"Vrihadaswa said, 'Bhima's daughter, the cool-headed Damayanti, seeing
the righteous king maddened and deprived of his senses at dice, was
filled, O king, with alarm and grief. And she thought the affair to be a
serious one with the king. And apprehensive of the calamity that
threatened Nala, yet seeking his welfare and at last understanding that
her lord had lost everything, she said unto her nurse and maid-servant
Vrihatsena of high fame, intent upon her good, dexterous in all duties,
faithful and sweet-speeched, these words, "O Vrihatsena, go thou and
summon the councillors in the name of Nala, and tell them also what of
wealth and other things hath been lost and what remaineth." The
councillors then, hearing of Nala's summons, said, "This is fortunate
for us" and approached the king. And when the subjects in a body had
(thus) come a second time, the daughter of Bhima informed Nala of it.
But the king regarded her not. Finding her husband disregarding her
words, Damayanti, filled with shame, returned to her apartments. And
hearing that the dice were uniformly unfavourable to the virtuous Nala,
and that he had lost everything, she again spake unto her nurse, saying,
"O Vrihatsena, go thou again in Nala's name to bring hither, O blessed
one, the charioteer, Varshneya. The matter at hand is very serious." And
Vrihatsena, hearing those words of Damayanti caused Varshneya to be
summoned by trusty servants. And the blameless daughter of Bhima,
acquainted with conduct suitable to time and place, addressing soft
words said according to the occasion, "Thou knowest how the king hath
always behaved towards thee. He is now in difficulty, and it behoveth
thee to assist him. The more the king loseth to Pushkara, the greater
becometh his ardour for the play. And as the dice fall obedient to
Pushkara, it is seen that they are adverse to Nala in the matter of the
play. And absorbed in the play, he heedeth not the words of his friends
and relatives, nor even those of mine. I do not think, however, that in
this the high-souled Naishadha is to blame, in as much as the king
regarded not my words, being absorbed in play. O Charioteer, I seek thy
protection. Do my behest. My mind misgiveth me. The king may come to
grief. Yoking Nala's favourite horses endued with the fleetness of the
mind, do thou take these twins (my son and daughter) on the car and hie
thou to Kundina. Leaving the children there with my kindred as also the
car and the horses, either stay thou there, or go to any other place as
it listeth thee." Varshneya, the charioteer of Nala, then reported in
detail these words of Damayanti unto the chief officers of the king. And
having settled (the matter) in consultation with them, and obtaining
their assent, O mighty monarch, the charioteer started for Vidarbha,
taking the children on that car. And leaving there the boy Indrasena and
the girl Indrasena, as also that best of cars and those steeds, the
charioteer, with a sad heart grieving for Nala, bade farewell unto
Bhima. And wandering for some time, he arrived at the city of Ayodhya.
And there he appeared with a sorrowful heart before king Rituparna, and
entered the service of that monarch as charioteer.'"