temples and shrines were all adorned with flowers.  And Rituparna heard that Vahuka had already been united with Damayanti.  And the king was glad to hear of all this.  And calling unto him king Nala, he asked his forgiveness.  And the intelligent Nala also asked Rituparna’s forgiveness, showing diverse reasons.  And that foremost of speakers versed in the truth, king Rituparna, after being thus honoured by Nala, said, with a countenance expressive of wonder, these words unto the ruler of the Nishadhas.  “By good fortune it is that regaining the company of thy own wife, thou hast obtained happiness.  O Naishadha, while dwelling in disguise at my house, I hope I did not wrong thee in any way, O lord of the earth!  If knowingly I have done thee any wrong, it behoveth thee to forgive me.”  Hearing this, Nala replied, “Thou hast not, O monarch, done me ever so little an injury.  And if thou hast, it hath not awakened my ire, for surely thou shouldst be forgiven by me.  Thou wert formerly my friend, and, O ruler of men, thou art also related to me.  Henceforth I shall find greater delight in thee.  O king, with all my desires gratified, I lived happily in thy abode, in fact more happily there than in my own house.  This thy horse-lore is in my keeping.  If thou wishest, O king, I will make it over to thee.”  Saying this, Naishadha gave unto Rituparna that science and the latter took it with the ordained rites.  And, O monarch, the royal son of Bhangasura, having obtained the mysteries of equestrian science and having given unto the ruler of the Naishadhas the mysteries of dice, went to his own city, employing another person for his charioteer.  And, O king, after Rituparna had gone, king Nala did not stay long in the city of Kundina!’”

SECTION LXXVIII

“Vrihadaswa said, ’O son of Kunti, the ruler of the Nishadhas having dwelt there for a month, set out from that city with Bhima’s permission and accompanied by only a few (followers) for the country of the Nishadhas.  With a single car white in hue, sixteen elephants, fifty horses, and six hundred infantry, that illustrious king, causing the earth itself to tremble, entered (the country of the Nishadhas) without loss of a moment and swelling with rage.  And the mighty son of Virasena, approaching his brother Pushkara said unto him, “We will play again, for I have earned vast wealth.  Let Damayanti and all else that I have be my stake, let, O Pushkara, thy kingdom be thy stake.  Let the play begin again.  This is my certain determination.  Blessed be thou, let us stake all we have along with our lives.  Having won over and acquired another’s wealth or kingdom, it is a high duty, says the ordinance, to stake it when the owner demands.  Or, if thou dost not relish play with dice, let the play with weapons begin.  O king, let me or thyself have peace by a single combat.  That this ancestral kingdom should, under all circumstances and by any