Nalopakhyana Parva — Damayanti's living in the house of the King of the Chedis

Brihadashva said: Thereupon that beauteous lady, hearing the words of the leader of the caravan, went away with the company of travellers, hoping to find out her lord.

Thus many days passed over, when the merchants saw in the midst of that fearful and extensive forest a very large lake, which was all-beautiful, pregnant with lotuses, most delight-some, containing abundant grasses and fuels and also various sorts of delicious fruits and flowers (on its banks) and inhabited by several kinds of birds; and also finding the water of the lake to be pure and tasteful, most charming and cool, these tired traverllers made up their mind up stop there.

The caravan dispersed itself into the forest at the behest of its leader. But when the day (i.e., the sun) slanted down the west, that great company took its quarters there.

Then, at midnight, when cverything was hushed and silence prevailed, the travellers fell into sleep, while there came a multitude of elephants. And while going to the mountain stream to drink its water, soiled by their own exudations, they saw the merchants as well as a good number of other elephants possessed by them.

Beholding those domesticated elephants, the wild ones, maddened at the fury, rushed towards them with the object of killing them, while the juice was exuding from their temples.

The violence of the forward rush of these elephants became intolerable, even as the fall of the peaks, broken from the mountain tops, directed towards the ground.

The course of the rushing elephants through the paths of the woods was hindered, as the good caravan was sleeping, obstructing the way to the lake filled with lotuses.

The elephants, all on a sudden, crushed the caravan, which was sleeping in the ground. Then the merchants, uttering the cries of Ah! and Alas! sought for protection. Blinded by sleep, they all rushed towards the bushes and the forest (for protection). But some of them were killed by the tusks of those elephants and some by trunks, as also some were killed by their legs.

Thus a large number of camels and horses was killed; as also the countless men, who were on their legs, killed one another, as they were all rushing in terror. Several of the merchants, who were crying loudly, fell down on the surface of the earth; several others climbed on trees; and some again fell down on uneven ground.

O king! thus accidentally attacked by a large number of elephants, the good merchants underwent a great loss.

Then there arose a great uproar, terrifying the three worlds, and also there broke out a fire. "O! save us from this trouble. Do you now fly away? These heaps of gems are scattered on all sides. Take them. Why do you fly?

These riches are nothing. My words are not untrue.

You terror-stricken ones! think upon the words that I tell you again. Exclaiming in the way as above, they all ran about in fright.

While that terrible slaughter prevailed, Damayanti rose up with a mind agitated by terror and anxiety.

There the maiden, possessing eyes like the lotus-leaves, saw the effects of that unforeseen accident. viz., the slaughter, which meant to frighten all the worlds. On her awakening, she became insensible with fear; and also with an affected countenance, she became out of breath. Those of the caravan, who escaped from the slaughter unhurt, all assembled together and talked on the action of which that (the slaughter) was the result. 'Surely we have not worshipped that well-reputed Maharudra or that auspicious and magnanimous king of the Yakshas, Vaisravana. Or it might be that we have not worshipped the deities that cause distresses. Or perhaps we have not paid them the first offerings. 'Or this unnatural circumstance is the sure result of the birds (we beheld). Our presiding stars unfavourable; what else there is, from which this calamity has ensued?'

Other again, distressed and deprived of wealth and friends as they were, said, 'That mad-like woman of unnatural look came are not among this mighty company of merchants, assuming an inhuman appearance. It is by her that this terrible illusion had been prearranged.

This woman must surely be a Rakshasi or a Yakshi or a dreadful Pishachni. All this evil has been wrought by her, regarding which there should be no scruples. 'Should I again find out that vicious woman, who is the slayer of merchants, giving innumerable sufferings to them, I must kill her by either (throwing) stones or dust or grass or wood or by strokes of the hand.'

Damayanti, hearing their words, afflicted with fright and shame; and she on suspicion of their evil designs fled into the forest, greatly terrified. She also upbraided herself, saying-

'Oh! the god's anger is violent and great upon me; and hence it is that peace never follows me. Of what deed (or misdeed) is this the result?

I do not remember that I have ever done any harm to any body, either by actions or thought or by speeches. Of what deed (or misdeed) is this, therefore, the result?

I have met with these sufferings, which are the results of that great calamity that has befallen me. Certainly all these are owing to was my perpetrating a cruel deed during my past existence.

The consequence of that calamity are the loss of kingdom by my husband; his defeat (at dice) by his relatives; my separation from my husband, son and my daughter, and also this my unprotected condition; and my exile in these woods abounding in all classes of beasts of prey.' O king! thereupon the next day the rest of the merchants, who survived the slaughter, departed from the country, lamenting for the loss of their brothers, fathers, sons and relatives.

The daughter of the king of the Vidharbhas again lamented, saying, 'What a misdeed I had committed in the past! As the result of my misfortune, the crowd of men, whose company I have found in this solitary wood, was all destroyed by elephants. As it seems, surely I shall have to suffer certain distresses for a pretty long period.

I have heard from old men that none dies before his time. Had this not been true, my afflicted self would surely have been crushed to death this day by the herd of elephants.

Indeed, there exists nothing of men that does not fall within the category of destiny. I had committed no crime even in my childhood, either in action, thought or speech, for which reason this great calamity might befall me.

On the occasion of the Svayamvara, the assembled divine guardians of the worlds were neglected by me, for the sake of king Nala; and surely I think. it is through their potent interference, that I have been suffering from this separation.' That fair complexioned Damayanti, devoted to her husband, uttering these words of grief, became greatly afflicted with sorrows and looked pale.

O foremost of kings! even as the autumnal moon herself, she then went away with the Brahmanas, conversant with the texts of the Vedas, who survived that terrible slaughter. In the course of her going with haste, the maiden arrived in the evening at the great city of truthful Subahu, the king of the Chedis.

When she entered that good city, half dressed, the citizens saw her terror-stricken, very weak and helpless, of loosened hairs, unbathed and faring even as a mad woman. Through curiosity the boys of the city pursued her, while they saw her enter into the city of the king of the Chedis. Then the damsel, thus surrounded by the boys, came to the front of the palace.

From the palace the Queen-mother beheld her surrounded by a large number of persons; and asked her nurse to go and bring her before her Highness.

The Queen-mother also saw her, vexed by the people, helpless, overpowered by sorrows and seeking for protection, but the splendour of her beauty was such that it illumined the whole palace.

That beautiful and large-eyed lady, even as Sri herself, looked like a mad woman. Then, O king, the nurse ordering the crowd to disperse, took her into the palace and, struck with amazement, inquired of Damayanti, saying: 'How do you, oppressed with sorrow, bear a graceful form.

Do you blaze like lightning in the midst of clouds? O! tell me who are you and to whom do you belong? Surely your beauty is not human, although you are not decked in ornaments.

you effulgent one like unto the celestials! although you are helpless, yet you are unmoved by these (outraging) persons?' Hearing these words of the nurse, the daughter of king Bhima spoke the (following) words to her,

'Know that I am a woman, devoted to my husband; and a female-servant, belonging to a high caste. Know also that I stay wherever I like and subsist on fruits and roots. I am lonely; and I stop when evening draws nigh. My lord possesses innumerable virtues; and he was ever devoted to me.

I was also attached to that heroic one, following him in his course even as a shadow. It so happened that once he was engaged in the play at dice, at which he was defeated; and in consequence thereof he came alone into the wood. Beholding my heroic husband, wearing a single piece of cloth, maniac-like and afflicted with grief, I also followed him into the forest with a view to console him. Once on a time, that warlike one, for some reason go to in forest.

He oppressed with hunger, lost, in the woods, that single piece of cloth out of carelessness. Following him, naked, maniaclike and devoid of all his senses as he was, I, with a single piece of cloth on, could not sleep for several nights. Thus many days passed away when I fell asleep. He then tore off onehalf of my garment and forsook me there, although I had not done to him any harm. Hence it is that I fare about seeking my husband and burn day and night in distress.

Thus afflicted, I am unable to find out my lord, who is the darling of my heart and whose splendour is like the filaments of the lotuses. I do not see my lord, who is the delight of my heart, my own presiding god, most beloved of me and who again is like the celestials in appearance.

The Queen-mother herself addressed the daughter of Bhima, whose eyes were full of tears, bewailing in the above manner and whose voice was choked up in sorrow. O blessed lady! O gentle one! stay here with me. I am much pleased with you. Mymen will seek your husband in the woods.

It may so happen that he shall come here of himself in course of his roving about in the forest. O gentle one! do you live here now; and you shall get your husband back.'

Hearing these words of the Queen-mother, Damayanti spoke to her; 'O mother of heroes! I dare reside with you, provided that I shall not have to eat the remnants of a dish, nor I shall have ever to speak with other men.

If any body shall solicit me (to be his wife), that person must be punished by you. Or should he solicit me repeatedly, that criminal person shall be punished with death. This is the vow that I have prearranged.

'I will find out those Brahmanas, who will search for my husband. Should you arrange all this, I shall no doubt live with you.'

If it is otherwise, to live does not find place in my heart.' The Queen-mother said to her:

'I will do all this. Very good is this your vow.' O monarch! the daughter of king Bhima was thus addressed by the Queen-mother. O Bharata! she called her daughter Sunanda and spoke to her this: 'O Sunanda! know well that this maiden is a goddess, even as your Shairindhri (a high class maid-servant).

As she is of the same age with yourself, do you take the lady as your companion and also play with her always without any apprehension in the mind.'

Thereupon Sunanda, having received Damayanti with the greatest delight, conducted her into her own apartinents, attended by all her companions.

Damayanti was highly gratified with the respectful behaviour of her companion; and she lived there for some time, because all her desires were excellently satisfied.