me this knowledge and, O

bull among men, take from me my knowledge of horses.' And king Rituparna,

having regard to the importance of the act that depended upon Vahuka's

good-will, and tempted also by the horse-lore (that his charioteer

possessed), said, 'So be it.' As solicited by thee, receive this science

of dice from me, and, O Vahuka, let my equine science remain with thee in

trust.' And saying this, Rituparna imparted unto Nala the science (he

desired). And Nala upon becoming acquainted with the science of dice,

Kali came out of his body, incessantly vomiting from his mouth the

virulent poison of Karkotaka.

And when Kali, afflicted (by Damayanti's curse) came out (of Nala's

body), the fire of that curse also left Kali. Indeed, long had been the

time for which the king had been afflicted by Kali, as if he were of

unregenerate soul. And Kala the ruler of the Nishadhas, in wrath, was

bent upon cursing Kali, when the latter, frightened, and trembling, said

with joined hands, 'Control thy wrath, O king! I will render thee

illustrious. Indrasena's mother had formerly cursed me in anger when she

had been deserted by thee. Ever since that time undergoing sore

affliction I resided in thee, O mighty monarch, O unconquered one,

miserably and burning night and day with the venom of the prince of

snakes. I seek thy protection. If thou dost not curse me who am

affrighted and seek thy protection, then those men that will attentively

recite thy history, shall be even free from fear on my account.' And thus

addressed by Kali, king Nala controlled his wrath. And thereupon the

frightened Kali speedily entered into the Vibhitaka tree. And while the

Kali was conversing with Naishadha, he was invisible to others. And

delivered from his afflictions, and having counted the fruits of that

tree, the king, filled with great joy and of high energy, mounted on the

car and proceeded with energy, urging those fleet horses. And from the

touch of Kali the Vibhitaka tree from that hour fell into disrepute. And

Nala, with a glad heart, began to urge those foremost of steeds which

sprang into the air once and again like creatures endued with wings. And

the illustrious monarch drove (the car) in the direction of the

Vidarbhas. And after Nala had gone far away, Kali also returned to his

abode. And abandoned by Kali, O king, that lord of earth, the royal Nala,

became freed from calamity though he did not assume his native form.'"

SECTION LXXIII

"Vrihadaswa said, 'After Rituparna of prowess incapable of being baffled

had, in the evening, arrived at the city of the Vidarbhas, the people

brought unto king Bhima the tidings (of his arrival). And at the

invitation of Bhima, the king (of Ayodhya) entered the city of Kundina,

filling with the rattle of his car all the ten points, direct and

transverse, of the horizon. And the steeds of Nala that were in that city

heard that sound, and hearing it they became delighted as they used to be

in the presence of Nala himself. And Damayanti also heard the sound of

that car driven by Nala, like the deep roar of the clouds in the rainy

season. And Bhima and the steeds (of Nala) regarded the clatter of that

car to be like that which they used to hear in days of yore when king

Nala himself urged his own steeds. And the peacocks on the terraces, and

the elephants in the stables, and the horses also, all heard the rattle

of Rituparna's car. And hearing the sound, so like the roar of the

clouds, the elephants and the peacocks, O king, began to utter their

cries, facing that direction, and filled with delight such as they

experience when they hear the actual roar of the clouds. And Damayanti

said, 'Because the rattle of his car filling the whole earth, gladdens my

heart, it must be King Nala (that has come). If I do not see Nala, of

face bright as the moon, that hero with countless virtues, I shall

certainly die. If I am not clasped today in that hero's thrilling

embrace, I shall certainly cease to be. If Naishadha with voice deep as

that of the clouds doth not come to me today, I shall enter into a pyre

of golden brilliance. If that foremost of kings, powerful as a lion and

gifted with the strength of an infuriated elephant, doth not present

himself before me, I shall certainly cease to live. I do not remember a

single untruth in him, or a single wrong done by him to others. Never

hath he spoken an untruth even in jest. Oh, my Nala is exalted and

forgiving and heroic and magnificent and superior to all other kings, and

faithful to his marriage vow and like unto a eunuch in respect of other

females. Night and day dwelling upon his perceptions, my heart, in

absence of that dear one, is about to burst in grief.'

"Thus bewailing as if devoid of sense, Damayanti, O Bharata, ascended the

terrace (of her mansion) with the desire of seeing the righteous Nala.

And in the yard of the central mansion she beheld king Rituparna on the

car with Varshneya and Vahuka. And Varshneya and Vahuka, descending for

that excellent vehicle, unyoked the steeds, and kept the vehicle itself

in a proper place. And king Rituparna also, descending from the car,

presented himself before king Bhima possessed of terrible prowess. And

Bhima received him with great respect, for in the absence of a proper

occasion, a great person cannot be had (as a guest). And honoured by

Bhima, king Rituparna looked about him again and again, but saw no traces

of the Swayamvara. And the ruler of the Vidarbhas, O Bharata, approaching

Rituparna, said, 'Welcome! What is the occasion of this thy visit?' And

king Bhima asked this without knowing that Rituparna had come to obtain

the hand of his daughter. And king Rituparna, of unbaffled prowess and

gifted with intelligence, saw that there were no other kings or princes.

Nor did he hear any talk relating to the Swayamvara, nor saw any

concourse of Brahmanas. And at this, the king of Kosala reflected a while

and at length said, 'I have come here to pay my respects to thee.' And

the king Bhima was struck with astonishment, and reflected upon the

(probable) cause of Rituparna's coming, having passed over a hundred

yojanas. And he reflected, 'That passing by other sovereigns, and leaving

behind him innumerable countries, he should come simply to pay his

respect to me is scarcely the reason of his arrival. What he assigneth to

be the cause of his coming appeareth to be a trifle. However, I shall

learn the true reason in the future.' And although king Bhima thought so,

he did not dismiss Rituparna summarily, but said unto him again and

again, 'Rest, thou art weary.' And honoured thus by the pleased Bhima,

king Rituparna was satisfied, and with a delighted heart, he went to his

appointed quarters followed by the servants of the royal household."

"Vrihadaswa continued, 'And, O king, after Rituparna had gone away with

Varshneya, Vahuka took the car to the stables. And there freeing the

steeds, and tending them according to rule, and soothing them himself,

sat down on a side of the car. Meanwhile, the princess of Vidharva,

Damayanti, afflicted with grief, having beheld the royal son of

Bhangasura, and Varshneya of the Suta race, and also Vahuka in that

guise, asked herself, 'Whose is this car-rattle? It was loud as that of

Nala, but I do not see the ruler of the Nishadhas. Certainly, Varshneya

hath learnt the art from Nala, and it is for this the rattle of the car

driven by him hath been even like that of Nala. Or, is Rituparna equally

skilled with Nala so that the rattle of his car seemeth to be like that

of Nala?' And reflecting thus, O monarch, the blessed and beauteous girl

sent a female messenger in search of Nishada."

SECTION LXXIV

"Damayanti said, 'O Kesini, go thou and learn who that charioteer is that

sitteth by the car, unsightly and possessed of short arms. O blessed one,

O faultless one, approaching him, cautiously and with suit words, make

thou the usual inquiries of courtesy and learn all particulars truly.

Having regard to the feeling of satisfaction my mind experienceth, and

the delight my heart feeleth, I am greatly afraid this one is king Nala

himself. And, O faultless one, having inquired after his welfare, thou

shalt speak unto him the words of Parnada. And, O beauteous one,

understand the reply he may make thereto.' Thus instructed, that female

messenger, going cautiously, while the blessed Damayanti watched from the

terrace, addressed Vahuka in these words, 'O foremost of men, thou art

welcome. I wish thee happiness. O bull among men, hear now the words of

Damayanti. When did ye all set out, and with what object have ye come

hither. Tell us truly, for the princess of Vidarbha wisheth to hear it.'

Thus addressed, Vahuka answered, the illustrious king of Kosala had heard

from a Brahmana that a second Swayamvara of Damayanti would take place.

And hearing it, he hath come here, by the help of excellent steeds fleet

as the wind and capable of going a hundred yojanas. I am his charioteer.

Kesini then asked, 'Whence doth the third among you come, and whose (son)

is he? And whose son art thou, and how hast thou come to do this work?'

Thus questioned, Vahuka replied, 'He (of whom thou inquirest) was the

charioteer of the virtuous Nala, and known to all by the name of

Varshneya. After Nala had, O beauteous one, left his kingdom, he came to

the son of Bhangasura. I am skilled in horse-lore, and have, therefore,

been appointed as charioteer. Indeed, king Rituparna hath himself chosen

me as his charioteer and cook.' At this Kesini rejoined, 'Perhaps

Varshneya knoweth where king Nala hath gone, and O Vahuka, he may also

have spoken to thee (about his master).' Vahuka then said, 'Having

brought hither the children of Nala of excellent deeds, Varshneya went

away whither he listed: He doth not know where Naishadha is. Nor, O

illustrious one, doth anybody else know of Nala's whereabouts; for the

king (in calamity) wandereth over the world in disguise and despoiled of

(his native) beauty. Nala's self only knoweth Nala. Nala never

discovereth his marks of identity anywhere.' Thus addressed, Kesini

returned, 'The Brahmana that had before this gone to Ayodhya, had

repeatedly said these words suitable to female lips, 'O beloved gambler,

where hast thou gone cutting off half my piece of cloth, and deserting

me, his dear and devoted wife asleep in the woods? And she herself, as

commanded by him, waiteth expecting him clad in half a garment and

burning day and night in grief. O king, O hero, do thou relent towards

her that weepeth ceaselessly for that calamity and do thou give her an

answer. O illustrious one, do thou speak the words agreeable to her for

the blameless one panteth to hear them. Hearing these words of the

Brahmana thou didst formerly give a reply! The princess of Vidarbha again

wisheth to hear the words thou didst then say.'"

"Vrihadaswa continued, 'O son of the Kuru race, hearing these words of

Kesini, Nala's heart was pained, and his eyes filled with tears. And

repressing his sorrow, the king who was burning in grief, said again

these words, in accents choked with tears: 'Chaste women, though

overtaken by calamity, yet protect themselves, and thereby secure heaven.

Women that are chaste, deserted by their lords, never become angry, but

continue to live, cased in virtue's mail. Deserted by one fallen into

calamity, bereft of sense, and despoiled of bliss, it behoveth her not to

be angry. A virtuous lady should not be angry with one that was deprived

by birds of his garment while striving to procure sustenance and who is

burning in misery. Whether treated well or ill she would never be angry,

seeing her husband in that plight, despoiled of his kingdom, bereft of

prosperity, oppressed with hunger, and overwhelmed with calamity.' And, O

Bharata, while speaking thus, Nala oppressed with grief, could not

restrain his tears, but began to weep. And thereupon Kesini went back to

Damayanti, and acquainted her with everything about that conversation as

well as that outburst of grief."

SECTION LXXV

"Vrihadaswa said, 'Hearing everything, Damayanti became oppressed with

grief, and suspecting the person to be Nala, said unto Kesini, 'O Kesini,

go thou again, and examine Vahuka, and staying in silence at his side

mark thou his conduct. And, O beauteous one, whenever he happens to do

anything skilful, do thou observe well his act while accomplishing it.

And, O Kesini, whenever he may ask water or fire, with the view of

offering him obstruction, thou shalt be in no hurry to give it. And

marking everything about his behaviour, come thou and tell me. And

whatever human or super-human thou seest in Vahuka, together with

anything else, should all be reported unto me.' And thus addressed by

Damayanti, Kesini went away, and having marked the conduct of that person

versed in horse-lore, she came back. And she related unto Damayanti all

that had happened, indeed, everything of human and superhuman that she

had witnessed in Vahuka. And Kesini said, 'O Damayanti, a person of such

control over the elements I have never before seen or heard of. Whenever

he cometh to low passage, he never stoopeth down, but seeing him, the

passage itself groweth in height so that he may pass through it easily.

And at his approach, impassable narrow holes open wide. King Bhima had

sent various kinds of meat--of diverse animals, for Rituparna's food. And

many vessels had been placed there for washing the meat. And as he looked

upon them, those vessels became filled (with water). And having washed

the meat, as he set himself to cook, he took up a handful of grass and

held it in the sun, when fire blazed up all on a sudden. Beholding this

marvel, I have come hither amazed. Further, I have witnessed in him

another great wonder. O beauteous one, he touched fire and was not burnt.

And at his will, water falling floweth in a stream. And, I have witnessed

another greater wonder still. He took up some flowers, began to press

them slowly with his hands. And pressed by his hand, the flowers did not

lose their original forms, but, on the contrary, became gayer and more

odorous than before. Having beheld wonderful things I have come hither

with speed.'"

"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Hearing of these acts of the virtuous Nala, and

discovering him from his behaviour, Damayanti considered him as already

recovered. And from these indications suspecting that Vahuka was her

husband, Damayanti once more weepingly addressed Kesini in soft words,

saying, 'O beauteous one, go thou once more, and bring from the kitchen

without Vahuka's knowledge some meat that hath been boiled and dressed

(by him).' Thus commanded, Kesini, ever bent on doing what was agreeable

to Damayanti, went to Vahuka, and taking some hot meat came back without

loss of time. And Kesini gave that meat, O son of the Kuru race, unto

Damayanti. And Damayanti who had formerly often partaken of meat dressed

by Nala, tasted the meat that was brought by her hand-maid. And she

thereupon decided Vahuka to be Nala and wept aloud in grief of heart.

And, O Bharata, overwhelmed with grief, and washing her face, she sent

her two children with Kesini. And Vahuka, who was the king in disguise,

recognising Indrasena with her brother, advanced hastily, and embracing

them, took them up on his lap. And taking up his children like unto the

children of the celestials, he began to weep aloud in sonorous accents,

his heart oppressed with great sorrow. And after having repeatedly

betrayed his agitation, Naishadha suddenly left children, and addressed

Kesini, saying, 'O fair damsel, these twins are very like my own

children. Beholding them unexpectedly, I shed tears. If thou comest to me

frequently people may think evil, for we are guests from another land.

Therefore. O blessed one, go at thy ease.'"

SECTION LXXVI

"Vrihadaswa said, 'Beholding the agitation of the virtuous and wise Nala,

Kesini returned unto Damayanti and related everything unto her. And

thereupon Damayanti with a sorrowful heart and eager to behold Nala,

again despatched Kesini to her mother, asking her to say on her behalf:

Suspecting Vahuka to be Nala, I have tried him in various ways. My doubt

now only relates to his appearance. I intend to examine him myself. O

mother, either let him enter the palace, or give me permission to go to

him. And arrange this with the knowledge of my father or without it. And

thus addressed to Damayanti, that lady communicated unto Bhima the

intention of his daughter, and upon learning it the king gave his

consent. And, O bull of the Bharata race, having obtained the consent

both of her father and mother, Damayanti caused Nala to be brought to her

apartments. And as soon as he saw Damayanti unexpectedly, king Nala was

overwhelmed with grief and sorrow, and bathed in tears. And that best of

women, Damayanti, also, upon beholding king Nala in that condition, was

sorely afflicted with grief. And, O monarch, herself clad in a piece of

red cloth, and wearing matted locks, and covered with dirt and dust,

Damayanti then addressed Vahuka, saying, 'O Vahuka, hast thou ever seen

any person acquainted with duty, who hath gone away, deserting his

sleeping wife in the forest? Who, except the virtuous Nala, could go

away, deserting in the woods, his dear and unoffending wife overcome with

fatigue? Of what offence was I guilty in the eyes of that monarch since

my early youth that he should go away deserting me in the woods while

asleep overcome with fatigue? Why should he whom I formerly chose in

preference to the gods themselves abandon his ever-devoted and loving

wife who had become the mother also of his children? Before the fire, and

in presence also of the celestials, he had taken my hand, vowing, 'Verily

I will be thine.' Oh, where was that vow when he deserted me. O represser

of foes.' While Damayanti was saying all this, tears of sorrow began to

flow plentifully from her eyes. And beholding her thus afflicted with

grief, Nala also, shedding tears, black of those of the gazelle with

extremities of reddish hue, said, 'O timid one, neither the loss of my

kingdom nor my desertion of thee was my act. Both were due to Kali. And,

O foremost of virtuous women, lamenting for me day and night, and

overcome with sorrow, thou hadst in the woods cursed Kali, and so he

began to dwell in my body, burning in consequence of thy curse. Indeed

burning with thy curse, he lived within me like fire within fire. O

blessed girl, that our sorrows might terminate, that wretch have I

overcome by my observances and austerities. The sinful wretch hath

already left me, and it is for this that I have come hither. My presence

here, O fair lady, is for thy sake. I have no other object. But, O timid

one, can any other woman, forsaking her loving and devoted husband, ever

choose a second lord like thee? At the command of the king, messengers

are ranging this entire earth, saying, 'Bhima's daughter will, of her own

accord, choose a second husband worthy of her.' Immediately on hearing

this, the son of Bhangasura hath arrived here.' Hearing these

lamentations of Nala, Damayanti, frightened and trembling, said with

joined hand, 'It behoveth thee not, O blessed one, to suspect any fault

in me. O ruler of the Nishadhas, passing over the celestials themselves,

I choose thee as my lord. It was to bring thee hither that the Brahmanas

had gone out in all directions, even to all the sides of the horizon,

singing my words, in the form of ballads. At last, O king, a learned

Brahmana named Parnada had found thee in Kosala in the palace of

Rituparna. When thou hadst returned a fit answer to those words of his,

it was then, O Naishadha, that I devised this scheme to recover thee.

Except thee, O lord of earth, there is no one in this world, who in one

day can clear, O King, a hundred yojanas with horses. O monarch, touching

thy feet I can swear truly that I have not, even in thought, committed

any sin. May the all-witnessing Air that courseth through this world,

take my life, if I have committed any sin. May the Sun that ever courseth

through the sky take my life, if I have committed any sin. May the Moon,

that dwelleth within every creature as a witness, take my life, if I have

committed any sin. Let the three gods that sustain the triple worlds in

their entirety, declare truly, or let them forsake me today.' And thus

addressed by her, the Wind-god said from the sky, 'O Nala, I tell thee

truly that she hath done no wrong. O king, Damayanti, well guarding the

honour of thy family, hath enhanced it. Of this we are the witnesses, as

we have been her protectors for these three years. It is for thy sky that

she hath devised this unrivalled scheme, for, except thee, none on earth

is capable of travelling in a single day a hundred yojanas. O monarch,

thou hast obtained Bhima's daughter, and she hath also obtained thee.

Thou needst not entertain any suspicion but be united with thy partner.'

And after the Wind-god had said this, a floral shower fell there and the

celestial kettle-drum began to play, and auspicious breezes began to

blow. And beholding those wonders, O Bharata, king Nala, the represser of

foes, cast away all his doubts in respect of Damayanti. And then that

lord of earth, remembering the king of serpents, wore that pure garment

and regained his native form. And beholding her righteous lord in his own

form, Bhima's daughter of faultless limbs embraced him, and began to weep

aloud. And king Nala also embraced Bhima's daughter devoted to him, as

before, and also his children, and experienced great delight. And burying

her face in his bosom, the beauteous Damayanti of large eyes began to

sigh heavily, remembering her griefs. And overwhelmed with sorrow, that

tiger among men stood for some time, clasping the dust-covered Damayanti

of sweet smiles. And, O king, the queen-mother then, with a glad heart,

told Bhima all that had passed between Nala and Damayanti. And the mighty

monarch answered, 'Let Nala pass this day in peace, to-morrow I shall see

him after his bath and prayers, with Damayanti by his side.' And, O king,

they passed that night pleasantly, in relating to each other the past

incidents of their life in the forest. And with hearts filled with joy,

the princess of Vidarbha and Nala began to pass their days in the palace

of king Bhima, intent upon making each other happy. And it was in the

fourth year (after the loss of his kingdom) that Nala was re-united with

his wife, and all his desires gratified, once more experienced the

highest bliss. And Damayanti rejoiced exceedingly in having recovered her

lord even as fields of tender plants on receiving a shower. And Bhima's

daughter, thus recovering her lord, obtained her wish, and blazed forth

in beauty, her weariness gone, her anxieties dispelled and herself

swelling with joy, ever like a night that is lit by the bright disc of

the moon!"

SECTION LXXVII

"Vrihadaswa said, 'Having passed that night, king Nala decked in

ornaments and with Damayanti by his side, presented himself in due time

before the king. And Nala saluted his father-in-law with becoming

humility and after him the fair Damayanti paid her respects to her

father. And the exalted Bhima, with great joy, received him as a son, and

honouring him duly along with his devoted wife, comforted them in proper

words. And duly accepting the homage rendered unto him, king Nala offered

his father-in-law his services as became him. And seeing Nala arrived,

the citizens were in great joy. And there arose in the city a loud uproar

of delight. And the citizens decorated the city with flags and standards

and garlands of flowers. And the streets were watered and decked in

floral wreaths and other ornaments. And at their gates citizens piled

flowers, and their temples and shrines were all adorned with flowers. And

Rituparna heard that Vahuka had already been united with Damayanti. And

the king was glad to hear of all this. And calling unto him king Nala, he

asked his forgiveness. And the intelligent Nala also asked Rituparna's

forgiveness, showing diverse reasons. And that foremost of speakers

versed in the truth, king Rituparna, after being thus honoured by Nala,

said, with a countenance expressive of wonder, these words unto the ruler

of the Nishadhas. 'By good fortune it is that regaining the company of

thy own wife, thou hast obtained happiness. O Naishadha, while dwelling

in disguise at my house, I hope I did not wrong thee in any way, O lord

of the earth! If knowingly I have done thee any wrong, it behoveth thee

to forgive me.' Hearing this, Nala replied, 'Thou hast not, O monarch,

done me ever so little an injury. And if thou hast, it hath not awakened

my ire, for surely thou shouldst be forgiven by me. Thou wert formerly my

friend, and, O ruler of men, thou art also related to me. Henceforth I

shall find greater delight in thee. O king, with all my desires

gratified, I lived happily in thy abode, in fact more happily there than

in my own house. This thy horse-lore is in my keeping. If thou wishest, O

king, I will make it over to thee.' Saying this, Naishadha gave unto

Rituparna that science and the latter took it with the ordained rites.

And, O monarch, the royal son of Bhangasura, having obtained the

mysteries of equestrian science and having given unto the ruler of the

Naishadhas the mysteries of dice, went to his own city, employing another

person for his charioteer. And, O king, after Rituparna had gone, king

Nala did not stay long in the city of Kundina!'"

SECTION LXXVIII

"Vrihadaswa said, 'O son of Kunti, the ruler of the Nishadhas having

dwelt there for a month, set out from that city with Bhima's permission

and accompanied by only a few (followers) for the country of the

Nishadhas. With a single car white in hue, sixteen elephants, fifty

horses, and six hundred infantry, that illustrious king, causing the

earth itself to tremble, entered (the country of the Nishadhas) without

loss of a moment and swelling with rage. And the mighty son of Virasena,

approaching his brothers Pushkara said unto him, 'We will play again, for

I have earned vast wealth. Let Damayanti and all else that I have be my

stake, let, O Pushkara, thy kingdom be thy stake. Let the play begin

again. This is my certain determination. Blessed be thou, let us stake

all we have along with our lives. Having won over and acquired another's

wealth or kingdom, it is a high duty, says the ordinance, to stake it

when the owner demands. Or, if thou dost not relish play with dice, let

the play with weapons begin. O king, let me or thyself have peace by a

single combat. That this ancestral kingdom should, under all

circumstances and by any means, be recovered, there is the authority of

sages for holding. And, O Pushkara, choose thou one of these two

things--gambling with dice or bending the bow in battle!' Thus addressed

by Nishadha, Pushkara, sure of his own success, laughingly answered that

monarch, saying, 'O Naishadha, it is by good fortune that thou hast

earned wealth again to stake. It is by good fortune also that Damayanti's

ill-luck hath at last come to an end. And O king, it is by good fortune

that thou art still alive with thy wife, O thou of mighty arms! It is

evident that Damayanti, adorned with this wealth of thine that I will

win, will wait upon me like an Apsara in heaven upon Indra. O Naishadha,

I daily recollect thee and am even waiting for thee, since I derive no

pleasure from gambling with those that are not connected with me by

blood. Winning over to-day the beauteous Damayanti of faultless features,

I shall regard myself fortunate, indeed, since she it is that hath ever

dwelt in my heart.' Hearing these words of that incoherent braggart, Nala

in anger desired to cut off his head with a scimitar. With a smile,

however, though his eyes were red in anger, king Nala said, 'Let us play.

Why do you speak so now? Having vanquished me, you can say anything you

like.' Then the play commenced between Pushkara and Nala. And blessed be

Nala who at a single throw won his wealth and treasures back along with

the life of his brother that also had been staked. And the king, having

won, smilingly said unto Pushkara, 'This whole kingdom without a thorn in

its side is now undisturbedly mine. And, O worst of kings, thou canst not

now even look at the princess of Vidarbha. With all thy family, thou art

now, O fool, reduced to the position of her slave. But my former defeat

at thy hands was not due to any act of thine. Thou knowest it not, O

fool, that it was Kali who did it all. I shall not, therefore, impute to

thee the faults of others. Live happily as thou choosest, I grant thee

thy life. I also grant thee thy portion (in the paternal kingdom) along

with all necessaries. And, O hero, without doubt, my affection towards

thee is now the same as before. My fraternal love also for thee will

never know any diminution. O Pushkara, thou art my brother, live thou for

a hundred years!'"

"And Nala of unbaffled prowess, having comforted his brother thus gave

him permission to go to his own town, having embraced him repeatedly. And

Pushkara himself, thus comforted by the ruler of the Nishadhas saluted

that righteous king, and addressed him, O monarch, saying these words

with joined hands, 'Let thy fame be immortal and live thou happily for

ten thousand years, thou who grantest me, O king, both life and refuge.

And entertained by the king, Pushkara dwelt there for a month and then

went to his own town accompanied by large force and many obedient

servants and his own kindred, his heart filled with joy. And that bull

among men all the while blazed forth in beauty of person like a second

Sun. And the blessed ruler of the Nishadhas, having established Pushkara

and made him wealthy and freed him from troubles, entered his richly

decorated palace. And the ruler of the Nishadhas, having entered his

palace, comforted the citizens. And all the citizens and the subjects

from the country horripilated in joy. And the people headed by the

officers of state said with joined hands, 'O king, we are truly glad

to-day throughout the city and the country. We have obtained to-day our

ruler, like the gods their chief of a hundred sacrifice!'"

SECTION LXXIX

"Vrihadaswa said, 'After the festivities had commenced in the city that

was full of joy and without anxiety of any kind, the king with a large

force brought Damayanti (from her father's home). And her father, too,

that slayer of hostile heroes, Bhima of terrible prowess and immeasurable

soul, sent his daughter, having honoured her duly. And upon the arrival

of the princess of Vidarbha accompanied by her son and daughter, king

Nala began to pass his days in joy like the chief of the celestials in

the gardens of Nandana. And the king of undying fame, having regained his

kingdom and becoming illustrious among monarchs of the island of Jamvu,

began once more to rule it. And he duly performed numerous sacrifices

with abundant gifts to Brahmanas. O great king, thou also wilt with thy

kindred and relatives, so blaze forth in effulgence soon. For, O foremost

of men, it was thus that subjugator of hostile cities, king Nala, had

fallen into distress along with his wife, in consequence, O bull of

Bharata race of dice. And, O lord of the earth, Nala suffered such dire

woe all alone and recovered his prosperity, whereas thou, O son of Pandu,

with heart fixed on virtue, art sporting in joy in this great forest,

accompanied by thy brothers and Krishna. When thou art also, O monarch,

mixing daily with blessed Brahmanas versed in the Vedas and their

branches, thou hast little cause for sorrow. This history, besides, of

the Naga Karkotaka, of Damayanti, of Nala and of that royal sage

Rituparna, is destructive of evil. And, O thou of unfading glory, this

history, destructive of the influence of Kali, is capable, O king, of

comforting persons like thee when they listen to it. And reflecting upon

the uncertainty (of success) of human exertion, it behoveth thee not to

joy or grieve at prosperity or adversity. Having listened to this

history, be comforted, O king, and yield not to grief. It behoveth thee

not, O great king, to pine under calamity. Indeed, men of

self-possession, reflecting upon the caprice of destiny and the

fruitlessness of exertion, never suffer themselves to be depressed. They

that will repeatedly recite this noble history of Nala, and that will

hear it recited, will never be touched by adversity. He that listeneth to

this old and excellent history hath all his purposes crowned with success

and, without doubt, obtaineth fame, besides sons and grandsons and

animals, a high position among men, and health, and joy. And, O king, the

fear also that thou entertainest, viz., (Some one skilled in dice will

summon me), I will for once dispel. O thou of invincible prowess, I know

the science of dice in its entirety. I am gratified with thee; take this

lore, O son of Kunti, I will tell unto thee.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "King Yudhishthira then, with a glad heart, said

unto Vrihadaswa, 'O illustrious one, I desire to learn the science of

dice from thee.' The Rishi then gave his dice-lore unto the high-souled

son of Pandu, and having given it unto him, that great ascetic went to

the sacred waters of Hayasirsha for a bath.

"And after Vrihadaswa had gone away, Yudhishthira of firm vows heard from

Brahmanas and ascetics that came to him from various directions and from

places of pilgrimage and mountains and forests that Arjuna of high

intelligence and capable of drawing the bow with his left hand, was still

engaged in the austerest of ascetic penances, living upon air alone. And

he heard that the mighty-armed Partha was engaged in such fierce

asceticism that none else before him had ever been engaged in such

penances. And Dhananjaya, the son of Pritha, engaged in ascetic

austerities with regulated vows and fixed mind and observing the vow of

perfect silence, was, he heard, like the blazing god of justice himself

in his embodied form. And, O king, (Yudhishthira) the son of Pandu

hearing that his dear brother Jaya, the son of Kunti, was engaged in such

asceticism in the great forest, began to grieve for him. And with a heart

burning in grief, the eldest son of Pandu, seeking consolation in that

mighty forest held converse with the Brahmanas possessed of various

knowledge who were living with him there."