SECTION LVII

“Vrihadaswa continued, ’Then at the sacred hour of the holy lunar day of the auspicious season, king Bhima summoned the kings to the Swayamvara.  And hearing of it, all the lords of earth smit with love speedily came thither, desirous of (possessing) Damayanti.  And the monarchs entered the amphitheatre decorated with golden pillars and a lofty portal arch, like mighty lions entering the mountain wilds.  And those lords of earth decked with fragrant garlands and polished ear-rings hung with jewels seated themselves on their several seats.  And that sacred assembly of Kings, graced by those tigers among men, resembled the Bhogavati swarming with the Nagas, or a mountain cavern with tigers.  And their arms were robust, and resembling iron maces, and well-shaped, and graceful, and looking like five-headed snakes.  And graced with beautiful locks and fine noses and eyes and brows, the countenance of the kings shone like stars in the firmament.  And (when the time came), Damayanti of beauteous face, stealing the eyes and hearts of the princes by her dazzling light, entered the hall.  And the glances of those illustrious kings were rivetted to those parts of her person where they had chanced to fall first, without moving at all.  And when, O Bharata, the names of the monarchs were proclaimed, the daughter of Bhima saw five persons all alike in appearance.  And beholding them seated there, without difference of any kind in form, doubt filled her mind, and she could not ascertain which of them was king Nala.  And at whomsoever (among them) she looked, she regarded him to be the king of the Nishadhas.  And filled with anxiety, the beautious one thought within herself, “Oh, how shall I distinguish the celestials, and how discern the royal Nala?” And thinking thus, the daughter of Vidarbha became filled with grief.  And, O Bharata, recollecting the marks belonging to the celestials, of which she had heard, she thought, “Those attributes of the celestials, of which I have heard from the aged, do not pertain to any of these deities present here upon the earth.”  And revolving the matter long in her mind, and reflecting upon it repeatedly, she decided upon seeking the protection of the gods themselves.  And bowing down unto them with mind and speech, with folded hands, she addressed them trembling, “Since I heard the speech of the swans, I chose the king of the Nishadhas as my lord.  For the sake of truth, O, let the gods reveal him to me.  And as in thought or word I have never swerved from him, O, let the gods, for the sake of that truth, reveal him to me.  And as the gods themselves have destined the ruler of the Nishadhas to be my lord, O, let them, for the sake of that truth, reveal him to me.  And as it is for paying homage unto Nala that I have adopted this vow, for the sake of that truth, O, let the gods reveal him unto me, O, let the exalted guardians of the worlds assume