Chapter IX: Book VIII

Damayanti then beholding--Punyasloka, king of men,[60]
Undistracted, him distracted--with the maddening love of play.
In her dread and in her sorrow--thus did Bhima's daughter speak;
Pondering on the weighty business--that concerned the king of men.
Trembling at his guilty frenzy--yet to please him still intent.
Nala, 'reft of all his treasures--when the noble woman saw,
Thus addressed she Vrihatsena,--her old faithful slave and nurse,
Friendly in all business dextrous--most devoted, wise in speech:
"Vrihatsena, go, the council--as at Nala's call convene,
Say what he hath lost of treasure--and what treasure yet remains."
Then did all that reverend council--Nala's summons as they heard,
"Our own fate is now in peril"--speaking thus, approach the king.
And a second time his subjects--all assembling, crowded near,
And the queen announced their presence;--of her words he took no heed.
All her words thus disregarded--when king Bhima's daughter found,
To the palace, Damayanti--to conceal her shame returned.
When the dice she heard for ever--adverse to the king of men,
And of all bereft, her Nala--to the nurse again she spake:
"Go again, my Vrihatsena,--in the name of Nala, go,
To the charioteer, Varshneya,--great the deed must now be done."
Vrihatsena on the instant--Damayanti's words she heard,
Caused the charioteer be summoned--by her messengers of trust.
Bhima's daughter to Varshneya--winning with her gentle voice,
Spake, the time, the place well choosing--for the deed, nor spake in vain:
"Well thou know'st the full reliance--that in thee the king hath placed,
In his fatal hour of peril--wilt not thou stand forth to aid?
As by Pushkara is worsted--ever more and more the king,
More and more the fatal frenzy--maddens in his heart for play.
As to Pushkara obedient--ever fall the lucky dice,
Thus those dice to royal Nala--still with adverse fortune fall.
Nor the voice of friend or kindred--as beseems him, will he hear;
Even to me he will not listen--in the madness of his heart.
Of the lofty-minded Nala--well I know 'tis not the sin,
That my words this senseless monarch--in his frenzy will not hear.
Charioteer, to thee my refuge--come I, do thou my behest;
I am not o'er calm in spirit--haply he may perish thus.
Yoke the much-loved steeds of Nala--fleet of foot, as thought, are they,
In the chariot place our children--to Cundina's city go.[61]
Leave the children with my kindred--and the chariot and the steeds;
Then or dwell there at thy pleasure--or depart where'er thou wilt."
When the speech of Damayanti--heard king Nala's charioteer,
He, the chief of Nala's council--thus in full divan addressed,
Weighed within their solemn conclave--and their full assent obtained,
With the children in the chariot--to Vidarbha straight he drove.
There he rendered up the horses--with the chariot there he left.
That young maiden Indrasena--Indrasen, that noble boy.
To king Bhima paid his homage--sad, for Nala's fall distressed,
Thence departing, to Ayodhya[62]--took the charioteer his way.
In his grief to Rituparna--that illustrious king, he came,
As his charioteer, the service--entered of the lord of earth.