Deign thou, monarch, to admit them,"--thus again, again she said.

To the queen with beauteous eyelids--uttering thus her sad lament, Still possessed by wicked Kali--answered not the king a word.

Then those counsellors of wisdom--and those loyal citizens, "'Tis not he," exclaimed in sorrow,--and in shame and grief went home.

Thus of Pushkara and Nala--still went on that fatal play; Many a weary month it lasted--and still lost the king of men.

BOOK VIII.

Damayanti then beholding--Punyasloka, king of men,[60]

Undistracted, him distracted--with the maddening love of play.

In her dread and in her sorrow--thus did Bhima's daughter speak; Pondering on the weighty business--that concerned the king of men.

Trembling at his guilty frenzy--yet to please him still intent.

Nala, 'reft of all his treasures--when the n.o.ble woman saw, Thus addressed she Vrihatsena,--her old faithful slave and nurse, Friendly in all business dextrous--most devoted, wise in speech: "Vrihatsena, go, the council--as at Nala's call convene, Say what he hath lost of treasure--and what treasure yet remains."

Then did all that reverend council--Nala's summons as they heard, "Our own fate is now in peril"--speaking thus, approach the king.

And a second time his subjects--all a.s.sembling, crowded near, And the queen announced their presence;--of her words he took no heed.

All her words thus disregarded--when king Bhima's daughter found, To the palace, Damayanti--to conceal her shame returned.

When the dice she heard for ever--adverse to the king of men, And of all bereft, her Nala--to the nurse again she spake: "Go again, my Vrihatsena,--in the name of Nala, go, To the charioteer, Varshneya,--great the deed must now be done."

Vrihatsena on the instant--Damayanti's words she heard, Caused the charioteer be summoned--by her messengers of trust.

Bhima's daughter to Varshneya--winning with her gentle voice, Spake, the time, the place well choosing--for the deed, nor spake in vain: "Well thou know'st the full reliance--that in thee the king hath placed, In his fatal hour of peril--wilt not thou stand forth to aid?

As by Pushkara is worsted--ever more and more the king, More and more the fatal frenzy--maddens in his heart for play.

As to Pushkara obedient--ever fall the lucky dice, Thus those dice to royal Nala--still with adverse fortune fall.

Nor the voice of friend or kindred--as beseems him, will he hear; Even to me he will not listen--in the madness of his heart.

Of the lofty-minded Nala--well I know 'tis not the sin, That my words this senseless monarch--in his frenzy will not hear.

Charioteer, to thee my refuge--come I, do thou my behest; I am not o'er calm in spirit--haply he may perish thus.

Yoke the much-loved steeds of Nala--fleet of foot, as thought, are they, In the chariot place our children--to Cundina's city go.[61]

Leave the children with my kindred--and the chariot and the steeds; Then or dwell there at thy pleasure--or depart where'er thou wilt."

When the speech of Damayanti--heard king Nala's charioteer, He, the chief of Nala's council--thus in full divan addressed, Weighed within their solemn conclave--and their full a.s.sent obtained, With the children in the chariot--to Vidarbha straight he drove.

There he rendered up the horses--with the chariot there he left.

That young maiden Indrasena--Indrasen, that n.o.ble boy.

To king Bhima paid his homage--sad, for Nala's fall distressed, Thence departing, to Ayodhya[62]--took the charioteer his way.

In his grief to Rituparna--that ill.u.s.trious king, he came, As his charioteer, the service--entered of the lord of earth.

BOOK IX.

Scarce Varshneya had departed--still the king of men played on, Till to Pushkara his kingdom--all that he possessed, was lost.

Nala then, despoiled of kingdom--smiling Pushkara bespake: "Throw we yet another hazard--Nala, where is now thy stake?

There remains but Damayanti--all thou hast beside, is mine.

Throw we now for Damayanti--come, once more the hazard try."

Thus as Pushkara addressed him--Punyasloka's inmost heart By his grief was rent asunder--not a single word he spake.

And on Pushkara, king Nala--in his silent anguish gazed.

All his ornaments of splendour--from his person stripped he off, With a single vest, scarce covered,--'mid the sorrow of his friends.

Slowly wandered forth the monarch--fallen from such an height of bliss.

Damayanti with one garment--slowly followed him behind.

Three long nights Nishadha's monarch--there without the gates had dwelt.

Proclamation through the city--then did Pushkara bid make, "Whosoe'er befriendeth Nala--shall to instant death be doomed."

Thus, as Pushkara gave order--in the terror of his power, Might the citizens no longer--hospitably serve the king.

Near the walls, of kind reception--worthiest, but by none received; Three nights longer staid the monarch--water was his only drink, He in unfastidious hunger--plucked the fruits, the roots of earth.

Then went forth again the outcast:--Damayanti followed slow.

In the agony of famine--Nala, after many days, Saw some birds around him settling--with their golden tinctured wings.

Then the monarch of Nishadha--thought within his secret heart, These to-day my welcome banquet--and my treasure these will be.

Over them his single garment--spreading light he wrapped them round: Up that single garment bearing--to the air they sprang away; And the birds above him hovering--thus in human accents spake, Naked as they saw him standing--on the earth, and sad, and lone:-- "Lo, we are the dice, to spoil thee--thus descended, foolish king!

While thou hadst a single garment--all our joy was incomplete."

When the dice he saw departing--and himself without his robe, Mournfully did Punyasloka--thus to Damayanti speak: "They, O blameless, by whose anger--from my kingdom I am driven, Life-sustaining food unable--in my misery to find-- They, through whom Nishadha's people--may not house their outcast king-- They, the forms of birds a.s.suming--my one robe have borne away.

In the dark extreme of misery--sad and frantic as I am, Hear me, princess, hear and profit--by thy husband's best advice.

Hence are many roads diverging--to the region of the south,[63]

Pa.s.sing by Avanti's city[64]--and the height of Rishavan; Vindhya here, the mighty mountain[65]--and Payoshni's seaward stream;[66]

And the lone retreats of hermits--on the fruits of earth that live; This will lead thee to Vidarbha--this to Cosala away,[67]

Far beyond the region stretches--southward to the southward clime."

In these words to Damayanti--did the royal Nala speak, More than once to Bhima's daughter--anxious pointing out the way.

She, with voice half choked with sorrow--with her weight of woe oppressed, These sad words did Damayanti--to Nishadha's monarch speak:-- "My afflicted heart is breaking--and my sinking members fail, When, O king, thy desperate counsel--once I think of, once again.

Robbed of kingdom, robbed of riches--naked, thirst and hunger worn; How shall I depart and leave thee--in the wood by man untrod.

When thou sad and famine-stricken--thinkest of thy former bliss, In the wild wood, oh, my husband,--I thy weariness will soothe.

Like a wife, in every sorrow--this the wise physicians own, Healing herb is none or balsam--Nala, 'tis the truth I speak."

NALA _spake_.

Slender-waisted Damayanti--true, indeed, is all thou'st said; Like a wife no friendly medicine--to afflicted man is given.

Fear not that I thee abandon--Wherefore, timid, dread'st thou this?

Oh, myself might I abandon--and not thee, thou unreproached.

DAMAYANTI _spake_.

If indeed, oh mighty monarch--thou wilt ne'er abandon me, Wherefore then towards Vidarbha--dost thou point me out the way.

Well, I know thee, n.o.ble Nala--to desert me far too true, Only with a soul distracted--would'st thou leave me, lord of earth.

Yet, again, the way thou pointest--yet, again, thou best of men, Thus my sorrow still enhancing--oh, thou like the immortal G.o.ds; If this be thy better counsel--'to her kindred let her go,'

Be it so, and both together--to Vidarbha set we forth.

Thee Vidarbha's king will honour--honour'd in his turn by thee; Held in high respect and happy--in our mansion thou shall dwell.

BOOK X.

NALA _spake_.

"Mighty is thy father's kingdom--once was mine as mighty too; Never will I there seek refuge--in my base extremity.

There I once appeared in glory--to the exalting of thy pride; Shall I now appear in misery--to the increasing of thy shame?"

Nala thus to Damayanti--spake again, and yet again, Comforting the n.o.ble lady--scant in half a garment clad.

Both together by one garment[68]--covered, roamed they here and there; Wearied out by thirst and famine--to a cabin drew they near.

When they reached that lowly cabin--then did great Nishadha's king With the princess of Vidarbha--on the hard earth seat them down; Naked, with no mat to rest on--wet with mire and stained with dust.

Weary then with Damayanti--on the earth he fell asleep.

Sank the lovely Damayanti--by his side with sleep opprest, She thus plunged in sudden misery--she the tender, the devout.