Part 10 (1/2)
”Who the third that journeys with you--who is he, and what his race?
Of what race art thou? this office--wherefore dost thou undertake!”
VAHUCA _spake_.
”'Tis the far-renowned Varshneya--Punyasloka's charioteer: He, when Nala fled an exile--to Bhangasuri retired.
Skilful I in taming horses--and a famous charioteer.
Rituparna's chosen driver--dresser of his food am I.”
KESINIA _spake_.
”Knows the charioteer Varshneya--whither royal Nala went?
Of his fortune hath he told thee--Vahuca, what hath he said?”
VAHUCA _spake_.
”He of the unhappy Nala--safe the children borne away, Wheresoe'er he would, departed--of king Nala knows he nought: Nothing of Nishadha's raja--fair one! living man doth know.
Through the world, concealed, he wanders--having lost his proper form.
Only Nala's self of Nala--knows, and his own inward soul, Of himself to living mortal--Nala will no sign betray.”
KESINIA _spake_.
”He that to Ayodhya's city--went, the holy Brahmin first, Of his faithful wife these sayings--uttered once and once again; 'Whither went'st thou then, O gamester--half my garment severing off; Leaving her within the forest--all forsaken, thy belov'd?
Even as thou commanded'st, sits she--sadly waiting thy return, Day and night, consumed with sorrow--in her scant half garment clad.
O to her for ever weeping--in the extreme of her distress, Grant thy pity, n.o.ble hero--answer to her earnest prayer.'
Speak again the words thou uttered'st--words of comfort to her soul, The renowned Vidarbha's princess--fain that speech would hear again, When the Brahmin thus had spoken--what thou answered'st back to him, That again Vidarbha's princess--in the self-same words would hear.”
VRIHADASVA _spake_.
Of king Nala, by the handmaid--fair Kesinia thus addressed, All the heart was wrung with sorrow--and the eyes o'erflowed with tears.
But his anguish still suppressing--inly though consumed, the king, With a voice half choked with weeping--thus repeated his reply.
”Even in the extreme of misery--n.o.ble women still preserve Over their own selves the mastery--by their virtues winning heaven; By their faithless lords abandoned--anger feel they not, e'en 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--to resentment will not yield.
Against him, by hunger wasted--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 'tis she sees, Spoiled of bliss, bereft of kingdom--famine wasted, worn with woe.”
In these words as spake king Nala--in the anguish of his heart, Could he not refrain from weeping--his unwilling tears burst forth.
Then departing, fair Kesinia--told to Damayanti all, All that Vahuca had spoken--all th' emotion he betrayed.
BOOK XXIII.
Hearing this, fair Damayanti--all abandoned to her grief.
Thinking still that he was Nala--to Kesinia spake again.
”Go, Kesinia, go, examine--Vahuca, and all his acts, Silent take thy stand beside him--and observe whate'er he does; Nor, Kesinia, be there given him--fire his labours to a.s.sist: Neither be there given him water--in thy haste, at his demand: All, when thou hast well observed him--every act to me repeat, Every act that more than mortal--seems in Vahuca, relate.”
Thus addressed by Damayanti--straight Kesinia went again, Of the tamer of the horses--every act observed, came back; Every act as she had seen it--she to Damayanti told: Every more than mortal wonder--that in Vahuca appeared.
KESINIA _spake_.
”Very holy is he, never--mortal man, in all my life, Have I seen, or have I heard of--Damayanti, like to him.
He drew near the lowly entrance--bowed not down his stately head; On the instant, as it saw him--up th' expanding portal rose.
For the use of Rituparna--much and various viands came;[131]
Sent, as meet, by royal Bhima--and abundant animal food.
These to cleanse, with meet ablution--were capacious vessels brought; As he looked on them, the vessels--stood, upon the instant, full.