SECTION –LXIV
(Nalopakhyana Parva Continued)
"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.'"
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