60. NALA’S CHILDREN SENT TO VIDHARBHA

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > AARANYA PARVA > NALOPAAKHYAANA PARVA > CHAPTER 60 - NALA'S CHILDREN SENT TO VIDHARBHA

Summary: Expecting the worst consequences for Nala in the game of dice, Damayanti summons the charioteer Vaarshneya and asks him to take her children to their father’s home at Vidharbha. Vaarshneya hands over the children at Vidharbha and joins as charioteer to King Rituparna at Ayodhya.

“Brihadashwa said, ‘Bhima’s daughter, the cool-headed Damayanti, seeing the righteous king maddened and deprived of his senses at dice, was filled, O king (Yudhishthira), with alarm and grief. She thought the affair to be a serious one with the king. Apprehensive of the calamity that threatened Nala, yet seeking his welfare and at last understanding that her lord had lost everything, she said to her nurse and maid-servant Brihatsena of high fame, intent upon her good, talented in all duties, faithful and sweet-speeched, these words, ‘Brihatsena, you go and summon the ministers in the name of Nala, and tell them also what of wealth and other things has been lost and what remains.’

“The ministers then, hearing of Nala’s summons, said, ‘This is fortunate for us’ and approached the king. When the subjects in a body had (thus) come a second time, the daughter of Bhima informed Nala of it. But the king regarded her not. Finding her husband disregarding her words, Damayanti, filled with shame, returned to her apartments. And hearing that the dice were uniformly unfavourable to the virtuous Nala, and that he had lost everything, she again spoke to her nurse, saying, ‘O Brihatsena, you go again in Nala’s name to bring here, O blessed one, the charioteer, Vaarshneya. The matter at hand is very serious.’

“Brihatsena, hearing those words of Damayanti caused Vaarshneya to be summoned by trusty servants. The blameless daughter of Bhima (Damayanti), familiar with conduct suitable to time and place, addressing soft words said according to the occasion, ‘You know how the king has always behaved towards you. He is now in difficulty, and it is your duty to assist him. The more the king loses to Pushkara, the greater becomes his intensity for the play. As the dice fall obedient to Pushkara, it is seen that they are adverse to Nala in the matter of the play. Absorbed in the play, he does not listen the words of his friends and relatives, nor even those of mine. I do not think, however, that in this the Mahatma Naishadha (Nala) is to blame, in as much as the king regarded not my words, being absorbed in play. O Charioteer, I seek your protection. Do my instruction. My mind misgives me. The king may come to grief. Attaching Nala’s favourite horses filled with the fleetness of the mind, you do take these twins (my son and daughter) on the chariot and you quickly go to Kundina (Kundina is the capital of the Vidarbha Kingdom). Leaving the children there with my relatives and also the chariot and the horses, either you stay there, or go to any other place as you wish.’

“Vaarshneya, the charioteer of Nala, then reported in detail these words of Damayanti to the chief officers of the king. Having settled (the matter) in consultation with them, and obtaining their assent, O mighty monarch (Yudhishthira), the charioteer started for Vidarbha, taking the children on that chariot. Leaving there the boy Indrasena and the girl Indrasena, and also that best of chariots and those horses, the charioteer, with a sad heart grieving for Nala, gave farewell to Bhima. Wandering for some time, he (Vaarshneya) arrived at the city of Ayodhya. There he appeared with a sorrowful heart before king Rituparna, and entered the service of that monarch as charioteer.’”