V. NALA AND DAMAYANTI

Once upon a time there was a king by the name of Nala, a man handsome as the god of love, endowed with all the virtues, a favorite of men and women.  There was also another king, named Bhima, the Terrible.  He was renowned as a warrior and endowed with many virtues; yet he was discontented, for he had no offspring.  But it happened that he was visited by a saint, whom he entertained so hospitably that the Brahman granted him in return a favor:  a daughter and three sons were born to him.  The daughter, who received the name of Damayanti, soon became famed for her beauty, her dignity, and her gracious manners.  She seemed, amid her companions, like lightning born in a rain-cloud.  Her beauty was so much vaunted in the hearing of King Nala, and his merits were so much extolled in her presence, that the two conceived an ardent passion for one another, though they had never met.  Nala could hardly endure his yearnings of love; near the apartments of the women there was a forest; into that he retired, living in solitude.  One day he came across some gold-decked geese.  He caught one of them and she said to him:  “Spare my life and I promise to praise you in Damayanti’s presence in such a way that she shall never think of any other man.”  He did so, and the goose flew to Damayanti and said:  “There is a man named Nala; he is like the celestial knights; no human being equals him.  Yes, if you could become his wife, it would be worth while that you were born and became so beautiful.  You are the pearl among women, but Nala, too, is the best of men.”  Damayanti begged the goose to go and speak to Nala similarly about her, and the goose said “Yes” and flew away.

From that moment Damayanti was always in spirit with Kala.  Sunk in reverie, sad, with pale face, she visibly wasted away, and sighing was her only, her favorite, occupation.  If anyone saw her gazing upward, absorbed in her thoughts, he might have almost fancied her intoxicated.  Often of a sudden her whole face turned pale; in short, it was plain that love-longing held her senses captive.  Lying in bed, sitting, eating, everything is distasteful to her; neither at night nor by day does sleep come to her.  Ah and alas! thus her wails resound, and over and over again she begins to weep.

Her companions noted these symptoms and they said to the king:  “Damayanti is not at all well.”  The king reflected, “Why is my daughter no longer well?” and it occurred to him that she had reached the marriageable age, and it became clear to him that he must without delay give her a chance to choose a husband.  So he invited all the kings to assemble at his court for that purpose on a certain day.  Soon the roads were filled with kings, princes, elephants, horses, wagons, and warriors, for she, the pearl of the world, was desired of men above all other women.  King Nala also had received the message and set out