ife in cities and provinces. But Nala or
his spouse they found not anywhere. Until at length searching in the
beautiful city of the Chedis, a Brahmana named Sudeva, during the time of
the king's prayers, saw the princess of Vidarbha in the palace of the
king, seated with Sunanda. And her incomparable beauty was slightly
perceptible, like the brightness of a fire enveloped in curls of smoke.
And beholding that lady of large eyes, soiled and emaciated he decided
her to be Damayanti, coming to that conclusion from various reasons. And
Sudeva said, 'As I saw her before, this damsel is even so at present. O,
I am blest, by casting my eyes on this fair one, like Sree herself
delighting the worlds! Resembling the full moon, of unchanging youth, of
well-rounded breasts, illumining all sides by her splendour, possessed of
large eyes like beautiful lotuses, like unto Kama's Rati herself the
delight of all the worlds like the rays of the full moon, O, she looketh
like a lotus-stalk transplanted by adverse fortune from the Vidarbha lake
and covered with mire in the process. And oppressed with grief on account
of her husband, and melancholy, she looketh like the night of the full
moon when Rahu hath swallowed that luminary, or like a stream whose
current hath dried up. Her plight is very much like that of a ravaged
lake with the leaves of its lotuses crushed by the trunks of elephants,
and with its birds and fowls affrighted by the invasion. Indeed, this
girl, of a delicate frame and of lovely limbs, and deserving to dwell in
a mansion decked with gems, is (now) like an uprooted lotus-stalk
scorched by the sun. Endued with beauty and generosity of nature, and
destitute of ornaments, though deserving of them, she looketh like the
moon 'new bent in haven' but covered with black clouds. Destitute of
comforts and luxuries, separated from loved ones and friends, she liveth
in distress, supported by the hope of beholding her lord. Verily, the
husband is the best ornament of a woman, however destitute of ornaments.
Without her husband beside her, this lady, though beautiful, shineth not.
It is a hard feat achieved by Nala in that he liveth without succumbing
to grief, though separated from such a wife. Beholding this damsel
possessed of black hair and of eyes like lotus-leaves, in woe though
deserving of bliss, even my heart is pained. Alas! when shall this girl
graced with auspicious marks and devoted to her husband, crossing this
ocean of