Lone, and young, the ways unknowing--undeserving of such fate, Pines she there with thirst and hunger--hard it is to say, she lives.

In that vast and awful forest--haunted by fierce beasts of prey, By her lord she roams forsaken--hapless, by that luckless lord."

Thus remembering Damayanti--did Nishadha's king unknown, Long within that dwelling sojourn--in the palace of the king.

BOOK XVI.

Nala thus bereft of kingdom--with his wife to slavery sunk, Forth king Bhima sent the Brahmins--Nala through the world to seek.

Thus the royal Bhima charged them--with abundant wealth supplied:-- "Go ye now and seek king Nala--Damayanti seek, my child: And, achieved this weighty business--found Nishadha's royal lord, Whosoe'er shall hither bring them--shall a thousand kine receive; And a royal grant for maintenance[109]--of a village like a town.

If nor hither Damayanti--nor king Nala may be brought, Know we where they are, rich guerdon--still we give, ten hundred kine."

Thus addressed, the joyful Brahmins--went to every clime of earth, Through the cities, through the kingdoms--seeking Nala and his queen: Nala, or king Bhima's daughter--in no place might they behold.

Then a Brahmin, named Sudeva--came to pleasant Chedi-pur; There within the kingly palace--he Vidarbha's daughter saw, Standing with the fair Sunanda--on a royal holiday.[110]

With her beauty once so peerless--worthy now of little praise, Like the sun-light feebly shining--through the dimness of a cloud.

Gazing on the large-eyed princess--dull in look, and wasted still, Lo, he thought, king Bhima's daughter--pondering thus within his mind.--

SUDEVA _spake_.

"Even as once I wont to see her--such is yonder woman's form, I my work have done, beholding--like the G.o.ddess world-adored, Like the full moon, darkly beauteous--with her fair and swelling b.r.e.a.s.t.s, Her, the queen, that with her brightness--makes each clime devoid of gloom, With her lotus eyes expanding--like Manmatha's queen divine;[111]

Like the moonlight in its fulness--the desire of all the world.

From Vidarbha's pleasant waters--her by cruel fate plucked up, [112]Like a lotus flower uprooted--with the mire and dirt around: Like the pallid night, when Rahu[113]--swallows up the darkened moon: For her husband wan with sorrow--like a gentle stream dried up; Like a pool, where droops the lotus--whence the affrighted birds have fled, By the elephant's proboscis--in its quiet depths disturbed.

Tender, soft-limbed, in a palace--fit, of precious stones, to dwell.

Like the lotus stem, uprooted--parched and withered by the sun.

Fair in form, in soul as generous--worthy of all bliss, unbless'd, Like the young moon's slender crescent--in the heavens by dark clouds veiled.

Widowed now of all love's pleasures--of her n.o.ble kin despoiled, Wretched, bearing life, her husband--in her hope again to see.

To the unadorned, a husband[114]--is the chiefest ornament; Of her husband if forsaken--she in splendour is not bright.

Difficult must be the trial--does king Nala, reft of her, Still retain his wretched body--nor with sorrow pine away?

Her with her dark flowing tresses--with her long and lotus eyes, Worthy of all joy, thus joyless--as I see, my soul is wrung.

To the furthest sh.o.r.e of sorrow--when will pa.s.s this beauteous queen?

To her husband reunited--as the moon's bride[115] to the moon?

Her recovering shall king Nala--to his happiness return, King, albeit despoiled of kingdom--he his realm shall rea.s.sume; In their age and virtues equal--equal in their n.o.ble race, He alone of her is worthy--worthy she alone of him.

Me beseems it of that peerless--of that brave and prudent king, To console the loyal consort--pining for her husband's sight.

Her will I address with comfort--with her moonlike glowing face.

Her with woe once unacquainted--woful now and lost in thought."

Thus when he had gazed and noted--all her marks, her features well, To the daughter of king Bhima--thus the sage Sudeva spake: "I am named Sudeva, lady--I, thy brother's chosen friend, By king Bhima's royal mandate--hither come in search of thee.

Well thy sire, thy royal mother--well thy n.o.ble brethren fare, And well fare those little infants--well and happy are they both.

For thy sake thy countless kindred--sit as though of sense bereft: Seeking thee a hundred Brahmins--now are wandering o'er the earth."

She no sooner knew Sudeva--Damayanti, of her kin, Many a question asked in order--and of every friend beloved.

And the daughter of Vidarbha--freely wept, so sudden thus On Sudeva, best of Brahmins--gazing, on her brother's friend.

Her beheld the young Sunanda--weeping, wasted with distress, As she thus her secret converse--with the wise Sudeva held.

Thus she spake unto her mother--"Lo, how fast our handmaid weeps, Since her meeting with the Brahmin--who she is, thou now may'st know."

Forth the king of Chedi's mother--from the inner chamber went, And she pa.s.sed where with the Brahmin--that mysterious woman stood.

Them the mother queen Sudeva--bade before her presence stand; And she asked, "Whose wife, whose daughter--may this n.o.ble stranger be?

From her kindred how dissevered--from her husband, the soft-eyed?

Is she known to thee, O Brahmin--canst thou tell from whence she came?

This I fain would hear, and clearly--all her strange and wonderous tale.

Tell me all that hath befallen--to this heaven-formed, plainly tell."

Best of Brahmins, thus Sudeva--by the mother queen addressed, All the truth of Damayanti--sitting at his ease, declared.

BOOK XVII.

"In Vidarbha the just monarch--Bhima, in his glory dwells.

Of that king is she the daughter--Damayanti is her name; And the raja of Nishadha--Nala, Virasena's son, Of that king is she the consort--Punyasloka named, the Wise.

Him in play his brother worsted--spoiled of realm the king of earth: He set forth with Damayanti--whither is unknown of men.

For the sake of Damayanti--wander we about the earth; Till I found yon n.o.ble woman--in the palace of your son.

Like to her of mortal women--is there none, her beauty's peer; In the midst, between her eyebrows--from her birth a lovely mole, Dark was seen, and like a lotus--that hath vanished from my sight, Covered over with defilement--like the moon behind a cloud.

This soft mark of perfect beauty--fashioned thus by Brahma's self, As at change the moon's thin crescent--only dim and faintly gleams.

Yet her beauty is not faded--clouded o'er with toil and mire Though she be, it shines apparent, like the native unwrought gold.

With that beauteous form yon woman--gifted with that lovely mole, Instant knew I for the Princess--as the heat betrays the fire."

VRIHADASVA _spake_.

To Sudeva as she listened--uttering thus his strange discourse: All the dust that mole concealing--young Sunanda washed away.

By the obscuring dust unclouded--shining out that mole appeared; On the brow of Damayanti--like the unclouded moon in heaven.

Gazing on that mole, Sunanda--and the mother of the king, Wept as fondly they embraced her--and an instant silent stood.

Then her tears awhile suppressing--thus the royal mother spake: "Thou art mine own sister's daughter--by that beauteous mole made known; I, Oh beauteous, and thy mother--of that lofty-minded king, Are the daughters, king Sudaman--he that in Dasarna[116] reigns; She was wedded to king Bhima--and to Viravahu I.

In my fathers home, Dasarna--once I saw thee, newly born.

As to me thy father's lineage--is akin, so mine to thee; Whatsoe'er my power commandeth--Damayanti, all is thine."

To the queen did Damayanti--in the gladness of her heart, Having bowed in courteous homage--to her mother's sister, speak: "While unknown I might continue--gladly dwelt I here with thee; Every want supplied on th' instant--guarded by thy gentle care.

Yet than even this pleasant dwelling--a more pleasant may there be; Long a banished woman, mother!--give me leave from hence to part, Thither where my infant children--dwell my tender little ones, Orphaned of their sire, in sorrow--orphaned, ah, how long of me!

If thou yet wilt grant a favour--o'er all other favours dear, To Vidarbha would I journey--quick the palanquin command."

"Be it so," her mother's sister--joyful, instant made reply.

Guarded by a mighty army--with th' approval of her son, Sent the queen, that happy lady--in a palanquin, by men Borne aloft, and well provided--with all raiment, drink, and food.

Thus the princess to Vidarbha--after brief delay returned.

Her her whole a.s.sembled kindred--welcomed home with pride and joy, All in health she found her kinsmen-and that lovely infant pair, With her mother, with her father--and her sister troop of friends.

To the G.o.ds she paid her worship--to the Brahmins in her joy; So the queenly Damayanti--all in n.o.blest guise performed.

And her royal sire Sudeva--with the thousand kine made glad, Joyous to behold his daughter,--with a village and much wealth.

There, when in her father's palace--she the quiet night had pa.s.sed, In these words the n.o.ble lady--to her mother gan to speak: "If in life thou would'st preserve me--mother, hear the truth I speak; Home to bring the hero Nala--be it now thy chiefest toil."

Thus addressed by Damayanti--very sorrowful the queen Clouded all her face with weeping--not a word in answer spake.

But the princess, thus afflicted--when the female train beheld, "Woe! oh woe!" they shrieked together--all in pitying sadness wept.

To the mighty raja Bhima--did the queen that speech relate.

"'Damayanti, Lo thy daughter--for her husband sits and mourns.'

Breaking through all bashful silence--thus, oh king, to me she spake: 'Be it now thy servants' business--to find out the king of men.'"

Urged by her the king his Brahmins--to his will obedient all, Sent around to every region--"Be your care the king to find."

Then those Brahmins at the mandate--of Vidarbha's royal lord, First drew near to Damayanti--"Lo, now set we forth," they said.

Then to them spake Bhima's daughter--"In all realms be this your speech, Wheresoever men a.s.semble--this repeat again, again: Whither went'st thou then, oh gamester!--half my garment severing off, Leaving me within the forest--all forsaken, thy beloved.

Even as thou commandedst, sits she--sadly waiting thy return.

Parched with sorrow sits that woman--in her scant half garment glad.

Oh to her thus ever weeping--in the extreme of her distress, Grant thy pity, n.o.ble hero--answer to her earnest prayer.

Be this also said, to move him--to compa.s.sionate my state, (By the wind within the forest--fanned, intensely burns the fire).[117]

Ever by her consort cherished--and sustained the wife should be.

Why hast thou forgot that maxim--thou in every duty skilled.

Thou wert ever called the generous--thou the gentle and the wise.

Art thou now estranged from pity--through my sad injurious fate.