words the noble lady--to her mother gan to speak:
"If in life thou would'st preserve me--mother, hear the truth I speak;
Home to bring the hero Nala--be it now thy chiefest toil."
Thus addressed by Damayanti--very sorrowful the queen
Clouded all her face with weeping--not a word in answer spake.
But the princess, thus afflicted--when the female train beheld,
"Woe! oh woe!" they shrieked together--all in pitying sadness wept.
To the mighty raja Bhima--did the queen that speech relate.
"'Damayanti, Lo thy daughter--for her husband sits and mourns.'
Breaking through all bashful silence--thus, oh king, to me she spake:
'Be it now thy servants' business--to find out the king of men.'"
Urged by her the king his Brahmins--to his will obedient all,
Sent around to every region--"Be your care the king to find."
Then those Brahmins at the mandate--of Vidarbha's royal lord,
First drew near to Damayanti--"Lo, now set we forth," they said.
Then to them spake Bhima's daughter--"In all realms be this your speech,
Wheresoever men assemble--this repeat again, again:
Whither went'st thou then, oh gamester!--half my garment severing off,
Leaving me within the forest--all forsaken, thy beloved.
Even as thou commandedst, sits she--sadly waiting thy return.
Parched with sorrow sits that woman--in her scant half garment glad.
Oh to her thus ever weeping--in the extreme of her distress,
Grant thy pity, noble hero--answer to her earnest prayer.
Be this also said, to move him--to compassionate my state,
(By the wind within the forest--fanned, intensely burns the fire).[117]
Ever by her consort cherished--and sustained the wife should be.
Why hast thou forgot that maxim--thou in every duty skilled.
Thou wert ever called the generous--thou the gentle and the wise.
Art thou now estranged from pity--through my sad injurious fate.
Prince of men, O grant thy pity--grant it, lord of men, to me;
'Mercy is the chief of duties,'--oft from thine own lips I've heard.
Thus as ye are ever speaking--should there any one reply,
Mark him well, lest he be Nala--who he is, and where he dwells.
He who to this speech hath listened--and hath thus his answer made,
Be his words, O best of Brahmins--treasured and brought home to me,
Lest he haply should discover--that by my command ye speak,
That again ye may approach him--do