नलोपाख्यान पर्व — हंस के वचन

Brihadashva said: There was a heroic king, named Nala the son of Virasena. He was possessed of desirable attainments, handsome and well-acquainted with the management of horses.

He stood at the head of all the princes, even as the king of the celestials; and exalted above all, was equal to the sun in splendour. He was the well-wisher of the Brahmanas and the lord of the Nishadhas. He was truthful, the commander of a mighty force, consisting of cavalry and infantry and a large number of chariots and elephants but fond of gaming at dice,

He was beloved of women, high-souled and with all passions checked. He was also the refuge of all and the best of bowmen and was like Manu himself.

Like him (Nala) there was a king among the Vidarbhas, named Bhima, who was warlike, possessor of immense power and all accomplishments and beloved of his subjects. But with all these virtues he was without an issue.

He, with a fixity of purpose, made great endeavour for obtaining issue. O Bharata, there came before him, a Brahmarishi named Damana.

Thereupon, O king of kings, the virtuous prince, Bhima, assisted by his wife, satisfied that reverened sage with the most respectful offerings. Damana, thus pleased, conferred upon the king and his spouse a boon of a daughter like unto a jewel and three sons possessed of liberal heart and great fame.

The daughter and the three sons were named Damayanti and Dama, Danta and the illustrious Damana. The latter were possessed of all the virtues, most fearful and of terrible might.

But Damayanti of slender waist, obtained celebrity all ever the world in beauty and brightness and in good name, luck and glory.

And when she attained to age, hundreds and hundreds of female servants and hand-raids, decked in ornaments, waited on her like Sachi herself.

There shone in the midst of her hand-maids the daughter of Bhima, of beautiful features and decked with all ornaments like the bright lightning of the sky.

The damsel was possessed of extra-ordinary beauty and large eyes and was like Lakshmi (the goddess of riches) herself. Indeed, there was none among the celestials or the Yakshasa who could be compared with her.

No body among men or others, was possessed of such beauty, seen or heard of. In fact, the damsel was most pleasant to look at and more handsome than the celestials.

That foremost of men, Nala, was peerless in the worlds; because on earth he resembled in beauty Kandarpa (the god of love) himself in his embodied form.

Moved with admiration, they (the heralds) again and again uttered the praises of Nala before her (Damayanti) and those of Damayanti before the king of the Nishadhas, Nala.

Although they had not seen each other, yet they conceived a love (for each other) produced by their repeatedly hearing each other's accomplishments. O son of Kunti, that mutual attachment began to grow very strong.

And then Nala, incapable of holding it in his bosom, passed much of his time in solitude in the gardens adjacent to the inner apartments (of his palace).

There he saw, one day, a lot of swans, with golden wings, roving in those woods. Of them he caught one with his hands.

Thereupon that sky-roving one spoke unto Nala. "O king, it behoves you not to kill me. I will render some good to you.

O prince of the Nishadhas, I will speak of you before Damayanti and in such a manner that she will never mind to have any other person (for her lord) but yourself."

Thus spoken, the king liberated the swan. Thereafter the swans, spreading their wings, betook themselves to the country of the Vidharbhas.

Arriving at the city of the Vidharbhas the birds alighted from heaven before Damayanti, who also beheld them.

Damayanti surrounded by her hand-maids, having seen those birds of extraordinary beauty, desired to catch those rovers of the skies without loss of time.

Thereupon the swans fled in all directions in that charming forcst; and the ladies ran after them, each pursuing one.

The swan which Damayanti pursued, led her into a solitary corner of the gardens and addressed her a human speech the following words,

“O Damayanti, there is a prince among the Nishadhas, named Nala, who is in beauty, like the Ashvins; and he has not his equal among men.

In beauty he is like Kandarpa (the god of love) himself in his embodied form. O fair complexioned one, if you becomes his wife. O you of slender waist, your birth and also your beauty may be of some avail. We have, as a matter of fact, seen celestials, Gandharvas, men, Nagas and Rakshasas; but never have we seen one like him (Nala). As you are a jewel among the maidens, so Nala is the best among men. The best united with the best is of merit.

O Prince, Damayanti, was in the above way addressed by the swan. She (Damayanti) in retum said to the swan, “you also thus speak unto Nala."O Prince, the bird having uttered to the daughter of Vidharbha "So be it" returned to the country of the Nishadhas and described everything to Nala himself.