house she found;
    Her children well;—­father and mother, friends. 
    The gods she worshipped, and to Brahmanas
    Due reverence made, and whatso else was meet
    That Damayanti did, regal in all. 
    To wise Sudeva fell the thousand cows
    By Bhima granted, with the village-lands,
    And goodly gifts beside. 
                             But when there passed
    One night of rest within the palace-walls,
    The wistful Princess to her mother said:—­
    “If thou wouldst have me live, I tell thee true,
    Dear mother, it must be by bringing back
    My Nala, my own lord; and only so.” 
      When this she spake, right sorrowful became
    The Rani, weeping silently, nor gave
    One word of answer; and the palace-girls,
    Seeing this grief, sat round them, weeping too,
    And crying:  “Haha! where is gone her lord?”
    And loud the lamentation was of all. 
      Afterwards to the Maharaja his Queen
    Told what was said:  “Lord! all uncomforted
    Thy daughter Damayanti weeps and grieves,
    Lacking her husband.  Even to me she spake
    Before our damsels, laying shame aside:—­
    ’Find Nala; let the people of the court
    Strive day and night to learn where Nala is.’”

    Then Bhima, hearing, called his Brahmanas
    Patient and wise, and issued hest to go
    Into all regions, seeking for the Prince. 
    But first, by mandate of the Maharaja,
    To Damayanti all those twice-born came,
    Saying:  “Now we depart!” Then Bhima’s child
    Gave ordinance:  “To whatsoever lands
    Ye wend, say this—­wherever gather men,
    Say this—­in every place these verses speak:—­

      Whither art thou departed, cruel lover,
        Who stole the half of thy beloved’s cloth,
      And left her to awaken, and discover
        The wrong thou wroughtest to the love of both? 
      She, as thou didst command, a sad watch keepeth,
        With woful heart wearing the rended dress. 
      Prince, hear her cry who thus forever weepeth;
        Be mindful, hero; comfort her distress!

    And, furthermore,” the Princess said, “since fire
    Leaps into flame when the wind fans the spark,
    Be this too spoken, that his heart may burn:—­

      By every husband nourished and protected
        Should every wife be.  Think upon the wood! 
      Why these thy duties hast thou so neglected,
        Prince, that was called noble and true and good? 
      Art then become compassionate no longer,
        Shunning, perchance, my fortune’s broken way? 
      Ah, husband, love is most! let love be stronger;
        Ahimsa paro dharma,[25] thou didst say.