BOOK X.

“Mighty is thy father's kingdom — once was mine as mighty too;

Never will I there seek refuge — in my base extremity.

There I once appeared in glory — to the exalting of thy pride;

Shall I now appear in misery — to the increasing of thy shame?”

Nala thus to Damayanti — spake again, and yet again,

Comforting the noble lady — scant in half a garment clad.

Both together by one garment— covered, roamed they here and there;

Wearied out by thirst and famine — to a cabin drew they near.

When they reached that lowly cabin — then did great Nishadha's king

With the princess of Vidarbha — on the hard earth seat them down;

Naked, with no mat to rest on — wet with mire and stained with dust.

Weary then with Damayanti — on the earth he fell asleep.

Sank the lovely Damayanti — by his side with sleep opprest,

She thus plunged in sudden misery — she the tender, the devout.

But while on the cold earth slumbered — Damayanti, all distraught

Nala in his mind by sorrow — might no longer calmly sleep;

For the losing of his kingdom — the desertion of his friends,

And his weary forest wanderings — painful on his thought arose;

“If I do it, what may follow?— what if I refuse to do?

Were my instant death the better — or to abandon her I love.

But to me too deep devoted — suffers she distress and shame;

Reft of me she home may wander — to her royal father's house;

Faithful wandering ever with me — certain sorrow will she bear,

But if separated from me — chance of solace may be hers.”

Long within his heart he pondered — and again, again weighed o'er.

Best he thought it Damayanti — to desert, that wretched king.

From her virtue none dare harm her— in the lonely forest way,

Her the fortunate, the noble — my devoted wedded wife.

Thus his mind on Damayanti — dwelt in its perverted thought,

Wrought by Kali's evil influence — to desert his lovely wife.

Of himself without a garment — and of her with only one.

As he thought, approached he near her — to divide that single robe.

“How shall I divide the garment — by my loved one unperceived?”

Pondering this within his spirit — round the cabin Nala went;

In that narrow cabin's circuit — Nala wandered here and there,

Till he found without a scabbard — shining, a well-tempered sword.

Then when half that only garment — he had severed, and put on,

In her sleep Vidarbha's princess — with bewildered mind he fled.

Yet, his cruel heart relenting — to the cabin turns he back;

On the slumbering Damayanti — gazing, sadly wept the king;

“Thou, that sun nor wind hath ever — roughly visited, my love!

On the hard earth in a cabin — sleepest with thy guardian gone.

Thus attired in half a garment — she that aye so sweetly smiled,

Like to one distracted, beauteous — how at length will she awake?

How will't fare with Bhima's daughter — lone, abandoned by her lord,

Wandering in the savage forest — where wild beasts and serpents dwell.

May the suns and winds of heaven — may the genii of the woods,

Noblest, may they all protect thee — thine own virtue thy best guard.”

To his wife of peerless beauty — on the earth,‘ twas thus he spoke.

Then of sense bereft by Kali — Nala hastily set forth;

And departing, still departing — he returned again, again;

Dragged away by that bad demon — ever by his love drawn back.

Nala, thus his heart divided — into two conflicting parts,

Like a swing goes backward, forward — from the cabin, to and fro.

Torn away at length by Kali — flies afar the frantic king,

Leaving there his wife in slumber — making miserable moans.

Reft of sense, possessed by Kali — thinking still on her he left,

Passed he in the lonely forest — leaving his deserted wife.