Part 9 (1/2)

And of leaves are five ten millions[124]--hanging on those branches two.

Those two branches if thou gather--and the twigs that on them grow, On those two are fruits two thousand--and a hundred, less by five.”

Then, when he had check'd the chariot--answered Vahuca the king, ”What thou speakest, to mine eyesight--all invisible appears; Visible I'll make it, counting--on yon boughs the leaves and fruit: Then, when we have strictly numbered--I mistrust mine eyes no more.

In thy presence, king, I'll number--yonder tall Vibhitak-tree.

Whether it may be, or may not--this not done, I cannot know.

I will number, thou beholding--all its fruits, O king of men, But an instant let Varshneya--hold the bridles of the steeds.”

To the charioteer the raja--answered, ”Time is none to stay.”

Vahuca replied, all eager--his own purpose to fulfil, ”Either stay thou here an instant--or go onward in thy speed, With the charioteer Varshneya--go, for straight the road before.”

Answered him king Rituparna--with a bland and soothing voice: ”Charioteer! on earth thine equal--Vahuca, there may not be; By thy guidance, skilled in horses!--to Vidarbha I would go: I in thee have placed reliance--interrupt not then our course: Willingly will I obey thee--Vahuca, in what thou ask'st, If this day we reach Vidarbha--ere the sun hath sunk in night.”

Vahuca replied, ”No sooner--have I numbered yonder fruit, To Vidarbha will I hasten--grant me then my prayer, O king.”

Then the raja, all reluctant--”Stay then, and begin to count; Of one branch one part, O blameless--from the tall Vibhitak tree, Man of truth, begin to number--and make glad thine inmost heart.”

From the chariot quick alighting--Nala tore the branch away.

Then, his soul possess'd with wonder--to the raja thus he said; ”Having counted, an thou sawest--even so many fruits there are, Marvellous thy power, O monarch--by mine eyes beheld and proved, Of that wonder-working science--fain the secret would I hear.”

Then the raja spake in answer--eager to pursue his way, ”I of dice possess the science--and in numbers thus am skilled.”

Vahuca replied; ”That science--if to me thou wilt impart, In return, O king, receive thou--my surpa.s.sing skill in steeds.”

Then the raja Rituparna--by his pressing need induced, Eager for that skill in horses--”Be it so,” thus 'gan to say; ”Well, O Vahuca, thou speakest--thou my skill in dice receive, And of steeds thy wondrous knowledge--be to me a meet return.”

Rituparna, all his science--saying this, to Nala gave.

Soon as he in dice grew skilful--Kali from his body pa.s.sed: He Karkotaka's foul poison--vomiting from out his mouth, Went from forth his body Kali[125]--tortured by that fiery curse.

Nala, wasted by that conflict--came not instant to himself, But, released from that dread venom--Kali his own form resumed: And Nishadha's monarch, Nala--fain would curse him in his ire.

Him addressed the fearful Kali--trembling, and with folded hands; ”Lord of men, restrain thine anger--I will give thee matchless fame; Indrasena's wrathful mother--laid on me her fatal curse,[126]

When by thee she was deserted--since that time, O king of men, I have dwelt in thee in anguish--in the ecstacy of pain.

By the King of Serpents' poison--I have burned by night, by day; To thy mercy now for refuge--flee I, hear my speech, O king: Wheresoe'er men, unforgetful--through the world shall laud thy name, Shall the awful dread of Kali[126]--never in their soul abide.

If thou wilt not curse me, trembling--and to thee for refuge fled.”

Thus addressed, the royal Nala--all his rising wrath suppressed, And the fearful Kali entered--in the cloven Vibhitak tree:[127]

To no eyes but those of Nala--visible, had Kali spoken.

Then the monarch of Nishadha--from his inward fever freed, When away had vanished Kali--when the fruits he had numbered all, Triumphing in joy unwonted--blazing in his splendour forth, Proudly mounting on the chariot--onward urged the rapid steeds.

But that tree by Kali entered--since that time stands aye accursed.

Those fleet horses, forward flying--like to birds, again, again, All his soul elate with transport--Nala swifter, swifter drove; With his face towards Vidarbha--rode the raja in his pride: And when forward Nala journeyed--Kali to his home returned.

So released from all his sufferings--Nala went, the king of men, Dispossessed by Kali, wanting--only now his proper form.

BOOK XXI.

With the evening in Vidarbha--men at watch, as they drew near, Mighty Rituparna's coming--to king Bhima did proclaim.

Then that king, by Bhima's mandate--entered in Kundina's walls, All the region round him echoing[128]--with the thunders of his car.

But the echoing of that chariot--when king Nala's horses heard, In their joy they pawed and trampled[129]--even as Nala's self were there.

Damayanti, too, the rus.h.i.+ng--of king Nala's chariot heard.

As a cloud that hoa.r.s.ely thunders--at the coming of the rains.

All her heart was thrilled with wonder--at that old familiar sound.

On they seemed to come, as Nala--drove of yore his trampling steeds: Like it seemed to Bhima's daughter--and e'en so to Nala's steeds.

On the palace roofs the peac.o.c.ks--th' elephants within their stalls, And the horses heard the rolling--of the mighty monarch's car.

Elephants and peac.o.c.ks hearing--the fleet chariot rattling on, Up they raised their necks and clamoured--as at sound of coming rain.[130]

DAMAYANTI _spake_.

”How the rolling of yon chariot--filling, as it seems, th' earth, Thrills my soul with unknown transport--it is Nala, king of men.