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 the 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.’”

SECTION LXX

“Vrihadaswa said, ’After a long time had passed away, a Brahmana named Parnada returned to the city (of the Vidarbhas), and said unto the daughter of Bhima, “O Damayanti, seeking Nala, the king of Nishaidhas, I came to the city of Ayodhya, and appeared before the son of Bhangasura.  And, O best of women, I repeated those words of thine in the presence of the blessed Rituparna.  But hearing them neither that ruler of men, nor his courtiers, answered anything, although I uttered them repeatedly.  Then, after I had been dismissed by the monarch, I was accosted by a person in the service of Rituparna, named Vahuka.  And Vahuka is the charioteer of