BOOK XXII.
DAMAYANTI _spake_.
"Go, Kesinia, go, enquire thou--who is yonder charioteer, On the chariot seat reposing--all deformed, with arms so short?
Blessed maid, approach, and courteous--open thou thy bland discourse: Undespis'd, ask thou thy question--and the truth let him reply.
Much and sorely do I doubt me--whether Nala it may be, As my bosom's rapture augurs--as the gladness of my heart.
Speak thou, ere thou close the converse--even as good Parnada spake And his answer, slender-waisted--undespis'd, remember thou." Then to Vahuca departing--went that zealous messenger, On the palace' loftiest terrace--Damayanti sate and gazed.
KESINIA _spake_.
"Happy omen mark thy coming--I salute thee, king of men: Of the princess Damayanti--hear, O lord of men, the speech: 'From what region came ye hither--with what purpose are ye come ?' Answer thou, as may beseem you--so Vidarbha's princess wills." VAHUCA _spake_.
"Soon a second Swayembara, heard the king of Kosala, Damayanti holds: to-morrow--will it be, the Brahmin said: Hearing this, with fleetest coursers--that a hundred yojanas' speed, Set he forth, the wind less rapid,--and his charioteer am I." KESINIA _spake_.
"Who the third that journeys with you--who is he, and what his race?
Of what race art thou?
this office--wherefore dost thou undertake!" VAHUCA _spake_.
"'Tis the far-renowned Varshneya--Punyasloka's charioteer: He, when Nala fled an exile--to Bhangasuri retired.
Skilful I in taming horses--and a famous charioteer.
Rituparna's chosen driver--dresser of his food am I." KESINIA _spake_.
"Knows the charioteer Varshneya--whither royal Nala went?
Of his fortune hath he told thee--Vahuca, what hath he said ?" VAHUCA _spake_.
"He of the unhappy Nala--safe the children borne away, Wheresoe'er he would, departed--of king Nala knows he nought: Nothing of Nishadha's raja--fair one! living man doth know.
Through the world, concealed, he wanders--having lost his proper form.
Only Nala's self of Nala--knows, and his own inward soul, Of himself to living mortal--Nala will no sign betray." KESINIA _spake_.
"He that to Ayodhya's city--went, the holy Brahmin first, Of his faithful wife these sayings--uttered once and once again; 'Whither went'st thou then, O gamester--half my garment severing off; Leaving her within the forest--all forsaken, thy belov'd?
Even as thou commanded'st, sits she--sadly waiting thy return, Day and night, consumed with sorrow--in her scant half garment clad.
O to her for ever weeping--in the extreme of her distress, Grant thy pity, noble hero--answer to her earnest prayer.' Speak again the words thou uttered'st--words of comfort to her soul, The renowned Vidarbha's princess--fain that speech would hear again, When the Brahmin thus had spoken--what thou answered'st back to him, That again Vidarbha's princess--in the self-same words would hear." VRIHADASVA _spake_.
Of king Nala, by the handmaid--fair Kesinia thus addressed, All the heart was wrung with sorrow--and the eyes o'erflowed with tears.
But his anguish still suppressing--inly though consumed, the king, With a voice half choked with weeping--thus repeated his reply.
"Even in the extreme of misery--noble women still preserve Over their own selves the mastery--by their virtues winning heaven; By their faithless lords abandoned--anger feel they not, e'en then; In the breastplate of their virtue--noble women live unharmed.
By the wretched, by the senseless--by the lost to every joy, She by such a lord forsaken--to resentment will not yield.
Against him, by hunger wasted--of his robe by birds despoiled, Him consumed with utmost misery--still no wrath, the dark-hued feels; Treated well, or ill-entreated--when her husband 'tis she sees, Spoiled of bliss, bereft of kingdom--famine wasted, worn with woe." In these words as spake king Nala--in the anguish of his heart, Could he not refrain from weeping--his unwilling tears burst forth.
Then departing, fair Kesinia--told to Damayanti all, All that Vahuca had spoken--all th' emotion he betrayed..