rightened and trembling, said with joined hand, "It behoveth
thee not, O blessed one, to suspect any fault in me. O ruler of the
Nishadhas, passing over the celestials themselves, I choose thee as my
lord. It was to bring thee hither that the Brahmanas had gone out in all
directions, even to all the sides of the horizon, singing my words, in
the form of ballads. At last, O king, a learned Brahmana named Parnada
had found thee in Kosala in the palace of Rituparna. When thou hadst
returned a fit answer to those words of his, it was then, O Naishadha,
that I devised this scheme to recover thee. Except thee, O lord of
earth, there is no one in this world, who in one day can clear, O King,
a hundred _yojanas_ with horses. O monarch, touching thy feet I can
swear truly that I have not, even in thought, committed any sin. May the
all-witnessing Air that courseth through this world, take my life, if I
have committed any sin. May the Sun that ever courseth through the sky
take my life, if I have committed any sin. May the Moon, that dwelleth
within every creature as a witness, take my life, if I have committed
any sin. Let the three gods that sustain the triple worlds in their
entirety, declare truly, or let them forsake me today." And thus
addressed by her, the Wind-god said from the sky, "O Nala, I tell thee
truly that she hath done no wrong. O king, Damayanti, well guarding the
honour of thy family, hath enhanced it. Of this we are the witnesses, as
we have been her protectors for these three years. It is for thy sky
that she hath devised this unrivalled scheme, for, except thee, none on
earth is capable of travelling in a single day a hundred _yojanas_. O
monarch, thou hast obtained Bhima's daughter, and she hath also obtained
thee. Thou needst not entertain any suspicion but be united with thy
partner." And after the Wind-god had said this, a floral shower fell
there and the celestial kettle-drum began to play, and auspicious
breezes began to blow. And beholding those wonders, O Bharata, king
Nala, the represser of foes, cast away all his doubts in respect of
Damayanti. And then that lord of earth, remembering the king of
serpents, wore that pure garment and regained his native form. And
beholding her righteous lord in his own form, Bhima's daughter of
faultless limbs embraced him, and began to weep aloud. And king Nala
also embraced Bhima's daughter devoted to him, as before, and also his
children, and experienced great deli