SECTION –LXIX
(Nalopakhyana Parva Continued)
"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."
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