an to pass much of his
time in solitude in the gardens adjoining the inner apartment (of his
palace). And there he saw a number of swans furnished with golden wings,
wandering in those woods. And from among them he caught one with his
hands. And thereupon the sky-ranging one said unto Nala. 'Deserve I not
to be slain by thee. O king. I will do something that is agreeable to
thee. O king of the Nishadhas. I will speak of thee before Damayanti in
such a way that she will not ever desire to have any other person (for
her lord).' Thus addressed, the king liberated that swan. And those swans
then rose on their wings and went to the country of the Vidarbhas. And on
arriving at the city of the Vidarbhas the birds alighted before
Damayanti, who beheld them all. And Damayanti in the midst of her maids,
beholding those birds of extraordinary appearance was filled with
delight, and strove without loss of time to catch those coursers of the
skies. And the swans at this, before that bevy of beauties, fled in all
directions. And those maidens there pursued the birds, each (running)
after one. And the swan after which Damayanti ran, having led her to a
secluded spot, addressed her in human speech, saying, O Damayanti, there
is a king amongst the Nishadhas named Nala. He is equal unto the Aswins
in beauty, not having his peer among men. Indeed, in comeliness, he is
like Kandarpa himself in his embodied form. O fair-complexioned one, O
thou of slender waist, if thou becomest his wife, thy existence and this
thy beauty may be of purpose. We have, indeed, beheld celestials and
Gandharvas, and Nagas, and Rakshasas, and men, but never saw we before
any one like Nala. Thou also art a jewel among thy sex, as Nala is the
prime among men. The union of the best with the best is happy.' Thus
addressed by the swan. Damayanti, O monarch, replied unto him there,
saying, 'Do thou speak thus unto Nala also, 'Saying So be it, to the
daughter of Vidarbha, the oviparous one, O king, returned to the country
of the Nishadhas, and related everything unto Nala."

SECTION LIV

"Vrihadaswa said, 'O Bharata, hearing those words of the swan, Damayanti
thenceforth lost all peace of mind on account of Nala. And heaving
frequent sighs she was filled with anxiety, and became melancholy and
pale-faced and lean. And with her heart possessed by the god of love, she
soon lost colour, and with her upturned gaze and modes of abstraction,
looked like one demented. And