BOOK XXIV.

Seeing the profound emotion — of that wisest king of men,

Passing back in haste, Kesinia — told to Damayanti all:

Then again did Damayanti — mission to Kesinia give,

To approach her royal mother — in her haste her lord to see.

“Vahuca we've watched most closely — Nala we suspect him still;

Only from his form we doubt him — this myself would fain behold.

Cause him enter here, my mother — to my wishes condescend;

Known or unknown to my father — let it be decided now.”

By that handmaid thus accosted — then the queen to Bhima told

All his daughter's secret counsel — and the raja gave assent.

Instant from her sire the princess — from her mother leave obtained,

Bade them make king Nala enter — in the chamber where she dwelt.

Sudden as he gazed upon her — upon Damayanti gazed,

Nala, he was seized with anguish — and with tears his eyes o'erflowed.

And when Damayanti gazed on — Nala, thus approaching near,

With an agonizing sorrow — was the noble lady seized.

Clad, then, in a scarlet mantle — hair dishevelled, mire-defiled,

Unto Vahuca this language — Damayanti thus addressed:

“Vahuca beheld'st thou ever — an upright and noble man,

Who departed and abandoned — in the wood, his sleeping wife?

The beloved wife, and blameless — in the wild wood, worn with grief?

Who was he who thus forsook her?— who but Nala, king of men?

To the lord of earth, from folly — what offence can I have given?

That he fled, within the forest — leaving me, by sleep oppressed?

Openly, the gods rejected — was he chosen by me, my lord:

Could he leave the true, the loving — her that hath his children borne!

By the nuptial fire, in presence — of the gods, he clasped my hand,

‘ I will be,' this truth he plighted — whither did he then depart?”

While all this in broken accents — sadly Damayanti spoke,

From her eyes the drops of sorrow — flowed in copious torrents down.

Those dark eyes, with vermeil corners — thus with trembling moisture dewed,

When king Nala saw, and gazed on — to the sorrowful he spake.

“Gaming that I lost my kingdom —‘ twas not mine own guilty deed,

It was Kali wrought within me — hence it was I fled from thee;

Therefore he, in th’ hour of trial — smitten by thy scathing curse,

In the wild wood as thou wanderest — grieving night and day for me,

Kali dwelt within my body — burning with thy powerful curse,

Ever burning, fiercer, hotter — as when fire is heaped on fire.

He, by my religious patience — my devotion, now subdued,

Lo! the end of all our sorrows — beautiful! is now at hand.

I, the evil one departed, hither have made haste to come;

For thy sake, O round-limbed! only;— other business have I none.

Yet, O how may high-born woman — from her vowed, her plighted lord,

Swerving, choose another husband — even as thou, O trembler, would'st?

Over all the earth the heralds — travel by the kings command,

‘ Now the daughter of king Bhima — will a second husband choose,

‘ Free from every tie, as wills she — as her fancy may beseem,’

Hearing this, came hither speeding — king Bhangasuri in haste.”

Damayanti, when from Nala — heard she this his grievous charge,

With her folded hands, and trembling — thus to Nala made reply:

“Do not me, O noble-minded — of such shameless guilt suspect,

Thou, when I the gods rejected — Nala, wert my chosen lord.

Only thee to find, the Brahmins — went to the ten regions forth,

Chaunting to their holy measures — but the words that I had taught.

Then that Brahmin wise, Parnada — such the name he bears, O king,

Thee in Kosala, the palace — of king Rituparna saw.

There to thee, my words addressed he — answer there from thee received.

I this subtle wile imagined — king of men, to bring thee here.

Since, beside thyself, no mortal — in the world, within the day,

Could drive on the fleetest coursers — for a hundred Yojanas.

To attest this truth, O monarch!— thus I touch thy sacred feet;

Even in heart have I committed — never evil thought‘ gainst thee.

He through all the world that wanders — witness the all-seeing wind,

Let him now of life bereave me — if in this‘ gainst thee I've sinned:

And the sun that moveth ever — over all the world, on high,

Let him now of life bereave me — if in this‘ gainst thee I've sinned.

Witness, too, the moon that permeates — every being's inmost thought;

Let her too of life bereave me — if in this‘ gainst thee I've sinned.

These three gods are they that govern — these three worlds, so let them speak;

This my sacred truth attest they — or this day abandon me.”

Thus adjured, a solemn witness — spake the wind from out the air;

“She hath done or thought no evil — Nala,‘ tis the truth we speak:

King, the treasure of her virtue — well hath Damayanti kept,

We ourselves have seen and watched her — closely for three livelong years.

This her subtle wile she plotted — only for thy absent sake,

For beside thyself no mortal — might a hundred Yojanas drive.

Thou hast met with Bhima's daughter — Bhima's daughter meets with thee,

Cast away all jealous scruple — to thy bosom take thy wife.”

Even as thus the wind was speaking — flowers fell showering all around:

And the gods sweet music sounded — on the zephyr floating light.

As on this surpassing wonder — royal Nala stood and gazed,

Of the blameless Damayanti — melted all his jealous doubts.

Then by dust all undefiled — he the heavenly vest put on,

Thought upon the King of Serpents — and his proper form resumed.

In his own proud form her husband — Bhima's royal daughter saw,

Loud she shrieked, the undespised — and embraced the king of men.

Bhima's daughter, too, king Nala — shining glorious as of old,

Clasped unto his heart, and fondled — gently that sweet infant pair.

Then her face upon his bosom — as the lovely princess laid,

In her calm and gentle sorrow — softly sighed the long-eyed queen:

He, that form still mire-defiled — as he clasped with smile serene,

Long the king of men stood silent — in the ecstacy of woe.

All the tale of Damayanti — and of Nala all the tale,

To king Bhima in her transport — told Vidarbha's mother-queen.

Then replied that mighty monarch — “Nala, his ablutions done,

Thus rejoined to Damayanti — I to-morrow will behold.”

They the livelong night together — slow related, each to each,

All their wanderings in the forest — and each wild adventure strange.

In king Bhima's royal palace — studying each the other's bliss,

With glad hearts, Vidarbha's princess — and the kingly Nala dwelt.

In their fourth year of divorcement — reunited to his wife,

Richly fraught with every blessing — at the height of joy he stood.

Damayanti too re-wedded — still increasing in her bliss,

Like as the glad earth to water — opens its half-budding fruits,

She of weariness unconscious,— soothed each grief, and full each joy,

Every wish fulfilled, shone brightly — as the night, when high the moon.