INDIA. PART III. Response of Nala to the proclamation. Damayanti suspects that she has found Nala. HISTORY OF city of Ayodhya, where reigned Raja Rituparna, and where Nala was dwelling in the guise of a charioteer and under the name of Váhuka. And the Bráhman cried aloud the question of Damayantí in all the streets and ways and market-places in the city, but no man heeded him. So he took leave of the Raja and prepared to depart, when Váhuka came to him and groaned in anguish and wept bitterly, and said:"Even in the extremity of misery a noble woman is mistress of herself; and even when abandoned by her husband, she will not give her soul to anger." At these words the Brahman left the city of Ayodhya with all speed, and hastened to the city of Vidarbha, and told Damayantí all that Váhuka had said; and the eyes of Damayantí overflowed with tears, for she thought that she had found Nala. Then Damayantí went to her mother, and said :-"O mother, I must send a message to the city of Ayodhya which my father Bhíma must not hear; and I will deliver it in your presence to Sudeva, that best of Bráhmans who found me in the city of Chedi; and as he brought your daughter to her father's house, so may he swiftly bring my royal husSudeva directed band from the city of Ayodhya." So she sent for Sudeva, and requested him in the presence of her mother to go to the city of Ayodhya, and to seek out Raja Rituparna, and say to him as if by chance :-" Damayantí, daughter of Raja Bhíma, is about to choose a second husband, and all the Rajas and sons of Rajas are hastening to Vidarbha: If you would be there you must make good speed, for to-morrow is the appointed day, and at sunrise she makes her choice, for Raja Nala cannot be found, and no man knows whether he be alive or dead." to inform Rituparna that Damayanti was about to celebrate a second Swayamvara. Desire of Raja Rituparna to be present at the second Swayam vara. Rituparna consults Nala. And Sudeva went to the city of Ayodhya and performed the bidding of Damayantí; and when Rituparna heard the tidings that Damayantí was about to choose another husband, his heart burned to be there, but the way was far. Then Rituparna went to Váhuka, his charioteer, and spoke The distance from the city of Ayodhya on the river Goomtí, to that of Vidarbha on the river Taptí, must have been about five hundred miles as the crow flies. INDIA. PART III. Anguish of drive from to him with winning words, like one that asks a favour, HISTORY OF and said:"On the morrow the daughter of Bhíma will choose a second husband; I too would seek to win her, but the city of Vidarbha is afar off: Say then if you have horses Nala. that can reach it in a single day." Then the heart of Váhuka was smitten with anguish, and he wondered that the holy Damayantí should be driven to a deed so unholy, and he thought within himself that he would see if the tidings were true. So he folded his hands in reverence to the Raja, and said:-"I promise in a single day to reach Nala engages to the city of Vidarbha." And he went to the stables of the Ayodhya to Raja, and pondered long over the horses; and he chose single day. four that were very slender, but fleet and powerful for the road, and they had broad nostrils and large jaws; and he harnessed them to the chariot of the Raja. But when Rituparna saw the slenderness of the coursers, he cried out : "What steeds be these? Have they strength and wind for such a journey?" And Váhuka replied:-"These horses will not fail to carry you to Vidarbha; but if you desire others, tell me which you will have, and I will harness them." But the Raja said:-"You know the horses best, and may harness what you will." 9. Nala's drive from Ayodhya to Vidarbha. Vidarbha in a Choice of horses set out Now when the chariot was ready, Raja Rituparna took The chariot and his seat, and commanded Varshneya to ascend likewise, for Ayodhya. whilst Váhuka drove. Then the fiery horses began to prance and paw the air, but Váhuka gathered up the reins, and cried out to the horses with a soothing voice, and they sprang into the air as if they would unseat their driver, and then tore along the ground as swift as the wind. And the Marvellous riders were well nigh blinded with the speed; but the Raja marvelled and rejoiced greatly at the driving of Váhuka ; and Varshneya said within himself, as he felt the rattling of the chariot and beheld the driving of Váhuka :-"Either this Váhuka must be the charioteer of Indra, or else he is my old master, Raja Nala."5 5. The description of the driving of Nala might be compared with that of the driving of Nala. HISTORY OF INDIA. PART III. Speed of the Thus the chariot flew along, like a bird in the air, through the deep forests, and over the rivers and mountains and broad lakes. And the Raja dropped his mantle and prayed Nala to halt a moment and pick it up; but Nala said: "The mantle is miles behind, and we cannot return to recover it." And they passed a certain tree, and the Raja said to Nala :— "Mark now my skill in numbers, for I know the secrets of dice and the rules of calculation: On those two branches hang fifty millions of leaves, and two thousand and ninetyNala counts the five berries." And Nala descended the chariot to count the Skill of the Raja in the calculation of numbers. leaves and berries on a tree. The Raja teaches Nala the secrets of dice in return horsemanship. and leaves and berries; and whilst the Raja cried out that he could not wait, Nala persisted; and after a while Nala found that the numbering of the Raja was true to a single leaf. And Nala said :-"O Raja, teach me this skill of yours, you shall learn from me all the secrets that I know in for the secrets of horsemanship." And the Raja did so, and when Nala knew Nala freed from the secret of the dice, the evil spirit Kali went forth out of him, and Kali vomited the poison of the serpent that was burning within him. And Nala would have cursed Kali, but he fled away and entered a tree, and men ever afterwards gave an evil name to that tree. Thus Nala was released from all his sufferings, but still he took not his own form of Nala, but remained in that of Váhuka the charioteer. Kali. Approach to the city of Vidarbha. Damayanti recognizes the driving. Now when it was near to the setting of the sun, the chariot approached the city of Vidarbha, and the heart of Nala beat faster and faster; and when they reached the city gates the watchmen on the walls proclaimed the coming of Raja Rituparna; and the rushing of the horses and rolling of the chariot-wheels were like the thunder which heralds in the coming rain; and the peacocks on the palace walls raised their necks and clamoured, and the elephants in the stables roared tumultuously. And the heart of Damayantí thrilled with delight as she heard the old familiar sound of her husband's driving; and she said :-" Unless Nala comes driving of Jehu. "The driving is like the driving of Jehu, the son of Nimshi, for he driveth furiously." 2 Kings ix. 20. this day, and I feel the gentle pressure of his arms, I will no HISTORY OF longer live, but will perish by the fire." 10. Damayanti recovers her husband. INDIA. PART III. to recognize hin Then Damayantí ascended to the terrace on the roof of Damayanti fails the palace, and looked down into the middle court; and she as Váhuka. saw Raja Rituparna, and her old charioteer Varshneya, and the dwarfish and deformed Váhuka; and she beheld her father Bhíma receive Rituparna with all courtesy, although amazed at the suddenness of his coming; and she remembered Varshneya, and thought that he had learned to drive furiously like Nala; for she knew not Váhuka because of his altered form. But still her heart thrilled and she pon- Sends her maid dered deeply, for she remembered what Váhuka had said to Vahuka. the Brahman; and she called her fair-haired handmaiden named Kesiní, and said to her :-" Go, my little maid, and speak to that chariot-driver who is short in stature, and find out who he is; and do you repeat to him the message which was brought to me by the Brahman, and tell me what he says." So whilst Damayantí watched from the terrace, the blameless little maiden went into the middle court to speak to Nala. Kesini to between Kesini tions and Nala's Meantime, Nala had taken the chariot to the stall, and First interview after he had tended to his horses, he mounted the chariot and Nala. and sat there alone. And the fair-haired Kesiní went to Kesini's queshim and said:" I salute you, O charioteer, and pray you replies. to hear the message of my mistress Damayantí. She desires to know whence you came and wherefore you have come?" Nala answered:-" When my master, the Raja, heard that Damayantí would wed again, and would choose another husband on the morrow, he bade me drive him hither with all speed; and, lo, we have come this day all the way from the city of Ayodhya." Then Kesiní said :"And who is that other charioteer who came with you?" Nala answered:-"That is the renowned Varshneya, who was once the charioteer of Nala; and when his Raja went into exile he took service with Rituparna; and I INDIA. PART III. Kesini ques tions Nala reply he had given to the Brahman. HISTORY OF also serve Rituparna, for I am his charioteer, and the chief of all his cooks." And Kesiní said further :-" Does Varshneya know aught of Nala? And for yourself, how came you to know the story of Nala?" Nala answered:"It was Varshneya who brought the children of Nala to this city, and then he went his way and heard no more of his old master." And Kesiní said still further:-" The Brahman that lately went to the city of Ayodhya was comrespecting the manded by my mistress to cry aloud in every place:'Whither didst thou go, O gambler, who severed thy wife's garment, and left her in the lonely forest, where she still sits sorrowing for thee?' Now it was you who gave the Brahman his answer back; so I pray you to repeat that answer again, for my mistress desires to hear it." At these words of the blameless little maiden the heart of Nala was wrung with a deep sorrow, and his eyes overflowed with tears, and with a voice half choking from weeping, he thus Nala repeats his repeated his reply:-" Even in the extremity of misery a noble woman is mistress of herself; and even when abandoned by her husband, she will not give her soul to anger." Kesini returns And Nala wept afresh, and the maid went back to Damayantí, and told her all that Váhuka had said, and described to her the bitterness of his sorrow. Anguish of reply. to Damayanti. Damayanti sends Kesini to watch Nala. the divine Then Damayantí was still heavy at heart, wondering whether the charioteer could possibly be Nala; and she said:"Go again, O Kesiní, and watch this man, and observe all that he does, and see that no fire or water be given to him; and whatsoever he does, be it human or· Kesiní perceives divine, come back and tell to me." And Kesiní went out powers of Nala. and watched Nala, and presently she returned and said :"O Damayantí, never before did I behold a man so godlike; for if he approaches a low portal he never bows his head, but the portal rises above him; and when he prepared to dress the victuals for his master, the vessels were filled with water directly he looked at them; and when he had washed the meat he held some blades of grass towards the portion of the setting sun, and they blazed with fire of their own accord." And Damayantí remembered the gifts which the gods had Damayanti sends for a meat which Nala had cooked. |