Part 8 (1/2)

Prince of men, O grant thy pity--grant it, lord of men, to me; 'Mercy is the chief of duties,'--oft from thine own lips I've heard.

Thus as ye are ever speaking--should there any one reply, Mark him well, lest he be Nala--who he is, and where he dwells.

He who to this speech hath listened--and hath thus his answer made, Be his words, O best of Brahmins--treasured and brought home to me, Lest he haply should discover--that by my command ye speak, That again ye may approach him--do ye this without delay.

Whether he be of the wealthy--whether of the poor he be; Be he covetous of riches--learn ye all he would desire.”

Thus addressed, went forth the Brahmins--to the realms on every side, Seeking out the royal Nala--in his dark concealed distress.

They through royal cities, hamlets--pastoral dwellings, hermits' cells, Nala every-where went seeking--yet those Brahmins found him not.

All in every part went speaking--in the language they were taught; In the words of Damayanti--spake they in the ears of men.

BOOK XVIII.

Long the time that pa.s.sed, a Brahmin--wise Parnada was his name, Home returning to the city--thus to Bhima's daughter spake: ”Damayanti! royal Nala--as I sought Nishadha's king, Came I to Ayodhya's city--the Bhangasuri's abode.

Stood before me, eager listening--to the words thou bad'st us speak, He, the prosperous Rituparna--all excelling! such his name.

Thus as spake I, answered nothing--Rituparna, king of men; Nor of all that full a.s.semblage--more than once addressed by me.

By the king dismissed, when sate I--in a solitary place, One of Rituparna's household--Vahuca, his name, drew near, Charioteer of that great raja--with short arms and all deformed, Skilled to drive the rapid chariot--skilled the viands to prepare.

He, when much he'd groaned in anguish--and had wept again, again, First his courteous salutation--made, then spake in words like these: Even in the extreme of misery--n.o.ble women still preserve, Over their ownselves the mastery--by their virtues winning heaven; Of their faithless lords abandoned--anger feel not even then.

In the breastplate of their virtue--n.o.ble women live unharmed.

By the wretched, by the senseless--by the lost to every joy, She by such a lord forsaken--yet to anger will not yield.

Against him his sustenance seeking--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 she beholds, Spoiled of bliss, bereft of kingdom--famine-wasted, worn with woe.

Having heard the stranger's language--hither hasted I to come.

Thou hast heard, be thine the judgment--to the king relate thou all.”

To Parnada having listened--with her eyes o'erflowed with tears, Secretly went Damayanti--and her mother thus addressed: ”Let not what I speak to Bhima--O my mother, be made known-- In thy presence to Sudeva--best of Brahmins, I would speak.

Let not this my secret counsel--to king Bhima be disclosed; This the object we must compa.s.s--if thy daughter thou wouldst please, As myself was to my kindred--swiftly by Sudeva brought, With the same good fortune swiftly--may Sudeva part from hence, Home to bring the royal Nala--mother, to Ayodhya's town.”

Resting from his toil, Parnada--of the Brahmin race the best, Did the daughter of Vidarbha--honour, and with wealth reward.

”Brahmin! home if come my Nala--richer guerdon will I give; Much hast thou achieved, and wisely--so as none but thou has done.

That again with my lost husband--n.o.blest Brahmin, I may meet.”

Thus addressed, his grateful homage--and his benedictions paid, Having thus achieved his mission--home the wise Parnada went.

Then accosting good Sudeva--Damayanti thus began, And before her mother's presence--in her pain and grief she spake: ”Go, Sudeva, to the city--where Ayodhya's raja dwells, Speak thou thus to Rituparna--Come, as of thine own accord.

Once again her Swayembara--does king Bhima's daughter hold; Damayanti, thither hasten--all the kings and sons of kings; Closely now the time is reckoned--when to-morrow's dawn appears; If that thou would'st win the Princess--speed thou, tamer of thy foes.

When the sun is in his rising--she a second lord will choose: Whether lives or is not living--royal Nala, no one knows.”

Thus, as he received his mission--hastening to the king, he spake, To the royal Rituparna--spake Sudeva, in these words.

BOOK XIX.

Hearing thus Sudeva's language--Rituparna, king of men With a gentle voice and blandly--thus to Vahuca began.

”Where the princess Damayanti--doth her Swayembara hold In one day to far Vidarbha--Vahuca, I fain would go.”

In these words the unknown Nala--by his royal lord addressed All his heart was torn with anguish--thus the lofty-minded thought-- ”Can she speak thus, Damayanti--thus with sorrow frantic act?

Is't a stratagem thus subtly--for my sake devised and plann'd?

To desire this deed unholy[118]--is that holy princess driven Wrong'd by me, her basest husband--miserable, mind-estranged!

Fickle is the heart of woman--grievous too is my offence!

Hence she thus might act ign.o.bly--in her exile, reft of friends, Soul-disturbed by her great sorrow--in the excess of her despair.

No! she could not thus have acted--she with n.o.ble offspring blest.

Where the truth, and where the falsehood--setting forth, I best shall judge, I the will of Rituparna--for mine own sake, will obey.”