Wedding Plans

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्

 देवीं सरस्वतीं चैव ततो जयम् उदीरयेत्

महाभरत

Mahābharata

As retold by

Michael Dolan, B.V. Mahāyogi

Nala and Damayanti

Wedding Plans

Brihad Aswa continued, “As the golden swans soared overhead Damayanti could hardly believe what had just happened. And as days passed she became intoxicated with her infatuation. As she remembered again the sweet words of the swan, love burned in her heart and she could find no peace. 

Unable to confide in her hand-maids or even her mother the queen, she became melancholy. Her cheeks lost their blush and she became pale and wan.  She was lost in her own world. Damayanti wandered distracted like a madwoman. 

She lost interest in the banquets held by her royal father. And at night she couldn’t sleep.  “Oh, what shall I do?” she cried.

Her hand-maids and intimate friends could understand from her looks and gestures that she was upset,  but as she would not confide in them of her great love for Prince Nala, they were unable to trace out the source of her pain. 

By and by her hand-maids went to the queen and told her of Damayanti’s distress. The queen knew that the girl must be in love and went to the king.  

King Bhima said, “Why is our daughter so distracted? She takes no interest in food or drink. She looks pale. Is she sick?”

“Damayanti is in love,” she said. “I’m not sure how or where she conceived this infatuation, but I think she has fallen in love with Prince Nala of the land of Nishadha. You must take a hand in this.”

At last the king could understand what was troubling his daughter. He knew from all the indications that the princess was now of marrying age. And t was his duty as her father to seek a good match and marry her before she died of love-sickness. 

In those days as even now, it was customary for the king to arrange a svayaṃvara, where champions could compete by force of arms for the hand of a young princess. 

“Let us arrange a contest for her hand,” said the King. “I shall declare her svayaṃvara. Let this Nala come forth and challenge other gallant young men. And if she accepts him, let them rule as King and Queen.”

And so it was that King Bhima began to summon different kings and princes, sending his messengers and heralds about the land announcing the imminent svayamvara competition for the hand of his daughter, the fair Damayanti.

The date for the competition ceremony was set. All the important kings and princes began to arrive in the court of Vidarbha to compete for the fair Damayanti who was at this time wasting away, dying of love, pining for the day that Nala would come and rescue her. 

Those noble lords shook the earth with the thunder of their chariots and the roar of their elephants as they coursed towards Vidarbha. Many a fine young man rode hard on his stallion leading his soldiers to the land of King Bhima. They arrived with their battalions of soldiers in chain mail, with their round shields and arrows at the ready. 

The mighty king Bhima greeted those young suitors with flower garlands and ornaments and gave them fine apartments in the palace where they might rest until the appointed day.  And in this way thousands of armed men, kshatriyas all, arrived at the great palace of the king of Vidarbha.

And as the powerful kings and princes gathered to compete at arms for the hand of the fair Damayanti, the king of heaven took notice.

Indra: god of rain, riding his elephant, Airavata

“Where are all these warriors going?” he thought. “Will they engage in a terrible war? And why has no one told me?”

At that time the sage among gods, Narada, arrived in the heavenly kingdom of the master of clouds. The god of rain asked Narada, “Where have all the great kings gone? Here in my heavenly abode I am used to entertaining warriors and heroes. But lately they have stopped visiting me. Now I see clouds of dust as they march towards the kingdom of Vidarbha. Where are they going? What is the meaning of this?”

The wise Narada, counselor to gods, replied, “My dear king of heaven, the ruler of the Vidarbhas has a daughter, Damayanti. 

Her beauty surpasses all mortal maids. She is the darling of great warriors and heroes who have all gone to compete for her hand at her swayaṃvara.  She is a priceless pearl, a matchless beauty, fairer than any apsara in heaven, and kings and princes have gathered from the four corners to take up arms in her honor. It is a great spectacle that none can miss.”

And while the conversation with Indra was going on, other gods arrived there, including Agni, the god of fire, Vayu the wind-god, and Varuna, the god of water and rivers. 

Agni, god of fire

Hearing the words of Narada, Indra laughed. “Fairer than the apsaras of heaven? Indeed. If Damayanti is so beautiful that all the kings and princes will fight for her hand, perhaps she is fit for our  heavenly kingdom. Let us go there. If this Damayanti is worthy enough, perhaps I myself shall take her for my wife.”

Agni, the god of fire, said, “If she is good enough for the king of heaven, perhaps she is hot enough for the god of fire. I too shall go to Vidarbha and see this fair maid.” The god of death, Yamarāja himself, also joined them.

So it was that that Indra god of thunder and rain, Varuna the lord of seas, of lakes and rivers, Agni the fire-god, Vayu the wind-god and even Death himself, accompanied by their various attendants, mounted their respective air-ships and set out to Vidarbha where the great swayaṃvara of Damayanti was to take place.

Vidarbha