The Swan Messenger: Nala and Damanti 4

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्

 देवीं सरस्वतीं चैव ततो जयम् उदीरयेत्

महाभरत

Mahābharata

As retold by

Michael Dolan, B.V. Mahāyogi

Nala and Damayanti

The Swan Messenger

Nala was smitten by thoughts of the lovely maiden Damayanti.  To clear his minds he would take his finest stallion to the royal gardens and walk through its tall mango trees and reflecting pools. 

One morning, just before dawn he rode his swift horse on the green plains outside the palace walls. An as he raced along he saw a flock of golden birds making for the royal groves and gardens. 

Curious, he followed their path. He saw the birds alight within the grove, near a reflecting pond covered with  lotus flowers. Leaving his horse he moved lightly within the grove, making not a sound.  

Hidden by the mango trees that circled the pond he saw the birds were swans, their wings feathered with gold that gleamed as they sported in the waters. And fascinated with their golden wings, Nala chased them, on a whim he chased after them. 

They fluttered their golden wings and flew above the trees. But one of the swans did not escape his grasp. Nala caught this golden swan, holding it to his breast.

And as Nala admired  its beauty, the swan turned to him and said, “O King, release me and I will do you a great service.” 

Nala laughed. “Why should I release you? With your golden wings you would make a nice addition to my garden. Stay with me here and grace my lotus pond with your beauty, and everyone will wonder at your golden wings.”

“Release me,” said the swan. “For I can help you.”

Nala smiled. “How can a simple bird like you help a prince of the realm?”

“I have often seen you walk here in this garden, early in the mornings. Sometimes you sigh and stare at the waters and cry out the name of Damayanti.”

“And what have you to do with Damayanti,” he said, stroking the bird’s neck gently and looking into its blacks eyes.

“We golden swans wander from one royal pond to another.  I have been to Vidarbha, the ancient kingdom of Sita. I have seen Damayanti, the young maiden who has captured your heart. She walks within the courtyards of her gardens early in the morning. There she says her prayers and does her morning meditation. 

“And sometimes as I gracefully float over the crystal waters of that reflecting pond where red lotuses grow I hear her pine for love. She says your name over and over as if it were a prayer, ‘O Nala.’ I know she is in love with you. But if you let me free, I shall fly over her courtyard walls and go to her. There I shall tell her of your love. I will bring her message to you. We swans also know what love is. Let me free and I shall sail over the trees and range the skies until I arrive at the palace of Damayanti. Reaching her gardens I will tell that maid of your charms until she is burning with love for you.”

“Very well,” said Nala, releasing the swan. The swan messenger thanked the king. He rose on golden wings and left that place. And joining his friends those brightly winged birds flew before the dawn through cloudless skies, to the land of Vidarbha and the palace of King Bhima. 

“Over the walls of the  palace the golden birds flew until they found a garden of tall trees and marble fountains within the courtyards of the King. There they splashed in the waters of a small pond, near where Damayanti was walking with her hand-maids in the early morning light. And the young Damayanti was delighted to see those graceful swans with golden wings playing in the crystal waters of the pond. She splashed the water by the banks of the pond and the swans playfully ran here and there. 

“Damayanti frolicked by the waterside, chasing the swans. Her nimble hand-maids giggled and ran as the flock of golden swans scattered. Each girl joined the game and chased her swan, as they all went in different directions. Damayanti herself ran after the largest golden bird, a messenger from her prince Nala. And that swan messenger led the virginal princess away from her hand-maids into a secluded copse of ashoka trees. 

“And just when she was about to catch him and gather him in her slender arms the swan turned to her. Shaking the water from his plumes he raised his beak and spoke in human language, saying, “O precious maid, Princess Damayanti of Vidarbha, hear me.”

The princess Damayanti was surprised to hear a swan with golden wings address her in human speech. She listened, shocked, her hair standing on end.

“Listen to me,” said the swan. “I come from the court of a great prince far away. This prince is lord of the Nishadhas. His name is Nala. This tall and noble monarch is equal to the gods in beauty. He is like cupid himself, handsome and strong, envied by gods, Gandharvas, and men. 

“O slender-waisted maiden,” the swan continued, “while he is a great king, a man of character, he is sad and melancholy. Indeed he thinks only of you. He is unmarried but wants to take you, O princess as his wife and make you his queen.

“If you take Nala as your husband, the two of you will join your kingdoms and rule far and wide. 

“We golden-winged swans have seen gods and men, and even celestial beings like Gandharvas and Nagas. But never have we seen one like unto Nala.  He is a jewel among men, a god among kings.

“You are a pearl among fair ladies.  Say the word and I shall return to King Nala now, together with this flock of golden swans. I shall carry your message of assent and assure the wedding arrangements. 

“Rest assured that if you agree, you and Nala shall live in  peace for many years, ruling the kingdoms of Nishadha and Vidarbha from your palaces surrounded by your loving children in great happiness. Nala is the pride of men and you are the pearl of damsels. The matchless gift of love shall be yours, and when the peerless Damayanti weds the unrivaled Nala all shall rejoice. Your union shall be blessed by all the gods. ”

The poetry of the swan’s words pierced Damayanti’s heart and made her head spin. She swooned. But when she awoke the swans were still there, sunning themselves in the garden with their golden wings radiant in the morning light.

She blushed. “I thought this was a dream,” she said.

"Only give your word and we shall seek out Nala." 

“No dream,” said the swan. “Only give your word and we shall seek out your husband Nala in his gardens and give him the good news. The engagement will be formalised”

Damayanti’s fair complexion flushed pink. She smiled. “So be it,” she said. “If it be my fate to join my life with that great prince, then I must follow my heart. Tell Nala that I will be his.”

“Indeed I shall, fair Damayanti,” said the golden messenger swan.

The golden swans, satisfied with their task, once again took to the skies. They soared over Vidarbha and returned to the land of the Nishadhas the way they had come. And arriving once again in the garden of the courtyard of Nala they alighted before that noble prince and told him everything. 

“She has accepted your hand, O Nala. You need not doubt her. She returns your love and would join her hand with yours in marriage.”