Henry Hart Milman

“ Damayanti, I address thee—wherefore answerest not my voice?
Nobly born, and nobly minded—beautiful in every limb,
Do I not e'en now behold thee—in this mountain, first of men,
In this lion-haunted forest—in this tiger-howling wood,
Lying down or seated, standing—or in majesty and might
Moving, do I not behold thee—the enhancer of my woe?
Who shall I address, afflicted—wasted by my grief away;
'Hast thou haply seen my Nala—in the solitary wood?'
[35] Who this day will show the monarch—wandering in the forest depth,
Beautiful and royal-minded—conqueror of an host of foes! ”

“ Wilt thou now belie thy promise?—Nala, go, nor more delay."
By the gods adjured so sternly—thus rejoined Nishadha's king—
"Strictly guarded is yon palace—how may I find entrance there?"
"Thou shalt enter;" thus did Indra—to the unwilling king reply.
In the bower of Damayanti—as they spake, king Nala stood.
There he saw Vidarbha's maiden—girt with all her virgin bands;
[10] In her glowing beauty shining—all excelling in her form;
Every limb in smooth proportion—slender waist and lovely eyes;
Even the moon's soft gleam disdaining—in her own o'erpowering light. ”

“ With a single splendid chariot—and with elephants sixteen,
And with fifty armed horsemen—and six hundred men on foot;
Making, as 'twere, earth to tremble—hastening onward, did the king,
Enter awful in his anger—and terrific in his speed.
Then the son of Virasena—to king Pushkara drew near;
"Play we once again," then said he—"much the wealth I have acquired:
All I have, even Damayanti—every treasure I possess,
Set I now upon the hazard—Pushkara, thy kingdom thou:
In the game once more contend we—'tis my settled purpose this,
Brother, at a single hazard—play we boldly for our lives. ”

“ Thus endowed, the noble Nala—he, O Kali, that would curse,
On himself recoil his curses—only fatal to himself.
Nala, gifted with such virtues—he, O Kali, who would curse—
[19] Be he plunged in hell's dark torments—in the deep and vasty lake."
Thus the gods to Kali speaking—to their native heavens arose.
Soon as they had parted, Kali—thus to Dwapara began:
"I my wrath can curb no longer—I henceforth in Nala dwell;
From his kingdom will I cast him—from his bliss with his sweet bride.
Thou within the dice embodied—Dwapara my cause assist." ”

“ Only for thy sake, O hero—are the assembled rajas met.
But if thou mine homage scornest—scornest me, all honoured king,
Poison for thy sake, fire, water,—the vile noose will I endure." [37]
So, when spake Vidarbha's maiden—Nala answered thus, and said:—
"With the world's dread guardians present—wilt thou mortal husband choose?
We with them, the world's creators—with these mighty lords compared,
Lowlier than the dust they tread on—raise to them thy loftier mind.
Man the gods displeasing, hastens—to inevitable death—
Fair limbed! from that fate preserve me—choose the all excelling gods. ”

“ Did the monarch of Ayodhya—in his silent wonder sit.
When the rattling of the chariot—when the guiding of the reins,
When of Vahuca the science—saw he, thus Varshneya thought:
"Is it Matali, [121] the chariot—of the king of heaven that drives?
Lo, in Vahuca each virtue—of that godlike charioteer!
Is it Salihotra skilful—in the race, the strength of steeds,
That hath ta'en a human body—thus all-glorious to behold?
Is't, or can it be, king Nala—conqueror of his foemen's realms?
Is the lord of men before us?"—thus within himself he thought. ”

“ In the breastplate of their virtue—noble women live unharmed.
By the wretched, by the senseless—by the lost to every joy,
She by such a lord forsaken—yet to anger will not yield.
Against him his sustenance seeking—of his robe by birds despoiled,
Him consumed with utmost misery—still no wrath the dark-hued feels;
[61] Treated well, or ill entreated—when her husband she beholds,
Spoiled of bliss, bereft of kingdom—famine-wasted, worn with woe.
Having heard the stranger's language—hither hasted I to come.
Thou hast heard, be thine the judgment—to the king relate thou all. ”

“ Now springs up the desolate princess—now falls down in prostrate grief;
Now she pines in silent sorrow—now she shrieks and wails aloud.
So consumed with inward misery—ever sighing more and more,
Spake at length king Bhima's daughter—spake the still devoted wife:
"He, by whose dire imprecation—Nala this dread suffering bears,
May he far surpass in suffering—all that Nala suffers now,
May the evil one, to evil—who the blameless Nala drives,
Smitten by a curse as fatal—live a dark unblessed life." ”

“ Still retain his wretched body—nor with sorrow pine away?
Her with her dark flowing tresses—with her long and lotus eyes,
Worthy of all joy, thus joyless—as I see, my soul is wrung.
To the furthest shore of sorrow—when will pass this beauteous queen?
To her husband reunited—as the moon's bride [115] to the moon?
Her recovering shall king Nala—to his happiness return,
King, albeit despoiled of kingdom—he his realm shall reassume;
In their age and virtues equal—equal in their noble race,
He alone of her is worthy—worthy she alone of him. ”

“ On the slumbering Damayanti—gazing, sadly wept the king;
"Thou, that sun nor wind hath ever—roughly visited, my love!
On the hard earth in a cabin—sleepest with thy guardian gone.
Thus attired in half a garment—she that aye so sweetly smiled,
Like to one distracted, beauteous—how at length will she awake?
How will't fare with Bhima's daughter—lone, abandoned by her lord,
Wandering in the savage forest—where wild beasts and serpents dwell.
May the suns and winds of heaven—may the genii of the woods, [70]
Noblest, may they all protect thee—thine own virtue thy best guard." ”

“ His exile in the forest o'er—him home returned to Oudes high town,
Oh happy those, that see once more—like Indra from the sky come down.
No mortal men, but gods I deem—moonlike, before whose wondering sight,
My Rama's glorious face shall beam—from the dark forest bursting bright.
Happy that gaze on Rama's face—with beauteous teeth and smile of love,
Like the blue lotus in its grace—and like the starry king above.
Like to the full autumnal moon—and like the lotus in its bloom,
[99] That youth who sees returning soon—how blest shall be that mortal's doom. ”

“ Like the long-eyed queen of beauty—without rival, without peer.
Never mid the gods immortal—never mid the Yaksha race, [14]
Nor 'mong men was maid so lovely—ever heard of, ever seen,
As the soul-disturbing maiden—that disturbed the souls of gods.
Nala too, 'mong kings the tiger [15] —peerless among earthly men,
Like Kandarpa in his beauty [16] —like that bright-embodied God.
All around Vidarbha's princess—praised they Nala in their joy.
Ever praised they Damayanti—round Nishadha's noble king.
Hearing so each others virtues—all unseen they 'gan to love. ”

“ In king Bhima's royal palace—studying each the other's bliss,
With glad hearts, Vidarbha's princess—and the kingly Nala dwelt.
In their fourth year of divorcement—reunited to his wife,
Richly fraught with every blessing—at the height of joy he stood.
Damayanti too re-wedded—still increasing in her bliss,
Like as the glad earth to water—opens its half-budding fruits,
She of weariness unconscious,—soothed each grief, and full each joy,
Every wish fulfilled, shone brightly—as the night, when high the moon. ”

“ When king Nala saw, and gazed on—to the sorrowful he spake.
"Gaming that I lost my kingdom—'twas not mine own guilty deed,
It was Kali wrought within me—hence it was I fled from thee;
Therefore he, in th' hour of trial—smitten by thy scathing curse,
In the wild wood as thou wanderest—grieving night and day for me,
Kali dwelt within my body—burning with thy powerful curse,
Ever burning, fiercer, hotter—as when fire is heaped on fire. ”

“ Kali hardly thus had spoken—than the heaven-born gods replied:
"With our full and liberal sanction—Damayanti chose her lord.
Who to Nala, with all virtue—rich endowed, would not incline?
He that rightly knows each duty—he who ever rightly acts,
He who reads the whole four Vedas—the Puranas too the fifth, [55]
In his palace with pure offerings—ever are the gods adored,
Gentle to all living creatures—true in word and strict in vow;
Good and constant he, and generous—holy, temperate, patient, pure;
His are all these virtues ever—equal to the earth-guarding gods. ”

“ By the elephants they perish—this is through my luckless fate;
A still lengthening life of sorrow—I henceforth must sadly lead.
Ere his destined day none dieth—this of aged seers the lore;
Therefore am not I too trampled—by this herd of furious beasts.
Every deed of living mortal—by over-ruling fate is done.
Yet no sin have I committed—in my blameless infancy,
[46] To deserve this dire disaster—or in word, or deed, or thought.
For the choosing of my husband—are the guardians of the world,
Angry are the gods, rejected—for the noble Nala's sake? ”

“ For thy bliss, for thy well-doing—thine and all thy race's weal.
Men, they say, but pray for children—riches, or a generous friend,
To assist them in misfortune—and a wife for the same end.
The whole race (the wise declare it) —thou the increaser of thy race,
Than the single self less precious—ever holds a second place.
Let me then discharge the duty—and preserve thyself by me,
Give me thine assent, all-honoured—and my children's guardian be.
Women must be spared from slaughter—this the learn'd in duty say,
Even the giant knows that duty—me he will not dare to slay. ”

“ Of Vidarbha's king the daughter—Damayanti, the renowned;
Through the earth the loveliest women—in her beauty she transcends—
Soon she holds her Swayembara—soon her lord the maid will choose.
Thither all the kings are hastening—thither all the sons of kings.
Suitors for her hand the rajas—her of all the world the pearl,
O thou mighty giant slayer!—one and all approach to woo."
As they spake, the world-protectors [33] —with the god of fire drew near;
Of the immortals all, the highest—stood before the king of gods. ”

“ And before her mother's presence—in her pain and grief she spake:
"Go, Sudeva, to the city—where Ayodhya's raja dwells,
Speak thou thus to Rituparna—Come, as of thine own accord.
Once again her Swayembara—does king Bhima's daughter hold;
Damayanti, thither hasten—all the kings and sons of kings;
Closely now the time is reckoned—when to-morrow's dawn appears;
If that thou would'st win the Princess—speed thou, tamer of thy foes.
[62] When the sun is in his rising—she a second lord will choose:
Whether lives or is not living—royal Nala, no one knows." ”

“ At the fish's mandate quickly—to the peak of Himavan
Bound the sage his bark, and ever—to this day that loftiest peak,
Bears the name of Manubandhan—from the binding of the bark.
To the sage, the god of mercy—thus with fixed look bespake:
"I am lord of all creation—Brahma, higher than all height;
I in fishlike form have saved thee—Manu, in the perilous hour;
But from thee new tribes of creatures—gods, asuras, men must spring.
All the worlds must be created—all that moves or moveth not,
By an all-surpassing penance—this great work must be achieved. ”

“ Thine old father went to heaven—slept thy mother by his side,
Then thy near and dear relations—why delight'st thou here t' abide?
Fondly loving still thy kindred—thine old home thou would'st not leave,
Of thy kindred death deprived thee—in thy griefs I could but grieve.
Now to me is death approaching—never victim will I give,
From mine house, like some base craven—and myself consent to live.
Thee with righteous soul, the gentle—ever like a mother deemed,
A sweet friend the gods have given me—aye my choicest wealth esteem'd. ”

“ High the name he won, the illustrious—Virasena was he called.
Of this king the son, the hero—prosperous and truly brave,
He who rules his father's kingdom—by hereditary right,
Slayer of his foes, dark Nala—Punyasloka is he called;
Holy, Veda read, and eloquent—soma quaffing, fire adoring, [78] [79]
Sacrificer, liberal giver—warrior, in all points a king,—
Of this monarch, best of mountains—know, the wife before thee stands.
Fallen from bliss, bereft of husband—unprotected, sorrow-doomed,
Seeking every where her husband—him the best of noblest men. ”

“ Sent around to every region—"Be your care the king to find."
Then those Brahmins at the mandate—of Vidarbha's royal lord,
First drew near to Damayanti—"Lo, now set we forth," they said.
Then to them spake Bhima's daughter—"In all realms be this your speech,
Wheresoever men assemble—this repeat again, again:
Whither went'st thou then, oh gamester!—half my garment severing off,
Leaving me within the forest—all forsaken, thy beloved.
Even as thou commandedst, sits she—sadly waiting thy return.
Parched with sorrow sits that woman—in her scant half garment glad. ”