Chapter Six: The Return of Nala

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्

 देवीं सरस्वतीं चैव ततो जयम् उदीरयेत्

महाभरत

Mahābharata

As retold by

Michael Dolan, B.V. Mahāyogi

The Return of Nala

As Rituparna reached Vidarbha, he was happy with the prospect of competing for the hand of a beautiful princess. His heart was joyful as the chariot flew, fast as the wind.

The king’s men watched along the ramparts as the mighty chariot drew near with a thunder. King Bhima gave the order and the gates opened. The stallions trampled the earth with their hoofbeats and neighed proudly. And as she heard the rattle of the chariot echoing throughout the walls, Damayanti was gladdened just as the earth is glad when thunder brings the rain.

When the royal elephants heard the clamour of the horses they raised their trunks and roared. 

Ayodhya

“It must be Nala,” thought Damayanti. He has answered my call. But as she looked out from her terrace high above the palace, she could see Varshneya driving the chariot with a dwarf and King Rituparna. The strange-looking dwarf was ugly, with a long nose and a coal black beard, but he was laughing as he urged the horses on. 

But where was Nala? As they turned a corner and ran the chariot out of her sight, Damayanti could hear the cries of the dwarf driving the horses on with enchanted mantras. She could hear the horses’ hoofs clapping on the cobblestoned streets.  The dwarf was strange, but the sound was familiar. The only driver capable of driving horses like that was her Nala. Finally he had come to rescue her. One of those men was Nala. Perhaps he was hiding within the chariot, guiding the horses with signals.

“It’s Nala, she thought. He is filling the streets with the thunderous sound of the horses’ hooves as a signal. He knows I will be listening. Finally, my prince has come.” 

And opening the windows of her balcony she stepped out on the terrace to behold her prince. But all she saw was King Rituparna in his chariot drawn by fine stallions driven by Varshneya and guided by the ugly hunchbacked dwarf with a long nose and big ears.

And in the yard of the palace, her father the king, Bhima, who wasn’t expecting such royal company, was surprised at the urgency of the horses. He approached Rituparna and his horsemen, saying, “Welcome. What brings you to Vidarbha?”

"What Brings you to Vidarbha?"

Rituparna was surprised. Why would the king ask such a question? Wasn’t he offering his daughter’s hand in a competition. He looked around. Where were the others? He could see that there had been no  preparations made for a swayamvara.  There were no banners or colorful tents. The palace looked quite lonely. No banquets were laid for the feast. Ordinary people were going about their business. It was a quite ordinary evening in Vidarbha. As the sun was setting, there were no great kings and princes here to compete for Damayanti’s hand. Something wasn’t right. He had been cheated.

Rituparna smiled, getting down from the chariot and offering his hand to the king. “I have come to pay my respects to you, my dear King Bhima.” He said. “We were just passing through this part of the world on our way from Ayodhya and I thought I would be remiss if I didn’t pay my respects to the great king of Vidarbha.”

But the king was surprised to see that someone would cover a distance of more than a hundred leagues with such haste. He wondered at the occasion of Rituparna’s visit. Why would he come so far only to offer his respects?  “He must have some deeper purpose,” thought the king.

“Very good sir,” said the King. “Come. You will dine with me in the palace. And then you may rest, for you must be weary.” And giving instructions to his men, the king indicated that the horses should be led to the stables and rested for the night, along with the chariot driver and the horse-trainer.”

As Rituparna went with Varshneya the charioteer to dine in the palace of the king, Nala, disguised as the hunch-backed dwarf, Vahuka took the horses to the stables. And there tending upon those noble steeds in the manner of kings, Vahuka made the horses to rest, giving them hay and water, brushing their coats, feeding them sugar lumps, and praising them for their great toil. He sat down on the chariot and considered his course of action.

Meanwhile, the baffled King Rituparna sat down with the king to eat at the great table. And as he ate and spoke with the king, he wondered that there was no svayamvara. No one mentioned the competition where the daughter of King Bhima would be given to suitors. “Perhaps, it was all a trick,” he thought. “But why? Perhaps all this has something to do with the disappearance of Nala. Perhaps the svayamvara was a ruse to bring him here and I have somehow been implicated.  Perhaps someone in my own kingdom knew something about Nala.”

And as he thought, he reflected on the strange manner of dwarf who was expert in horses. Nala had lost his kingdom by gambling. How strange that his dwarf, expert in horses, was so interested in learning how to gamble with dice. It started to make sense to him. Perhaps this hunch-backed dwarf was really Nala. Could it be?

And from the second floor balcony overlooking the palace dining hall, Damayanti studied king Rituparna. “Could he be Nala? He has none of Nala’s charm. But who rattled the war chariot and clattered the horses hooves if not Nala? Could it be that the ugly dwarf somehow knew something about Nala? Did Nala did his skill in horses to King Rituparna?

Meanwhile Damayanti was perplexed. No one could drive horses like Nala. Only her husband knew the secret of making the streets rattle with the sound of the chariot.  She looked down upon the banquet from a window in her secret chamber. Where was the strange dwarf? He had not appeared. There were King Rituparna and his chariot driver Varshneya, sitting at the banquet table with her father. She could see that Rituparna was baffled. 

She knew that this Rituparna had not come to visit her father the king, but to sweep her off her feet and marry her in the swayamvara. Rituparna had come in response to the invitation she had sent out. But there was no swaymvara. The invitation had only been sent to King Rituparna. 

He was confused and doing his best to dissimulate. Her invitation was no more than a pretext, a secret message to Nala. She was convinced that he would come. But where was he? The king’s chariot driver had nothing in common with Nala. In fact she was sure that it was the ugly dwarf Vahuka who had driven the chariot. But where was he? Perhaps he knew something of Nala.

The ugly dwarf considered his fate, waiting in the horse stables. How would this end? Why had his lady announced a new wedding? And where were the suitors?  Would she really consider marrying another? Vahuka reached up and drew a bucket of water from the horse trough above his head. Setting the bucket down before one of the fine Sindhya stallions he chanced to look in the bucket. He saw his reflection. He sat, considering his aspect in the mirror of the clear water. 

An ugly dwarf looked at him and studied his thick eyebrows  course nose and his huge ears. The dwarf winked.

"Where is Nala?"

Damayanti looked down over the banquet table. Who was this King Rituparna? He had responded to the message, and yet he couldn’t possibly be Nala. Maybe Nala was dead. He might have taught his secrets to this King of Ayodhya who sat at her father's banquet table. Or perhaps Nala had somehow disguised himself as this hunchbacked dwarf who watered the horses in her father's stables. She  must find out more.

Damayanti called for her serving girl.

"Keshini,” she said, “Go and learn who is this horse keeper who drives chariots. Why doesn't he come to the banquet? He is hiding in the stables of my father. Go to him. Be discreet. Approach him courteously, with sweet words. Gain his confidence with kindness soft glances. Draw him into the garden, under the moonlight, near my balcony, that I can hear everything. Tell him my story. Ask his opinion what kind of a man abandons a woman in the forest, leaving her half clad. Find out if he knows anything about Nala."

"I shall do as you say my mistress," said Keshini, and set out to do the bidding of her mistress.

Damayanti went to the window, and opening it, stepped out onto the balcony under the moonlight. She could see the garden below. She watched as Keshini, her serving girl, opened the door to the stables.

As Nala was seeing to the horses, he heard a sound. 

Turning, he saw a delicate maiden. Her eyes shone in the moonlight. 

"Good evening sir," she said. "As you have not come to the banquet, I have brought you something to eat and drink." She offered him a plate of food and a glass of water. "Or if you don't like to eat here in the stable with the horses, you can come and eat in the kitchen with the help."

Nala accepted the food. He sat down to eat.

"This suits me fine." He said. "I need to stay close to these poor and tired horses. They have run hard, from Ayodhya to Vidarbha. If I take good care of my horses and rest them well tonight, they will be happier and when we return to Ayodhya they will run faster. Thank you so much for everything. I’m fine here."

"Then I must go," said the girl, smiling "They need me in the kitchen."

“By the way, said Vahuka, “Is it true? What they say about your mistress, I mean. I was told that the fair Damayanti was holding a second contest for her hand. And yet there is no evidence of any contest."

"Contest? I know nothing of any contest. It must've been a rumor spread by an unscrupulous brahmana. There are many such gossips wandering through the forests these days. I'm sure my mistress will never marry again. Why should she, when her last husband, Nala abandoned her in the forest? If a great king like Nala deserts her like a beast, half-clad in the forest, then would she expect from lesser men? "

With this, the serving girl Keshini turned and left the stable. She began walking to the kitchen. Now she was in the garden under the moonlight.

"Wait." She heard.

She turned. Now the hunchbacked dwarf with a long nose had followed her into the garden. They were both directly under the balcony of the fair Damayanti, who could hear everything.

"Just a moment,” he said.

Keshini the serving girl looked at the hideous dwarf whom men called Vahuka. 

"Could this really be Nala?” she thought.

"Yes?” she said. “Have you changed your mind? Will you have your dinner in the kitchen after all?"

"No." Said the dwarf. "But stay a moment. Tell me about your mistress. Is it true that she was abandoned in the forest?"

"Well," she said, "I know that she was desperately in love with Nala. I know that she sent a message to the court of many a king. The message went, ‘oh beloved gambler who lost your kingdom at dice where are you? Where have you gone? You tore my cloth and deserted me. You left me alone in the forest to seek my fortune. Why did you leave me alone and asleep in the woods?' 

She sent a brahmana to many a place throughout this world with this message, hoping to hear from her lost husband. In fact this brahmana reached the kingdom of Rituparna. You yourself replied to this message. What was the meaning of that?”

The dwarf said, “Yes, it’s true. My message was, 'chaste women overcome by calamity in danger protect themselves and keep their virtue."

The serving girl looked at the dwarf and said, “Then, explain yourself. Who are you?"

"My Name is Vahuka"

And as the fair Damayanti eavesdropped from her balcony looking over the garden, the dwarf told his tale.

“My name is Vahuka. Of my past I will tell you more later. I wander the earth in the service of kings. As a dwarf," he said, "I have been gifted by the gods with certain mystic powers since my birth. Among these is my power over horses. Because I'm skilled in working with horses I have been appointed as the charioteer to the King, Rituparna. 

“I can conjure fire and watrer. I am also expert in the use of herbs and spices and cooking. And so I have been appointed as cook to the King. In the course of my dealings with kings I have learned many things from many wise brahmanas."

With this, Damayanti leaned farther over the balcony. She could see the dwarf's eyes as he spoke to the serving girl. Teardrops appeared on the leathery face of that ugly dwarf and rolled down into his coal black beard as he spoke. 

He said, "I have heard it said that a virtuous lady should not be angry at the foolishness of men. Even if a man is deprived of his garments by envious birds who cheat him of his food after he has lost everything by gambling, a great lady should not blame her husband."

The serving girl could not make sense of the cryptic message. But Damayanti in her heart knew that only Nala was present when the envious birds stole his garments. Only Nala knew about their humiliation in the forest. Only Nala knew that he had left her half-clad in the forest. And so, either the dwarf knew Nala intimately, and had heard this story from him or this dwarf was Nala. Nala himself was telling this tale disguised as an ugly dwarf.

Keshini the serving girl bade good night to the dwarf and took the news of her conversation to Damayanti her mistress. She was perplexed. She would put the dwarf to a test. She would discover if he really was Nala. That night she couldn't sleep, thinking of all these things, and early in the morning she called for Keshini.

"Keshini," she said, “I heard the dwarf say he is a good cook. Invite him to cook breakfast for the King. But when he is in the kitchen, you help him. Watch his movements closely. My husband Nala has certain mystic powers. I have never seen anyone else who can do what he does. Watch him closely and mark carefully what he does. Then report back to me."

And so, as the sun cast golden rays through the ashoka trees in the garden where the swan messengers had long ago spoken to Damayanti,  her serving maid Keshini went to the horse stables. Rituparna of Ayodhya was asleep in his luxurious apartments. Vahuka was sweeping out the stables. 

Keshini entered and saw the fine chariot of King Rituparna and the strange dwarf with the twisted nose.

”Sir," she said, “Good Morning to you. My lady Damayanti has heard from King Rituparna that you are quite an expert cook. I told her that you are an expert in herbs and spices. My lady wishes to test your powers in the kitchen. You have been invited to prepare her morning breakfast. If you accept the challenge."

"Fair maiden, tell your lady that I shall indeed prepare the morning breakfast."

And shortly thereafter, the dwarf, who was really Nala, went to the kitchen, where Keshini showed him all he needed. 

There were sumptuous grains, vegetables, rice and cereals. There were baskets of fruit freshly picked, including berries, apples, peaches, mangos, and bananas. There were grains, freshly harvested rice and wheat.   And Keshini watched as Vahuka prepared the food. 

He conjured fresh water with a snap of his fingers, washing certain vegetables, and setting them in a pot. And then Vahuka prepared the fire. Taking a blade of dry  grass and holding it up to the sun, Vahuka said a mantra and the grass caught fire. He placed it on some kindling and with a breath, a flame blazed up and licked his hand. And yet he wasn’t burned. He simply went on singing and smiling and cooking breakfast. 

The flame did nothing, as he was unaffected by fire. And when he needed to add water to the pot he moved his hands above the pot and pure fresh-water flowed from his hands in a stream. Sometimes he moved to and fro from the kitchen into the garden. And the doorway was low. Men as tall as Nala had to bow their heads to pass through the doorway. But Nala did not bow. As he approached the doorway the doorway raised itself a few inches so that he could pass underneath. 

All these strange and mystic signs were witnessed by Keshini. Flowers had been set in vases for the tables, but they had begun to wither. Nala took these flowers in his hands and rubbed them. They sprang forth fresh and renewed as if just picked.

Reconciliation

Returning to her lady’s quarters with a tray , Keshini narrated the story of  all these miraculous acts performed by the hideous dwarf. 

“He conjured water and fire. And when he touched the flowers they were refreshed. Surely he is a god in disguise.” She said.

Damayanti listened, curious. But when she tasted the food she wept. “Only Nala could have cooked like this,” she thought.

As a further test, Damayanti sent her two children to the kitchen to thank the dwarf for the wonderful breakfast. 

But seeing his children, Nala, who was disguised as a hideous dwarf, wept tears of joy and embraced them. Keshini was surprised. 

"Do you have children of your own, sir?" She said.

"Yes," said the dwarf . "They look very much like these two here. And seeing them, I remembered my own children who I have not seen in such a long time.”

NALA AND DAMAYANTI REUNITED

When Keshini the serving girl returned to her mistress Damayanti, she  told her how the dwarf had embraced the twins.  Damayanti was overwhelmed with grief and melancholy. She could understand by all these different tests that this dwarf was none other than Nala. Her husband and king had finally returned.  King Nala, who had suffered so many wrongs had come back to her. 

But what was his story? Under what strange curse had he been transformed into a hunch-backed dwarf? How could he have abandoned her so easily in the forest? 

Damayanti decided that she must speak personally to this strange hunchbacked dwarf. She went to her mother and explained the situation saying, “O Mother. I have tried this man in many different ways. He must be Nala. Only his appearances changed. But now I must see him personally. Please give him permission to come and visit me with or without the consent of my father."

The queen in turned relayed her message. Consent was granted, and that night Nala came privately to the chambers of the Princess. And when he entered her chamber he saw her wearing a torn piece of red cloth with her hair matted and disheveled and covered with dirt and dust.

And Damayanti looking at that dwarf said with tears in her eyes, "Oh my dear dwarf have you ever seen anyone who knows about Dharma who has deserted his wife sleeping in the forest? How did I offend my husband, the great King Nala?"

And Nala, seeing his wife in that condition was grief-stricken. Hiseyes filled wit tears and he said, “O my lady, I have come here for you. You see me in this condition because I was possessed by the demon Kali. It was he that provoked me to gamble. A serpent king transformed me that I might hide from my pursuers. When I was in hiding I heard a rumor that you would marry again and came immediately.  But is it true? Would you have another husband besides me?”

“O Nala,” she said. “I knew it was you. Remember when the gods themselves wanted me as their wife, I refused them. I chose you before the gods and they have cursed me. But I choose only you, even now in this shriveled form, ugly and hunchbacked. I can only choose you as my eternal husband. As the gods are my witness, I swear I have never forsaken thee. I have been chaste and faithful, waiting for the day that we could reunite. I swear it by the god of wind.”

As she said this the wind-god Vayu appeared before them and said, “O Nala, what she says is true. Accept her word, she has guarded her honor. You may suspect no wrong against her.”

And with this fragrant flowers fell from heaven and majestic celestial drums sounded. 

And Nala was freed from the doubts that burned within his mind. He reached into a pouch that he kept on his person at all times and found the magic garment given him by the snake-king. 

Putting on that garment he resumed his original form at once. The strange dwarf disappeared as he was transformed. Tall and happy, beaming like the sun, he took Damayanti into his powerful arms and held her to his heart.  

They embraced for a long time and mixed tears of joy with kisses.

And after some time Damayanti told Nala of all that had befallen her since their parting in the forest and Nala told Damayanti of all his adventures.  Together they went before King Bhima and the Queen, who were astonished to hear the tale of Nala’s adventures. That night they passed in bliss, and as they would spend many other nights together in the palace, laughing away their sorrows in the blush of love.

The following morning Nala dressed royally and appeared before the king. He saluted his father-in-law and related the stores of what had happened to him. King Bhima for his part was overjoyed. He offered Nala treasure and gold in homage. Nala begged forgiveness of Rituparna for all his troubles. 

 And Rituparna said, “My dear King Nala, if I was at all able to help you in your adventures it was an honor for me. And if I have offended you in any way by being over-familiar in the course of our dealings, please forgive me.”

Nala smiled and said, “You have taught me a valuable lesson. I now know enough about dice to win my kingdom back. Go in peace.”

And so it was that Nala was reunited with Damayanti.

NALA’S RETURN

By and by Nala set out for his home city of Nishadha with an army furnished by King Bhima. He rode out in a single white car accompanied by sixteen elephants, fifty armed horsemen  and six hundred infantry. The earth shook with the sound of his horses. And he rode hard as he approached the mighty city where King Pushkara now ruled. 

He was greeted by Pushkara himself who was very surprised to see the exiled king after all this time. He had been ordered never to return upon pain of death, but the king granted him audience.

“Pushkara,” said Nala. “I deserve a chance to play again. In my wanderings I have acquired vast wealth and I wish to risk it in order to win my kingdom back. I will bet all my vast fortune as well as my queen, Damayanti herself, against your kingdom.”

Pushkar wondered to see his old rival thus.  He said, “I have already bested you at dice.  It surprises me greatly that one so foolish at dice as to lose his entire kingdom would return years later for more punishment. But if you are so foolish as to gamble with me, then wager the fair Damayanti, as you say, and after winning her I shall be fortunate indeed.”

Nala was enraged, but steeled his nerves for the game.  The match was set. They sat at dice. King Pushkara threw. Pushkar’s courtiers smiled, for the odds were against Nala. If he lost the game he would lose all his treasure, all his wealth, his newfound kingdome in Vidarbha and his lovely wife, Damayanti.

Nala threw the dice. He won everything back in one throw. 

He smiled at Pushkara and said, “Justice is served. I have won. This kingdom is again mine. You might have beaten me before, but it was only by the influence of Kali. And yet, since Kali has now left me, I am free from his devilry. I shall not react in wrath, for that is the Kali’s domain. I take only what is rightfully mine. You may live at your pleasure. I give you the fair share of your estate. Let us be friends. You are, after all, my brother. May  you live for a hundred years in peace.”

And King Pushkara, while humiliated, understood that this was his fate, the fate of the gods, the luck of the draw, his karma. He accepted his lot, saying, “You are right, my brother. May your glory be everlasting. You have granted me my life and my city. I was wrong. I too fell under the influence of Kali. Forgive me. Let us be friends.”

Pushkara embraced his brother. He stayed on  for a while as Nala was re-established as King.  Nala recounted his adventures in the forest and as Vahuka the magic dwarf. At last Pushkar left Vishadha with his kinsmen and courtiers and a well-appointed army. The influence of Kali had disappeared completely.  Pushkara retired peacefully with his entourage and lived for many years allied with his brother Nala, who ruled as a great king.

Nala’s subjects were thrilled as he entered to regain the royal throne.  His citizens approached him from all over the country, saying, “O My liege. We rejoice in town and field at your return. We do homage to you as to Indra himself.”

After Pushkar had gone home and the festivities were done, when he saw that Nishadha was at peace, Nala called for his Queen. Damayanti was escorted home to Nishadha by King Bhima himself, with a mighty host of elephants, horsemen and charioteers. In this way Nala won back his kingdom and ruled Nishadha in Jambudwipa peace for many years.”

Bridhadaswa said, “Whoever hears this story will take heart against the sins of gambling. This story is destructive of the influence of Kali and who ever hears it will reflect on the uncertainty of human exertion.” And with these words, Vrihadaswa  concluded the story of Nala and Damayanti.