f my senses, I am thy lord, do thou, therefore, listen to
the words I speak for thy good. These many roads lead to the southern
country, passing by (the city of) Avanti and the Rikshavat mountains.
This is that mighty mountain called Vindhya; yon, the river Payasvini
running sea-wards, and yonder are the asylums of the ascetics, furnished
with various fruit and roots. This road leadeth to the country of the
Vidarbhas--and that, to the country of the Kosalas. Beyond these roads
to the south is the southern country." Addressing Bhima's daughter, O
Bharata, the distressed king Nala spake those words unto Damayanti over
and over again. Thereupon afflicted with grief, in a voice choked with
tears, Damayanti spake unto Naishadha these piteous words, "O king,
thinking of thy purpose, my heart trembleth, and all my limbs become
faint. How can I go, leaving thee in the lone woods despoiled of thy
kingdom and deprived of thy wealth, thyself without a garment on, and
worn with hunger and toil? When in the deep woods, fatigued and
afflicted with hunger, thou thinkest of thy former bliss, I will, O
great monarch, soothe thy weariness. In every sorrow there is no physic
equal unto the wife, say the physicians. It is the truth, O Nala, that I
speak unto thee." Hearing those words of his queen, Nala replied, "O
slender-waisted Damayanti, it is even as thou hast said. To a man in
distress, there is no friend or medicine that is equal unto a wife. But
I do not seek to renounce thee, wherefore, O timid one, dost thou dread
this? O faultless one, I can forsake myself but thee I cannot forsake."
Damayanti then said, "If thou dost not, O mighty king, intend to forsake
me, why then dost thou point out to me the way to the country of the
Vidarbhas? I know, O king, that thou wouldst not desert me. But, O lord
of the earth, considering that thy mind is distracted, thou mayst desert
me. O best of men, thou repeatedly pointest out to me the way and it is
by this, O god-like one, that thou enhancest my grief. If it is thy
intention that I should go to my relatives, then if it pleaseth thee,
both of us will wend to the country of the Vidarbhas. O giver of
honours, there the king of the Vidarbhas will receive thee with respect.
And honoured by him, O king, thou shall live happily in our home."'"

SECTION LXII

"'Nala said, "Surely, thy father's kingdom is as my own. But thither I
will not, by any means, repair in this extremity. Once I appeared the