Damayanti Wanders the Forest Searching for Nala

When the lotus-eyed one had slain the killer of animals, she entered another forest — deserted and dreadful, resounding with the sounds of many crickets. It was full of lions, tigers, boars, bears, rurus and elephants. It was full of large numbers of diverse birds and was frequented by mlecchas and bandits. It was dense with shala trees, bamboos, dhava trees, ashvatthas, tindukas, ingudas, kimshukas, arjunas, arishtas, chandanas, shalmali trees, jambu trees, mangoes, lodhras, khadiras, shaka trees, cane, kashmaris, amalakas, plakshas, kadambas, udumbaras, badaris, bilvas, nyagrodhas, priyalas, talas, kharjuras, haritakas and vibhitakas. She saw mountains full of a hundred different kinds of minerals. She saw groves that resonated with the sounds of birds. She saw caves extraordinary to behold. She saw rivers, lakes, ponds, many types of animals and birds, a large number of pishachas, serpents and rakshasas terrible in form. She saw pools, tanks, mountain peaks everywhere, streams and wonderful oceans. There the daughter of the king of Vidarbha saw herds of buffaloes, boars, bears, monkeys and serpents. With supreme energy, fame, steadfastness and beauty, she began to roam around alone, looking for Nala. She was not frightened of anything. She wandered in that terrible forest, oppressed by her husband's misfortune. She lamented in great misery. Her limbs suffered from sorrow over her husband. She sought refuge on a slab of stone and spoke: "O one whose chest is like that of a lion! O mighty-armed one! O ruler of the people of Nishadha! O king! Where have you gone, abandoning me in this deserted forest? You have performed sacrifices like ashvamedha and have given away large quantities of dakshina. How is it that you have been false towards me? Make the words you uttered in my presence come true. Remember what the swans that roam in the sky said in your presence and what they said in my presence. The four Vedas, studied with their extended branches and sub-branches, can be on one side and truth alone can balance them on the other side. Therefore, you should follow the truth and make true what you promised in my presence. "Alas, brave one! Is it that I am no longer desired by you? Why do you not reply to me in this terrible forest? This terrible and fearful king of the forests is oppressing me with its wide-open jaws, as if it is hungry. Why don't you save me? You always used to say that I was your beloved and there was no second one who was dearer. Make the words you uttered earlier come true. Your beloved wife is lamenting, like one maddened. You desire her and she desires you. Why don't you reply to me? I am thin, miserable, pale and dirty. I am clad only in half a garment. I am alone and lamenting like one unprotected. I am like a solitary deer that has strayed from its herd. You are deserving of honour. But you do not honour me, when I am weeping thus. "Today, whom shall I ask 'Have you by any chance seen King Nala wandering in this forest?' The tiger, the king of the forest, is advancing to meet me. He is handsome, with four teeth and a mighty jaw. But I am not frightened of him. I will tell him, 'You are the king of the animals and the lord of this forest. Know me to be Damayanti, the daughter of the king of Vidarbha. I am the wife of Nala, the slayer of enemies. If you have seen Nala, please comfort me. If on the other hand, you know nothing about Nala, then eat me up and free me from this misery.' "This rocky mountain is sacred. It has many tall peaks, radiant and beautiful in their many hues. They stretch up to the sky. It is full of many minerals and is adorned with a myriad stones. It rises up like a flagstaff of this great forest. I will now ask this king of mountains about the king. 'O illustrious one! O best of mountains! O divine-looking one! I am seeking refuge with you. Know that I am the daughter of a king. I am the daughter-in-law of a king. I am the wife of a king. I am famous by the name of Damayanti. My father is King Bhima, the lord of Vidarbha. My father-in-law is Virasena, lord of Nishadha. His son is Nala — brave, handsome, truthful, knowledgeable in the Vedas, a performer of sacrifices. O best of mountains! Know that it is his wife who has come before you. I have lost my prosperity and I am without my husband. I am without a protector and I am beset by difficulty. I am looking for my husband. O supreme among mountains! You have hundreds of peaks that reach up into the sky. Is there any chance that you have seen King Nala in this terrible forest?'" She finished her lament to the mountain. Then she left for the northern direction, continuing her search.