Nala Passes the test

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्

 देवीं सरस्वतीं चैव ततो जयम् उदीरयेत्

महाभरत

Mahābharata

As retold by

Michael Dolan, B.V. Mahāyogi

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.