Mahabharata Vol. 2 (Penguin Translated Texts) (53 page)

‘“Keshini said, ‘O Damayanti! Never before have I seen, or heard of, a man with conduct like this. He is firm and pure in his conduct. When he comes to a short passage, he never lowers his head. But on seeing him, the passage is elevated, and he comfortably passes through. Thus a narrow opening becomes a wide opening for him. The king sent a lot of many kinds of food for Rituparna and there was the flesh of many animals. A vessel had been provided for cleaning the meat. When Bahuka looked at the vessel, it filled up with water for cleaning. He then wished to cook and grasped a handful of straw. He made it into kindling and held it up and suddenly, it blazed up in flames. On witnessing that extraordinary sight, I was astounded and came back here. I also saw another great marvel there. O beautiful one! Though he touched fire, it did not burn him down. The water flowed rapidly on his instructions. I witnessed yet another great wonder. He took some flowers in his hand and pressed them gently. When these flowers were pressed in his hands, they became even more fresh and fragrant. Having witnessed these extraordinary wonders, I have swiftly come back here.’ Having heard about the deeds performed by Punyashloka, Damayanti decided that Nala was known through his acts and signs and had been regained.

‘“She guessed that her husband Nala had assumed the form of Bahuka. She wept and again told Keshini in a soft voice, ‘O beautiful one! Go yet again. When Bahuka is inattentive, take from the kitchen some meat that he has cooked and come back here.’ The one who performed desired actions went swiftly. O descendant of the Kuru lineage! When Bahuka’s attention was elsewhere, Keshini took some warm meat and instantly brought it to Damayanti. In earlier times, she had often tasted meat prepared by Nala. On tasting it, she knew Nala to be the cook. She wept in great sorrow, overcome by grief. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! She then washed her face and sent Keshini with the twins. Bahuka recognized Indrasena
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and her brother. The king rushed to them, embraced them and placed them on his lap. Having regained his children, who were like divine children, Bahuka was overcome by great grief and cried loudly. Thus, Nishadha repeatedly displayed his mental anguish. Suddenly, he let his children go and told Keshini, ‘O beautiful one! These twins are just like my own children and on suddenly seeing them, I began to shed tears. You have been coming here quite often and people may interpret these signs wrongly. We are guests in your country. O beautiful one! Therefore, I bow down before you. Go away.’”’

‘Brihadashva said, “Having seen all the agitations of the wise Punyashloka, Keshini quickly returned and reported it to Damayanti. Damayanti was sad and anxious because of the suspicion that this was Nala. She sent Keshini again to her mother,
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‘Suspecting him to be Nala, I have examined Bahuka in many ways.
But I have doubts on account of his appearance. I wish to know this for myself. O mother! Let him come to me, or let me go to him, with or without my father’s knowledge.’ Thus addressed by the daughter of Vidarbha, the queen related this to Bhima and the king got to know about his daughter’s plan. O bull among the Bharata lineage! With the sanction of her father and mother, she had Nala brought to where she was staying.

‘“On suddenly seeing King Nala, the beautiful one was overcome with a terrible sorrow. O great king! She was dressed in a red garment. Her hair was matted, dirty and caked with mud. Damayanti spoke these words to Bahuka, ‘O Bahuka! Have you ever seen any man, who is said to know about dharma, abandon his sleeping wife in a deserted forest? Who will forsake his beloved and innocent wife, when she is overcome by fatigue? Who but Punyashloka Nala will leave? What offence have I committed towards that lord of the earth? When I was overcome with sleep, why did he desert me in the wilderness and go away? In earlier times, I had chosen him myself, in the presence of the gods. She loved him and was devoted to him. She was the mother of his children. How could he forsake her? He had accepted my hand in front of the fire, following the words of the swans. He had promised to sustain me. Where has that pledge gone now?’ O destroyer of enemies! When Damayanti was saying all this, tears of sorrow welled up in her eyes and flowed copiously. When Nala saw those tears of sorrow flow copiously from the black-pupiled and red-tinged eyes, he replied in words of sorrow, ‘O timid one! The loss of my kingdom was not brought about by me. It was brought about by Kali and he made me abandon you. O you who are best in the observance of dharma! In earlier times, when you were living in the forest and were miserable and sorrowful at my having lost my garment, you had cursed him. Ever since then, tormented by the curse, Kali has resided in my body. Burnt with that curse, he has been like kindling with fire in it. Now he has been conquered with my perseverance and austerities. O beautiful one! There will be an end to our miseries. Freeing me, that evil one has gone away. O one with the wide hips! It is because of this that I came here, for your
sake and for no other reason. O timid one! But how could a woman like you abandon a husband who loved her and was devoted to her? How could you marry another? On the king’s instructions, messengers have travelled all over the earth, proclaiming that Bhima’s daughter will choose a second husband. Like a wanton one, and acting on her own desires, she will choose one who is her equal. On hearing this, Bhangasvari came here swiftly.’ When she heard Nala’s lament, Damayanti trembled and was frightened. She joined her hands in salutation and spoke these words.”’

‘“Damayanti said, ‘O ruler of Nishadha! O fortunate one! It does not behove you to be suspicious of sin or find fault with me. I rejected the gods and chose you. It was in order to bring you here that the brahmanas had gone in all the directions, singing my words in verses in the ten directions. O king! At last, a learned brahmana named Parnada discovered you in Koshala, in Rituparna’s house. When I heard his words and the exact reply that you gave, I saw this means of bringing Nishadha here. O lord of the earth! O lord of men! Other than you, who in this world is capable of driving horses over more than a hundred yojanas in a single day? O lord of the earth! I touch your feet in worship and swear that I have not been unfaithful towards you, not even in my thoughts. If I have committed any sin, let the moving wind that courses through the world and is a witness to everything free me from my breath of life today. If I have committed any sin, let the sun which always travels the world with its sharp rays free me from my breath of life today. If I have committed any sin, let the moon which courses through all beings as a witness free me from my breath of life today. Let these three gods who hold up the three worlds relate the truth of exactly what has happened. Or let them abandon me today.’”

‘Brihadashva said, “Thus addressed, the wind-god spoke from the sky and said, ‘O Nala! I tell you the truth that she has not committed any sin. O king! Damayanti has protected her treasure of good conduct and has increased it. We have protected her for three years and are witness. This method that she has devised for your sake is unparalleled. But for you, there is no other man who can travel one hundred yojanas in a single day. O lord of the earth! Bhima’s daughter has obtained you and you have obtained Bhima’s daughter. Do not have any doubts about what you should do. Be united with your wife.’ While the wind-god was speaking, a shower of flowers fell from above. The drums of the gods sounded and a pure breeze began to blow. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! On witnessing this marvel, King Nala, the destroyer of enemies, gave up all his doubts about Damayanti.

‘“Then the lord of the earth donned the garment that does not decay and recalled to his mind the king of the serpents. He regained his old form. When Bhima’s daughter saw her husband in his own form, the unblemished one embraced Punyashloka and cried loudly. Radiant as before, King Nala also embraced Bhima’s daughter. He also embraced his children in the proper way and was delighted. The one with the beautiful face and the large eyes placed her head on his chest. Overcome with sorrow, she sighed heavily. The sweet-smiling one’s limbs were covered with dirt and tears flowed down. She embraced that tiger among men for a long time.

‘“O king! Then the mother of the daughter of Vidarbha happily informed Bhima about everything that had transpired between Nala and Damayanti. The great king replied, ‘I will see Nala and Damayanti tomorrow, after he has rested and performed his ablutions.’ O king! Then the happy couple conversed throughout the night about their earlier wanderings in the forest. They slept happily. He was united with his wife in the fourth year. He obtained all the objects of desire, attained all accomplishments and was supremely happy. Damayanti was extremely content at having regained her husband, like the earth with half-grown crops is, on receiving showers. She was united with her husband and all her fatigue had passed. Her fever was gone and
her heart was filled with joy. All the desires of Bhima’s daughter were met and she was as radiant as the night, when the moon had arisen.”’

‘Brihadashva said, “After the night had passed, King Nala adorned himself in ornaments. With Vidarbha’s daughter by his side, he went and met the king at the right time. Then Nala paid his respects to his father-in-law. Then the beautiful Damayanti also offered her respects to her father. Extremely delighted, Bhima welcomed him like a son. The lord also showed him due homage and comforted Nala, together with his devoted wife Damayanti. Thus honoured, King Nala also returned the honour in the proper way and offered his services to him.
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A great roar of joy arose in the city. The people were delighted to see Nala return in this way. The city was decorated with flags, flagstaffs and garlands. The streets were watered and the royal roads cleaned and adorned with flowers. At every door, the citizens placed flowers that had been cut. The gods were worshipped in all the temples.

‘“When King Rituparna heard that Bahuka was Nala and that he had been reunited with Damayanti, he was delighted. King Nala had him brought and begged forgiveness of the king. He who was intelligent begged forgiveness because of several reasons. Thus honoured, the surprised king spoke to Nishadha, ‘I congratulate you that you have been happily reunited with your wife. O Nishadha! O lord of Nishadha! If I committed any crime when you lived in disguise in my house, if I committed an offence, knowingly or unknowingly, please pardon me.’ Nala replied, ‘O king! You have not committed the slightest crime. Even if you had, I would not have been angered and would have forgiven you. O lord of men! You have always been my friend and my relative. I have lived happily in your house and
you have always provided me with every object of desire, more in your house than in my own. O king! Please exhibit your friendship in future too. Your knowledge about horses vests with me.
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O king! If you so wish, I will happily impart it to you now.’ Having said this, Nishadha gave that knowledge to Rituparna. Having performed the prescribed deeds, he accepted it. When King Bhangasvari had obtained the knowledge about horses, he appointed another charioteer and left for his own city.
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O lord of the earth! After Rituparna had left, King Nala did not reside in the city of Kundina for a long time.”’

‘Brihadashva said, “O Kounteya! Nishadha lived there for a month. Then, with Bhima’s permission, he left for Nishadha with a small number of attendants. He left with a single radiant chariot, sixteen tusked elephants, fifty horses and six hundred infantry. The earth trembled when the lord of the earth travelled speedily. Then the great-minded one entered, swiftly and wrathfully.

‘“Virasena’s son, Nala, went before Pushkara and said, ‘O Pushkara! Let us play with dice again. I have acquired a lot of riches. Damayanti, and everything else that I have acquired, will be my stake. The kingdom will be yours. It is my certain resolution that the game of dice must occur again. O fortunate one! Let there be a single stake. Let us offer our lives as stakes. When the other’s possessions, kingdom and riches, have been won, it has been said that it is supreme dharma to have a counter-stake as the last one. If you do not wish to have a duel with dice, let there be a duel with chariots. O king! Let either you or I find peace. The aged have laid down the ordinance
that an ancestral kingdom must be obtained back, through whatever means. O Pushkara! Choose one or the other, according to your intelligence. Choose the game of dice, or bend your bow in battle.’ Having been thus addressed by Nishadha, Pushkara began to laugh. He was certain in his mind that he was going to win and replied to the lord of the earth, ‘O Nishadha! It is your good fortune that you have obtained riches for a counter-stake. It is your good fortune that Damayanti’s difficult times have now come to an end. O king! O uprooter of your enemies! It is your good fortune that you are still alive with your wife. I will win Vidarbha’s daughter, with all her ornaments and all these riches. She will then serve me, the way an apsara serves Shakra in heaven. O Nishadha! I have always remembered you and have been waiting for your return. I find no pleasure in gambling with those who are not my well-wishers. Having won the beautifully-hipped and unblemished Damayanti today, I will have accomplished my objective. She has always been in my heart.’ Having heard the words of the mad and insolent one, Nala was angered and desired to slice off his head with his sword.

‘“But though his eyes were copper-red with anger, the king smiled and said, ‘Let us stake. Why do you talk? Talk after you have won.’ Then the gamble between Pushkara and Nala commenced. O fortunate one! With a single stake, he was defeated by Nala. Thus, in the stake, he lost his entire store of treasures and his life. Having defeated Pushkara, the king laughingly told him, ‘This entire kingdom is now mine. All its thorns have been removed. O stupid one! O sinful king! You will not be able to set your eyes on Vidarbha’s daughter. You and your family have been reduced to the state of slaves. That I was earlier defeated by you was not because of your deeds. That deed was done by Kali. But fool that you are, you did not understand this. I will never ascribe to you the offences committed by others. May you live in happiness. I grant you your life. O brave one! Let there be no doubt about my affection for you. The fraternal love I have for you will never decrease. O Pushkara! You are my brother. Live for a hundred years.’ Having thus comforted his brother, Nala, for whom truth was his valour, embraced him repeatedly and sent
him off to his own city. O king! Having been thus comforted by Nishadha, Pushkara joined his hands in salutation and replied to Punyashloka, ‘May your fame be without decay. May you live happily for ten thousand
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years. O lord of the earth! You have granted me my life and a place to live in.’ Thus honoured by the king,
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the king
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lived there for a month. O king! Then Pushkara happily left for his own city, surrounded by his relatives, with a large army and accompanied by humble servants. O bull among men! His appearance was like that of the resplendent sun. After having sent Pushkara, the prosperous king, shorn of disease and laden with riches, entered his own city, which had been gorgeously decorated. Having entered, the lord of the Nishadhas comforted the citizens.”’