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,[133] 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,'[134] 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,[135] 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:[136] 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." VRIHADASVA _spake_.
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..