“Vrihadaswa said, ‘O Bharata, hearing those words of the swan, Damayanti
thenceforth lost all peace of mind on account of Nala. And heaving
frequent sighs she was filled with anxiety, and became melancholy and
pale-faced and lean. And with her heart possessed by the god of love, she
soon lost colour, and with her upturned gaze and modes of abstraction,
looked like one demented. And she lost all inclination for beds and seats
and object of enjoyment. And she ceased to lie down by day or night,
always weeping with exclamation of Oh! and Alas! And beholding her uneasy
and fallen into that condition, her hand-maids represented, O king, the
matter of her illness unto the ruler of Vidarbha by indirect hints. And
king Bhima, hearing of this from the handmaids of Damayanti, regarded the
affair of his daughter to be serious. And he asked himself, ‘Why is it
that my daughter seemeth to be so ill now?’ And the king, reflecting by
himself that his daughter had attained to puberty, concluded that
Damayanti’s Swayamvara should take place. And the monarch, O exalted one,
(invited) all the rulers of the earth, saying, Ye heroes, know that
Damayanti’s Swayamvara is at hand, And all the kings, hearing of
Damayanti’s Swayamvara, came unto Bhima, agreeable to his message,
filling the earth with the clatter of their cars, the roar of their
elephants, and the neighing of their horses, and accompanied with their
fine-looking battalions decked in ornaments and graceful garlands. And
the mighty-armed Bhima paid due reverence unto those illustrious
monarchs. And duly honoured by him they took up their quarters there.’
“And at the juncture, those foremost of celestial Rishis possessed of
great splendour, of great wisdom and great vows--namely, Narada and
Parvata--having arrived in course of their wandering at the regions of
Indra entered the mansion of the lord of the immortals, receiving proper
worship. And Maghavat having worshipped them reverentially, inquired
after their undisturbed peace and welfare as regards all respects. And
Narada said, ‘O lord, O divine one, peace attendeth us in every respect.
And, O Maghavat, peace attendeth also O exalted one, the kings of the
whole world.’
“Vrihadaswa continued. ‘Hearing the words of Narada the slaver of Vala
and Vritra said, ‘Those righteous rulers of the earth who fight
renouncing all desire of life, and who meet death when their time is come
by means of weapons, without flying from the field,--theirs is this
region, everlasting unto them and granting all desires, even as it is to
me. Where be those Kshatriya heroes? I do not see those kings approach
(now) Where are my favourite guests?’ Thus addressed by Sakra, Narada
replied, ‘Listen, O Mahavat, why seest not thou the kings (now)? The
ruler of the Vidarbhas hath a daughter--the celebrated Damayanti. In
beauty she transcendeth all the women of the earth. Her Swayamvara, O
Sakra, will take place shortly. Thither are going all the kings and
Princes from all directions. And all the lords of the earth desire to
have that pearl of the earth,--desire to have her eagerly, O slaver of
Vala and Vritra.’ And while they were talking thus, those foremost of the
immortals, the Lokapalas with Agni among them, appeared before the lord
of the celestials. And all of them heard the words of Narada fraught with
grave import. And as soon as they heard them, they exclaimed in rapture,
We also will go there. And, O mighty monarch, accompanied by their
attendants and mounted on their (respective) vehicles, they set out for
the country of Vidarbhas, whither (had gone) all the kings. And, O son of
Kunti, the high-souled king Nala also hearing of that concourse of kings,
set out with a cheerful heart, full of Damayanti’s love. And (it came to
pass) that the gods saw Nala on the way treading on the earth. And his
form owing to its beauty was like that of the god of love himself. And
beholding him resplendent as the sun, the Lokapalas were filled with
astonishment at his wealth of beauty, and abandoned their intention. And,
O king, leaving their cars in the sky the dwellers of heaven alighted
from the welkin and spake unto the ruler of the Nishadhas, saying, ‘O
foremost of monarchs ruling the Nishadhas, O Nala, thou art devoted to
truth. Do thou help us. O best of men, be thou our messenger.’”