Mb036. The Story Of Nala And Damayhanti Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

MAHABHARATA

One day, a reputed Sage Brihadasva,
Came to the depressed Yudishthira.
The latter told the sage of his ill fate,
A life he led, the most unfortunate.

"Adversity is nothing new.
This understands only a few.
One suffered more than you.
King Nala's story I'll tell you."

The sage thus he consoled
Yudhshthira and he told
The King Nala's life story
Full of pathos and glory.

The ruler of Nishadha,
The one famous Nala,
He held a vast army,
And won countries many.

One day he caught a swan,
While relaxing in his lawn,
That spoke in human voice,
About a princess of its choice.

"Oh king, you're so great,
For you I've in mind a mate,
Now if you set me free,
To her place I can flee."

"About you I shall tell her.
As your wife you take her.
This small service I can do.
To bind together you two."

Happy Nala released the bird.
About Damayanti he had heard,
The Vidarbha King's princess,
And of her beauty matchless.

It went to Damayanti and told.
In the same human voice bold,
To her, Nala was a match ideal.
He was the one most suitable.

Its dual role played the bird,
To join them both it tried.
Love-sick then they became,
In their dreams close they came.

Her life, she felt, was dull.
Outside she couldn't spell
What she had in her mind,
But her servants did find.

The maids made a mention
Of her present condition,
And drew her father's attention.
That caused him a tension.

For a Svayamvara ceremony,
To select pre-matrimony,
A lovely prince of her choice,
He made arrangements nice.

Angels reported to Indra,
Of the event Svayamvara.
That attracted every deity.
Mad they were after her beauty.

On the way Nala they met,
Though he was quite upset,
They sent him a messenger,
To carry this news to her.

"That among them one,
He will be her chosen
Husband in her selection,
In the coming function."

They told him further,
"You can there enter,
Invisible to any other,
With our divine power."

Her dream-mate he met her when,
She identified him there and then.
He gave her the deities' message,
To choose one for her marriage.

The deities made a trick,
Difficult for her to pick,
As everyone looked alike,
Who in her mind to strike?

Their non-winking eyelids
And non-sweating bodies
Because they were deities,
It revealed their true identities.

She garlanded Nala her man,
The deities went back to heaven.
To Nishadha the couple went,
The days happily both spent.