es and hearts of the princes by her dazzling light,
entered the hall. And the glances of those illustrious kings were
rivetted to those parts of her person where they had chanced to fall
first, without moving at all. And when, O Bharata, the names of the
monarchs were proclaimed, the daughter of Bhima saw five persons all
alike in appearance. And beholding them seated there, without difference
of any kind in form, doubt filled her mind, and she could not ascertain
which of them was king Nala. And at whomsoever (among them) she looked,
she regarded him to be the king of the Nishadhas. And filled with
anxiety, the beauteous one thought within herself, 'Oh, how shall I
distinguish the celestials, and how discern the royal Nala?' And thinking
thus, the daughter of Vidarbha became filled with grief. And, O Bharata,
recollecting the marks belonging to the celestials, of which she had
heard, she thought, 'Those attributes of the celestials, of which I have
heard from the aged, do not pertain to any of these deities present here
upon the earth.' And revolving the matter long in her mind, and
reflecting upon it repeatedly, she decided upon seeking the protection of
the gods themselves. And bowing down unto them with mind and speech, with
folded hands, she addressed them trembling, 'Since I heard the speech of
the swans, I chose the king of the Nishadhas as my lord. For the sake of
truth, O, let the gods reveal him to me. And as in thought or word I have
never swerved from him, O, let the gods, for the sake of that truth,
reveal him to me. And as the gods themselves have destined the ruler of
the Nishadhas to be my lord, O, let them, for the sake of that truth,
reveal him to me. And as it is for paying homage unto Nala that I have
adopted this vow, for the sake of that truth, O, let the gods reveal him
unto me, O, let the exalted guardians of the worlds assume their own
proper forms, so that I may know the righteous king.' Hearing these
piteous words of Damayanti, and ascertaining her fixed resolve, and
fervent love for the king of Nishadhas, the purity of her heart and her
inclination and regard and affection for Nala, the gods did as they had
been adjured, and assumed their respective attributes as best they could.
And thereupon she beheld the celestials unmoistened with perspiration,
with winkless eyes, and unfading garlands, unstained with dust, and
staying without touching the ground. And Naishadha stood revealed to his
shadow