Seeing the profound emotion — of that wisest king of men, Passing back in haste, Kesinia — told to Damayanti all: Then again did Damayanti — mission to Kesinia give, To approach her royal mother — in her haste her lord to see.
“Vahuca we've watched most closely — Nala we suspect him still; Only from his form we doubt him — this myself would fain behold. Cause him enter here, my mother — to my wishes condescend; Known or unknown to my father — let it be decided now.”
By that handmaid thus accosted — then the queen to Bhima told All his daughter's secret counsel — and the raja gave assent. Instant from her sire the princess — from her mother leave obtained, Bade them make king Nala enter — in the chamber where she dwelt.
Sudden as he gazed upon her — upon Damayanti gazed, Nala, he was seized with anguish — and with tears his eyes o'erflowed. And when Damayanti gazed on — Nala, thus approaching near, With an agonizing sorrow — was the noble lady seized.
Clad, then, in a scarlet mantle — hair dishevelled, mire-defiled, Unto Vahuca this language — Damayanti thus addressed: “Vahuca beheld'st thou ever — an upright and noble man, Who departed and abandoned — in the wood, his sleeping wife?
The beloved wife, and blameless — in the wild wood, worn with grief? Who was he who thus forsook her?— who but Nala, king of men? To the lord of earth, from folly — what offence can I have given? That he fled, within the forest — leaving me, by sleep oppressed?
Openly, the gods rejected — was he chosen by me, my lord: Could he leave the true, the loving — her that hath his children borne! By the nuptial fire, in presence — of the gods, he clasped my hand, ‘ I will be,' this truth he plighted — whither did he then depart?”
While all this in broken accents — sadly Damayanti spoke, From her eyes the drops of sorrow — flowed in copious torrents down. Those dark eyes, with vermeil corners — thus with trembling moisture dewed, When king Nala saw, and gazed on — to the sorrowful he spake.
“Gaming that I lost my kingdom —‘ twas not mine own guilty deed, It was Kali wrought within me — hence it was I fled from thee; Therefore he, in th’ hour of trial — smitten by thy scathing curse, In the wild wood as thou wanderest — grieving night and day for me,
Kali dwelt within my body — burning with thy powerful curse, Ever burning, fiercer, hotter — as when fire is heaped on fire. He, by my religious patience — my devotion, now subdued, Lo! the end of all our sorrows — beautiful! is now at hand.
I, the evil one departed, hither have made haste to come; For thy sake, O round-limbed! only;— other business have I none. Yet, O how may high-born woman — from her vowed, her plighted lord, Swerving, choose another husband — even as thou, O trembler, would'st?
Over all the earth the heralds — travel by the kings command, ‘ Now the daughter of king Bhima — will a second husband choose, ‘ Free from every tie, as wills she — as her fancy may beseem,’ Hearing this, came hither speeding — king Bhangasuri in haste.”
Damayanti, when from Nala — heard she this his grievous charge, With her folded hands, and trembling — thus to Nala made reply: “Do not me, O noble-minded — of such shameless guilt suspect, Thou, when I the gods rejected — Nala, wert my chosen lord.
Only thee to find, the Brahmins — went to the ten regions forth, Chaunting to their holy measures — but the words that I had taught. Then that Brahmin wise, Parnada — such the name he bears, O king, Thee in Kosala, the palace — of king Rituparna saw.
There to thee, my words addressed he — answer there from thee received. I this subtle wile imagined — king of men, to bring thee here. Since, beside thyself, no mortal — in the world, within the day, Could drive on the fleetest coursers — for a hundred Yojanas.
To attest this truth, O monarch!— thus I touch thy sacred feet; Even in heart have I committed — never evil thought‘ gainst thee. He through all the world that wanders — witness the all-seeing wind, Let him now of life bereave me — if in this‘ gainst thee I've sinned:
And the sun that moveth ever — over all the world, on high, Let him now of life bereave me — if in this‘ gainst thee I've sinned. Witness, too, the moon that permeates — every being's inmost thought; Let her too of life bereave me — if in this‘ gainst thee I've sinned.
These three gods are they that govern — these three worlds, so let them speak; This my sacred truth attest they — or this day abandon me.” Thus adjured, a solemn witness — spake the wind from out the air; “She hath done or thought no evil — Nala,‘ tis the truth we speak:
King, the treasure of her virtue — well hath Damayanti kept, We ourselves have seen and watched her — closely for three livelong years. This her subtle wile she plotted — only for thy absent sake, For beside thyself no mortal — might a hundred Yojanas drive.
Thou hast met with Bhima's daughter — Bhima's daughter meets with thee, Cast away all jealous scruple — to thy bosom take thy wife.” Even as thus the wind was speaking — flowers fell showering all around: And the gods sweet music sounded — on the zephyr floating light.
As on this surpassing wonder — royal Nala stood and gazed, Of the blameless Damayanti — melted all his jealous doubts. Then by dust all undefiled — he the heavenly vest put on, Thought upon the King of Serpents — and his proper form resumed.
In his own proud form her husband — Bhima's royal daughter saw, Loud she shrieked, the undespised — and embraced the king of men. Bhima's daughter, too, king Nala — shining glorious as of old, Clasped unto his heart, and fondled — gently that sweet infant pair.
Then her face upon his bosom — as the lovely princess laid, In her calm and gentle sorrow — softly sighed the long-eyed queen: He, that form still mire-defiled — as he clasped with smile serene, Long the king of men stood silent — in the ecstacy of woe.
All the tale of Damayanti — and of Nala all the tale, To king Bhima in her transport — told Vidarbha's mother-queen. Then replied that mighty monarch — “Nala, his ablutions done, Thus rejoined to Damayanti — I to-morrow will behold.”
They the livelong night together — slow related, each to each, All their wanderings in the forest — and each wild adventure strange. In king Bhima's royal palace — studying each the other's bliss, With glad hearts, Vidarbha's princess — and the kingly Nala dwelt.
In their fourth year of divorcement — reunited to his wife, Richly fraught with every blessing — at the height of joy he stood. Damayanti too re-wedded — still increasing in her bliss, Like as the glad earth to water — opens its half-budding fruits,
She of weariness unconscious,— soothed each grief, and full each joy, Every wish fulfilled, shone brightly — as the night, when high the moon.
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