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[102]--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[103]--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[104]--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 Ikshwaku'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.[105] And king Nala, thus instructed--gifted with these magic robes, Instantly the king of serpents--vanished from his sight away..