Damayanti Swears Her Innocence to Nala
Nala, still haunted by suspicion, accuses Damayanti of unfaithfulness. She responds not with anger but with an oath — calling on the wind, the sun, and the moon to strike her dead if she has sinned. The wind-god himself speaks from the sky, and flowers rain down.
Damayanti looked at her husband and said: "O ruler of Nishadha, it does not behove you to be suspicious of sin or find fault with me. I rejected the gods and chose you."
She reminded him of what he already knew. It was to bring him back that the brahmanas had gone in all directions, singing her words in verses across the ten directions. A learned brahmana named Parnada had finally discovered him in Koshala, in Rituparna's house. When she heard his words and the exact reply Nala had given, she saw the means of bringing him here. "Other than you, who in this world is capable of driving horses over more than a hundred yojanas in a single day?"
She touched his feet in worship. And she swore.
"I have not been unfaithful towards you, not even in my thoughts. If I have committed any sin, let the moving wind that courses through the world and is a witness to everything free me from my breath of life today. If I have committed any sin, let the sun which always travels the world with its sharp rays free me from my breath of life today. If I have committed any sin, let the moon which courses through all beings as a witness free me from my breath of life today. Let these three gods who hold up the three worlds relate the truth of exactly what has happened. Or let them abandon me today."
The wind-god spoke from the sky.
"O Nala, I tell you the truth: she has not committed any sin. Damayanti has protected her treasure of good conduct and has increased it. We have protected her for three years and are witness. This method that she has devised for your sake is unparalleled. But for you, there is no other man who can travel one hundred yojanas in a single day. Bhima's daughter has obtained you and you have obtained Bhima's daughter. Do not have any doubts about what you should do. Be united with your wife."
While the wind-god was speaking, a shower of flowers fell from above. The drums of the gods sounded. A pure breeze began to blow.
King Nala, the destroyer of enemies, gave up all his doubts about Damayanti. Aranyaka Parva, Chapter 372