s." Thus commanded, the nurse
went out and dispersing the crowd brought Damayanti to that graceful
terrace. And struck with wonder, O king, she asked Damayanti, saying,
"Afflicted though thou art with such distress, thou ownest a beautiful
form. Thou shinest like lightning in the midst of the clouds. Tell me
who thou art, and whose. O thou possessed of celestial splendour,
surely, thy beauty is not human, bereft though thou art of ornaments.
And although thou art helpless, yet thou art unmoved under the outrage
of these men." Hearing these words of the nurse, the daughter of Bhima
said, "Know that I am a female belonging to the human species and
devoted to my husband. I am a serving woman of good lineage. I live
wherever I like, subsisting on fruit and roots, and whom a companion,
and stay where evening overtaketh me. My husband is the owner of
countless virtues and was ever devoted to me. And I also, on my part,
was deeply attached to him, following him like his shadow. It chanced
that once he became desperately engaged at dice. Defeated at dice, he
came alone into the forest. I accompanied my husband into the woods,
comforting the hero clad in a single piece of cloth and maniac-like and
overwhelmed with calamity. Once on a time for some cause, that hero,
afflicted with hunger and thirst and grief, was forced to abandon that
sole piece of covering in the forest. Destitute of garment and
maniac-like and deprived of his senses as he was, I followed him, myself
in a single garment. Following him, I did not sleep for nights together.
Thus passed many days, until at last while I was sleeping, he cut off
half of my cloth, and forsook me who had done him no wrong. I am seeking
my husband but unable to find him who is of hue like the filaments of
the lotus, without being able to cast my eyes on that delight of my
heart, that dear lord who owneth my heart and resembleth the celestials
in mien, day and night do I burn in grief."

"'Unto Bhima's daughter thus lamenting with tearful eyes, and afflicted
and speaking in accents choked in grief, the queen-mother herself said,
"O blessed damsel, do thou stay with me. I am well pleased with thee. O
fair lady, my men shall search for thy husband. Or, perhaps he may come
here of his own accord in course of his wanderings. And, O beautiful
lady, residing here thou wilt regain thy (lost) lord." Hearing these
words of the queen mother, Damayanti replied, "O mother of heroes, I may
stay with