नलोपाख्यान पर्व — दमयन्ती की सार्थवाह-दल से भेंट

Brihadashva said: Thus having slain the huntsman she, of eyes resembling lotus leaves, entered deeper and deeper into that desolate and dreadful forest, echoing with the jingling of crickets.

That forest full of lions, leopards, Rurus tigers, buffaloes, bear and deer; swarming with various kinds of birds; inhabited by robbers and low hybrid tribes.

Containing Salas bamboos, Dhabas, Asavathas. Tindukas Ingudas Kinsukas, Arjunas, Aristhas Sundanas together with Salmalas; abounding in Tumbus, mango trees, Lodras the catechu, the cane and Salas; overgrown with Padmakas, Amlakas, Plakhas, Kadamvas, Uduinvaras; covered with Badaris, Vilvas and banians, Piyalas, palms, date-trees, Haritakis and Vivitakas.

She (Damayanti) saw, many mountains containing mines of different kinds of metals, groves singing with the notes of birds; many valleys of beautiful sight.

Many rivers, lakes, expanses of water and various kinds of birds and beasts; large number of serpents, Rakshasas and goblins of frightful figures; and pools, tanks, mountain-peaks on all sides; and streams and cataracts of picturesque appearance.

There the daughter of the king of the Vidharbhas, saw, herd after herd, of buffaloes, boars and bears and numberless wild snakes. Possessed of energy, glory, beauty and high dignity, the princess of the Vidharbhas then began to roam alone in that wilderness, in quest of Nala.

Afflicted at her husband's calamity and having entered into that fearful forest, that princess, the daughter of Bhima, was not afraid of anything.

O King! the royal daughter of the king of the Vidharbhas, seating herself down on the surface of a stone, greatly aggrieved and with her limbs trembling with sorrow for her husband, thus lamented.

Damayanti said “O you of expanded breast! O you of long arms! O protector of the Nishadha people! O king! whither have you gone today forsaking me in this desolate wilderness? O hero! O foremost of men! it does not behove you, who have performed the horse-sacrifice and various other sacrifices accompanied by profuse Dakshinas, to play false with myself.

O foremost of men! O auspicious one! O your of blazing lustre! O excellent of kings! you ought to remember the words you did utter in my presence.

O ruler of earth! you ought also to remember what the sky-ranging swans said before you and also what they declared before me.

O foremost of men! surely the performance of one single promise on one side, weighs equal with the study of the four Vedas in all their extent and the Angas and Upangas taken together, on the other.

"Therefore, O slayer of your adversaries! O lord of men! O brave one! you ought to fulfill your promise, that you did make before, in my presence.

Alas O hero! O Nala! verily am I done for in this wood, although I belong to you. O sinless one! wherefore do you not answer me lost in this dreary forest?

This fearful sylvan sovereign, of expanded jaws and frightful figure and oppressed with hunger, is distressing me. Do it not befit you to save me?

You did always use to say, 'Except yourself, there is none dear unto me' O auspicious one! O king! prove the truth of that assertion you did make previously.

O ruler of men! wherefore do you not answer me, your dear wife, raft of reason and bewailing you, although you love her and are loved in return?

O monarch! O respected one, O repressor of your enemies! wherefore do you not behold me, O large-eyed one, lean, emaciated, distressed, discolored desolate, bewailing like one helpless, weeping, covered with one piece of cloth and resembling a lovely does strayed out of the herd.

O mighty monarch! in this vast wilderness I, your best-loved Damayanti, now forlorn and forsaken, am calling out your name; why do you not answer me?

O foremost of men! I do not find you, this day, on this mountain, who are possessed of a noble lineage and an excellent) character and shapely limbs enhancing your personal beauty.

O ruler of the Nishadhas! O foremost of men! ( you who are adding to my grief in this fearful wilderness infested by lions and tigers, of whom shall I, woeful and distressed with grief on your account, enquire whether you are sitting or lying down or staying or gone?

Whom shall I ask, 'Have you seen king Nala ranging in these woods? Of whom shall I enquire about the royal Nala lost in this wilderness?

From whose lips shall I this day hear these honeyed words viz. 'That graceful and highsouled king Nala of eyes resembling lotus leaves, the slayer of hostile troops, in quest of whom you are wandering in this forest, is staying even here.'

Yonder come the handsome sovereign of the forests, the tiger having four teeth and protruding jaws. Even unto him shall I repair fearlessly. You are the lord of beasts. You are the king of this forest.

Damayanti said : Know me for Damayanti, the daughter of the king of the Vidharbhas and the wife of Nala the king of the Nishadhas and the slayer of his foes.

O lord of animals! console me-who am, alone seeking my husband, distressed and woestricken-with the news of Nala if you have at all seen him.

O lord of this forest! on the other hand, if you know nothing of Nala, then, O foremost of animals, devour me up and thereby relieve me from this misery.'

Hearing me bewailing in this wilderness, this forest king himself, is wending towards the rivulet containing tasteful water that is rolling towards the sea.

I shall now for the tidings of the kings, ask yonder king of mountains, adorned with various beautiful and many hued peaks reaching the skies.

Containing heaps of sacred rocks; replete with many kinds of metals; decked with diverse pieces of stones; flowing like streamer over this wide wilderness.

Haunted by lions, tigers, elephants, boars, bears and deers; ringing on all sides with the notes of various kinds of birds.

The mountain graced with Kinsukas, Asokas, Bakulas and Tannagas; beautified with, Karnikaras Dhabas and Plakshas bearing blossoms.

The mountain abounding in rivers infested by water fowls; and decorated with crested summits. Now I ask about king Nala from the king of mountain.

Damayanti said : O mighty and foremost of mountains! O you of picturesque appearance! O highly famous hill! O you shelter (of the distressed)! O highly blessed hill! O you pillar of the Earth! I salute you.

Approaching I bow down unto you. Know me for a kings' daughter, a king's daughter-inlaw, a king's wife and for Damayanti by name.

The royal Bhima, the ruler of the Vidharbhas, the great warrior, the lord of the Earth and the protector of the four different orders, is my sire.

That foremnost of the descendants of Prithu, performed the Rajasuya sacrifice and the horse-sacrifice accompanied by profuse Dakshinas. Possessing large and beautiful eyes graced with arching brows, well-versed in the Vedas, of pious nature, true-speaking, free from jealously, of good character, endued with prowess, of immense prosperity, acquainted with all morality and pure, that lord defeating all his adversaries completely protect the people of Vidharbha. O mighty one! know me to be his daughter thus approaching you.

My father-in-law, the foremost of men, was the illustrious sovereign ruling over the Nishadhas. He was known under the name of Virasena and was of high renown.

The son of this king, a mighty warrior, possessed of prosperity and of infallible prowess, who govern well the kingdom that he had inherited from his father, is known under the name of Nala of holy fame, of complexion like molten gold. He is respectful towards Brahmanas, versed in the Vedas, eloquent and performer of meritorious deeds; he is used to the drinking of Soma and the worship of Fire; he celebrates sacrifices, is immensely charitable and heroic and a just chastiser (of sinful) men. Know me for his principal consort now helpless and come unto you. O excellent of mountains! devoid of prosperity, deprived of the company of my husband, helpless and distressed with affliction, in quest of my lord I have approached you.

O foremost of mountains! by means of your hundred peaks reaching the skies, have you seen anywhere in this dreary wilderness the royal Nala?

Have you anywhere seen the heroic and unconquerable Nala, my husband, the ruler of the Nishadhas, with the gait of an elephant of great intelligence, having long arms, of illustrious renown, endued with prowess and possessed of energy? O best of mountains! seeing me desolate and lamenting and fainting (with grief) wherefore do you not console me by speaking to me as your own afflicted daughter.

O hero! O you of great prowess! O you versed in righteousness! O veracious one! O lord of the earth! if you are present in this forest then, O king! show yourself unto me?

When shall I again hear the words of the royal and high-souled Nala, sweet and sonorous and resembling the rumbling of clouds and delicious like nectar and calling me the “princess of the Vidharbhas" with distinct and holy accents and spoken according to the precepts of the Vedas and eloquent and soothing all my grief. O king! O righteous one, it behoove you to comfort me, who am greatly terror-stricken."

Having spoken in the above manner to the foremost of mountains, the princess Damayanti again roamed towards the northern quarters.

That supremely beautiful damsel, after having wandered for three whole days and nights, saw an incomparable woody retreat of ascetics, furnished with beautiful gardens, inhabited by anchorites, like Vasishtha, Bhrigu and Atri, self-governed and abstemious, performing the ten prescribed purifactory rites; some living on water, some on air and some on (fallen) leaves, with passions under thorough control, of eminent parts, secking the way to Heaven, wearing barks of trees and skins of deer and with senses held in check. She saw that charming hermitage inhabited by the ascetics and abounding in various species of animals and swarming with monkeys and graced by the presence of hermits and she was comforted (with the sight).

That dear-loved spouse of the son of Virasena; that best of damsels, the pitiable Damayanti of eminent parts, of black and large eyes, of beaming splendour and pure fame, having long tresses, a dainty waist, heaving breasts, graceful eye-brows and a face adorned with pearly teeth, then entered into that asylum of ascetics.

She, saluting those sages grown old in the practice of austerities, stood in an attitude of humility. In that forest she was offered 'welcome' by those ascetics.

Then those ascetics, offering due adoration unto her, said, 'Sit yourself down and speak what shall we do for you?”

That damsel of delicate loins replied unto them saying, 'O sinless ones! O you of eminent parts! is everything progressing well regarding your rigid austerities, (sacrificial). Fires, your righteousness, the religious rites of your own sect and the birds and beasts of this herinitage?” And they answered her saying, 'O illustrious lady! O blessed one! prosperity attend us in every respect.

O you of faultless limbs! tell us who are you and what do you scek? We are amazed seeing your great beauty and your extreme splendour. Be consoled and do not grieve. O faultless one! O blessed one! say whether you are the presiding deity of this forest or of this mountain or of this rivulet? Speak the truth!”

She said unto the sages, “O twice-born ones! neither am I the deity of this forest, nor the goddess of this mountain, nor of this river. Know me for a daughter of human beings, O you sages of ascetic wealth! I am relating my history in detail, do you listen attentively to me.

The ruler of the carth, Bhima by name, is the sovercign of the Vidharbhas, O foremost of twice-born ones! know me for his daughter.

The heroic, the ever-victorious (in battle), the learned lord of the Nishadhas, Nala by name, of illustrious fame, great intelligence and the ruler of men, is my husband.

That foremost of kings named Nala, of splendour like unto that of the lord of the celestials, of large eyes and of face resembling the full moon, the destroyer of his foes, the worshipper of the gods, devoted to the Vedas, of great prosperity, the captor of his enemies' towns, the repressor of his foes, that veracious and wise being, acquainted with all religions, of truthful promise, of eminent energy and great prowess, the protector of the race of the Nishadhas, occupied in the adoration of the celestials, kind towards the regenerate ones is my husband. He is the celebrator of principal sacrifices and is versed in the Vedas and their branches and the slayer of his adversaries in battle. He resemble in lustre the sun and the moon.

This king devoted to truthfulness and ruler of the earth, was one day challenged to play a game at dice, by some mean-minded, vile and deceitful men of uncultivated soul and skillful in gambling. He was defeated and lost his wealth and kingdom.

Know me to be the consort of that foremost of kings, famous under the name of Damayanti and anxious to enjoy a sight of my missing husband.

I am wandering through the length and breadth of this wood, over mountains, among rivers, lakes, tanks and expanses of water and forests, with a sorrowful heart, in quest of my lord Nala, versed in the tactics of war, skilled in the use of weapons and of high soul.

Has the royal Nala, the ruler of the Nishadha people, for whom, O Brahmanas! afflicted, I am roaming in this dreadful and deep wilderness, full of terrible things and infested by tigers and other beasts of prey-visited this charming hermitage of your almighty selves!

If within a few days and nights I do not see king Nala, I will secure my own welfare by renouncing this body.

What is the use of my life, separated as I have been, from that foremost of men? How shall I live today, afflicted with sorrow for my husband?"

Those truth-seeing ascetics then said unto the forlorn Damayanti, the daughter of Bhima, who had been bewailing for her lord in the forest.

"O auspicious and blessed one! you shall attain to happiness in future. We see by our power of asceticism, that ere long you shall see Naishadha.

O daughter of king Bhima! you shall meet Nala, the Ruler of the Naishadhas, the slayer of his foes and the foremost of those who protect righteousness, with his fever of misery subsided. O blessed one! you shall see your royal husband purged of all sins, adorned with diverse kings' of gems, ruling the self-same excellent of towns, the subduer of his foes, the terror of his enemies, the destroyer of the grief of his friends and crowned with all blessings."

Having thus spoken to that daughter of a king, the dear-loved queen of Nala, the ascetics, with their sacrificial fires and with the asylum itself, disappeared from sight.

Seeing this wondrous phenomenon, Damayanti of faultless shape and limbs and the daughter-in-law of king Virasena became greatly amazed.

Did I dream a dream! what an event have occurred even now? Where are all those ascetics and where is that asylum (gone).

Where is that enchanting rivulet of holy waters, inhabited by water-fowls of various species? Where again are those delightful trees adorned with flowers and fruits?

Thus thinking for a while, Damayanti of pure smiles, the daughter of Bhima, indulging in grief for her husband and miserable, grew pale-faced.

Thereafter wandering to another part of the forest and beholding there an Ashoka tree, she began to lament, her voice choked with the vapour of grief and her eyes overflowing with tears.

She in that forest approached that foremost of trees, the Ashoka, bedecked with flowers, charming, loaded with thick foliage and echoing all round with the notes of birds.

Oh! this charming tree in the heart of this wilderness ornamented with fruits and flowers, is shining like a glorious king of mountains.

"O Ashoka (this tree is fabled to discard the grief of those, who have a view of it)! do you speedily relieve me from my grief, O you of graceful appearance! Have you anywhere in this forest seen king Nala, freed from all grief and fear and unobstructed by any hindrance?

Have you seen the dear-loved husband of Damayanti, my best beloved one, by name Nala, the king of the Nishadhas, the subduer of his foes, wearing half a piece of cloth, of delicate body and skin and that warrior who, crushed under calamity, has repaired into this forest?

O Ashoka tree! so manage that I may go away from you relieved from all grief. O Ashoka! vindicate your denomination of Ashoka, which mean the destroyer of grief?"

That excellent of damsels the afflicted daughter of Bhima, then three-times going round the Ashoka tree, entered a more dreary part of the wilderness.

She beheld many trees and many streams, many charming mountains and various kinds of birds and beasts.

That daughter of Bhima saw, when roaming in quest of her husband, many caverns and ridges and rivulets of amazing sight.

After Damayanti of pure smiles had proceeded a long way, she saw a large caravan of trades together with their horses cars and elephants landing on the banks of a broad, lovely, charming and delightful river, containing cool and clear water, covered with cane-bushes, resounding with cries of cranes and ospreys and ringing with the notes of the Chacrabaka and abounding in tortoises, alligators and fishes and adorned with a large number of small islands.

As soon as the illustrious and delicatewaisted spouse of Nala, roving like an insane person, afflicted with grief, wearing half a piece of cloth, lean, discoloured and pale and with hair soiled with dust saw this great caravan, she approached it and entered into the midst of its people.

Seeing her in their midst, some people of the caravan began to fly in fear, some became greatly anxious and some began to cry aloud.

Some laughed at her, some began to hate her. Some showed kindness towards her and some, O Bharata, questioned her in the following manner.

'O blessed one! who are you and whom do you belong to? What seek you in this forest? Seeing you among us we are greatly anxious! Are you human?

O blessed one! speak the truth, as to whether you are the deity presiding over this forest or the goddess of this mountain or of the cardinal quarters? We seek your shelter.

Be you a female Yaksha or a female Rakshasa or a heavenly damsel, do good unto us and O blaimeless one! protect us completely. O blessed one! do you so ordain that, ere long, this caravan may start from this place attended with prosperity in every direction, as also that poor personal property may be secured.

Thus spoken to by the men of the caravan, the princess Damayanti, devoted to her husband and greatly oppressed with sorrow replied to them thus..

"O leader of the caravan, You traders, You men that belong to this caravan! You youths, you guides of this caravan! Know me for a female human being, a daughter of a royal parent, a daughter-in-law of a sovereign, spouse of a king and as one cager to have a sight of her husband.

The sovereign of Vidharbhas is my father, the illustrious Ruler of the Nishadhas is my husband, known under the name of Nala. Even now I am wandering in quest of that unconquerable one.

Tell me without delay if you have seen my beloved husband, king Nala, the foremost of men and the slayer of his enemies."

Thereupon the lord of that great caravan, the leader of it, by name Suchi, said unto that damsel of faultless limbs. "O blessed one! listen to my words."

O you of pure smiles, I am a merchant and the guide of this caravan. O renowned lady, I have not seen any man bearing the name of Nala.

In this extensive wilderness, uninhabited by men, I see only elephants, leopards and buffaloes, as also tigers birds and other animals.

Save and except yourself I do not find any mortal in this terrible forest. So, may Manibhadra, the king of the Yakshas, be propitious on us this day!

Thereupon she asked the merchants and the leader of the caravan, “You ought to tell me wither the caravan is going.'

The leader of the Caravan said: O daughter of the foremost of men! for purposes of profit this caravan is going in haste 1O the rerritory of Subahu the truth-seeing king of the Chedis.