"'Sudeva said, "There is a virtuous and illustrious ruler of the
Vidarbhas, Bhima by name. This blessed lady is his daughter, and widely
known by the name of Damayanti. And there is a king ruling the
Nishadhas, named Nala, the son of Virasena. This blessed lady is the
wife of that wise and righteous monarch. Defeated at dice by his
brother, and despoiled of his kingdom, that king, accompanied by
Damayanti, went away without the knowledge of any one. We have been
wandering over the whole earth in search of Damayanti. And that girl is
at last found in the house of thy son. No woman existeth that is her
rival in beauty. Between the eye-brows of this ever-youthful damsel,
there is an excellent mole from birth, resembling a lotus. Noticed by us
(before) it seems to have disappeared, covered, (as her forehead is)
with (a coat of) dust even like the moon hid in clouds. Placed there by
the Creator himself as an indication of prosperity and wealth, that mole
is visible faintly, like the cloud-covered lunar crescent of the first
day of the lighted fortnight. And covered as her body is with dust, her
beauty hath not disappeared. Though careless of her person, it is still
manifest, and shineth like gold. And this girl--goddess-like--capable of
being identified by this form of hers and that mole, hath been
discovered by me as one discovereth a fire that is covered, by its
heat!"
"'O king, hearing these words of Sudeva, Sunanda washed the dust that
covered the mole between Damayanti's eye-brows. And thereupon it became
visible like the moon in the sky, just emerged from the clouds. And
seeing that mole, O Bharata, Sunanda and the queen-mother began to weep,
and embracing Damayanti stood silent for a while. And the queen-mother,
shedding tears as she spoke, said in gentle accents, "By this thy mole,
I find that thou art the daughter of my sister. O beauteous girl, thy
mother and I are both daughters of the high-souled Sudaman, the ruler of
the Dasarnas. She was bestowed upon king Bhima, and I on Viravahu. I
witnessed thy birth at our father's palace in the country of the
Dasarnas. O beautiful one, my house is to thee even as thy father's. And
this wealth, O Damayanti, is thine as much as mine." At this, O king,
Damayanti bowing down to her mother's sister with a glad heart, spake
unto her these words, "Unrecognised, I have still lived happily with
thee, every want of mine satisfied and myself cared for by thee. And
happy as my stay hath been, it would, without doubt, be happier still.
But, mother, I have long been an exile. It behoveth thee, therefore, to
grant me permission (to depart). My son and daughter, sent to my
father's palace, are living there. Deprived of their father, and of
their mother also, how are they passing their days stricken with sorrow.
If thou wishest to do what is agreeable to me, do thou without loss of
time, order a vehicle, for I wish to go to the Vidarbhas." At this, O
king, the sister to (Damayanti's) mother, with a glad heart, said, "_So
be it._" And the queen-mother with her son's permission, O chief of the
Bharatas, sent Damayanti in handsome litter carried by men, protected by
a large escort and provided with food and drink and garments of the
first quality. And soon enough she reached the country of the Vidarbhas.
And all her relatives, rejoicing (in her arrival) received her with
respect. And seeing her relatives, her children, both her parents, and
all her maids, to be well, the illustrious Damayanti, O king, worshipped
the gods and Brahmanas according to the superior method. And the king
rejoiced at beholding his daughter, and gave unto Sudeva a thousand kine
and much wealth and a village. And, O king, having spent that night at
her father's mansion and recovered from fatigue, Damayanti addressed her
mother, saying, "O mother, if thou wishest me to live, I tell thee
truly, do thou endeavour to bring Nala, that hero among men." Thus
addressed by Damayanti, the venerable queen became filled with sorrow.
And bathed in tears, she was unable to give any answer. And beholding
her in that plight, all the inmates of the inner apartments broke out
into exclamation of "_Oh!_" and "_Alas!_" and began to cry bitterly. And
then the queen addressed the mighty monarch Bhima, saying, "Thy daughter
Damayanti mourneth on account of her husband. Nay, banishing away all
bashfulness, she hath herself, O king, declared her mind to me. Let thy
men strive to find out (Nala) the righteous." Thus informed by her the
king sent the Brahmanas under him in all directions, saying, "Exert ye
to discover Nala." And those Brahmanas, commanded by the ruler of the
Vidarbhas (to seek Nala) appeared before Damayanti and told her of the
journey they were about to undertake. And Bhima's daughter spake unto
them saying, "Do ye cry in every realm and in every assembly, 'O beloved
gambler, where hast thou gone cutting off half of my garment, and
deserting the dear and devoted wife asleep in the forest? And that girl,
as commanded by thee stayeth expecting thee, clad in half a piece of
cloth and burning with grief! O king, O hero, relent towards, and
answer, her who incessantly weepeth for that grief.' This and more ye
will say, so that he may be inclined to pity me. Assisted by the wind,
fire consumeth the forest. (Further, ye will say that) 'the wife is
always to be protected and maintained by the husband. Why then, good as
thou art and acquainted with every duty, hast thou neglected both thy
duties? Possessed of fame and wisdom, and lineage, and kindness, why
hast thou be unkind? I fear, this is owing to the loss of my good luck!
Therefore, O tiger among men, have pity on me. O bull among men! I have
heard it from thee that kindness is the highest virtue.' Speaking so, if
anybody answereth you, that person should by all means, be known, and ye
should learn who he is, and where he dwelleth. And ye foremost of
regenerate ones, do ye bring me the words of him who hearing this your
speech will chance to answer. Ye should also act with such care that no
one may know the words ye utter to be at my command, nor that ye will
come back to me. And ye should also learn whether that answers is
wealthy, or poor, or destitute of power, in fact all about him."
"'Thus instructed by Damayanti, O king, the Brahmanas set out in all
directions in search of Nala overtaken with such disaster. And the
Brahmanas, O king, searched for him in cities and kingdoms and villages,
and retreats of ascetics, and places inhabited by cow-herds. And, O
monarch, wherever they went they recited the speeches that Damayanti had
directed them to do.'"