BOOK XIV.

Damayanti when deserting — royal Nala fled, ere long

Blazing in the forest jungle — he a mighty fire beheld;

Thence as of a living being — from the midst a voice he heard:

“Hasten, Nala!” oft and loudly — “Punyasloka, haste,” it cried.

“Fear thou not,” king Nala answered — plunging in the ruddy flame;

There he saw the king of serpents — lying, coiled into a ring.

There with folded hands the serpent — trembling, thus to Nala spake:

“Me, Karkotaka, the Serpent — know, thou sovereign of men;

Narada, the famous hermit— I deceived, the holy sage;

He in righteous indignation — smote me with this awful curse:

Stay thou there as one unmoving — till king Nala passing by,

Lead thee hence; save only Nala — none can free thee from this curse.

Through this potent execration — I no step have power to move;

I the way to bliss will show thee — if thou sav'st me from this fate.

I will show thee noble friendship — serpent none is like to me;

Lightly shall I weigh, uplift me — in thy hand, with speed, O king.”

Thus when spake the king of serpents — to a finger's size he shrank;

Him when Nala lightly lifted — to the unburning space he passed.

To the air all cool and temperate — brought him, by the flame unreached.

As he fain on th’ earth would place him — thus Karkotaka began.

“Move thou now, O king, and slowly — as thou movest, count thy steps.

Then the best of all good fortune — will I give thee, mighty armed!”

Ere the tenth step he had counted— him the sudden serpent bit:

As he bit him, on the instant — all his kingly form was changed.

There he stood, and gazed in wonder — Nala, on his altered form.

In his proper shape the serpent — saw the sovereign of men.

Then Karkotaka the serpent — thus to Nala comfort spake:

“Through my power thy form is altered — lest thou should'st be known of men.

He through whom thou'rt thus afflicted — Nala, with intensest grief,

Through my poison, shall in anguish — ever dwell within thy soul.

All his body steeped in poison — till he free thee from thy woe,

Shall he dwell within thee prison'd — in the ecstacy of pain.

So from him, by whom, thou blameless!— sufferest such unworthy wrong,

By the curse I lay upon him — my deliverance shall be wrought.

Fear not thou the tusked wild boar — foeman fear not thou, O king,

Neither Brahmin fear, nor Sages— safe through my prevailing power.

King, this salutary poison — gives to thee nor grief nor pain;

In the battle, chief of Rajas — victory is ever thine.

Go thou forth, thyself thus naming — Vahuca, the charioteer,

To the royal Rituparna — in the dice all-skilful he;

To Ayodhya's pleasant city — sovereign of Nishadha! go;

He his skill in dice will give thee — for thy skill in taming steeds:

Of Ikshwàku's noble lineage — he will be thy best of friends.

Thou the skill in dice possessing — soon wilt rise again to bliss;

With thy consort reunited — yield not up thy soul to grief.

Thou thy kingdom, thou thy children — wilt regain, the truth I speak.

When again thou would'st behold thee — in thy proper form, O king,

Summon me to thy remembrance — and this garment put thou on:

In this garment clad resum'st thou — instantly thy proper form.”

Saying thus, of vests celestial — gave he to the king a pair.

And king Nala, thus instructed — gifted with these magic robes,

Instantly the king of serpents — vanished from his sight away.