Chariots of the Gods

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्

 देवीं सरस्वतीं चैव ततो जयम् उदीरयेत्

महाभरत

Mahābharata

As retold by

Michael Dolan, B.V. Mahāyogi

Nala and Damayanti

Chariots of the Gods

Brihad Aswa continued, 

"Prince Nala, of course, was also on his way to Vidarbha. 

"When word reached Prince Nala that Damayanti would choose a suitor, he hastened to Vidarbha. He knew it was time for him to go and claim his love. He would stand before King Bhima and all the heros there and proclaim himself as the champion of Damayanti, ready to slay anyone who opposed him in mortal combat.

"He hitched his finest horses to his chariot and sped down the path, fast as the wind. As fortune would have it the gods had arrived on the path to Vidarbha just in time to find Nala on his way to the competition. 

"They were astonished at his beauty which was like cupid himself.  Many of the lesser gods, astonished at his beauty, left the path and returned to the heavens, thinking that they would never be able to compete with this mortal.

"Seeing this young man so determined, Indra, Yama, and Agni, alit from their airships and approached Nala, whose body glowed with physical strength and grace.

“'Oh Nala, King of Nishadha' said Indra, the leader of the gods from his airship, “You must help us.”

Nala stopped his chariot and looked in wonder at the skies, half-blinded by the light that parted the clouds. He saw the gods in their airships. “I am always at the service of the gods,” said Nala, surprised.  “Who are you? What would you have me do? I promise to help you in any way.”

And Indra said, “We are the masters of the universe, the majestic guardians of earth.”

And Nala folded his hands in prayer and offered his reverence. “Command me.” He said.

“Can we trust you to do our will.” Said Indra the lord of thunder.

“Yes. Let it be so.” Said the mortal Nala.

“We need you to be our messenger. Can you carry a simple message, O mortal one?”

“Of course. But I am blinded by your heavenly effulgence. Allow me to see you. Tell me who are you?”

“I am Indra, lord of heaven, king of gods, master of thunder. And this is Agni, god of fire. Here is Yama, lord of death. There is Vayu, god of rivers. We have come to ask you a special favor.”

“What can I, a mere mortal, do for the gods?”

“At the court of King Bhima an important contest will take place for the hand of a beautiful maiden, Damayanti. We need to carry a message to her. Can you be our messenger?”

“Of course.”

“Tell her that the guardians of the earth are coming to the ceremony. We gods desire to have her as wife. She may choose amongst us. As you are the most courtly of all mortals you will carry this message to her and she will say which of the gods she will marry.”

Nala folded his palms in prayer before the gods. “Forgive me, my masters. But what you say is impossible.”

Indra laughed. “Nothing is impossible.” He said. “Gods have often married mortals when it suited them. You are only a messenger.

“Excuse me, my lord,” said Nala. “I don’t mean that anything is impossible for your majesty. But this task is impossible for me.”

“I cannot carry your message. I cannot plead your cause to my beloved. You see, I walk this path for the same purpose. Even now, I am on my way to Vidarbha to declare my love for Damayanti and to challenge any man who opposes me in mortal combat.”

“Careful,” said Indra. “You have already promised to carry out our will. And it is not men that you challenge here before you. We are the gods of the natural universe. Would you challenge us? You dare?”

“But to enter the apartments and carry this message to Damayanti would be suicide. Her apartments are well-guarded by powerful soldiers now on the eve of her swayaṃvara. How would I enter there?”

“Nothing is impossible,” said Indra. “You have promised to act as our messenger. Do not defy the gods. And if you do our purpose you may be rewarded later. Go now and enter the bower of Damayanti. There she stands now, awaiting the return of the swan messengers. Go to her.” 

And so saying Indra and the other gods disappeared in a glow of radiant light. Nala strained his eyes but could no longer see the airships that had carried them from the heavens.

Nala was left alone on the path. Biting his lower lip in rage, Nala set out to do the bidding of the gods. He traveled swiftly from Nishadha to the kingdom of Vidarbha and as the sun was setting he could see the high palace walls, reflecting the last light of day. 

Emerging through the trees that lined the road he climbed a rocky hill and he surveyed the scene. He knew the wall to the garden where Damayanti waited in her bower from the description given by the swan-messengers who had told him of her love. He tied his horses in an unseen bower and alit, making his way on foot as the light of the sun was waning.

He reached the walls of Damayanti’s garden as night was falling, shadowing his steps. The light of the full moon was sufficient for him to find an opening in the back wall of the garden. Not far away, the guards were fast asleep. Perhaps the gods were kind after all.

And with the help of a fallen ashoka tree he scaled the wall. From his perch at the top of the wall he could see the fragrant gardens of his beloved, blossoming with jasmine flowers in the early moonlight. 

There was Damayanti. In his imagination he had never conceived of a woman so charming, so perfectly formed. She was surrounded by a hundred virgin hand-maids, each more enchanting than the other with lotus eyes, skin like porcelain, and hair black as a raven’s feathers. They giggled and gossiped together as they moved through the garden in attendance on their lady.

Damayanti moved more gracefully than the golden-winged swan.  He was struck to his soul. He drank in her delicate beauty: Her fine proportioned limbs,  ivory skin, and bee-black hair; her slender waist, and  the arched bows of her eyebrows which shot the fiery glances of her fair eyes as if they were darted barbs from an archer’s bow. Her warm smile charmed as she laughed with her hand-maids. It seemed the cool moonlight blushed before the warmth of her glowing beauty. 

Nala’s passion increased tenfold by finally seeing the object of his affection. His love grew warmer still as he gazed at her figure in the moonlight.

And yet he had to do the duty given him by the gods. What bitter fate: To advocate for Indra to his own dear beloved. How cruel the gods to give him such a task. He leapt down from the wall.

The hand-maids were shocked as Nala came over the wall.  Who was this intruder with his golden hair in matchless form?  They were speechless. One of them swooned. They thought, “Was this a god or a second cupid come to announce his love to their lady?  What splendour! A mighty hero come to steal their lady?”

Astonished by Nala’s personal charm the maidens that surrounded Damayanti approached him and began to praise him. “What a prince of men!” They said. “Is he a god or an angel sent from heaven?” They were struck dumb with wonder.

And finally Damayanti herself, struck with amazement, addressed him, saying, “How did you get past the guards? Are you a forest spirit, a Gandharva, or a god? What are you? O man of warlike features and godlike graces, how did you come to this garden? O sinless soul, O celestial hero, how have you come here and what is your purpose with me? How have you entered in our palace? How have you come here unseen?”

Nala replied, “Oh beautiful maiden of virgin grace, My name is Nala. I am here as the messenger of gods. Your beauty has enchanted the lords of heaven. The gods are enchanted by you, and you must choose between them. All of them are here to compete for your hand at your swayaṃvara. 

Indra, god of thunder and rain

There is Indra, god of thunder, Agni, god of fire, Varuna, god of rivers, and even the Lord of Death, Yama himself wish.  By their mystic power I was able to enter here without alarming the guards. And so it is that I have been sent here by the gods. Now that you know that your hand is desired by the gods themselves, do what you see fit. They desire to possess you. You must choose one of them at your wedding contest.”

Agni, god of fire

“Now you have heard the reason for my mission here and you must decide.”