Chapter III: Book II

Damayanti, ever after--she the swan's sweet speech had heard--
With herself she dwelt no longer--all herself with Nala dwelt.
Lost in thought she sate dejected--pale her melancholy cheek,
Damayanti sate and yielded--all her soul to sighs of grief.
Upward gazing, meditative--with a wild distracted look,
Wan was all her soft complexion--and with passion heart-possessed,[23]
Nor in sleep nor gentle converse--nor in banquets found she joy;
Night nor day she could not slumber--Woe! oh woe! she wept and said.
Her no longer her own mistress--from her looks, her gesture, knew
Damayanti's virgin handmaids--to Vidarbha's monarch they
Told how pined his gentle daughter--for the sovereign of men.
This from Damayanti's maidens--when the royal Bhima heard,
In his mind he gravely pondered--for his child what best were done.
"Wherefore is my gentle daughter--from herself in mind estranged?"
When the lord of earth his daughter--saw in blooming youth mature,
Knew he for the Swayembara[24]--Damayanti's time was come.
Straight the lord of many peasants[25]--summoned all the chiefs of earth,
"Come ye to the Swayembara--all ye heroes of the world!"
Damayanti's Swayembara--soon as heard the kings of men,
All obeyed king Bhima's summons--all to Bhima's court drew near;
Elephants, and steeds, and chariots--swarmed along the sounding land;
All with rich and various garlands[26]--with his stately army each--
All the lofty-minded rajas--Bhima with the arm of strength,
As beseemed, received with honour--on their thrones of state they sate.
At this very hour the wisest--of the sages, the divine,
Moving in their might ascended--up from earth to Indra's world.[27]
Great in holiness and wisdom--Narada and Parvata[28]
Honoured entered they the palace--of the monarch of the gods.
Them salutes the cloud-compeller[29]--of their everlasting weal,
Of their weal the worlds pervading--courteous asks the immortal lord.

NARADA _spake_.

Well it fares with us, Immortal--in our weal the world partakes--
In the world, O cloud-compeller--well it fares with all her kings.

VRIHADASVA _spake_.

He that Bali slew and Vritra--asked of Narada again--
All earth's just and righteous rulers--reckless of their lives in fight--
Who the shafts' descending death-blow--meet with unaverted eye--
Theirs this everlasting kingdom[30]--even as Kamadhuk is mine.[31]
Where are they, the Kshetriya heroes?--wherefore see I not approach
All the earth's majestic guardians--all mine ever-honoured guests.
Thus addressed by holy Sakra[32]--Narada replied and said:
"Hear me now, O cloud-compeller--why earth's kings appear not here.
Of Vidarbha's king the daughter--Damayanti, the renowned;
Through the earth the loveliest women--in her beauty she transcends--
Soon she holds her Swayembara--soon her lord the maid will choose.
Thither all the kings are hastening--thither all the sons of kings.
Suitors for her hand the rajas--her of all the world the pearl,
O thou mighty giant slayer!--one and all approach to woo."
As they spake, the world-protectors[33]--with the god of fire drew near;
Of the immortals all, the highest--stood before the king of gods.
As they all stood silent hearing--Narada's majestic speech,
All exclaimed in sudden rapture--thither we likewise will go;
All the immortals on the instant,--with their chariots, with their hosts,
Hastened down towards Vidarbha--where the lords of earth were met.
Nala, too, no sooner heard he--of that concourse of the kings,
Set he forth, with soul all sanguine--full of Damayanti's love.
Saw the gods, king Nala standing--on the surface of the earth;
Standing in transcendent beauty--equal to the god of love.[34]
Him beheld the world's high guardians--in his radiance like the sun;
Each arrested stood and silent--at his peerless form amazed.
All their chariots the celestials--in the midway air have checked.
Through the blue air then descending--they Nishadha's king address.
Ho! what, ho! Nishadha's monarch--Nala, king, for truth renowned;
Do our bidding, bear our message--O, most excellent of men.