Notes on Hindu Love Story: Nala and Damayanti and Infinite Regression

Dear readers: A note for the academically minded.

Some of you may be wondering why I am including the story of Nala and Damayanti which unfolds as an episode of the Mahābhārata, where Bridhaswa gives advice to King Yudhisthira in exile. This episode is extracted from the sixth chapter, 53rd section  of the Vana-Parva or 3rd book of the Mahābhārata,  India's great epic,  which comprises no less than  107, 389 Sanskrit shlokas in the anustabha form.  The authorship  of Mahabharata is attributed  to Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa.

The story of Nala and Damayanti  forms no part of the main plot of the narrative poem, and refers to a much earlier  period of Indian history, a time when Indra the raingod  held greater sway over the residents  of Bharata-Varsha.

 The Mahabharata contains  many digressions and stories  used to illustrate its greater themes.  This may be seen as a literary technique common to many oriental narratives such as the
Arabic  Thousand and One Nights which  employs a number of frame  stories  in an almost infinite regression.  (The "One" night in the title refers to the night on which, exhausted, Sheherezade can't think of another story to tell, so she tells the king, "Once upon a time, there was a girl named Scheherezade," and tells her own story. As Jorge Luis Borges points out this leads to an endless loop where every thousand nights, Scheherezade recapitulates her own story, which so becomes infinite.  Jorge Luis Borges called the 1001 nights a labyrinth of labyrinths, a circular novel of endless concantenations, an infinite and circular story, "un cuento circular yinfinito." http://elpais.com/diario/2005/12/17/cultura/1134774008_850215.html

While long at 100,00 verses, the Mahabharata is not infinite. Still, the infinite is always under discussion. With its use of frame stories, the Mahabharata anticipates the 1001 Nights, but its use of espejismo or Borgian "infinite and circular regression," is more subtle. This subtlety revolves around karma.

One of the important themes of the Mahabharat,  of course,  is karma.  As we have seen in the discussion of the Bhagavad-Gita, karma is a difficult theme.  It is in one sense an  endless progression of cause and effect. Any one human story is the story of infinite regression; a messy series of lives each one dependent on the actions and reactions of the former life. It is not truly infinite in an absolute sense, sinse the soul is eternal and will one day escape the circle of birth and death. But karma binds us in that circle. To ferret out why we are in a particular situation according to our karma is subtle:  involves the action and reaction of our past life.  As the narrative found in the Mahabharata  often contemplates the actions and reactions that take place over a number of past lives its scope is infinite. The temporal planes found in Mahabharata easily eclipse the 1001
 Nights, since the  discussion of all the former lives of ts cast of thousands of characters never ends. The study of Mahabharat began before the birth of Alexander the Great and continues today. It is not the story of a thousand or even a million and one nights, but the perpetual story of karmic incarnation and reincarnation, billions of nights long.



One of the principal characters, Bhishma,  for example  has taken his birth  as the result of a curse;  he's being punished for having stolen  the mystic cow of the sage Vasistha.  And so, often before we can proceed in the action of the story, we pause to contemplate the back story and past lives of the characters and heros.  just as we think we know a particular individual in the story we discover  the past life of that character. The whole  effect is that of a Russian doll, a Matryoshka.

We open a larger doll only to find a smaller doll within, one that contains a still smaller doll.  It is as if we are sitting  in a barber's chair looking at the mirror before us and seeing the mirror behind us as the mirrors revealed an infinite number of selves.  The effect of infinite regression  allows us to contemplate  our place in the universe  as an individual soul passing through a myriad number of incarnations.  And even when the narrative of the Mahabharata  does not venture into past lives, the constant digression into the ancient dynasty of King Bharata  continues the effect of infinite  regression.

Yudhisthira Maharaja is trying to understand his situation, to achieve a proper adjustment mentally,  so that he can go forward and meet the challenges he faces in exile before confronting his cousins in the great war ahead.

The sage Brihad Aswa  consoles him with the story of Nala.  The story does not touch on any past life.  And yet Nala's  story has so many parallels  with that of the exiled king that it cannot be ignored.   Like Yudhisthira, Nala is gifted by the gods.  He also loses everything through a dice game. Nala's wife must choose between 5 husbands. He is also exiled into the forest. He must live incognito in a foreign kingdom. Damayanti, like Draupadi, must live incognito as the serving maid of a foreign queen. Nala also finds his kingdom returned.

The parallels are so striking that the story of Nala  is sometimes considered by critics  to have been a kind of Ur-Mahabharata, a neb-version of the eventual story of the Pandavas and Kurus, perhaps  a historical fragment.  The prominence given to the deities Indra, Agni, Varuna, and Yama  and the absence of illusion  to Shiva and Brahma  seem to connect the narrative more with the Vedic and ancient.

According to the great sanskrit poet Kalidāsa, Nala  was probably born of the solar line or vamṣa  coming from King Raghu to Dāśaratha, Rāma, Kuśa, Atithi, and Nishadha.  Both the antiquity of the story of Nala as well as its long tradition speak for its veracity.  And yet many students of the Maha Bharat gloss over the story or consider  it to be apocryphal, since it lacks a certain moral outcome. And yet the story is important since it demonstrates the influence of Kali  upon a virtuous king. When the demonic Kali  possesses Nala,  he falls victim to the same place that later obsesses Yudhisthira: gambling.  Both Nala and Yudhisthira lose their kingdom to gambling at dice.  And thus it may be seen  that gambling is considered to be a vice very early in the history of Indian tradition.

The story of Nala  appears not only as an episode in the Mahabharata but also forms the subject of two other celebrated poems, the Nalodaya of Kalidāsa, and the Naishadha  of Śrī Harsha.  Somadeva Bhaṭṭa in kathā-sarita-sāgara has continued the tradition as has Trivikrama in Nala-Champu, as well as a well-known work in Tamil, the Nala-Rājā,  and a work in Telugu by the poet Rāghava in around 1650 AD.

 As for my own efforts, in the history of Indian literature has often been a commonplace to write compositions following in the footsteps of earlier poets. Whether through translation, adaptation or retelling, the narratives of the tradition have been preserved and amplified often resulting in original works. The story of Nala is no exception to this treatment. I hope this version will shine light on the original sanskrit version which the reader is encouraged to peruse.

 In this retelling I'm doing my best to create a modern version of this ancient Hindu love story while remaining faithful to the spirit of the original.  Those who are interested in the original Sanskrit may find excellent versions online.   As far as authenticity, my own version is based on the text found in the excellent manuscript of the Mahābhārata  belonging to the India Office and Bodlean libraries.   This text  was the basis for the translation made by Henry Millman in 1882  and subsequently edited and republished by Sir Monier Monier Williams,  compiler of the famous Sanskrit dictionary.  At the same time I have at my disposition  the masterful 12 volume edition of Mahabharata translated by Kishori Mohan Ganguli in the 1890s.  I rely on these texts  for my own retelling.



 Reading and translating the story of Nala and Damayanti is excellent practice for budding sanskritists. For the academically minded, I include the excerpt which corresponds to the fragment I published this morning, titled, "Clones of Nala." http://mexpostfact.blogspot.com/2015/09/mortal-and-immortal-love-wedding-of.html

Here it is in Sanskrit...

1 बृहदश्व उवाच

      अथ काले शुभे पराप्ते तिथौ पुण्ये कषणे तथा

      आजुहाव महीपालान भीमॊ राजा सवयंवरे

  2 तच छरुत्वा पृथिवीपालाः सर्वे हृच्छयपीडिताः

      तवरिताः समुपाजग्मुर दमयन्तीम अभीप्सवः

  3 कनकस्तम्भरुचिरं तॊरणेन विराजितम

      विविशुस ते महारङ्गं नृपाः सिंहा इवाचलम

  4 तत्रासनेषु विविधेष्व आसीनाः पृथिवीक्षितः

      सुरभिस्रग्धराः सर्वे सुमृष्टमणिकुण्डलाः

  5 तां राजसमितिं पूर्णां नागैर भॊगवतीम इव

      संपूर्णां पुरुषव्याघ्रैर वयाघ्रैर गिरिगुहाम इव

  6 तत्र सम पीना दृश्यन्ते बाहवः परिघॊपमाः

      आकारवन्तः सुश्लक्ष्णाः पञ्चशीर्षा इवॊरगाः

  7 सुकेशान्तानि चारूणि सुनासानि शुभानि च

      मुखानि राज्ञां शॊभन्ते नक्षत्राणि यथा दिवि

  8 दमयन्ती ततॊ रङ्गं परविवेश शुभानना

      मुष्णन्ती परभया राज्ञां चक्षूंसि च मनांसि च

  9 तस्या गात्रेषु पतिता तेषां दृष्टिर महात्मनाम

      तत्र तत्रैव सक्ताभून न चचाल च पश्यताम

  10 ततः संकीर्त्यमानेषु राज्ञां नामसु भारत

     ददर्श भैमी पुरुषान पञ्च तुल्याकृतीन इव

 11 तान समीक्ष्य ततः सर्वान निर्विशेषाकृतीन सथितान

     संदेशाद अथ वैधर्भी नाभ्यजानान नलं नृपम

     यं यं हि ददृशे तेषां तं तं मेने नलं नृपम

 12 सा चिन्तयन्ती बुद्ध्याथ तर्कयाम आस भामिनी

     कथं नु देवाञ जानीयां कथं विद्यां नलं नृपम

 13 एवं संचिन्तयन्ती सा वैदर्भी भृशदुःखिता

     शरुतानि देवलिङ्गानि चिन्तयाम आस भारत

 14 देवानां यानि लिङ्गानि सथविरेभ्यः शरुतानि मे

     तानीह तिष्ठतां भूमाव एकस्यापि न लक्षये

 15 सा विनिश्चित्य बहुधा विचार्य च पुनः पुनः

     शरणं परति देवानां पराप्तकालम अमन्यत

 16 वाचा च मनसा चैव नमः कारं परयुज्य सा

     देवेभ्यः पराञ्जलिर भूत्वा वेपमानेदम अब्रवीत

 17 हंसानां वचनं शरुत्वा यथा मे नैषधॊ वृतः

     पतित्वे तेन सत्येन देवास तं परदिशन्तु मे

 18 वाचा च मनसा चैव यथा नाभिचराम्य अहम

     तेन सत्येन विबुधास तम एव परदिशन्तु मे

 19 यथा देवैः स मे भर्ता विहितॊ निषधाधिपः

     तेन सत्येन मे देवास तम एव परदिशन्तु मे

 20 सवं चैव रूपं पुष्यन्तु लॊकपालाः सहेश्वराः

     यथाहम अभिजानीयां पुण्यश्लॊकं नराधिपम

 21 निशम्य दमयन्त्यास तत करुणं परिदेवितम

     निश्चयं परमं तथ्यम अनुरागं च नैषधे

 22 मनॊविशुद्धिं बुद्धिं च भक्तिं रागं च भारत

     यथॊक्तं चक्रिरे देवाः सामर्थ्यं लिङ्गधारणे

 23 सापश्यद विबुधान सर्वान अस्वेदान सतब्धलॊचनान

     हृषितस्रग रजॊहीनान सथितान अस्पृशतः कषितिम

 24 छायाद्वितीयॊ मलानस्रग रजःस्वेदसमन्वितः

     भूमिष्ठॊ नैषधश चैव निमेषेण च सूचितः

 25 सा समीक्ष्य ततॊ देवान पुण्यश्लॊकं च भारत

     नैषधं वरयाम आस भैमी धर्मेण भारत

 26 विलज्जमाना वस्त्रान्ते जग्राहायतलॊचना

     सकन्धदेशे ऽसृजच चास्य सरजं परमशॊभनाम

     वरयाम आस चैवैनं पतित्वे वरवर्णिनी

 27 ततॊ हा हेति सहसा शब्दॊ मुक्तॊ नराधिपैः

     देवैर महर्षिभिश चैव साधु साध्व इति भारत

     विस्मितैर ईरितः शब्दः परशंसद्भिर नलं नृपम

 28 वृते तु नैषधे भैम्या लॊकपाला महौजसा

     परहृष्टमनसः सर्वे नलायाष्टौ वरान ददुः

 29 परत्यक्षदर्शनं यज्ञे गतिं चानुत्तमां शुभाम

     नैषधाय ददौ शक्रः परीयमाणः शचीपतिः

 30 अग्निर आत्मभवं परादाद यत्र वाञ्छति नैषधः

     लॊकान आत्मप्रभांश चैव ददौ तस्मै हुताशनः

 31 यमस तव अन्नरसं परादाद धर्मे च परमां सथितिम

     अपां पतिर अपां भावं यत्र वाञ्छति नैषधः

 32 सरजं चॊत्तमगन्धाढ्यां सर्वे च मिथुनं ददुः

     वरान एवं परदायास्य देवास ते तरिदिवं गताः

 33 पार्थिवाश चानुभूयास्य विवाहं विस्मयान्विताः

     दमयन्त्याः परमुदिताः परतिजग्मुर यथागतम

 34 अवाप्य नारीरत्नं तत पुण्यश्लॊकॊ ऽपि पार्थिवः

     रेमे सह तया राजा शच्येव बलवृत्रहा

 35 अतीव मुदितॊ राजा भराजमानॊ ऽ शुमान इव

     अरञ्जयत परजा वीरॊ धर्मेण परिपालयन

 36 ईजे चाप्य अश्वमेधेन ययातिर इव नाहुषः

     अन्यैश च करतुभिर धीमान बहुभिश चाप्तदक्षिणैः

 37 पुनश च रमणीयेषु वनेषूपवनेषु च

     दमयन्त्या सह नलॊ विजहारामरॊपमः

 38 एवं स यजमानश च विहरंश च नराधिपः

     ररक्ष वसुसंपूर्णां वसुधां वसुधाधिपः

1 bṛhadaśva uvāca

      atha kāle śubhe prāpte tithau puṇye kṣaṇe tathā

      ājuhāva mahīpālān bhīmo rājā svayaṃvare

  2 tac chrutvā pṛthivīpālāḥ sarve hṛcchayapīḍitāḥ

      tvaritāḥ samupājagmur damayantīm abhīpsavaḥ

  3 kanakastambharuciraṃ toraṇena virājitam

      viviśus te mahāraṅgaṃ nṛpāḥ siṃhā ivācalam

  4 tatrāsaneṣu vividheṣv āsīnāḥ pṛthivīkṣitaḥ

      surabhisragdharāḥ sarve sumṛṣṭamaṇikuṇḍalāḥ

  5 tāṃ rājasamitiṃ pūrṇāṃ nāgair bhogavatīm iva

      saṃpūrṇāṃ puruṣavyāghrair vyāghrair giriguhām iva

  6 tatra sma pīnā dṛśyante bāhavaḥ parighopamāḥ

      ākāravantaḥ suślakṣṇāḥ pañcaśīrṣā ivoragāḥ

  7 sukeśāntāni cārūṇi sunāsāni śubhāni ca

      mukhāni rājñāṃ śobhante nakṣatrāṇi yathā divi

  8 damayantī tato raṅgaṃ praviveśa śubhānanā

      muṣṇantī prabhayā rājñāṃ cakṣūṃsi ca manāṃsi ca

  9 tasyā gātreṣu patitā teṣāṃ dṛṣṭir mahātmanām

      tatra tatraiva saktābhūn na cacāla ca paśyatām

  10 tataḥ saṃkīrtyamāneṣu rājñāṃ nāmasu bhārata

     dadarśa bhaimī puruṣān pañca tulyākṛtīn iva

 11 tān samīkṣya tataḥ sarvān nirviśeṣākṛtīn sthitān

     saṃdeśād atha vaidharbhī nābhyajānān nalaṃ nṛpam

     yaṃ yaṃ hi dadṛśe teṣāṃ taṃ taṃ mene nalaṃ nṛpam

 12 sā cintayantī buddhyātha tarkayām āsa bhāminī

     kathaṃ nu devāñ jānīyāṃ kathaṃ vidyāṃ nalaṃ nṛpam

 13 evaṃ saṃcintayantī sā vaidarbhī bhṛśaduḥkhitā

     śrutāni devaliṅgāni cintayām āsa bhārata

 14 devānāṃ yāni liṅgāni sthavirebhyaḥ śrutāni me

     tānīha tiṣṭhatāṃ bhūmāv ekasyāpi na lakṣaye

 15 sā viniścitya bahudhā vicārya ca punaḥ punaḥ

     śaraṇaṃ prati devānāṃ prāptakālam amanyata

 16 vācā ca manasā caiva namaḥ kāraṃ prayujya sā

     devebhyaḥ prāñjalir bhūtvā vepamānedam abravīt

 17 haṃsānāṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā yathā me naiṣadho vṛtaḥ

     patitve tena satyena devās taṃ pradiśantu me

 18 vācā ca manasā caiva yathā nābhicarāmy aham

     tena satyena vibudhās tam eva pradiśantu me

 19 yathā devaiḥ sa me bhartā vihito niṣadhādhipaḥ

     tena satyena me devās tam eva pradiśantu me

 20 svaṃ caiva rūpaṃ puṣyantu lokapālāḥ saheśvarāḥ

     yathāham abhijānīyāṃ puṇyaślokaṃ narādhipam

 21 niśamya damayantyās tat karuṇaṃ paridevitam

     niścayaṃ paramaṃ tathyam anurāgaṃ ca naiṣadhe

 22 manoviśuddhiṃ buddhiṃ ca bhaktiṃ rāgaṃ ca bhārata

     yathoktaṃ cakrire devāḥ sāmarthyaṃ liṅgadhāraṇe

 23 sāpaśyad vibudhān sarvān asvedān stabdhalocanān

     hṛṣitasrag rajohīnān sthitān aspṛśataḥ kṣitim

 24 chāyādvitīyo mlānasrag rajaḥsvedasamanvitaḥ

     bhūmiṣṭho naiṣadhaś caiva nimeṣeṇa ca sūcitaḥ

 25 sā samīkṣya tato devān puṇyaślokaṃ ca bhārata

     naiṣadhaṃ varayām āsa bhaimī dharmeṇa bhārata

 26 vilajjamānā vastrānte jagrāhāyatalocanā

     skandhadeśe 'sṛjac cāsya srajaṃ paramaśobhanām

     varayām āsa caivainaṃ patitve varavarṇinī

 27 tato hā heti sahasā śabdo mukto narādhipaiḥ

     devair maharṣibhiś caiva sādhu sādhv iti bhārata

     vismitair īritaḥ śabdaḥ praśaṃsadbhir nalaṃ nṛpam

 28 vṛte tu naiṣadhe bhaimyā lokapālā mahaujasā

     prahṛṣṭamanasaḥ sarve nalāyāṣṭau varān daduḥ

 29 pratyakṣadarśanaṃ yajñe gatiṃ cānuttamāṃ śubhām

     naiṣadhāya dadau śakraḥ prīyamāṇaḥ śacīpatiḥ

 30 agnir ātmabhavaṃ prādād yatra vāñchati naiṣadhaḥ

     lokān ātmaprabhāṃś caiva dadau tasmai hutāśanaḥ

 31 yamas tv annarasaṃ prādād dharme ca paramāṃ sthitim

     apāṃ patir apāṃ bhāvaṃ yatra vāñchati naiṣadhaḥ

 32 srajaṃ cottamagandhāḍhyāṃ sarve ca mithunaṃ daduḥ

     varān evaṃ pradāyāsya devās te tridivaṃ gatāḥ

 33 pārthivāś cānubhūyāsya vivāhaṃ vismayānvitāḥ

     damayantyāḥ pramuditāḥ pratijagmur yathāgatam

 34 avāpya nārīratnaṃ tat puṇyaśloko 'pi pārthivaḥ

     reme saha tayā rājā śacyeva balavṛtrahā

 35 atīva mudito rājā bhrājamāno 'ṃśumān iva

     arañjayat prajā vīro dharmeṇa paripālayan

 36 īje cāpy aśvamedhena yayātir iva nāhuṣaḥ

     anyaiś ca kratubhir dhīmān bahubhiś cāptadakṣiṇaiḥ

 37 punaś ca ramaṇīyeṣu vaneṣūpavaneṣu ca

     damayantyā saha nalo vijahārāmaropamaḥ

 38 evaṃ sa yajamānaś ca viharaṃś ca narādhipaḥ

     rarakṣa vasusaṃpūrṇāṃ vasudhāṃ vasudhādhipaḥ

Mortal and Immortal Love: the Wedding of Damayanti and the Clones of Nala

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्

 देवीं सरस्वतीं चैव ततो जयम् उदीरयेत्

महाभरत

Mahābharata

As retold by

Michael Dolan, B.V. Mahāyogi

Nala and Damayanti

Damayanti and the Golden Swan

As quickly as Nala had appeared, he disappeared in the night. And by and by the appointed hour came.

The svayamvara of Damayanti was held at the sacred hour of the holy lunar day. Kings and princes rode forth ready to compete in mortal combat. The suitors came fro far and wide. Some were richly dressed with silk robes, garlands, gold and jeweled earrings. Others wore helmets, chain-mail, and swords. These were robust nobles arms as strong as iron battle-maces.  Their piercing eyes were like those of vipers. Rich, poweful, and handsome, these well-made men made their entrance like hungry lions eager for the chase, their strong jaws framed with brilliant locks of golden hair. There were noble heads with fine noses and the eyes and brows of kings. These princes and fierce warriors had come from far-off lands eager to find a bride in Damayanti the fair. As they joined the assembly they were given sitting places according to their status; they sat on thrones of silver and gold and inlaid wood awaiting their chance to compete in arms and court the beauteous young maid whose name was on everyone’s lips. As the wide river Bhogavatī is filled with snakes, as the mountain caves of the Himalayas are filled with tigers, so the wide assembly hall was filled with  kings and princes. 

And at the appointed hour, the fair Damayanti, princess of Vidarbha made her entrance, dressed in the finest silk, crowned with a silver tiara, her sweet glances burning fire into the hearts of the warriors assembled there. Bright as the moon she dazzled the kings and princes who were stunned to their souls.

Her radiance shined like the sun as she glanced about the arena looking for her champion.  

“Where is Nala?” she thought.

But as she looked from one proud king to another, searching the face of Nala in the crowd of illustrious warriors, she could not see him anwhere.

She stood and smiled as the names of the kings were proclaimed. Each prince was named and his turn was called. Each stood and smiled, ready to challenge the others in feats of combat if necessary. 

But as their names were called, Damayanti lowered her eyes and said nothing. Bewildered by this rejection, each prince sat down again restless in his place, awaiting the final decision of this proud maiden.

 And as Damayanti looked among the throng of gathered princes, finally she saw Nala.

Nala her beloved. Nala the king of Vishadha. Nala the brave gallant who had scaled the garden wall. Nala the prince who had enchanted her 100 virgin handmaids in the pale moonlight of the ashoka grove.

But as she looked, she rubbed her eyes. There was Nala, her beloved. But instead of one Nala, there were five.

Did her eyes deceive her? Seated before her were five Nalas, each more Nala than the last. There were five identical Nalas. And finally her eyes found among those princes present a group of five individuals who all appeared exactly like Nala.

She remembered the words that Nala had spoken in the garden. 

His message: “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. 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.”

Gods at the swayamvara of Damayanti: Clones of Nala

Damayanti was baffled. “Choose one of them at your wedding contest.” Of course. The gods knew of her love for Nala. They knew that she had planned to choose the King o Vidarbha as her husband. The gods themselves, envious of the beauty of her beloved, were impersonating Nala. Sitting before her disguised as Nala were Indra, Agni, Vayu, and Varuna, who had taken the very form of Nala.

The crown princes of India were present, as were nobles and warriors from throughout the land. They followed the glance of Damayanti. Who were these mysterious suitors? They were perfectly alike. Which of the five suitors would she choose?

Damayanti could not tell them apart. She looked from one to another, studying their faces, but each version of Nala smiled impassively, revealing nothing with their eyes. Four of them were gods. Only one was Nala himself. If she chose a god, she would be bound to him for life. If she chose Indra, she would be queen of the heavens, consort of the lord of thunder and rain. 

But she didn’t want a heavenly kingdom, she only wanted her earthly love for Nala, her prince. 

The wide hall sat in silence. 

The name “Nala, the King of Nishadha,” was announced.

The five Nalas rose from the silver thrones where they sat and stood before her with folded hands.

Damayanti kept looking from one to another.  She prayed to Vishnu for guidance. She offered worship mentally and tried to see things more deeply. How could she choose? Four of these Nalas were copies, an illusion created by gods. One was Nala, a mere mortal. 

She thought, “I must study carefully. The gods are perfect.  Nala is imperfect. The gods are immortal. Nala is mortal.” Again she prayed to Vishnu within her heart. “ O Lord, reveal to me the imperfect form of my beloved. The gods are faultless, but he has must have some faults. Sharpen my vision. Let me see.”

All were quiet as Damayanti, trancelike, studied the five young men, each more alike than the last. 

Her eyes began to focus. She noticed that one of the five perfect men cast a shadow in the dust. Indeed the dust covered his feet. His feet stood firmly on the earth. His flower garland, so perfect at first, had faded slightly with the heat of the sun. The roses round his neck had wilted. A few petals had fallen to the ground. His eyes intent with passion were fixed, but trembled slightly. He blinked. A fine perspiration stained his brow.

She looked again from one to the other. The others were too perfect. She noticed their feet. Their perfect lotus feet floated slightly above the earth, untouched by the dust. They cast no shadow upon the earth. No dust stained their garments. She noticed the flowers of their garlands. The lotuses were perfect. The roses shed no petals, nor did they wilt. Their perfect brows showed no perspiration. She studied their lotus-like eyes. They never blinked. Their gaze was fixed and perfect. 

But one of these was mortal. His feet touched the ground. His brow strained with sweat against the noonday sun. With fading garlands, garments stained with dust, he cast a clear shadow on the ground. 

The gods had played a cruel trick by impersonating the man she loved, but one of the five suitors was definitely mortal: Her Nala. She looked at him and smiled. She would not be fooled even by the magic of the gods.

And so Damayanti, the virtuous daughter of Bhima, stepped forward and chose her champion. Smiling, she lightly took the hem of his garment in her lotus hand while  throwing the ceremonial floral garland around his shoulders. She turned before the crowd.

“This man I choose, before the gods and the assembled kings. He is Nala, King of Vidarbha.”

Many of the suitors felt cheated and cried, “No! This cannot be! Choose me!” and “Alas! This is a fraud!” While from that conclave of kings many shouted, “Hurray!” and “Well-done!” “Damayanti ki Jai!” 

Nala raised his hand for silence. And when he could be heard he said,  “O Damayanti, you might have chosen a god. You could have been queen of heaven taking one of these as your husband. I am no god, but a mere mortal. And yet with all my faults you have chosen me, in the presence of the gods. And since you have chosen a mortal for your husband, take this faithful vow: O maiden with the serene smile, I shall be yours in love as long as spirit fills this body. I say so truthfully before the gods and kings assembled here.”

With this, the gods revealed themselves : Indra, lord of the rain; Agnideva, the fire-god; Yama, Death himself, and Varuna, god of waters, lakes, and rivers. All rejoiced and were amazed. 

At that time the gods blessed Nala with eight mystic gifts: The power to see the divine in the mystic sacrifice, and the physical power of grace was given by Indra. The power to invoke fire by mantra whenever he pleased was given to Nala by Agni as well as his own fiery character. The Lord of death, Yama awarded Nala with a fine discernment and taste in the culinary arts as well as eminent virtue, a deep understanding of dharma. While Varuṇa gifted Nala with with the power to conjure water whenever and wherever needed as well as garlands of matchless fragrance. 

Each god having doubly blessed Nala and his beloved Damayanti. And having given their blessings,  the gods called for their airships. One by one, Agni, Indra, Varuna, and Yama all departed for their celestial homes.

The great king Bhima, lord of Vidarbha solemnized the nuptials with a great wedding ceremony attended by all the kings and princes present who promised to honor the decision of the gods.

And so it was that Nala and Damayanti were married.

Nala rejoiced, having won the pearl of women for his own. In due course He brought Damayanti to his home in Naishadha having received permission from her father the great king Bhima. 

And so it was that Nala and Damayanti passed their days in joy in Nala’s palace and ruled the kingdom of Vidarbha. They played at love in many a green forest and romantic woods and groves and soon Damayanti delivered him a son named Indrasena, and a daughter, also named Indrasena. Time passed and King Nala ruled the earth in riches and splendour with his queen the beautiful Damayanti.

But when the gods were returning to their heavens they an envious supernatural being, Kali. 

He was on the road to Vidarbha with Dwapara. And when the gods inquired, “Where are you going, Kali?” He replied, “I am going to Vidarbha with Dwapara to the svayamvara of Damayanti.” 

And the gods headed by Indra told him, “Haven’t you heard? The swayaṃvara  is finished. She has already chosen. She chose this mortal in front of us. Even now she is being married to Nala.”

And Kali said, “This is an outrage. How could she choose before the great Kali had arrived. For this offence, I curse her. And Nala. Damayanti is accursed and shall suffer. I shall have my revenge.”

But the gods said, “Be careful of your curses. We gods have sanctioned this union. Cursed be he that causes them any mischief.”

But Kali continued on his way with Dwapara, resolved to destroy Nala.  He spied on the wedding ceremony and saw that he was too late.  And so Kali followed them to the kingdom of Nala, determined to have his revenge.